Meifu's Gate ::Third Chronicle::
by VraieEsprit
Summary: Ambition. Revenge. Betrayal. Soaked in blood, 7th District purges itself of its outlaw Urahara. At the Academy, Juu & Shun face new challenges, as well as the encroaching darkness. This time fate's hand may splinter their friendship & divide them forever.
1. Prologue: Ancient Skeletons

**Meifu's Gate: Third Chronicle  
**_~Fate's Gauntlet~_

_  
Argh, I seem to be writing another sequel._

_Well, here goes._

_The Second Manuscript was about their first term at the Academy, and maybe a little bit over into the summer recess.  
This story picks up at the start of their second year, because there are a few things I want to do with them and figure it's better to have them in second year by the time I do. Consequently some time has passed since the last story ended. There may at some point be an Ukitake-ke omake to slot into the winter before this story begins - but right now it's only half finished, so I guess we'll see how that goes. (It's only a short story anyhow)._

_  
From the prologue, it's fairly clear that this story has connections to the last one, but also differences. One of those differences is that I intend for the zanpakutou issue and Gotei issue to play a bigger part in this story than it did in the last one. But the political intrigue is also an integral part of the world I've created (I must be mad) so there'll be some of that as well._

_The boys are older and a tad wiser now than they were in their first term. Consequently...the story may take different angles and explore different routes. More than that...I don't think I'll say right now._

_The story is still being written, so updating may not be as fast as on the last one. But I had to begin it today, since today is July 11__th__ and that's Shunsui's birthday!_

誕生日おめでとう春君！

_  
__**Disclaimer:**__  
As ever, the boys and the original world belong to Kubo-sensei, and my OCs and the random babbleness belongs to me. But without Bleach there'd be no babble, so Kubo-sensei wins overall :)_

_**Ukitake's zanpakutou: **__I've tried to keep what I've written as much in with what Kubo-sensei has given us as possible. However, there is a caveat to this. So far as my story goes, his elements are storm and sea and that will remain to be the case throughout Meifu even if it later winds up contradicting the manga directly. This is because I'll continue as I've begun...and also because with a release command like that, Juu __**has**__ to have some connection to the waves and the lightning...right? Riight...?_

_I'm also paying no attention to the __**anime zanpakky filler**__, just in case anyone is wondering. Because it's anime. And it's filler. Even if Kubo-sensei is involved, I'm working from the manga and always have been, so. And if that takes it AU, so be it. *rebel!*_

_

* * *

  
_

**  
Prologue: Ancient Skeletons**

_The streets were lined with people as the sombre procession made its way through the central square._

_The horses were black, and those who rode them wore muted colours of office._

_Between them, a bare-foot individual walked, his hands bound and lashed to the harness of the leading horse to prevent him making an escape. Straggly straw-blond hair fell loose and unkempt around his face, his chin showing sign of neglected stubble and his eyes mere shadows in his face, squinting and blinking against the harsh light of the sun._

_It was becoming an all too familiar sight for the people of Third District._

_This was, after all, not the first execution to have taken place in their territory in the past few weeks._

_But of all of them, this was the most significant._

_  
Shunned in shame even by his family, this was the last walk of Keitsune, brother of the Lord of the Urahara-ke, and most significantly, the disgraced Head of Research._

_The stories had flown like wildfire throughout all of the Districts since the news had broken. That the Clans had played with fire, and that a power had driven them to madness and destruction – that Urahara Keitsune had performed witchcraft, and condemned them all to death._

_The Head of the Urahara-ke had had no choice, many had whispered, in the end. The Council had made him submit to an impossible decision - forsake his brother or forsake his power base. In the end, he had chosen his District, adding his seal to the Warrant of Execution and turning his back on his brother the moment the sentence had been handed down. _

_Since that time, the rumours had spread from the gaolers to their wives and from the wives to other wives at market and at shrine – rumours that Keitsune had written numerous letters, and that each one had been met at the Main House with stony, unrelenting silence._

_  
The Urahara-ke no longer claimed him. His body was now the property of Council justice, to avenge all those damaged by the experiments into reiatsu enhancement._

_For daring to play with nature, Urahara Keitsune would pay with his life._

_From a side alley, well back from the gathered crowds, a small boy peered around the corner of a dusty wood-frame building, eyes big with fear and fascination as he watched the parade of dark-clad missionaries escorting the nobleman to the place where he would take his final breath._

_He had seen the same thing happen three days in a row now – men he knew, men who had once visited them – each one clad in black and each one led to the same place of death._

_Later, he had seen the cart carrying away their decapitated corpses to be burnt. There was no honoured burial for the condemned – those who had crossed Soul Society in such a grave way deserved no such final memorial._

_The boy could still remember their faces and their laughs, even though he could no longer sense the prickle of their presence in his daily lives. One had brought him snacks and another had teased him about learning to spar and fight when he finally managed to achieve some growth. That they were gone was a fact – he accepted it, but he did not fully understand it. They had done something bad, his mother had told him, her eyes red with tears. Something the Council had found to be unforgivable. But even so, the boy had not been able to fathom it. They had been his Father's friends, after all. Men he knew. Men he liked. How, then, could they be guilty of any evil?_

_That day, however, he had begun to find his answer._

_As the procession passed by his hiding place, the condemned man turned his head slightly, meeting the young boy's pale, mud-slurried eyes with his own more distinctive Urahara gaze. It was only a split-second of contact, but in that moment, the young boy felt the wash of hurt, fear and anguish that littered the man's soul. Keitsune was a thin, ragged figure of a man now, robed not in finery but in the rags befitting a prisoner who had spent the last month holed up in a lightless, draughty dungeon. But even despite the hollow cheeks and hopeless expression, the boy knew._

_This was his father. _

_His father was a bad man too._

_As they met gazes, Keitsune mouthed a word – his pale lips parting slowly into just three shapes, but enough for the boy to understand. Kei-Ta-Rou. His name. The name Keitsune had chosen for him that summer day when he had squirmed and mewled into the world, kicking and screaming the announcement of his arrival in District Three. Keitsune had often said it – that he had named the boy 'Kei' because he wanted to share a part of his name with the name of his first born son. Now the boy remembered it; his father's teasing, intelligent gaze and the man's soft spoken, well-measured words._

_And in that moment, Keitarou understood something else._

_His father was his father. Whatever he had done, and whoever he had worked for, he was not a bad man. He had been forsaken, that was all, by the people he should have been able to rely on for support. He had heard the word many times in the weeks leading up to Keitsune's arrest, but until that moment, had never really understood what it meant._

_But now he knew. Now he understood._

_  
His father had been __**betrayed**__._

_And in that moment, for the first time in his young, protected life, Keitarou felt true, searing anger._

"_Kei-chan, why are you here?"_

_  
The soft tones of his mother pulled him away from the crowd, turning to face her in the gloom of the narrow side street. She was caped and hooded, her usual fine garments cast aside in favour of dull, nondescript clothing, and her features, usually painted and glowing with life showed the strain of the previous few weeks._

_  
On the night Keitsune had been condemned, she had taken him from his bed at midnight, and with the help of sympathetic maids and man-servants, they had slipped the notice of the guards, disappearing into the night. Through the next three or four days they had hidden in the old sewer tunnels deep beneath the noble estates, whilst above their heads the shouts of men and pounding of horse hooves had heralded the desperate search for their whereabouts._

_Even now, Keitarou knew, he should not be above ground. Even now, just by being here, he was taking a risk._

_  
"I came to see Father." The boy raised his gaze to his companion, and the woman bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes as she slipped her arm around his tiny shoulders._

"_We're leaving this place. Now." She whispered. "The Hikei-no-Ichizoku have agreed to help us over the Unohana border and we have to leave tonight or risk never leaving this place again."_

_  
"But Father…" Keitarou struggled in her arms, confused by his mother's apparent lack of understanding, and the woman shook her head, merely tightening her grasp and pulling him tighter to her body._

"_You no longer have a father." She murmured. "So the Clan has decided."_

_  
"But…he was…be…be…betrayed!"_

"_You don't know what words you use, Kei-kun. Please, don't…"_

"_I know what words I use!" Keitarou struggled free, something strong and vibrant pricking at his aura as he made to dart back towards the place he had last seen his father. "Father was betrayed! I have to tell them. Father was…"_

_  
He faltered, as a sudden wave of anguish and despair flooded his young senses, overloading his brain and causing him to stumble to his knees. It was far away, he realised, too far for him to see it, yet even so, the sudden flow of spirit power into the ether told him exactly what had happened. As though painting the picture in his mind, his childish brain set about piecing this sensation with the ones he had felt over the previous days – the ones which had led him to see decapitated bodies piled up and dragged away for disposal. The memory filled his senses with technicolour, and tears welled in his own eyes – tears of anger, not grief, as he worked out what it meant._

"_Father." He whispered, and behind him he heard his mother's soft moan of despair._

"You are my eldest son, Keitarou. Remember that, because one day this duty will be yours and this knowledge yours as well. The Urahara-ke is a Clan to be proud of – a Clan of exploration and knowledge – a Clan where status quo is no longer good enough an answer. Your family have the greatest scientific wealth of data in all of Soul Society, and one day, we will use it to change the world. One day, that knowledge will steer Soul Society in a new direction. And on that day, the Urahara will be the Clan most celebrated in everybody's hearts."

_As he slowly picked himself up off his knees, Keitarou remembered his father's words, open and strong as he had talked about the research he loved. The smell of books mingled with the soft scent of herbs and chemicals washed nostalgically across his senses, reminding him of the many times he had been allowed to walk through the great Urahara library, with its walls and walls of texts on every subject imaginable._

_There was nothing that the Urahara didn't know – so he had believed. Nothing they could not accomplish. No way they could fail._

_But they _had_ failed._

_As if a curtain had suddenly been dropped over the memory, Keitarou's mind and thoughts became shrouded in black._

_His father had believed in them, and his father had never been wrong. His father…his father had been…_

"_Betrayed." He whispered, clenching his tiny fists as the flare of rage washed through him once more. _

"_Kei-chan." His mother's voice was barely more than a faint murmur, her pain and grief only adding to the young boy's dark rage. "We have to go. If they find us here, they'll kill us too. For your father's sake, we have to go. For his sake…we must."_

_Keitarou did not respond for a moment. Then, very slowly, he turned, raising a cold, impassive gaze to his mother's anxious one._

"_I am ready." He said coolly. "Let us leave."_

Keitarou opened his eyes, blinking for a moment as he tried to place his darkened surroundings. His brain still half in sleep, he gazed around him, making out the dim shadows of furniture and clutter piled up all around him. A small window provided the minimum amount of light into the chamber, but as his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, the fleeting wisps of that childhood memory dissipated into nothing, and he sighed, stretching his arms over his head as he realised he had fallen asleep at his desk once again.

_It was a long time ago, yet even now it's imprinted into my brain. I'll never forget it…the reason why I hate the Urahara. The reason why I'll betray them – and keep betraying them, so long as I live._

A faint, cool smile touched his lips.

_To them I'm nothing. A flicker of ash from a bonfire – a wisp of smoke on the wind. Probably they've forgotten that Urahara Keitsune had a son, after all this time – they've worked so hard to repair their reputation, and it's easier to forget those things that don't make pleasant listening. But I haven't set it aside so easily. Father died for it, after all. My family and my home were torn apart because of it. Because they all betrayed him – all the Clans who were greedy for power and strength. They used him, abused him and betrayed him. But most of all, the Urahara. Father's work taints their noble name. The longer I keep it alive, the harder it will be to forget._

He got to his feet, moving aside his papers and glancing at the diagrams he had sketched out roughly the night before. Chemical formulae littered page upon page in his distinctive, spidery scrawl, and as he scanned over them, his smile widened.

_It's a double edged sword, in the end. Their betrayal destroyed my life, and also gave it its purpose. As an Urahara, to press forward and discover. As a Clansman, to always push to reach the top. As a scientist…to succeed._

He scooped up the discarded _tantou_ knife that lay to one side of his pages of screed, running his finger gently over the monogrammed blade as he did so.

_  
Or as a spider, pulling together the threads of an invisible, unavoidable web._

A thumping at the door jerked him from his reverie, and he frowned, sliding the blade into his _obi_ and crossing the room to unlatch the thick panel divide. As he pulled it back, he saw the impatience in the messenger's eyes, and he pursed his lips, realising that the man had been waiting for some time.

_Perhaps it was you, then, that drew me from my nightmare._

He raised a quizzical eyebrow, reading as he did so the distinctive emblem on the man's attire.

"Well?" He asked softly. "You bring, I think, some good news?"

"I bring a message from Endou Seimaru-sama, sir." The man bowed his head, his irritation masked by his show of formality. "He wishes to speak with you – as soon as humanly possible."

"I see." Keitarou's eyes were like flint as he digested this. "And the obstacle formerly in our way?"

"There is no obstacle, sir."

At the man's words, Keitarou smiled.

"Then at last, the old hunter has roosted with her prey?" He reflected. "I'm sure there are many in Seventh District who will mourn her passing. Many…many indeed."

"Sir?"

"But not, I imagine, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou's smile became more sinister, and he nodded his head. "Very well. When dawn comes, I will see him. It will be in the usual place."

"Yes, sir." The messenger nodded again, then, "Would you like me to convey that to him, sir?"

"No. He'll expect my response. Your duties are discharged." Keitarou shook his head, bringing his right arm up suddenly and thrusting his fingers against the man's chest.

"_Hadou no Yon. Byakurai._" He whispered, watching with a detached amount of interest as the shards of white lightning jerked through the unsuspecting soldier's body, charring him almost immediately from the inside out.

"I'm sorry, but the location of this place is a close guarded secret." He murmured gently, watching the man's expression stiffen and jerk with the force of the unexpected voltage, then sag as life flickered out of him. "Any sent with a message to this place is on a one way trip. So Seimaru-sama agreed, when first I told him of its location."

As the man fell to the ground, Keitarou stepped over him, kicking the body idly out of his way.

So it was time, then, to come out of hiding. The matriarch of the Endou-ke had, at last, drawn her final breath – and now, everything would begin again.

_The only thing sure in life is change, after all. The ones who can adjust to it survive. The ones who can't, die._

Keitarou's lips twitched ruefully, even as he pressed his fingers together, drawing on the dead man's dispersing spiritual energy to form a tiny, blue-black butterfly that flitted and circled around his head. Spreading his hands, the blurry, jagged edges of the insect's wings flickered and spread, as one butterfly became two, then two became four, darting around the room like tiny specks of cursed energy.

"Impure creatures though you are, drawn from the souls of the dead and dying." He whispered, holding out his left hand and watching as the insects skittishly darted around his fingers, eventually landing one by one on his outstretched palm. "True insects from Hell. My Father theorised for a long time about this - that somehow Soul Society's latent spiritual energy could be drawn together in such a way, to pass messages more quickly and easily by confining ideas in an empty shell and sending them out into the ether. But there is still much to do, it seems, before I can call on you at will. Summoning you from the corpse of a dead man is simple - but it is not always convenient to have to kill one messenger with free will in order to create more who only act on your commands."

The butterflies fluttered their wings, their half-formed, drone-like consciousnesses buzzing against his senses, and Keitarou smiled.

"For now, you'll do, however." He whispered. "While the Urahara-ke stall and ponder over the notes Father left behind, I've at least taken it to some conclusion. Unlike Father, there are no boundaries on my research. And from this point on, those opportunities can only increase."

He closed his eyes, conveying his instruction to each insect as he did so.

"Go." He said softly. "Take this message to those who need to know. The Urahara-ke's exiled scientists are once more at the disposal of the Endou-ke…and this time, we will prevail."

* * *

**Author's Note: Keitarou**  
_I feel I should clear this up for anyone who is confused. This character being written about in the prologue here is the scientist from the "Endou Dungeon" chapter of Second Manuscript - the man in whom Seimaru entrusted the investigation and the making of the reidoku. Yes, the man who was referred to as Aizen._

_This character has several names for the purpose of the story, so I thought I'd clear them up right at the start. This was mentioned in Second Manuscript, but just as a recap..._

_  
His real name is __**Urahara Keitarou**__. His mother changed his surname to her maiden name - Aizen - when they fled, and so he is known to Seimaru as __**Aizen**__ Keitarou. In this plot, he is essentially in the shadows for the second time - and for that reason, he may well develop other pseudonyms in order to keep himself under the radar. _

_  
For simplicity's sake, therefore - I will refer to him in the text as Keitarou all the way through this story. That way, hopefully, people will not be confused :|_

_  
And yes, he is intended to be Aizen's direct ancestor._


	2. In The Balance

**Chapter One: In The Balance**

There was a light breeze across the bay that morning.

On the sea-swept sands, watching the white flashes of surf dart across the surface of the water, the figure stood alone.

His expression was a pensive one, his hazel eyes clouded and focused on the darting flickers of the sea as it lapped rhythmically against the beach.

Above his head, birds called and wheeled across the cloud-speckled blue sky, but the boy did not flinch or show the slightest sign of having heard them, so focused was he on his thoughts.

For a moment he stood there, then, very purposefully he raised his hands, stretching them out before him and pressing the edges of his palms together.

A faint flicker of something rippled through the early morning breeze, as if just by this simplest of acts, the boy had reached out and connected with the ether.

As his hands glittered with vibrant red light, the boy's lips parted, low-spoken words muttered in even, controlled tones and little by little the pulse of energy flared, growing stronger with every passing moment.

_"Hadou no Sanjuu Ichi - Shakka-hou!" _

As the boy spoke these last words, determination on his features, a flare of powerful spectral flame shot out into the peaceful sky, and as it glittered and blazed in the early light, the boy allowed himself a faint smile and a nod of approval.

Soon, he knew, the younger members of his family would be up and about, and it would not be safe to fire off such spells when any of them could accidentally get themselves into the firing line. Yet he had not let this deter him, rising early each morning and hurrying through his ablutions so as to snatch a brief moment of time alone in which to practice his Kidou.

He glanced at the ground, seeing something glinting in the grains of sand and he paused, bending down to scoop up the shattered fragment of shell that had washed up most probably in the dawn tide. He turned it over in his hands, being careful to avoid the sharp edges, and at length he grinned, getting to his feet once more and skimming the fragment neatly into the dancing waves.

This was still the place he felt most at home, anywhere in Soul Society. And no matter how far he might travel or how many people he might meet - this would always be the place that he held most dear.

"That's because this is your spiritual home, Juushirou. The place outside that most reflects the place inside."

The voice was faint, soft and teasing at his senses, but at the sound of it Juushirou frowned, half inclined to swing around and look for a speaker. He knew, however, that there would be nobody there - the voice was in his head, that was all, and there would be nothing to see except sand, rocks and the swirling sea. Yet even so, Juushirou knew he was not alone. He was, he acknowledged, never really alone. Not these days. Not now.

He sighed, sinking down onto the sand and leaning back on his hands as he allowed the teasing waves to lap against his bared toes, the sensation cool and refreshing after his busy session of practice.

_In, why are you talking to me? I came to practice Kidou - you're distracting me and I don't have much time.  
_  
"I'm speaking to you _because_ you're practicing Kidou." Came the response, the female tones surprised and a little hurt by his unwelcoming words. "Did you not understand that? Even though we've spoken almost every day this week like this - you didn't see the connection?"

"Juushirou is slow, sometimes."A male voice added his bit to the conversation, and Juushirou groaned, rubbing his temples. "He doesn't put the pieces together as well as he should - there's not much to be done about that."  
_  
You? You's there too?_

"Of course." The male voice said derisively. "Where there's one of us, there's both of us. We're always here together, Juushirou. The two halves of balance, remember? The In and the You - if we're separated, we have no meaning at all."

_Fine. Whatever._

Juushirou sighed.

_Why are you both so interested in my Kidou practice, anyway? Do you think I'll put myself in danger? If anything, I've been better in control of my spirit power since I joined the Academy last spring. I can fire Shakka-hou, Soukatsui and Byakurai with good accuracy and I've about mastered Shou and Seki as well. If you think I'm going to cough and splutter because of them, you're wrong. I'm good at Kidou. And I'm not going to make silly mistakes._

"Silly mistakes? If you take that attitude, you'll make many, many silly mistakes." The male voice was disparaging, and Juushirou thought he felt the briefest touch of a fish's tail against his skin, the spiritual waves that plagued his thoughts clashing and jarring against the natural sound of the sea that surrounded him.

_Then explain it to me._

Juushirou was frustrated.

_Before, you only spoke to me when I was in danger of my life. When I was ill, you appeared and knocked sense into me. When I almost lost control of myself in the forest, you were there to pull me back. But I haven't had an episode like that in months. I've worked hard to control what I have and I've not been really ill in ages. I feel stronger than I have done for a long time - why are you here now?  
_  
"Because of those things you've just said." The female voice murmured softly. "Because that's why we exist, Juushirou. To see you control your spirit power properly."

"You are growing." The male voice agreed, as the sound of waves began to blur together, making Juushirou hazy about what was real and what was illusion. In the glittering surface of the water he thought he saw the faint outlines of the two fish - one pearl white and the other ebony black - as they shone with ghostly energy. "And you have learnt many things. But you are still not ready, in a lot of ways. Not yet."

_I don't understand._

"Not yet. But you will." The black fish murmured, seeming to swim almost close enough that Juushirou could reach out and touch him. "Your strength is only at an infant level - yet. You've only begun to unlock it - bit by bit, piece by piece, controlling and mastering it as you go. You've passed the first hurdle. You've overcome the second. But it doesn't end there."

_Doesn't...end?_

Juushirou glanced at his hands, confused.

_But I..._

"If we let you release it all at once, you'd probably not survive long enough to work out how to utilise it." The male fish said categorically. "Since the day you were born, we knew that. Since your mother gave you her strength to suppress it - we've known you would fight against your potential all your life. When you were small, we stifled it - but when you faced the Hollow, you felt it for the first time. Yet you healed and learnt - and grew. But even so, in the forests of District One, again you burnt your barriers and let the flood gates open. Without us both times, you would have flared reiatsu until your body was simply destroyed. Why would you think that your battle was over? You are still learning. It's only just begun."  
_  
Only just...begun?_

"You is right." There was a sad, almost apologetic note in In's voice, and Juushirou felt that she was somehow close to him, even though he knew she wasn't really there at all. "I'm sorry, Juushirou. This time it isn't you who takes down the barriers. This time...this time it's us."

_Take down the...what do you...?_

"We have to find out, you see, whether or not you're ready." You added. "And the only way of doing that is the hard way."

"I'm sorry, Juushirou." In murmured contritely. "But more than that we cannot say. Until you learn it for yourself...all we can do is try and hope our actions guide you in the right way."

With that they were gone, and as the waves seemed to swell and crest around him, Juushirou felt suddenly dizzy. A hot surge of energy rushed through him, clawing through his senses and burrowing into his nervous system and he let out a gasp, feeling the all-too familiar spasms tighten across his chest and through his ribs. Pain shot through his body and he coughed, closing his eyes as he fought not to choke up the scalding blood that he knew would soon be raging up from his air sacs and into his windpipe.

For an instant, panic ruled him, and then, just as soon as the flare had come, it was gone.

He fell back onto the sand, gazing dazedly up at the sky as he struggled to catch his breath. His lungs still throbbed and he reached up a clumsy hand to touch his ribcage, rubbing his chest absently as he tried to piece together what had just happened.  
_  
Was I having an attack? Or...or did someone...make me have an attack? Was it them? But...why...when I've been so well, why would In'you...?_

"Not yet, huh?" The male voice was so faint it only just echoed against the deepest recesses of his mind. "It seems he still needs time."

"Do we have time?" Came the female's anxious question, and there was a distinctive pause. Then,

"Time enough to make sure he learns it properly." The male voice replied. "Even if there are pressing dangers, In - if he doesn't learn properly, there's no sense him learning at all. There is only the hard way...and we will make sure that, when push comes to shove, he knows."

"Nii-sama!"

A cry from the pathway jerked through his blurry senses and he struggled to haul his leaden body into a sitting position, turning to see his sister Chihiro and the two family juniors - nine year old Miyabi and seven year old Yuuya - heading down the uneven pebbles to join him. Relief and confusion washed through him in equal measure, and he pasted a smile across his lips, turning to hold his hands out to the eager youngsters.

"Anika said you'd walked out this way again." As Yuuya and Miyabi ran across the sand towards him, Chihiro sent him a grin. "And I said I'd bring you breakfast down here, since it was a nice day and soon you'll be going away."

She raised the basket in her hand as proof, then,

"Mi-chan and Yuuya heard me, and begged to come too. You don't mind, do you? I know you came down here to practice, but..."

She faltered.

"Nii-sama? Are you all right?"

"All right?" Juushirou gathered his wits, staring at her in surprise, and Chihiro frowned, sinking down on the sand beside him and placing the basket between her feet.

"You look pale and your eyes are funny." She murmured. "Did you overdo it, Juu-nii? You've been so well lately that we've all thought it was okay, but..."

"Yeah, maybe I did." Juushirou sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I think I'm all right, though. For a moment I thought I was going to choke - but it subsided, and I can breathe all right."

"Hrm. Well, if it's like that, maybe it's best you stop anyway." Chihiro looked concerned. "Eat something, and get your strength up. It uses a lot of power, after all - this Kidou stuff of yours."

"Yes. It does." Suddenly hungry, Juushirou eyed the basket with interest. "And I take the point, Chi-chan. It's all right. I'm done for this morning, believe me. I know my limits, and I've definitely reached them for one day."

He grinned at her sheepishly, reaching out his soot-flecked fingers to remove the cloth that covered the basket.

"And I'm starving." He admitted, seeing the relief flood her expression at his words. "Early starts and spells are hungry work - thank you for thinking of me. To eat by the sea is a nice feeling - and as you said, I won't be able to do it much more."

"You leave tomorrow evening, don't you? That's one more chance." Chihiro sighed, drawing her knees up to her chest as she watched her younger siblings paddle and splash at the water's edge, seemingly engrossed in chasing a long, green tendril of seaweed that had got caught up on one of the waves. "Okaasama said she'd discussed with Kira-san the idea of you and Hideharu-kun travelling together this time - is that true?"

"Mm." Juushirou nodded his head, a faint smile touching his lips as he remembered the nervy eldest son of the neighbouring Kira family. "Okaasama thinks its better that way. Even though everything quietened down after my brush with the Clan of District Seven, we still have to take that trader's path to get back to school. Going the other way around isn't viable this time - it's too expensive and really, I think travelling that route should be fine. It is only a merchant's path, after all. But Okaasama is in a cautious mood - and so I'm going back with Kira-kun."

"Under the Kira-ke name." Chihiro looked doubtful. "Is it really that much of a risk, that you can't travel under your own?"

"I don't know." Juushirou admitted. "Sensei did say that now Endou Seimaru knows of me, it might make it difficult. And it is their land - so maybe she has a point. Either way, if it puts her mind at rest, I'll travel that way. I don't mind some company on the journey, and Kamikura-sensei is far too busy with Shinkei and Rouhei to worry about me this time."

"I never really pictured you and Hideharu-kun being friends, but I suppose you see each other at school." Chihiro pursed her lips, and Juushirou shrugged.

"Sometimes. We're in different classes, but he's not a bad sort." He replied with a grin. "I don't mind. And I suspect it helps Kira-san too, if I travel with her son. He is a bit prone to nerves, after all...I'm sure he wouldn't want to do the trip on his own."

"Yes, I suppose so." Chihiro chuckled. "In any case, when I was talking to his sister, she was quite relieved that you were going back together. She seems sure Hideharu-kun will lose himself or his tokens and get into a stew without you to take charge of him. I don't know why, Juu-nii, but she seems to think that you're the fount of all reason and sense."

"And I'm not?" Juushirou teased, and Chihiro punched his arm playfully.

"No. You're not." She told him firmly. "So don't go getting a swelled head."

"You're mean." Juushirou pretended to look hurt. "You won't even notice when I'm gone, will you, Chi-chan?"

"Of course we'll notice." Chihiro frowned. "It will be _weird _to have you gone again. The house isn't the same without you - it takes some getting used to at first."

"And then I descend on you all again and throw it into disarray." Juushirou looked rueful, even as he began to unpack the basket of Anika's carefully cooked fish and onigiri. "I know how much of a burden I am on this house, Chi - you don't need to tell me otherwise."

"Silly." Chihiro snorted, thwapping his arm playfully once more. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Hey! Are you trying to send me back to school with bruises?" Juushirou shuffled away, looking indignant, and Chihiro laughed.

"Don't say stupid things then." She said firmly. "You're no burden on any of us, Juu-nii...it's not that. Just...you're a big part of this family, somehow. Even though you're only one person, that's how it is. Maybe it's because Father had so many hopes in you - but when you're gone, it's not the same Ukitake-ke as when you're here."

"Does that...bother you?" Juushirou looked serious, and Chihiro shrugged.

"Yes and no." She owned, allowing herself a sad, slightly wistful smile. "But it would bother me a lot more if you didn't go back to the Academy when I know you love being there. You've made friends and branched out for yourself for the first time since we were children. I've always felt you were Nii-sama, Juu-nii - but now it's even more apparent than you're the eldest and grown up. That sounds kind of funny, maybe - but all of this Shinigami stuff has changed you. Not in a bad way - not at all. Just...I know that it's what you're meant to do. The way you are...it's like you've been waiting for your calling to come, and this is it."

"Maybe you're right." Juushirou looked rueful. "The truth is, Chi - I love everyone here. When I'm at school, I miss you all horribly. But when I'm here, I'm also impatient to be back studying again. I am a burden on the family - even if it's a burden you don't mind having - and this is something I've been able to do without impositioning people too much. My health is much better, and I have a focus. I can use the talents I've inherited and I actually see that yes, they do have a purpose other than taking away my parents' lives. I think...I don't know whether I'd call it my 'calling', as such. That seems a bit over the top and fanciful. But...it's something that I...I think I'd really like to do. And...now I've done a year of training...I'm starting to believe it's something that's possible for me to do."

"You'll do it." Chihiro grinned. "I know you, Juu-nii. You're stubborn as they come. If you want to do something, you will do it. Even if people oppose you - you'll get there in the end. You're like a battering ram, sometimes - I've seen it time and time again when you and Hiro lock horns and he almost invariably comes off the worst. You don't step back or give in easily. And that's going to be the deciding factor, I think. You want to be a Shinigami - therefore that's what you'll be."

"Mm." Juushirou paused for a moment, then, "Chi?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think...they'd be proud of me?"

"Who?" Chihiro looked confused, and Juushirou sighed.

"Father. And...Mother."

"Okaasama is proud of you." Chihiro eyed him keenly. "And you know Father would be. He wanted you to make the most of your gifts, and you are."

"No...I meant...I didn't mean Okaasama." Juushirou looked awkward, then, "I meant...Hahaue. My...birth mother."

"Oh." Chihiro's gaze clouded, then,

"I don't think of you as my half-brother." She said honestly. "And Okaasama sees you as her own son. I thought you felt that way too - why this all of a sudden?"

"Okaa-sama is my mother - the mother that raised me, anyway." Juushirou hurried to reassure her. "I love her a lot, Chi - it's not that I don't at all. To me in all senses she is my mother - I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise."

"Then...?"

"Well, it's just that what I can do must have come from Hahaue." Juushirou shrugged. "None of the rest of you have it, so it must have been her Kuchiki blood that gave me the reiatsu I have. And it makes me curious about her - just a little. I don't think I'll ever see her as my mother - not when Okaasama's brought me up and always been there when I've needed her to be. But...she is a part of my life and of who I am. So I suppose I wonder, sometimes. Whether she'd be proud of me. Or whether she'd regret having given up her life for me. I think about it, from time to time. If she'd think I've made the right choices."

"I see." Chihiro looked thoughtful. "Well, I can't answer that. I know less about her than even you do. But...to be honest, Nii-sama, I don't think you should focus on that too much. I think she would be proud of you - or she should be, considering what you've done and what you've had to face to get there. And so far as getting your power from her goes - your power is yours, isn't it? It's not hers. So it shouldn't matter in the end. It's what you do with it that counts."

"Chi-chan." Juushirou's eyes widened, and Chihiro looked embarrassed.

"I don't like thinking that you're not fully my brother." She owned. "So I suppose...I don't really want to think about Raiko-sama. I'm sorry, Juu-nii. But to me that's just who you are. Juu-nii. Like the rest of us. The same."

"The same." Juushirou glanced at his hands once more, remembering the conversation In and You had pulled him into only a short time earlier.

_"Even if there are pressing dangers, In - if he doesn't learn properly, there's no sense him learning at all."_

Slowly he shook his head.

"I'm always going to be Juu-nii." He said soberly. "No matter what I do or where I go, that won't change. For you or for any of the others - that's something I hold very dear to my heart."

"But...?" Chihiro eyed, him, and Juushirou sighed.

"I'm not the same as the rest of you." He said simply. "I'm cursed and I'm blessed. The two go hand in hand. I have the Ukitake sickness, and yet latent Kuchiki strength. In that way, I'm not the same. My high spirit power might draw you into danger - my being here might attract Hollows, so if I am home, I want to be able to defend you against them. In terms of family bonds, Chi, I'm exactly the same. But in terms of everything else...I'm just not. And I never will be - no matter how much people gloss it over."

He smiled faintly.

"But that's happened for a reason." He added. "It's not coincidence - I'm sure I was meant to be this way, both good and bad. And I'll figure it out, Chi. A way to use my strength and protect my family - no matter what it takes to do it!"

* * *

He had slept in again.

Shunsui pushed back the door of his chamber, a rueful grin touching his lazy features as he realised that the sun was already high in the sky over District Eight and that he had been meant to meet with his brother for breakfast well over an hour earlier.

Despite a year of studies at Genryuusai's Academy, he mused wryly, some habits were harder to break than others, and he had never liked rising early, even as a small child. It was almost the end of his spring break – in five more days, he knew, he would be riding East to begin his second year of studies and then there would be no excuses for idleness. But whilst in the comfort of his own home, it was easy to lapse into his old ways, and he reflected absently that perhaps, after all, his natural instinct was towards laziness rather than towards hard work.

_Nobody came to find me, though, so I guess Nii-sama probably doesn't mind all that much. _

As he made his way down the main staircase, a young maid passed him by, her arms full with folded towels and her cheeks pink as she bowed her head to him. This was Harizono Kyouko, one of the housemaids and the most recent addition to the Kyouraku household staff.

"G…good morning, Shunsui-sama."

At her soft, foreign accent, he paused, casting her a grin. She was a different prospect now, he thought, from the dishevelled, tear-stained wretch who had begged him for help in District One almost a year earlier. Then she had been thin, struggling, and prone to poor health, her close friend slain by shadows and her livelihood under threat. Now, however, the peace and security in District Eight had begun to sooth her shattered nerves, and instead of a melancholic damsel in distress, Shunsui reflected that she was little by little becoming a competent and yes, attractive member of household staff. Though she had been born in the neighbouring District, the native Kyouraku house staff had soon accepted her on account of her eagerness to work and repay the debt of gratitude she still felt she owed the Kyouraku, and consequently the shadows had all but gone from her eyes, lightening the tragic countenance that had struck both Shunsui and Tokutarou on first meeting her.

It was also no secret, either, that to Kyouko, Shunsui was both a saviour and an idol, for it had been his actions which had, in her mind, secured her position and allowed her to move on with her life. Although Shunsui knew better than to cross the line, he was not oblivious of the girl's affections, and often he had bemoaned to himself the problem of having a very astute Clan leader for an elder brother.

Now, as he looked at her flushed, half-coy features, Shunsui found himself ruing this fact once again.

_It really is a pity that Nii-sama would have my head and my hide if I dared dally with any of the maidservants. It isn't often that a girl holds me in such high regard – but I guess if there was ever an opportunity to exploit it, I've long since passed it by._

But then, he reasoned, even Tokutarou could not prevent him from simple, innocent flirting.

"Good morning, Kyouko-chan." He said playfully now, returning the bow with a slight one of his own. "Do you know - is my brother here, or has he gone out?"

"Tokutarou-sama is...in his study, I believe, Shunsui-sama." The young girl looked surprised. "Yasuhiro-dono is with him."

"Ah. Good." Shunsui's expression became one of relief. "If that's the case, he's no doubt been buried in business since dawn and has forgotten all about me. And my mother? Is she around?"

"Yoshiko-sama left the manor early to ride to the borderlands." Kyouko's pretty face became grave. "She wanted to go herself to see the plight of the refugees from Seventh District."

"Ah, of course. I remember." Shunsui pursed his lips, remembering his mother's words at dinner the previous night.

"Something has to be done." She had said, her gentle tones full of sadness. "The flow of people claiming sanctuary has fallen lately, it's true - but the quantity of people who have fled here is still overwhelming. And there's no sign of it abating completely. The whole situation - surely it's becoming one for the Council to investigate?"

"At present, there's nothing the Council can do." Tokutarou had answered, his own eyes stormy and grave. "I wish that it could, Yoshiko-dono. It angers me too, that the Endou-ke can behave in this way. But so far they've not contravened the terms by which the Districts were originally divided. To interfere would put the Council in the wrong...and for me to do so would create a war between us and them. Our people don't deserve that - so all we can do is continue what we have done. Reactively help any who come to us for aid, and risk aiding spies in the meantime."

"Then tomorrow I will ride there myself." Yoshiko had been determined. "I'll take some retainers, of course - I don't intend on travelling alone. But I want to see their condition and hear their accounts for myself. I am not a Head of Clan - simply a blood Kyouraku with concern for their welfare. On those terms, nobody can complain."

"By all means, do so." Tokutarou had agreed. "You're right - that if it's you, there shouldn't be any need for concern."

"So she left early, then, did she?" Shunsui cast the maid a questioning glance now, and Kyouko nodded.

"Very." She agreed. "She seemed very preoccupied by it, Shunsui-sama."

"So she is. So we all are." Shunsui sighed. "And you? Does it concern you too, Kyouko-chan?"

Kyouko's expression became shadowed, and she nodded.

"I am glad...that Tokutarou-sama doesn't seek war." She said softly. "I am...afraid of the people in District Seven. And I am afraid...that my being here...would become unsafe."

"Don't worry. Nobody will let that happen." Shunsui assured her, patting her gently on the shoulder. "Just keep working hard, and it will be fine. Nobody in that District knows that you came here from District One on any cause except to find work...and that's how it will stay."

"Mm." Kyouko frowned, then, "But I...I still feel...Megumi...has been betrayed."

"Yes. Me too." Shunsui nodded. "But I haven't forgotten. She was murdered and she was forgotten because she wasn't Clan. But I promised her justice. I'll promise you too, Kyouko. Somehow, and some way - I'll make sure it happens. No matter how long it takes - I'll make sure that the man who killed her faces some kind of punishment for his actions."

"I know." Kyouko offered a faint smile, bowing her head again. "I have faith in you, Shunsui-sama. You and your family...are so kind."

Her cheeks pinkened again, and she clutched her pile of towels more tightly to her chest, hurrying off down the hallway before Shunsui could respond.

Shunsui sighed, turning on his heel and continuing slowly down towards the corridor that led to his brother's study.

_Seimaru has probably already forgotten both her face and her name, if he ever knew it. But even so, she's got good reason to be afraid. And I haven't yet managed to deliver justice to her or Megumi - it's so difficult, when the perpetrator is Clan and the victim just a hostess from a local town._

The borders between the Endou-ke's Seventh and Kyouraku-ke's Eighth District had been strongly fortified for a long time, but even so, trickles of refugees continued to slip through the cracks, throwing themselves on the mercy of Shunsui's family. That widespread persecution of any with above-average _reiryoku_ should be so openly practiced angered Shunsui a good deal, yet he also knew that his brother was right. There were many things that the Endou-ke did that were cause for anger or concern. But a war between two Districts could only cause more bloodshed and suffering - and despite their military heritage, Shunsui was sure that the wider Clan would never accept the suffering of foreign commoners as a reason to declare such a thing.

Not that Shunsui believed in war, either.

He sighed.

_Nothing is ever easy, when it comes to dealing with Clan. Somehow I know I'll be glad to go back to school - and forget, for a little bit - about all of this._

"...So the report is confirmed, then?"

As he reached his brother's study, he saw the door was slightly ajar, and Tokutarou's voice drifted out into the hallway, the note of consternation in his tones making Shunsui pause. "You are quite sure, Yasuhiro? There's no doubt?"

"No doubt, sir. The source is verified and completely reliable. It seems there is no reason to question its authenticity."

"Then this is troubling indeed."

Tokutarou sighed, and Shunsui's brows knitted together.

"It makes me worry what might happen now. Our relations with them are already so tenuous."

Shunsui frowned, approaching the door and knocking lightly on the wood. It was soon slid back, Tokutarou's substantial manservant blocking the doorway as if to send him away, but as Yasuhiro realised who it was, he relaxed, bowing his head and taking a step back.

"Shunsui-sama, please, excuse me."

"Shunsui?" Tokutarou's voice demanded, and Shunsui nodded, slipping past Yasuhiro with a brief smile and into the study proper.

Tokutarou was ensconced behind his desk, papers strewn over each surface, but at the sight of his brother he was on his feet, crossing the floor towards him.

"Are you only just risen? Shunsui!"

"Yes, but I am on holiday, technically." Shunsui nodded. "And you should be glad, Nii-sama. Every morning I've woken up late, perhaps - but it's been late in my own bed at the very least."

"I suppose that's true." Tokutarou acknowledged, and Shunsui smiled.

"It is." He agreed. "But more importantly, why the long faces? I heard your voice as I was coming down the hall - what's happened to make you look like that?"

"Mm. Yes." Tokutarou frowned, his dark eyes clouding. "Well, it's as well you know about it now, I suppose. We've had some concerning news from the border outposts...which are apparently based in some truth."

"Border?" Shunsui's ears pricked up. "The...Endou-ke border?"

"Yes. That border." Tokutarou sighed. "Which other would it be? That family exist to vex me, I'm completely sure of it."

He rubbed his temples, then,

"Shunsui, I've received word of a death in District Seven."

"A...death?" Shunsui's eyes widened, his thoughts immediately flying to the family of his classmate Hirata, who was currently exiled with the Shihouin in District Two. "But..."

"Endou Yayoi-sama." Yasuhiro confirmed, and Shunsui frowned.

"Ya...yoi-sama?"

"Yes." Tokutarou paused, then, "Shouichi-dono's lady wife. And..."

"Hirata's Grandmother." Suddenly the pieces fell into place, and a cold grip closed around Shunsui's heart. "That's who you mean, isn't it? The old woman who kept everything in check - the one between Hirata and his family getting hunted down and killed by Shouichi-dono and that brat Seimaru?"

"You may call her the voice of restraint from the Endou-ke camp. Yes." Tokutarou sounded weary. "It's not unexpected - she has been ill a long time, after all. But it is troubling, especially with things how they are. Shouichi-dono is, doubtless, griefstruck at this time. I am of the opinion he had genuine affection for her. But my concern is like yours - for the safety of Misashi-dono and his wife and daughter. Now that Yayoi-sama is dead..."

"There's nothing to rein Shouichi-dono back, and nothing to prevent Seimaru from doing as he pleases." Shunsui whispered. "Hirata is in District Two, and there's no way that Seimaru could touch him, not there. But...his family...if Seimaru is still holding on to a grudge..."

"I think it very likely that they will be either killed or imprisoned very soon." Tokutarou sighed.

"But surely that isn't allowed?" Shunsui demanded, anxiety in his dark eyes. "To just kill half your family - isn't there anything the Council can do to stop that, at the very least?"

"No. In essence, it's a Clan matter, not a Council one." Tokutarou shook his head. "The Endou-ke have operated like that for generations. It's not something that the rest of us have any jurisdiction over."

"Then what use is it even having a Council?" Shunsui snapped. "Clan kill Clan all the time - you and I know that as well as anyone else, because Uncle killed Father for his own political ends. Nobody stepped in then, and you're saying they won't now, either?"

"There have been countless examples of family turning on family in Seireitei's history." Tokutarou murmured. "If the Council dealt with all of them, it would eventually become the puppet or tool of whichever Clan or faction was the most powerful. I understand your sentiments, Shunsui. I agree that the action is unacceptable. But the Council exists to deal with breaches of the laws set down and agreed unanimously when the District system first came into play. It isn't perfect, and probably it's made mistakes. But matters of this nature..."

Shunsui stared at him in disbelief.

"So Hirata's family can just be killed?" He whispered. "And nobody will do anything about it?"

Tokutaro was silent for a moment, then he shook his head.

"If they - Misashi-dono, Sumire-dono or Eiraki-hime - if any of them reach our borders, I will grant them sanctuary." He said quietly. "And I will hope that, if they should flee to District Six, the Kuchiki-ke would treat them in the same way. However...that is my limit, Shunsui. They are inside foreign territory - more I cannot do. Not even to save lives. Even as Clan, we have our limits too."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed.

"Then it's not good enough." He said softly. "If it can't save innocent people's lives, Nii-sama, being Clan is not enough."

Tokutarou sighed, resting his hands on his brother's shoulders.

"I know." He said heavily. "And I knew you'd look at me that way, too, given that you have a personal interest in the matter. I know you're thinking of your friend and I know that what you've said is true. But it being true doesn't change the situation. Whilst they're in a foreign land, only declaring war on District Seven could justify us sending anybody in to try and seek them out. And you know what that would mean – for our people as well as for the refugees who've fled here to seek safety. It's not a decision I can or will make. In the end, even though I'm concerned for them – I have to put the Kyouraku interests and dependants first. It's one of the nasty parts of being a Clan leader – realising that you can't save everybody."

Shunsui took a deep breath, calming his temper.

"I know. It's not your fault." He said at length. "It just makes me cross, that's all. That Seimaru will be able to do as he pleases…"

"I have no love for that whelp either." Tokutarou nodded. "You forget, Shunsui, that I still have a grievance with him for daring to attack you with his sword. Which is why I say that if Misashi-dono and his wife and daughter can reach our borders, I will permit them entrance. More, I will offer them protection. If that causes hostilities, I will organise a strong defence, and the Shiba-ke will no doubt come to my aid – but I will not be the one to step wrongfully into another's land. The Council doesn't look well on individuals starting wars on a whim."

He sighed.

"Perhaps it is not so bad as we think, in any case." He added pensively. "Shouichi-dono is an old and experienced Gotei leader. True, he is ruthless and he has a reputation for cruelty and snap judgements. But he has ruled the Endou-ke for a long time, and he has a certain amount of influence there. Perhaps he will not act rashly so soon after burying his wife – perhaps we have some time to play with before it becomes a political situation."

Shunsui was silent, then,

"Nii-sama, would it be all right for me to ride out to Uncle's estate and visit the refugee camps once again?" He asked softly. "I know Mother rode there this morning, and perhaps I could be of help…?"

"For the time being, I would rather not have you near the border." Tokutarou shook his head.

"But..!"

"Shunsui, Seimaru has already tried once to take your life. We do not know whether spies are among those seeking our aid – it could be dangerous."

"Yet you let Mother go?"

"Your Mother is a Kyouraku by blood, and your father's widow. But she wields no political power and has no direct connection to me." Tokutarou said simply. "What she does is separate from what we do, Shunsui. You are my blood brother and heir. She is my stepmother. The weight is different."

"So if Mother was to be hurt, you would stand back and do nothing? Nii-sama!"

"No, of course not." Tokutarou shook his head. "But Yoshiko-dono and I have discussed this in some detail since I became head of the Kyouraku. I agreed to let her move freely and engage in what business she chose – in return, she accepted that she may not always have the protection of the family in such times. In short, Shunsui, if Yoshiko-dono was to be attacked or taken prisoner, it is her wish that I do nothing to jeopardise your safety or the safety of this land to rescue her."

"So you _would_ just do nothing?" Shunsui stared, and Tokutarou smiled faintly.

"Yoshiko-dono is a Kyouraku. She has pride of her own, and her own convictions." He murmured gently. "I know to you she is your mother and you love her. And I have tremendous respect for her – she is not someone whose life I would gainsay easily. But in public circles, we promote the idea of our relationship being distant. I am half Shiba – she is a Kyouraku. Our only connection, therefore, is you. This is the view the Council have of our family – that if they wished to hurt me, the only person they could target would be you."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed.

"I see." He said quietly. "So…you and Okaasama play up the fact you have no direct blood bond and make people believe that you act without consulting one another. Even though you've left this land in her hands once or twice when you've travelled from it – do you think people are so easily fooled?"

"That decision was written in your Father's will and was imposed on me by the Greater Clan when I became Lord of this land." Tokutarou said categorically. "They wanted it made clear that until you came of age, Yoshiko-dono should be appointed in your stead as my automatic deputy and protector. I cannot overrule this decision – to be accepted, it was one of the conditions to which I had to agree."

He pursed his lips.

"I have not tried to overrule it, either." He added. "I am half Shiba – which makes me half an alien in this land even now to some of our more suspicious kin. In contrast, your mother is a high-born, pure-blooded Kyouraku – that I should defer to her in my absence puts their minds at rest. And I have trust in her, so it also puts my own mind at rest if for any reason I am called from District Eight. It's all a political game, Shunsui. An illusion, set up for those looking in at us from outside. There is a danger, after all, in becoming too emotionally involved – emotions can create reckless actions, after all. I think you know that, probably better than me."

"Maybe." Shunsui sighed, sinking back against the wall. "All right. So Okaasama can go because everyone sees her just as someone you have to honour by Father's will and that if they were to harm her, it would actually favour you rather than the other way around. Conversely it means she's safe to travel in dangerous areas, because none of your enemies would want to risk doing anything that might in some way benefit you. But, if it was me who went – me being your heir, since you're too slow with women to marry and produce your own children – that would be a different matter. And even though I'm not completely helpless and probably could defend myself – you still don't want to take the risk."

"You have one great weakness." Tokutarou told him. "And that is your fondness for pretty women."

Shunsui looked rueful, despite himself.

"And so you think a female spy would seduce me? Do you think me that simple?"

"I'd rather not give you the opportunity to prove it to me either way." Tokutarou admitted. "Your behaviour has improved a lot since last spring, and I'm glad of it. But I'm not fooled into thinking you're a completely new character. You are still Shunsui, after all. And miracles don't happen overnight."

He grinned, though there was still preoccupation in his gaze, and Shunsui knew that his brother's thoughts were still very much on the political situation at hand.

"In five days, you'll go back to District One, in any case." He said pragmatically. "Until you've finished your training, I won't accept that you're in any way fit to protect yourself or this District, so bear that in mind, all right?"

Slowly Shunsui nodded.

"I get it." He said resignedly. "Work hard, play less, and don't do anything that embarrasses you or the Clan."

"That's pretty much it." Tokutarou agreed. "And one other. Don't get involved in politics you can't change. All right?"

Shunsui eyed his brother for a moment. Then, slowly, he shook his head.

"I won't go out to get myself into trouble, and I won't try and make things more complicated than they are." He said quietly. "But you can't say to me 'don't get involved' and expect me to give you my word with a smile. Hirata is my friend. This is his family. By that connection, I'm already involved. No doubt he'll be worrying about them – and if anything I can say can ease that worry, then I won't hesitate to speak."

Tokutarou frowned.

"I knew you'd say that, too." He said resignedly. "And I should know better than to think otherwise. Just don't get yourself killed, all right? If I have news of the Endou-ke, I will send it to you, and you can pass it on to young Hirata yourself. But for the time being, District Seven is a black hole and you are not to go near it. Understood? Stay in District One until it's time to come home – am I clear on that?"

Shunsui pursed his lips, then nodded.

"All right. I'll promise that I won't abscond from school and disappear from District One to District Seven." He said at length. "It's not really a place I want to go, so that's easy enough to promise. And aside from Hirata, no Endou-ke are allowed in District One, anyhow. So I don't think you need to worry, Nii-sama. I don't expect to be encountering Seimaru or his firesword again this summer."

"See that you don't." Tokutarou warned. "Last year you used up a lot of your chances and tried Genryuusai-sama's patience more times than I would care to count. Let's try to begin Second Year with a view to your ultimate goal – you're there to train for the Kyouraku _haori_, not change Soul Society from the inside out."

"Some might call that the same thing, in the long run." Shunsui reflected. "But I've got the message, loud and clear. I won't let you down, Nii-sama. You have my word."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_**In'you  
**__Reminder for anyone who might have forgotten - In'you is the Japanese for Yin-Yang. In my interpretation, Juushirou's twin fish are the two halves of this balance - the black fish In and the white fish You. In the prequel they explained to Juushirou that In represented his birth mother's love and You his father's fortitude. This will probably become important as the story goes on - as I'm sure everyone's realised, these are the twin fish of Sougyo no Kotowari._

_Only Juu doesn't know it yet ;)_

_**Hahaue vs Okaasama.**__  
Both of the above are fairly formal ways of saying 'Mother'. Because Juu technically has two mother figures, I've used one for each. Okaasama is Kaede, the mother of Chihiro and all the other Ukitake children (essentially Juu's stepmother). Hahaue is Raiko, his birth mother who died when he was born.  
__**  
Kyouko, Megumi etc**__  
All referenced from the Second Manuscript. I decided since I doubt anyone who hasn't read that will read this, I was going to dispense with the detailed explanations of what's already happened, just because it's tedious to write and tedious for those people who know to re-read. Ditto the events with the Endou-ke, Seimaru and of course, the problems in District Seven. Yes, in case you hadn't guessed - the Endou-ke are this story's Clan of choice (last time it was the Shihouin and the Endou, this time it's the Endou and...?)_


	3. Ramifications

**Chapter Two: Ramifications**

"Grandfather, you can't be serious?"

In the big study belonging to the Leader of the Endou Clan, the young man banged his hands down on the wooden desk, staring at his companion in a mixture of shock and disbelief. "You can't seriously be considering doing something as foolish as that? After so many years of mistrust - Grandfather, don't you realise that it's simply a part of a plot to bring you down?"

"You are very active today, Seimaru, in your opinions and your actions."

At length the old man turned from the window, casting his heir a glance as he did so. "And neither of them befit the heir to the Clan when he speaks to his Leader and overall commander. You know this already."

He looked his age that morning, Seimaru reflected bitterly, taking in the wizened lines on the man's face that seemed to have deepened threefold since the death of his wife only a matter of days earlier. People had lined the streets all across the region to pay their last respects to Yayoi's funeral cortege as she had been taken to the family's great mausoleum for her final, eternal sleep, and since then, Shouichi had seemed lacking in focus - as though his purpose and drive had withered and died when his wife had taken her last breath.

She had been a tyrannical matriarch of epic proportions - yet for Seimaru she had only ever been a nusiance in the way of him grasping more power. Had Shouichi not always been so fond of her - or so willing to defer to her - he had often thought that he would have solved the problem of her existence long ago.

_But here we are, with her finally out of the way. And now I find you've done something like this? What kind of foolish decision is that, anyway? To bring a man that you hate back to your council - has that old bat's death finally made you senile?_

Seimaru clenched and unclenched his fists, fighting to keep a hold on his temper. It would not do, after all, to strike out at his companion - but even so, it was hard to retain his composure. Even more than Shouichi, he hated his Uncle's family with a deep rooted, heated passion, and the announcement, coming as it had so unexpectedly, had thrown him completely for six.

"Misashi will return to the council from the beginning of next week." Shouichi continued now, his pale eyes somewhat clouded. "It is a decision made. It requires no input from you."

"Yes, Grandfather, but I don't understand!" Seimaru protested, frustration in his pale eyes. "I can't understand any reason under the sun why you'd _allow_ Misashi-jisama back onto your council! Didn't you throw him off it long before Father died? And didn't you swear that he'd never touch active Endou politics again? Yet now...why are you reneging on that? You're a man of your word, Ojiisama! I don't understand why you'd go back on it just like that!"

Shouichi's eyes narrowed and he crossed the room towards his junior, bringing his hand down hard enough across Seimaru's cheek to send the boy sprawling to the floor. Angry reiatsu spiked and prickled at his aura, and as the old man gazed down at him, Seimaru suddenly felt afraid, recalling in an instant that there was a reason Shouichi had survived so many years as Clan Leader despite all the intrigue and plot that existed in his family's shadows.

"I will not take insubordination from you." He said now, his deep voice rumbling through the chamber like a burst of sudden thunder in a once sunshiny day. "Not now and not ever. Do you understand? You are my heir and my chosen successor. But if you displease me, I will remove you. Understand that before you presume to tell me what to do. I am the head of this Clan, and the one who wears the _haori._ In comparison, you are just a child."

"I...I'm sorry, Ojiisama." Seimaru scrambled into a kneeling position, bowing his head hastily before his companion's broad knees. "I didn't mean disrespect. I just...it worries me. That's all. It worries me a lot. Misashi-jisama isn't someone either of us can put trust in. He's sent his only son away to be trained by outsiders - and that son already turned against me once and attempted to bring shame down on the Endou family. It concerns me greatly - I worry for our safety and the safety of the Clan as a whole."

"The safety of the Clan as a whole?"

Shouichi rubbed his white beard for a moment, then,

"Are you afraid, then, of an insignificant whelp like Hirata? I thought I had trained you better than that."

"Hirata has underhand ways and underhand allies in District Two." Seimaru muttered. "And he might yet bring war down on our heads because of them. He is a traitor, Ojiisama. Why else would Genryuusai-sama allow him to enter District One but no other of our Clan? He is clearly not acting with Endou interests at heart. He has bad intentions - and allowing Misashi-jisama to be involved in government only helps to exacerbate those plans."

Shouichi eyed his grandson keenly, then he sighed, shaking his head.

"Do not grovel before me. You are not a servant and it makes you appear pitiful." He said abruptly, grasping the boy's shoulders in his meaty hands and hauling him back up to his feet. "You seem to have a good many concerns, and I will answer them. But I will have you understand, first and foremost, that I am not a naive fool. I understand the divisions in this Clan better than you ever will - and what is to be done about them. For that reason, I've acted thus. For that reason, Misashi will rejoin my Council as an advisor. More, until you marry and produce an heir, he is by definition your successor. That is how the Clan have agreed it - that is how your Grandmother wanted it. That is how things will be - you will accept it, or you will be removed. Do you understand?"

Seimaru frowned, biting his lip, and Shouichi nodded.

"I have no intention on lifting Misashi's ban on sword training." He added. "He will still be forbidden from engaging in anything of that nature. I do not anticipate him outliving you, or ever being able to inherit this Clan, after all. You have a powerful sword and he has nothing. You will not be in any danger from a man who can barely swing an _asauchi_ to defend himself."

"But what about Hirata?" Seimaru murmured, and Shouichi snorted.

"The boy is a coward and afraid of his own shadow." He said derisively. "Maybe Misashi has sent him to be trained - but he is insignificant to me. At best, he will make a low-level soldier who can be deployed and foddered at some future point among the Endou ranks. At worst, he will never return and we will have nothing more to do with him or utilising him. If Misashi is within my government, Hirata will also keep out of our way. He idolises his Father, after all, and he is an Endou at heart. Otherwise he would have betrayed you sooner - when you took silly risks and tried to make him your assassin."

"I still believe he has betrayed us, Ojiisama."

"The Council have said nothing. You overestimate the boy's ability or sense." Shouichi shook his head. "He is a coward, Seimaru. A weakling. He should not concern us either now or in the future. Besides, Misashi also has a daughter - Eiraki - and she is the only girl of her generation. Women are useful for marriage contracts and alliances, and Eiraki is fourteen years old now. That is another advantage in this arrangement - with Misashi on my side, Eiraki becomes my tool to manipulate just as much as he does."

"I...I still don't understand why Obaasama's death has made you decide this way." Seimaru murmured, and Shouichi sighed.

"Your Grandmother was a widely respected lady in her own right." He said softly, and Seimaru could hear the faintly wistful note in the soldier's tones as he spoke of his recently departed wife. "You only knew her as an old and sickly woman, but many others did not. When she was younger and fitter, Seimaru, there were none as strong as she was on the battlefield, spilling blood in the name of the Endou Clan. Her reputation was more fearsome than most of the men with whom she fought. You don't understand that, but nevertheless it's true."

"But with all respect, Obaasama was a woman, sir." Seimaru pointed out quietly. "And a woman does not wear the armour of the Endou-ke."

"Yayoi did." Shouichi cast his gaze out over the landscape that stretched out beyond the window to the border with Sixth District. "Her father expected a son, and got a daughter - so raised her with all the skills a son should have. She was ruthless and gifted, Seimaru. Her _zanpakutou _was the strongest_ zanpakutou_ spirit within the Endou-ke for a good many years, surpassing even mine. With her in command, the Endou won many battles over land and territory - driving Kuchiki-ke back from the boundaries and forcing them to abandon their attempts to annexe parts of our terrain. She was the true spirit of the warrior Endou. And because of that, she has the respect and admiration of many of our Clan...as well as fear from those outside."

He sighed, then,

"Even to the end, she was shrewd and ruthless." He added frankly. "Without her acknowledging you, Seimaru, you would not be accepted as my heir now. So in return for her doing that, and casting her seal down in your name...I agreed to let Misashi return to my council."

"But Obaasama has passed away." Seimaru pointed out. "Why should it matter now, what things she said then?"

"I keep my word - to her most of all, else she'll haunt me." Shouichi said evenly. "Besides, in the final event, I think it's wise. I do not like Misashi - I have never liked him, nor trusted his wish to reach out to bordering Clans instead of focusing on matters here at home. But documents have been signed and sealed and witnessed - and I believe that it is a good, safe move to make. If he is close by, I can keep better tabs on him and how he acts. Now Yayoi is dead and no longer there to handle him, that becomes a pressing need. And more, if there is any outside doubt about our Clan - this will quell it. I have not forgotten, after all, how close we came to having our research exposed by your foolish dabbling."

Seimaru's eyes darkened.

"Aitori was to blame, Grandfather. Not me." He said evenly. "And Hirata too played his part."

"There has also been some concern raised at the Council of Elders about our policy regarding the District individuals currently fleeing our land for District Eight." Shouichi added. "Tokutarou-dono has raised the question several times of what should be done about it, and with his links to the Shiba, I don't wish him to keep pushing too hard. He might be happy enough letting District children grow up powerful, but I am not. Our laws reject such a thing in every way - and I will not have them think that they can use instability in our main house as a reason to try and interfere in our laws."

"Tokutarou is an interfering idiot." Seimaru muttered, and Shouichi nodded.

"No doubt that is the Shiba in him." He said darkly. "But with an ally like Kyouki-sama, I think we'd do better not to cross him. Especially as you and his brother have already clashed once - I believe Tokutarou to be unnaturally fond of his wastrel heir and I don't need him finding reasons to declare war on District Seven."

"Then all I can do is accept it? Is that it?" Seimaru bit his lip. "Ojiisama...with Grandmother now having left us, I wanted to talk to you about the research program. But if Misashi-jisama..."

"There will be no more research program." Shouichi said categorically. "That too was one of your Grandmother's dying terms. It is not written, of course, that particular one. But she wanted me to make sure that I kept a handle on it and on you - before it renders us like the Shihouin. There will be no more contact with the exiled Urahara. I will be sending out forces soon enough to track those who remain here down so that I can see and speak with them myself. Whatever they know, it must be stemmed at once. That chapter is over, and not to be returned to again."

"Not to be..." Seimaru blanched, then, "Grandfather, are you going to put them to death?"

"Probably." Shouichi nodded. "It seems the most logical solution, and we have land enough to do it quietly. These are people that no longer exist, after all - people who have been denied and hidden for years. Nobody will care if they are dispatched - certainly there will be no Urahara up in arms to save them. Their work was adequate and interesting while we could allow it - but now it is too dangerous. And the only way to prevent leaking rumours is to silence the sources completely. It is the most obvious solution - when I have spoken to them, I will have them removed."

"But..."

"That covers your back more than anyone's." Shouchi's eyes suddenly became dark and menacing as he glared in Seimaru's direction. "Since there is still the matter of this letter that the Shihouin girl apparently has in her possession. So long as that exists, Seimaru, you must know that there is no possibility of the Endou-ke ever returning to research. All traces of that work - the people too - must be destroyed. There is no other option. That chapter is closed."

Seimaru gazed at his Grandfather long and hard for a moment, then he bowed his head in submission, lowering his eyes so that the old man could not see the anger that festered there.

"I understand, Ojiisama." He said softly. "As you wish it."

* * *

_  
The beach stretched out for miles, a golden meadow of glittering sand, pebbles and shell-fragments that seemed to go on as far as anyone could see._

_In the far distance was the sea, a faint blue-green haze that seemed almost unreal in the heat-haze of the summer's day._

_Yet even though it was summer, the sand was damp, and the sky still held a brassy edge, as though a storm had been and another was on its way._

_The small boy padded purposefully along the sodden surface, his tiny feet sinking into the grains and making prints to track the way he had come. As he walked, occasionally he paused, his child's eyes drawn to the glittering colours of the broken shells that speckled the golden wave of sand. Some belonged to creatures he recognised, yet others were a mystery, like tiny, fragile pieces of nature's ceramic scattered there by an unknown hand._

_He loved the beach. Even alone, he was never scared of anything if he was by the sea._

_But he was not alone today. He was looking for someone, he knew that, though try as he might he could not find her. The sand seemed never-ending, no matter how far he walked, and his infant lungs twitched and protested at the forced exercise, until he sank to his knees, tears of frustration on his dark lashes as a tiny cough spasmed through his chest._

_Over his head, the clouds had begun once more to gather, their colours ominous and dark as they cloaked the sun from his view, and a sudden chill wind began to whip across the beach, casting patterned whirls in the sand with the force of its breath._

_"Juushirou."_

_The voice was little more than a whisper, yet as he heard it, he became aware of the flickering, indistinct silhouette of a figure. It was both somehow there and yet not quite there - a barely tangible aura that brushed briefly against his consciousness and then was gone._

"Ukitake-kun, wake up!"

Suddenly Juushirou was aware of a rough jerk and the world of water began to ripple and fade as he little by little became aware of the real world once more. Someone was shaking him, he realised, struggling to open his eyes as once more the anxious, fearful tones of his travel companion pierced through his senses.

In that instant, he remembered where he was.

_That's right. I'm in a ryokan, in Seventh District. I'm on my way to school with Kira-kun in District One - we crossed the border from Six to Seven just this afternoon. I'm miles from home and the sea - why would I be dreaming about them when I'm moving in entirely the opposite direction?_

"Ukitake-kun! Wake up! Wake up, please?"

As Kira's voice grew more insistant and penetrating, he opened his eyes, pulling himself into a sitting position. He rubbed his eyes blearily, staring up into the anxious blue gaze of his thin, nervous companion. Kira was clearly on edge, he realised, more even than usual, for he was gripping hold of the side of Juushirou's blanket with his left hand, and the knuckles were almost white with the tension of his grasp.

"Kira-kun? Calm down." He said firmly. "What's happened? It's still dark outside, why are you…?"

Before he could finish, however, there was a tremendous crash and thud from the floor below them, and Kira let out an exclamation, fear flooding his expression.

"There are guards outside. Lots of them. Twenty or thirty at least!" He hissed, his tones babbling and half-hysterical and Juushirou frowned, fully awake now as he got to his feet, pulling his robe loosely around his shoulders.

"Guards? What kind of guards?" He asked, muting his own tones now as a further crash and rattle from the floor below was followed by indistinct voices and the sound of a woman's scream. "What happened, Kira-kun? I was lost to the world – was something wrong?"

"I don't know. The crashing woke me up and then I woke you." Kira bit his lip, his gaze darting anxiously towards the door of the small chamber. "I wondered if I should lock that…but…if they want to speak to us…if we locked it…they might be…angry. I mean...it's latched...but I thought...should we? Or do you think...?"

He trailed off, absently twisting his fingers together as he eyed his companion apprehensively.

"Sounds to me like they're already pretty angry." Juushirou hurried to the window, pushing all thought of fish and water out of his mind as he absorbed the situation at hand. "You're right, too. There are guards surrounding the whole of this inn – it looks like some kind of a raid."

His gaze narrowed as he struggled to make out the emblem on the men's clothing.

"Endou-ke retainers, I think. Well, that makes sense. We _are_ in District Seven."

"The Endou-ke do horrible things, don't they, to District people with high reiatsu?" Kira eyed him nervously. "Ukitake-kun, what are we supposed to do?"

Juushirou did not answer at first, resting his fingers against the glass as he counted the number of retainers gathered outside. Kira had exaggerated the number in his fear, but even so, the dark-clad men gave him a distinctively uneasy feeling.

"Six, maybe seven." He murmured. "Plus whoever's come inside. I think the first thing we do is not panic. There's nothing worse than letting people like that see that you're afraid."

"But I am afraid." Kira said, with self-effacing honesty. "Aren't you? They have swords, and with all the noise..."

"Well, it's not the nicest wake-up in the world, I have to admit." Juushirou grimaced, swallowing his own fears as he sought to reassure his companion. "But I think we should be all right so long as we stay here. They've come with a real purpose, by the looks of them. It doesn't seem like a random raid, and we're on the top floor - so they might not come up here at all."

"Do you think…they're looking for _us_?" Kira's eyes became big. "I heard a rumour from one of the maids that an old woman in the Endou-ke passed away recently – do you think they think we did something, because we're foreign to this District?"

"An old woman…passed away?" Juushirou swung around, his expression becoming one of consternation. "What do you mean, Kira-kun? Is that all you know or did you hear anything else?"

"Not much. Just that she was very important and she died." Kira twisted his hands together anxiously. "Two or three days ago now, from what they were saying downstairs when they were serving us our dinner."

"Two or three days?" Juushirou's lips thinned. "I don't remember them talking about anything like that when we were eating dinner."

"No...no but..."

Kira reddened, then,

"While you were changing, one of the girls started talking to me. She was interested, she said, because I was foreign and she didn't know anybody with blond hair and blue eyes in District Seven. So we talked for a bit and then her friend came and told her that she shouldn't be waylaying customers, not when gossip was already rife enough about the old woman's death."

He blanched suddenly.

"Ukitake-kun, do you think…could it be because I...?"

"Why would they suspect two school students of anything?" Juushirou cut across him, his tones sensible and even as he came across to his companion's side. "No. You chatted to them about innocent things - there's no deep dark secrets in your family's past and even if there were, they wouldn't be interesting to even the most paranoid of soldiers in District Seven."

"Well, there was the time that my cousin decided to marry the dancing girl instead of the daughter of Otousama's old friend." Kira murmured. "The way Otousama talks about that, you'd think that..."

Juushirou sighed.

"I didn't mean that kind of secret." He said heavily. "Listen. We're just travelling through. We've been on the trader's route since we crossed the border and we're blatantly not the kind of people who'd have the money or means to stray from that path even if we had the time. They might have come for some specific reason, but I'm sure that finding us isn't it."

"Do you really think so?" Kira looked doubtful. "I mean…"

"I'm sure of it." Juushirou said firmly, although inwardly he was trying to suppress anxieties of his own. "How would they even know who we are? Be sensible, Kira-kun. We're foreign students. They wouldn't pay us a blind bit of attention, now would they? And besides, if the old woman died two or three days ago - where were we then? We only crossed the border this afternoon. Obviously it's nothing to do with us at all."

"But even so...we…we're District…and…"

"And foreign." Juushirou repeated patiently. "We both come from District Six. We're not under their jurisdiction – we belong to the Kuchiki-ke. They wouldn't have a right to persecute us – we don't come under their laws because we're not residents here. We're just passing through."

"I…I suppose you're right." Kira bit his lip. "That does make sense. It's just…they're making so much noise, and…"

"No, it's unnerving, I know." Juushirou sighed, dropping back down on his futon with a sigh. "And we won't get much more sleep while it's going on, either. I don't know what time it is – early hours, most likely. We'll be falling asleep on the road tomorrow, Kira-kun. Of that I'm absolutely sure."

"I won't be sleeping until we're safely in District One." Kira said fervently. "I don't like District Seven – the rumours you hear about it get worse and worse and now this...!"

"The old woman who you said had died – that was important." Juushirou said softly. "Was she…the Clan Leader's wife, by any chance?"

"I think…something like that." Kira nodded. "But I didn't hear any names. Why? Do you know her? Do you know something about them?"

"Not me." Juushirou shook his head. "But this is Hirata's Clan land. They're his family. That's why I wondered – they're his kin, after all."

"I'd forgotten about Endou-kun." Kira's expression cleared, and he nodded. "But he's exiled, isn't he? He isn't in District Seven right now."

"No, he isn't. He's with the Shihouin-ke in District Two for the time being." Juushirou agreed. "But even so, Kira, these are his people. I think the woman you're talking about must be his Grandmother. He said she was ill – and old – so it would make sense."

"Ooh." Kira let out a sigh of relief, then, "If she was old and sick, nobody will be looking for anyone as a potential murderer, then, will they? So in that case…"

"I doubt it." Juushirou reined in his anxiety and impatience, nodding his head. "And like I told you, even if they were, we were in the wrong District when she died. My point is that, either way, I'm sure it would be upsetting news for him. I wonder if word has spread that far – I think that his Grandmother was a very important person in the Clan, after all."

"Yes, I suppose it isn't nice for Endou-kun either way." Kira looked contrite. "I'm sorry, Ukitake-kun. I didn't mean it to sound that way. It just…"

"Open up! Open up at once!"

At that moment there was a loud clattering at the door, and Kira froze in mid-sentence, eyes wide like a rabbit caught in headlamps. Juushirou cast him a glance, then got to his feet, crossing the room to pull back the latch and open the door.

"You're not going to…" Kira's eyes widened, and Juushirou nodded.

"Better we cooperate than have them bash the door down." He said sensibly. "They're armed and we have nothing to be afraid of. We're students, that's all. We have nothing to hide, so stop looking so terrified. That will only make them think you're guilty of something and they just haven't discovered it yet."

With that he grasped hold of the door, pulling it back on its runners and finding himself face to chest with a broad, bulky man in distinctive Endou brown and red attire.

"Stand back." He growled, and Juushirou immediately did so as he and two other officers swarmed into the room, tipping up boxes and rummaging through bags and belongings as they systematically searched the chamber. One of them grabbed Kira by the arm, roughly pulling him out of their way and throwing him up against the wall, and Juushirou darted across to steady his companion, for Kira was far too struck with terror to think about his own sense of balance.

"Names?" As two men searched, the first man turned back to them, glancing at them suspiciously as he did so.

Juushirou eyed him for a moment, realising that Kira was too terrified to speak, and he sighed.

"Travellers under the name of Kira, from District Six to One." He said quietly. "Students at the Academy – as you can see."

"Foreigners, huh?" The man peered closely at them both, and Juushirou could smell his fetid, ale-tinged breath as it brushed against his cheeks. He pulled his weapon from its scabbard, using the hilt to roughly turn first Kira's head then Juushirou's own from side to side, then grunted.

"You look foreign, an' all." He muttered. "Well? Where are your papers? If you're travelling from Six to One, you must have papers granting you transit, else you'll be arrested for border hopping and trespass!"

"Yes, sir." Juushirou cast Kira another anxious glance, half-wondering if his glazed-eyed companion would manage to stand upright on his own, or would topple forward onto the floor. "They're right there – in the bag your men are kicking around the floor."

"Bag?" The brute raised an eyebrow, turning and glaring at his companions.

"Check it!" He barked out. "Make sure the boy is telling the truth."

"Yes, sir." The men immediately fell to obeying his instructions, pulling apart the fabric of the bag with little care or attention as they dug down to the documents within. As papers and two metal tokens fell out of the bottom, the soldiers were on them in an instant, squinting at them then holding them out.

"Confirmed, sir. Travel papers in the name of Kira, and two tokens from the Yamamoto-ke granting them passage as students of the Academy."

"Let me see that." The burly man grabbed the tokens, putting one between his teeth and biting down on it as if to ensure its authenticity. Then he frowned, clearly disappointed as he tossed the items down onto Juushirou's disturbed futon.

"All right. They're for real." He said gruffly. "Out of here, boys. Next room."

"Yes, sir." At once the two accompanying officers abandoned the mess they had created, withdrawing from the chamber and Juushirou could hear them down the hall, banging and yelling threats and demands to the next door resident.

The first man made to follow them, then paused, eying them both darkly.

"Tomorrow you ride from here." He said flatly. "Cross the border and don't come back again. Understood? Your permit only lasts until sundown tomorrow. If you're still here by then…"

He paused, sweeping his fingers across his throat, and Juushirou bit his lip, bowing his head in acknowledgement.

"Yes, sir. We understand and will do as you advise. Thank you." He said softly.

"Hrmph." The guard grunted again, stomping out of the room and banging their door shut behind him.

For a moment there was silence, then Kira let out his breath in a rush, sinking down to his knees.

"Kira-kun, are you all right?" Juushirou hurried to his side, and Kira nodded, raising a hand to his head as he did so.

"Yes…I think…but…Ukitake-kun, you were so calm! How were you…when they…"

"It was the only way to be." Juushirou sighed. "Because they weren't going to leave us alone otherwise. Like I said, we have nothing to hide. They've seen our papers and our tokens and they know we are what we say. Whoever they're looking for, it isn't us."

"It sounded like they were just looking for a fight to me." Kira shivered. "As though they were looking for anyone who might be travelling into District Seven – or out of it – illegally. People they could hurt and imprison, just because they want to."

"But they followed some kind of rules, because they left us alone." Juushirou pointed out. "The protection of the Yamamoto-ke is a valuable thing, it seems, when travelling through this place."

He sighed.

"And we're not Clan, so we're not important." He murmured, more than half to himself. "If Shunsui had been here, maybe, they would have taken him away."

"Kyouraku-kun? Why?" Kira's eyes became huge, and Juushirou shook his head, inwardly berating his lapse in discretion.

"No reason, not particularly. I just used him as an example – because he's a Clansman, after all."

"Oh, I see. Yes." Kira sighed. "They might get money out of a Clansman trying to cross the District in secret, mightn't they?"

"Undoubtedly." Juushirou agreed. "In the meantime, let's try and tidy up our things and put them safely. They probably won't come back to us now – we're not what they're interested in, so I think for now we're safe."

"Yes." Kira agreed. "They did make a lot of mess – we'll have to be careful not to leave anything important behind."

He laughed half-hysterically.

"Imagine turning up at the border and us not having our tokens with us, after all."

"Right." Juushirou sent him a concerned glance. "Kira-kun, are you quite sure you're okay?"

"Mm. I think so." Kira nodded. "And glad I wasn't here alone – thanks to you, they went away."

He frowned, pursing his lips as he eyed his companion thoughtfully.

"But Ukitake-kun – something just occurred to me."

"Yes?" Juushirou paused in the gathering up of their scattered belongings, eying his companion quizzically. "What's that?"

"When they asked for our names, you gave them mine." Kira said slowly. "And now I think of it, it was my family who made our travel arrangements, wasn't it? You didn't give them your own name at all – why not?"

"They only wanted to know the name we were booked in under. They didn't care about the specifics." Juushirou said dismissively. "Don't worry about it. If they'd have asked me more clearly, I would have told them – but if I'd have said Ukitake Juushirou, they might have questioned why the travel arrangements say Kira. That's all."

"Oh. I see. That makes sense." Kira sighed heavily. "You think laterally, even under pressure. No wonder you're top class – I wish I could do that."

Juushirou shot him a rueful smile, inwardly glad that his neighbour had not pressed the issue.

_But Ukitake Juushirou is a name known to the Endou-ke, and one I'm sure Seimaru hasn't yet forgotten. Better to be safe than sorry, after all – Sensei warned me that grudges like that don't dissipate instantly. Whether Seimaru does or doesn't care about what I'm doing, I don't know. But there's no sense in creating additional dangers if I don't have to. It just might be, after all, that those men were looking for me. And even though they left and didn't push the issue – there's no guarantee that travelling through District Seven is ever going to be a completely safe prospect for me again._

He sighed, setting his belongings down beside his futon.

_And I won't put Kira-kun in danger because of my reckless behaviour last summer. Time has passed since then, true enough, but somehow I doubt it's enough. And now, if Hirata's Gran really has passed away…she was the one holding the two sides of the family stable. Without her, what happens now? Without her, what happens to Hirata's parents and little sister? That a raid should happen so soon after…is this a sign of the Endou-ke to come?_

_

* * *

  
_

_**Author's Note**__  
The council Shouichi is referring to is his own Endou administration - not to be confused with the Council of Elders which involves all eight Clans._


	4. Second Years

**Chapter Three: Second Years**

Well, so they had made it in the end.

Juushirou glanced around him, feeling somehow soothed by the melee of students and buzz of friendly banter that surrounded him as he stepped through the big stone gateposts and into the grounds of the former Yamamoto-ke manor house. Kira had already hurried off to mark his name in and find his own friends, but Juushirou had paused for a moment, simply soaking up the atmosphere for what had, in a year, become almost his home from home.

_It feels sad to be away from Chi and Hiro and the others - but it also feels so good to be back. In this place at least, I'm not the boy with the Ukitake curse. In this one I'm just another student - and one who does his best no matter what._

"Well, there's a familiar face at least. One person made it back alive, then – that's good to know."

Shunsui's voice rang through the crowd, and Juushirou turned, greeting his friend with a warm smile.

"Alive, but somehow I feel that it's only just." He said ruefully. "Not the most pleasant of trips I've ever made – so much so that both Kira and I agreed that neither one of us are making the journey home again until the winter at the very earliest. Crossing District Seven is never a pleasant business – but this time was positively hair-raising."

"District Seven, huh?" Shunsui frowned, running his fingers through his tousled curls as he nodded his head. "Mm, I'd forgotten you'd come via that path. You and Kira…? Together? What's the why behind that?"

"Okaa-sama worries." Juushirou said frankly. "Because she knows I've already crossed horns with Seimaru, she thought it better I didn't make the journey alone. Last winter, when you stopped with us, we travelled the long way around – but that's expensive and more than I can ask my family to pay each time. And when we went back in the Spring, Kuchiki-kun insisted that I rode with him and Edogawa-san – nobody contests the Kuchiki-ke unless they have a death wish, so that was all right. This time, Okaasama thought if I travelled with Kira-kun and if Kira-san arranged the transport, it would be a safer option than if I was to travel alone under my own name. Seimaru might not care at all about where I am at any one time – but I have to say, considering the experience, I'm glad we thought ahead."

"That sounds distinctly ominous, given that it's only the first day of term. Not even that, in fact." Shunsui's features became grave and he slung his arm across his companion's shoulders, leading him across towards the main entrance with a sigh. "And I'm sure it has connections to Endou Yayoi-sama's inconveniently timed death, too – you've heard about that, I trust?"

"Mm. Going through that way, we heard bits and pieces." Juushirou agreed. "And you needn't look worried. In the end it was all right – but some guards raided the inn Kira and I stayed at, and he in particular took a healthy dose of heebie-jeebies from the attack."

"Guards?" Shunsui looked startled, then, "Looking for what?"

"No idea. They didn't seem to find it." Juushirou sighed. "I thought maybe it was me – but when they saw Kira and my border tokens, they left us alone. I would've thought if they were bothered about finding an Academy student, they'd have questioned us more closely – so maybe not."

"Seimaru acts in funny ways, and his leash has almost been removed now." Shunsui warned. "Just watch your step, all right? If you have to travel back that way, at least vary the paths you take. I'm serious," As Juushirou frowned. "Or try and get Ryuu-kun and his people to escort you more often. He likes you, and so does Edogawa-san – so I'm sure it'd be possible to call in favours."

"The Kuchiki-ke don't really like granting favours to low born individuals." Juushirou looked rueful. "And I'm here now. But I will keep it in mind. Seriously, Shunsui – I'm glad to be well away from District Seven."

"A sentiment I imagine Hirata is sharing." Shunsui reflected. "Considering what you've just said."

"Yes." Juushirou sighed. "Have you seen him? Is he…are he and Shihouin-kun here yet?"

"Not seen them." Shunsui shook his head. "But so far the fears Nii-sama and I both had for the Endou administration haven't materialised. Yayoi-sama's death might have provoked mass slaughter or at the very least political arrests. But the last communication my brother had from the border outposts was that Misashi-dono had been formally appointed as an advisor to Shouichi-sama's inner council – an apparent final promise to his dying wife to mend the rifts in the family."

"What?" Juushirou faltered, staring at his companion in surprise, and Shunsui nodded.

"Nii-sama reacted that way, too." He agreed. "But it's true enough. Rumours have it that Yayoi-sama was as cunning a negotiator on her death bed as she's been through her whole life. Many of the Endou-ke would not accept Seimaru as Shouichi-sama's heir over Misashi-dono without her say-so, and Shouichi-sama didn't want a civil war. So in return for reaching out an olive branch to Misashi-dono, Yayoi-sama acknowledged Seimaru. There was a meeting, a document, and seals exchanged."

"But now she's dead, what's to stop him reneging?" Juushirou demanded, and Shunsui's grin widened.

"The fact that she was a cunning old lady, that's what." He responded. "Part of Yayoi-sama's stipulations involved sending copies of the documentation to the borders – to the Kuchiki-ke and to Nii-sama. Therefore they've been witnessed by outside Clans, making it Council jurisdiction if the ruling is breached. That's why I know about it – our copy was brought by Misashi-dono's personal messenger, who also happens to be a former resident of our District and so can cross the border unmolested. It came not long before I left for here, and Nii-sama thought I'd want to know. So long as Shouichi-sama is head of the Endou-ke – Misashi-dono and his family can't be touched."

Juushirou let out a sigh of relief.

"Then Hirata's family are safe?"

"For the time being, yes." Shunsui nodded. "No doubt Shouichi-sama didn't like making the concession – but he made it, and now it must stand. And it buys them some time, too. Shouichi-sama is an old man, but a strong one and still well able to lead and wield his sword. He's Gotei, don't forget – and he outstrips Seimaru still in influence, strength and ability. So he'll retain his crown for some time to come yet – time enough for Hirata to gain the strength needed to challenge for the Clan – if that is still his plan."

"Given this, it might not be necessary. If things are that way, Misashi-dono must be Seimaru's heir, now." Juushirou murmured. "Oh, but I'm glad. From how Hirata described his Grandmother, I suppose I should have known she'd have a contingency plan, even at death."

He shrugged.

"We shouldn't talk like this, anyway." He added. "We're at school, not a political rally- and I for one would like to build on last term's relative quietness and focus on studying what we're meant to be here doing."

"Nii-sama said something similar to me, too." Shunsui agreed. "But listen, Juu. We're not first years any more. They're going to want us to do more work this year, and they're less likely to take excuses, either. Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"Yes. And looking forward to it." Juushirou grinned. "I've managed to practice a little in the holiday, so I'm eager to learn new things."

"Practice?" Shunsui faltered, staring at his friend in consternation. "You do that kind of thing in your free time?"

"Unlike you, Shunsui, I actually enjoy classes." Juushirou laughed, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "And yes. I managed to disarm Hiro three times in succession with my _bokutou_, which he was most put out about. And when it was quiet, I walked down to the beach and cast a few spells into the ether before breakfast. It's difficult to do that when the kids are around - so I had to creep out - but I managed it."

Shunsui let out a heavy sigh.

"You're beginning second year in workaholic form, then? Figures." He said resignedly. "Oh well. Let's at least sign in and then you can make me feel lazy and incompetent by telling me all the things you've managed to achieve in our off time."

"It's a little funny, not being first years any more." As they approached the steps to the school's big front entrance, Juushirou glanced around him, a pensive look in his hazel eyes. "This time last year...so much has happened since then. When Kamikura-sensei brought me then, I didn't know anything or anyone. It seemed like a huge building full of people. I was just thinking when you appeared that this was like my home from home - and so many of the faces are familiar, too."

"This year we'll get to use _asauchi_, too, don't forget." Shunsui shot him an amused glance. "Proper swords, not just sticks. Aren't we grown up?"

"Mm." Juushirou laughed. "You might think it's a joke, Shunsui - but I'm quite looking forward to the first time we get to practice using _asauchi_. It will feel more and more like we're heading towards becoming Shinigami."

His gaze rested on the senior student standing at the entrance, and his brows knitted together.

"But...isn't that...Nagoya-senpai?"

"There's no fooling you, even after a few weeks away." Shunsui grinned. "Looks like him to me. The annoyed expression and high class clothing rather give him away, don't they?"

"But...Nagoya-senpai was a Senior last year." Juushirou's brows knitted. "Why is he back here this? That's strange - isn't it?"

"Wouldn't know." Shunsui shrugged his shoulders. "Though I did hear it said that Nagoya-senpai was younger than Anideshi and the others, so maybe that's why. Sensei decided he needed more time."

"Mm. Maybe." Juushirou pursed his lips. "But...Nagoya-senpai actually helping out...?"

"I guess Sensei must've collared him when he arrived." Shunsui rolled his eyes. "I can't imagine why that was a good idea, but no doubt Yama-jii knows what he's doing. Nagoya-senpai never seemed to give two hoots about anything any other students were doing - I'm quite impressed, actually, that Sensei's even made him go this far."

"But I wonder why he is still here." Juushirou looked pensive. "Even if he is young...he was a Senior last year, and if his age was a problem, surely Sensei would just have kept him out of that class until he was ready?"

"Maybe, although it might be hard to do if you're dealing with a Kuchiki who's got a bucketload of pride to add to the mix." Shunsui reflected. "If you don't care about your life, you could ask him - but there's a storm in those eyes, and silence might be a better strategy."

"I think you're right." Juushirou acknowledged. "Let's just sign our names in - and leave well alone. No doubt we'll find out everything we need to know in due course, after all."

"No doubt." Shunsui echoed, as they joined the crowd of students making their way up the steps to the main entrance. "Onwards and upwards - so the saying goes."

"Are you spouting rubbish already, Shunsui?"

The shrill voice of Shiba Sora broke through the conversation at that moment, as a whirlwind seemed to come out of the crowd towards them, flinging one arm around Shunsui's shoulders and one around Juushirou's as a dark head popped up between them, casting them both warm grins. "Well, you both made it back to Second Year - which I guess is something in itself, given the adventures of First."

"Your manners are as bad as ever, though, Sora-chan." Shunsui pulled a face in her direction. "Even now I feel we should be calling you Saru instead of Sora - you act more like a monkey than a human being, the way you grab hold of people at a moment's notice."

"Given your reputation, you're no doubt an expert on grabbing." Sora retorted, shooting him the most expressively ugly grimace she could manage, before turning her attention to Juushirou with a grin.

"How about you, Juushirou-kun? You look like you've had a long trip - were the roads bad for you as well?"

"It was a bit...full of unexpected people, yes." Juushirou said ruefully. "I'm glad to have finally stopped travelling, to tell you the truth."

"Next time we'll have to work it so you travel with me." Sora decided. "Since you don't live far from our border and those trader paths are tedious and then some, if you listen to the merchants moan. If you came with us, it'd be much quicker and nobody would bother to check your papers - the Shiba-ke scare the hell out of most of the other Clans, so it'd be fine."

"That's because the Shiba produce specimens like you." Shunsui disentangled himself from her grasp, tapping her gently on the head. "But I don't think that's a bad idea. Maybe you should travel with Sora, Juu-kun. I won't be on hand to play chaperon till you reach the borders of Eight, unfortunately...or maybe fortunately, depending on how the mood goes."

"Shunsui..." Juushirou sent his companion a resigned look, and Sora thwapped her fellow Clansman across the chest, shooting him a dark look.

"Stop trying to invent scandals that don't exist." She said indignantly. "Juushirou is my friend, and you know it. There's nothing funny or like that between us - so stop pretending that there is."

"Shunsui says things like that about everyone. I've gotten immune." Juushirou assured her. "Just ignore it, Sora. It just shows he's in full form and his normal annoying self, that's all."

"So cold." Shunsui pretended to look hurt. "And we've been parted for so long too - Juu-chan, how could you?"

"You see my point?" Juushirou met Sora's gaze, and Sora grinned.

"He's a good friend for you, Shunsui." She reflected. "He puts up with your nonsense admirably - you should shut up and appreciate it."

"How about you all shut up and sign in before you block the doorway for everyone else?"

An austere voice cut across them, and Juushirou glanced up, meeting the exasperated grey eyes of the senior student on duty. He frowned, pursing his lips as he took in the older boy's stiff demeanour.

Yes, there was no doubt. He was definitely not happy.

Nagoya Shirogane was something of an enigma to Juushirou. Though he had been in the Senior class the previous year, he had rarely seemed to be involved in any of the things the others had been, and whilst the other Seniors had rallied round to provide guidance for the younger students and errands for the staff, somehow Shirogane had avoided the bulk of these - instead ensconcing himself in the Senior study with his books or his flute. A descendant of the Kuchiki-ke, he was elegant and fine-featured, a haughty laziness and condescension in both his manner and his appearance that had always rubbed Juushirou up the wrong way. He was both intelligent and gifted, about that there was no doubt, and the distinctive curled hilt of the sword at his waist proved that he had already succeeded in summoning a sword of his own. Probably, given his Kuchiki heritage, he already had a well controlled shikai release, and Juushirou thought it strange that, given that fact, the boy should still be there in front of them, robed in the clothing of the Academy.

"Well?" Shirogane snapped now, glaring at them each in turn. "Or have you forgotten your names in the short time you've been away from the school?"

"No, Senpai. We've not forgotten our names, _or_ yours." Shunsui met the older boy's eyes with solemn ones of his own, innocence in his expression as he obediently took the brush that Shirogane had jabbed out in their direction. "We were just catching up on each other's news - that's all."

"You can do that when you're out of my way." Shirogane said inflexibly. "And if you know who you are, shut up and mark your name."

"Class Three this year." Juushirou squinted at the list over his friend's shoulder, a faint smile on his lips as Shunsui made an elaborate gesture, sweeping the brush slowly and deliberately across the page to mark the box beneath his name. "I suppose that's the top class for the second year, judging by the listing. Otherwise we're the same, though. Last term's exams settled that - no changes in personnel."

"Can I mark Sora and Juu in too, Senpai? Or would you rather they proved their reading abilities to you as well, considering we're now second years?" Shunsui raised his dark eyes once more to Shirogane's slate ones, and the Senior's brows knitted together.

"So long as you're all marked in, I quite frankly couldn't care less how you do it." He said archly. "So do it and get out of my way before you really make me cross."

"God knows what really cross is, because I'd call that hopping mad." Sora muttered, even as Shunsui put a neat mark beneath her and Juushirou's names, turning to indicate to them that he was done. "And at last - let's get out of this crush. Are you heading to the dorm to unpack your belongings now, or are you going to take a break in the common room first?"

"Let's get out of the monitor demon's line of sight first." Shunsui suggested, as they hurried along the corridor towards the big main staircase. "No kidding that he's ticked off - something major must have happened, because he's definitely on the verge of a full scale sulk."

"Sora, do you know what the story is?" Juushirou questioned, as they reached an empty stretch of hall, and Sora dimpled, nodding her head as they paused to catch their breath.

"Of course. The Shiba know everything." She said simply. "And Father's on the board, remember, so he knows more than most when it comes to the school."

"Well?" Shunsui leant back against the wood panel wall, folding his arms across his chest. "What happened, then? Why is he even here? He was in last year's Senior Class - he should have graduated to squad by now."

"Uh-huh." Sora shook her head. "Nagoya-senpai hasn't graduated. Not yet, in any case."

"Not...yet?" Juushirou's eyes became big. "But he has a _zanpakutou_, and he can release it - why not?"

Sora held up her hand, beginning to count the reasons off on her fingers.

"One, he's still only nineteen and a half. He's like Hirata, and enrolled here when he was fifteen." She said frankly. "So that means he was a lot younger than Anideshi and the others - he summoned his sword and skipped up from the end of his third year into the Senior Class, whereas the others all went there from their fifth. Two, the head of the Kuchiki-ke flat out refused to have what he termed a 'juvenile' as a ranking member of his squad. Three, he paid no attention to the junior students last year and Sensei therefore thinks he needs to be more actively involved with them before he can be called squad-ready."

"Yeesh." Shunsui grimaced. "That means that he's going to be actively involved with us...how lovely. I'm so looking forward to that."

"So Sensei kept him back because he was good at the studying side of it but not the responsibility side of it?" Juushirou murmured. "I see. I suppose that makes sense. Nagoya-senpai may have done duty last year in the library from time to time, but I never saw him get involved in anything else. And when he was there he spent his time reading, rather than actually helping anyone out."

"Plus, his attitude sucks. He looks down on everyone who isn't Kuchiki-ke." Shunsui supplemented. "And I've even heard him talk down to some who are."

"Yes. I've had that experience, too." Juushirou sighed. "So we're stuck with him? Great."

"Mm. Maybe not all year, though." Sora shook her head. "Only till he's turned twenty and has proven he can be responsible in a squad. The thing is, you guys, Nagoya-senpai is one of the more gifted members of the Kuchiki-ke for a while now. And the reason they won't have him yet is because the vacancy being kept open is essentially the Clan leader's right hand man in the Sixth District squad. Vice Captain, I suppose you'd call it. Considering that the Kuchiki-ke's Clan Leader is often involved in family business, his second-in-command would have to be pretty kickass capable. And they want it to be Nagoya-senpai. But...on current form..."

"He doesn't make the grade." Shunsui pursed his lips. "So we get the pleasure of him instead. Joy."

"Something like that." Sora grimaced. "But I think it'll be the first years who get him most of all. See, the other thing is that Sensei's denoted him as Anideshi this year."

"He's done what?" Juushirou's eyes became huge, and Sora shrugged.

"If you keep a Senior back, and say it's because he was too young last year, you have to somehow make amends with the Kuchiki pride and not offend the Clan in the process." She said evenly. "And if he's going to be a Vice Captain type of figure, he needs to be in that position. So he can't avoid being involved with the other students now - Sensei's made sure of it. And I think he knows it too, probably. That's why he's there - even though he's annoyed. He realises that it won't just be Sensei's wrath he'll face, but the leader of the Kuchiki-ke. And that's not a wrath anyone ever wants to face. Believe me."

Shunsui sighed heavily.

"Well, there goes any hopes of having a fun second year." He said regretfully. "If Cheery-sama is going to be in our face all the time, we'll never get away with anything at all."

"You should take a lesson from it." Juushirou advised. "If you skip off classes, you get held back. And if we all graduated and you didn't - you'd be all by yourself, wouldn't you?"

"Shut up." Shunsui looked rueful. "You know I'm not going to let that happen. I'm sticking with you guys, whether you like it or you don't. You're the only thing that makes enforced study bearable."

"I think that was a compliment, Sora." Juushirou cast the girl a grin, and Sora dimpled, nodding her head.

"Yep. I think it was." She said playfully. "Maybe we've cracked him, after all."

She offered Shunsui an amused glance, then,

"I'm going to run on up to the dorm and see if Mitsuki or Naoko have got back yet. Try and keep him out of trouble at least for first night, Juushirou - and I'll no doubt see you either at dinner or class roll call tomorrow morning."

"I'll do my best." Juushirou promised, and Sora grinned, haring off down the hallway towards the main stairs.

Once she was gone, Shunsui sighed.

"As much a whirlwind as ever." He murmured. "Oh well. It's gone now. Shall we follow her example and head upstairs?"

"To _our_ dorm, I presume?" Juushirou raised an eyebrow, and Shunsui snorted.

"Of course! Where else?"

"If it was anyone else's suggestion, I wouldn't be asking." Juushirou said pointedly. "But considering the way you are, I wanted to be sure you weren't planning a raid on the girls' dorm while they were unpacking undergarments."

"It's so nice to know what you think of me, Juu-kun." Shunsui rolled his eyes, but there was amusement in his tones. "No. I meant _our_ dorm. Flirting with the girls can wait till we've at least settled back in. There's a whole term ahead of us, after all - let's not spoil all the fun on the first night!"

* * *

Endou Hirata unfastened his thick cape, folding it neatly over his arm and setting it to one side as he removed his travel boots with a heavy sigh. It was not a long way from District Two to One, but the trip had been a difficult one nonetheless. He had risen early, yet they had not left till late morning on account of the news that had been received just as they had been preparing to depart - and as it had begun to sink in, Hirata had immediately begun to think of the potential ramifications for his family.

_Obaasama is dead. I'm exiled from District Seven. I'm barely trained...and now what will happen? Is Grandfather really going to acknowledge Father? Is Seimaru going to accept that? No matter what they say, it worries me. No matter what they say...I can't help but worry, knowing how things are._

"Are you coming or are you going to stand here and stare at the wall for the rest of the evening?"

The sharp question of his companion brought him back to himself and he turned, a rueful expression in his pale blue eyes.

"I'm coming. I'm sorry, Kai-kun. I'm trying not to dwell on it, but it seems to be all I can do right now."

"Right now it's not your problem. Right now, there is no problem." Shihouin Kai grabbed him by the arm, taking his cloak and tossing it over his own shoulder. "So stop it. I haven't seen you cry over something in at least two months - let's not break that record by starting now, all right? Crying when you've been beaten black and blue in kenjitsu training is one thing. Crying over something you can't change is another."

Hirata was silent for a moment, then he nodded.

"I know." He said slowly. "I'm sorry."

"Then stop saying sorry and move." Kai said gruffly. "We've done nothing but talk about this the whole ride here, and it's enough, okay? If you care that much about helping out, then put it out of your mind and focus on training to be stronger."

He led his companion along the hallway and up the main stairs, not stopping until they reached the dormitory which had been a home from home for them both since the beginning of their studies the previous spring. Somehow that first night seemed more than a year ago - Hirata smiled faintly, reaching up to adjust his glasses on his nose as he remembered how frightened and homesick he had been then.

_And now being in District One makes me feel relieved. Well, maybe Otousama would be glad about that. And at least here, all the political chaos seems further away._

"Hirata! Kai-kun!"

As the door slipped back, Shunsui's unmistakeable tones cut through his thoughts, and he stepped into the dorm proper, Kai in his wake as he gazed around him. They were the last back, then, he reflected, and somehow he felt a second flood of relief at the sight of his classmates gathered together in such normal, mundane style.

In his corner, the stiff-mannered Kuchiki Ryuu was laying out his belongings in fastidious piles, but at their entrance he raised his head, casting Kai a derisive look before offering Hirata a slight bow of his head.

"You were late back." He said in his arch, aloof tones. "Have the Shihouin become so poor at reading maps that they can't even manage to get from one division to the next without taking a wrong turn?"

"It's first night, Kuchiki. Let it go." Before either could react, the eldest member of the group raised his voice, casting them both a warm grin as he got to his feet. At more than six foot and built like a house, Houjou Enishi was considered something of a hulk or a giant to many, but to Hirata he was one of the first real friends the boy had ever had, and as Enishi clapped a warm hand down on the young boy's shoulder, Hirata offered him a grin in return, taking in the relaxed atmosphere that filled the chamber.

Between the bunks belonging to Juushirou and Shunsui, the two boys had spread out what looked like a makeshift shougi board drawn out with ink on expensive pink fabric. There the similarity ended, however, for the game pieces comprised various odd items such as Shunsui's Clan emblem, three noble hairties, one of Enishi's rings and a broken segment of _bokutou_ that by some mysterious means had found its way into Shunsui's hands at the end of the previous term. This kind of shougi had become affectionately known as '_Shungi_', as it had first been devised by Shunsui during one long and boring stormy night, and most of its rules would have made generations of tacticians turn in their graves, for they consisted of various forfeits and random dares. Many of these were also of Shunsui's own invention, and whilst he still stubbornly lost every game of proper shougi he was ever challenged to, he was rarely defeated at his own pet game. Despite this fact, though, it had become a popular activity in the dorm, and only the staid Ryuu had so far refused to compromise his pride enough to play.

"We'll call it a night, Juu, so that Hirata can get to his bunk." Shunsui said now, reaching across to grab the corners of the cloth board and pulling them together. "We were pretty even, after all, this time."

"All right." Juushirou shrugged, sitting back against his bunk with a smile at the newcomers. "I was starting to worry about the pair of you, though."

"We left later than we planned to originally." Hirata responded. "But that's my fault. The news about my Gran came through just as we were going, and Midori-sama thought it would be wiser to send an extra retainer with me to cross the border, just in case of any problems. She's protective of me, after all - and we had to wait till the retainer in question returned from an earlier mission. So that's why we're back as late as this."

"We heard about Yayoi-sama." Shunsui looked grave. "I'm sorry."

"I wasn't close to her, but her dying does worry me some." Hirata sighed. "But at least if it's true that Father and Grandfather have reconciled...that's something, at the very least."

"It's true, Hirata-kun." Shunsui nodded. "Our Clan have been sent documents as witness to the fact."

"The Kuchiki likewise." Ryuu chipped in at that moment. "You should not worry, Hirata. Shouichi-sama may be a ruthless heathen, but he is a man of his word. He has sealed this document and allowed it to be witnessed by objective Clan members. He intends to honour it."

"I hadn't realised he'd done that." Some of the weight lifted off Hirata's heart at this. "So he _is_ serious."

"Yayoi-sama seems to have made it a stipulation of the agreement, if Nii-sama's to be believed." Shunsui grinned. "So you just work on building up your strength - for now, your family are fine."

"Thank goodness for that." Hirata sighed, sinking down onto his bed. "I was worried."

"He's done nothing but talk about it since we left, so I'm glad too." Kai grimaced. "It's not that I don't understand - but there's not much to be done about it from District Two. At least if it's that way - maybe the kid will let it drop for a while."

"I'm not a kid." Hirata shot Kai a cross look, and Shunsui chuckled, shaking his head.

"At sixteen, I guess you're really not any more, are you?" He reflected. "It's a pity. You were so much cuter last year. Now you're starting to get a sense of self about you - I'm going to have to stop calling you Hirata-chan, aren't I?"

Despite himself, Hirata reddened.

"I'm _not _Hirata-chan." He objected firmly. "I never liked you calling me that at all, Kyouraku-kun. And especially not now."

"Yeah, you'd better mind out what you say." Kai looked amused, stretching out on his bunk and slipping his hands behind his head as he glanced from Hirata to Shunsui. "He can actually hold a _bokutou_ the proper way now, and even manage to land a few hits before he drops it or falls over his feet."

"Kai-kun!" colour flooded Hirata's features, and Kai chuckled.

"He's coming on quite well, considering he's such a physical weakling." He relented. "I don't think he's ever going to be a star in the Ouyoudou department, but at least I think he'll be able to disarm some of the lower level people in Minabe's class. He's made improvements - and there is one thing in his favour. He's quick. If he can focus on that - I think he'll be fine. Everyone has their own style, after all - and it's just a case of finding his particular strengths."

"But this year we begin proper sword work, with proper _asauchi_." Shunsui pointed out.

"I know." Kai agreed. "And they're heavier than the _bokutou_ we've been using. But I promised I'd help Hirata train in the holidays, if he remained a ward of District Two. And I have. We've done some sword work, too - he'll be fine, Kyouraku. Don't worry about that."

"Am I the only one who's never touched an actual sword?" Juushirou asked plaintively, and Ryuu cast him a faint smile.

"You have superior kenjutsu skills to Hirata, no matter how much practice he has done." He said firmly. "You will have no trouble transferring the skill, Ukitake. You are a natural, after all."

"I'm not sure if that's praise to Juu or a dig at Kai's training." Shunsui was amused. "You're on good form today, Ryuu-kun."

"There was nothing humorous in what I said." Ryuu seemed affronted. "And of course a compliment was paid. Ukitake has a good fighting technique. That's obvious to even the most basic of amateurs."

"I don't think Shunsui was trying to offend you, Kuchiki-kun." Juushirou hurried to smoothe it over, and Ryuu tut-tutted under his breath.

"Even now, you have better manners than Kyouraku does." He said resignedly. "Nobody has ever given you leave to call me by my first name, Kyouraku. Nor have they given you leave to call Hirata by such a derogatory nickname. You would do well to pay attention to Ukitake in this regard. He, at least, understands that there are ways in which you address those around you - and certain rules have to be met."

"Kuchiki, shut up." Kai grimaced, rolling his eyes. "Kyouraku is Kyouraku. That's how he is with anyone, and there's no use getting offended by it now."

"I hadn't realised my terms of address were under such scrutiny." Shunsui was not noticeably crushed. "My sincere apologies, Kuchiki-sama. I won't do it again."

"Until tomorrow, most probably." Enishi laughed, breaking the rising tension with his good-natured comments. "Though honestly, with us spending so much time together, it doesn't bother me. If people want to call me Houjou, then that's fine - but if they want to use Enishi, I won't be offended. Kyouraku's the only one who does - but it's a good name and I don't mind folk using it."

"You should be more discerning, Houjou." Ryuu reflected. "An open invitation is one you may eventually come to regret."

He shrugged.

"I do not mind Ukitake calling me by my given name, since he is polite enough to use it respectfully." He added. "But otherwise, I dislike it being casually tossed about."

He sent Shunsui a meaningful look, and Shunsui chuckled.

"Ruffling your feathers is one of my favourite pastimes, unfortunately." He said regretfully. "My apologies, Ryuu-kun - but it's like Kai says. It's how I am. Rude and annoying and very rarely attentive to social standing."

"And there you go again." Ryuu sighed heavily once more. "I suppose it is true. You are a hopeless case after all."

"It's just Shunsui." Juushirou grinned. "But I'm like Enishi. I don't mind people using either Ukitake or Juushirou - not now we're all friends like we are. And now I know it's all right, I'll start using Enishi-kun and Ryuu-kun as well as Hirata-kun and Shunsui. It sounds friendlier that way, after all."

"Then you might as well add me to your little buddy list too." Kai waved his hand languidly in the white-haired boy's direction. "I'm not particularly offended by my name, and you're welcome to use it if you like."

He stifled a yawn.

"Right now I'm too tired to really bother about who calls me what, but I haven't any real objections. Being tagged Shihouin has been a tricky one since last summer - so I'm quite okay with being Kai."

"Did you manage to even eat? You both missed dinner here." Juushirou asked anxiously, and Hirata nodded.

"We paused en route and grabbed something quickly in one of the towns." He agreed quietly. "We're fine, Ukitake-kun. Just tired."

"It was a long ride, somehow." Kai grimaced. "I don't mind riding with most of my sister's staff, but when we're being body-guarded by one of Uncle's old battlers, well, it's more difficult to talk freely. The guy's intensely loyal to the Clan and would rather cut off his own head than betray anyone of Shihouin blood - but he's old school and you have to be so careful what you say around him."

"He's quite scary." Hirata agreed, pushing his glasses further up his nose as if to emphasise his point. "I didn't know what to say to him really at all. And I don't think he liked the idea that he was protecting me more than he was Kai - because I'm not Shihouin."

"Neesama's made it clear that you're her ally and that's the end of it." Kai assured him. "Most of the staff accept it without any problems at all -you needn't worry."

"Maybe they think Midori-sama's planning to marry Hirata instead of Seimaru." Shunsui suggested provocatively, and Hirata's eyes almost fell out of his head.

"_Kyouraku-kun_!"

"Hirata's a little young to be getting married." Enishi grinned. "Especially to a dame like Midori-sama."

"In Shunsui's strange mind, all alliances are potential scandals to be exploited at the first opportunity." Juushirou said wryly. "Don't mind him, Hirata. He hasn't had anyone to tease for a few weeks, and it's starting to have a negative effect on him. That's all."

"Enishi's more Midori-sama's age, in any case." Shunsui agreed casually. "You're twenty, after all - and she's about what, twenty one? That might be more appropriate - Hirata is still a babe in comparison."

Enishi laughed.

"If I landed a woman as pretty and as clever as Midori-sama, I'd not know what to do with her." He said pragmatically. "Age has little to do with it, Kyouraku. I'm not in her league."

Shunsui sighed.

"You're always so up front and honest about things." He observed. "That's not a bad thing - but it makes it less fun teasing you about things like that."

"None of us are thinking about girls or marriage or any of that right now, anyway. We're all at the Academy to train, not find a prospective soulmate." Juushirou pointed out.

"Soulmate?" Shunsui snorted. "What fairy stories do you read, Juu? I said nothing about soulmates. Just life is a more interesting prospect if it's co-ed. That's all."

"Sora's a girl." Enishi pointed out. "And so are Edogawa and Shikibu. Isn't that co-ed enough for you?"

"Sora?" Shunsui grinned, shaking her head. "Sora's my sister, more or less. What kind of guy are you taking me for? No. Even if she wasn't like a typhoon to talk to, she's off the radar. Mitsuki-chan...well, she's a pretty girl, that's for sure. Bu-u-ut, she has scary Clan connections, so any potential suitors would probably be filleted alive. And as for Naoko-chan - much as I love flirting with her, she's far too fussy to take seriously."

"What do you mean, scary Clan connections?" Ryuu demanded. "Are you insulting the Kuchiki again?"

"Witness, one scary Clan connection." Shunsui laughed, indicating Ryuu. "I rest my case."

"I fail to see the point." Ryuu frowned, and Shunsui shook his head.

"You wouldn't like it if someone messed with your cousin's honour, would you?" He asked softly, and Hirata frowned, his keen senses noticing the change in tone as the question was asked.

Ryuu tossed his head.

"If it was _you_, blatantly not." He said frankly. "Even if your bloodline is suitable - your manner is not. No, Kyouraku. If that is your suggestion, you are correct. I would not allow any 'messing' to happen to Mitsuki or her honour. As a Kuchiki, I would protect her. And so would Shirogane-senpai."

"Ah yes. Our new Anideshi." Shunsui rolled his eyes. "How pleasant of you to remind me of him."

"_Are_ you keen on Edogawa, Kyouraku?" Enishi eyed Shunsui quizzically, and Shunsui shook his head.

"No." He said honestly. "She is pretty, and she does have an appeal that's all her own. But no. She's not my type. I was just hypothesising."

"Ensure that you keep it that way." Ryuu said archly, returning his attention to his unpacking, and Hirata frowned, taking in Shunsui's expression before turning to do the same.

_What was that in aid of? Kyouraku-kun never asks questions without there being a reason. Was he just teasing Kuchiki-kun, after all? But why bring Edogawa-san into it? If he's not interested in her...does that mean..._

He paused, seeing Shunsui quickly glance Juushirou's way, and his eyes widened.

_Is that it? Is it Ukitake-kun who likes Edogawa-san?_

He frowned, processing this information for a moment.

"Something wrong, Hirata-kun?" Juushirou's voice cut though his ponderings, and he reddened, shaking his head hard enough for his glasses to slip down his nose.

"No. Nothing's wrong." He said quickly, straightening them with a hasty left hand. "I was just thinking."

"About your Gran? Or about Shunsui's hopeless affliction where women are concerned?" Juushirou grinned, and at the openness in the other boy's hazel eyes, Hirata felt twice as puzzled.

_If that was what Kyouraku-kun was getting at, I guess he was way off base. Ukitake-kun is the same Ukitake-kun, even despite all of that talking. If it was different, he'd have taken something from it, I'm sure. So then it makes even less sense. Maybe Kyouraku was just teasing, after all – or I'm reading too much into it. But it looks a lot to me like he thinks Ukitake-kun likes Edogawa-san - even if Ukitake-kun doesn't seem to think so himself._

"Both." He said now, returning the grin with a sheepish one of his own. "I guess overall I was thinking that it's nice to be back."

"Yes. It is that." Juushirou nodded. "Back to what passes as normality at the Academy. It's good to see everyone again, Hirata - and I'm really looking forward to everything this term will bring."

* * *

**Author's Note:**  
_'Saru' - the Japanese word for monkey. ;)_

_  
__**Nagoya Shirogane**__  
This guy had a cameo role in the Second Manuscript. He has a very particular role to play in my mind in this story and has had it since I wrote about him in the other story - so hence he got held back (and is a tad ticked with me about it, too). _


	5. Kenjutsu

**Chapter Four: Kenjutsu**

"Well, all of you have survived and made it to your second year."

Minabe Ayame, mistress of Kenjutsu, Hakuda and other practical skills that came under the general blanket of Ouyoudou strode across the gymnasium floor, turning to cast her gaze along the rows of pupils that flanked each side of the room. There were seventeen altogether – one less than had begun the first year – and as her eyes darted from student to student, she could feel the apprehension in their auras as they waited for her instruction. She had given them a hard baptism into the basic skills the previous year, after all – but that would be nothing, she reflected, to the wake-up call they were going to have this.

Her brows knitted together and she nodded her head.

"Very well." She said evenly. "Seventeen remains an inconvenient number, but we will work with it all the same. Last year all of you – even the most pathetic – managed to learn how to hold and swing a _bokutou_ to a vaguely acceptable level. Today we will move on to the next stage – and this year each of you will complement last year's learnt skills by beginning to wield an _asauchi_."

A low murmur of conversation began to spread among the ranks of the lower class students, and Minabe wheeled around, casting them a dark look which silenced the whispering students almost at once.

"I have not finished speaking." She said coldly. "Unless you feel able to teach the class in kenjutsu, Nakamura, I do not want to hear your voice."

One of the girls blushed a deep scarlet at her words, and Minabe scowled, pursing her lips.

"Very well." She said, turning her attention back to the group as a whole. "Before we begin – how many of you have already done some training with swords? A few of you will, I suppose, feel yourselves somewhat proficient already in this skill."

A few hands went up from around the room, and Minabe nodded.

"Shihouin, Houjou, Kuchiki…Shiba…Kyouraku…" She murmured, then her eyes widened as she saw Hirata's hand raised hesitantly in the air. "Endou? _You_ have done sword skills as well, have you?"

"Yes, Sensei." Hirata murmured, his cheeks red and his voice barely above a whisper as several of the other students sent him startled, incredulous glances. "Since I've been staying in D…Disrict Two, Ka…Shihouin-kun has…been helping me w…with my…practical skills."

"I see." Minabe's eyes became near slits, and her gaze rested for a moment on Kai. "So you've appointed yourself his sword _shishou_, have you, Shihouin?"

Kai bit his lip, shaking his head.

"Not _shishou_, exactly." He said slowly. "Just…Hirata's not very good at Ouyoudou. And since he was staying with us – I thought…since it's my best subject…"

Minabe eyed him for a moment, then a faint smile touched her lips and she nodded.

"I'm glad to hear it." She admitted. "The boy is pathetic and backwards enough when it comes to my class. If you have managed to do anything with him, Shihouin, it won't be my place to complain about it."

She turned her attention back to the mortified Hirata, gesturing for him to get to his feet.

"Stand, Endou. I want to see what kind of skills you've learnt since the last time we met."

Hirata looked horrified, and for a moment the young boy did not move. Then, as Minabe was about to go and physically haul him to his feet, he seemed to gather some courage, slowly getting up and walking hesitantly over towards her. He paused about two feet away, bowing his head slightly, then gazing up at her huge, broad form with a look that could only be described as abject terror.

Minabe gazed down at him, taking in the tension in his aura. Then she turned back to the class as a whole.

"Who else has held a sword? Raise your hands again." She instructed, and as the students did so, she nodded her head.

"Kyouraku, you'll do." She decided, and Shunsui's eyes opened in disbelief and consternation. "You're lazy enough and it'll do you good to get your blood flowing early in the lesson. I'll see the pair of you with swords."

"You want _me_…to fight Hirata, sensei?" Shunsui looked concerned, and Minabe nodded.

"Yes." She said briskly. "After all, an idle idiot like you is a better opponent than a skilled fighter of Shihouin or Houjou's level. I won't be taking any laziness from you this year, Kyouraku. I mean to start you how I intend you to go on."

Shunsui sighed heavily, but obediently got to his feet, padding across the polished floor to where the teacher and Hirata were already waiting. He could not be more different than his frightened, bespectacled classmate in his demeanour, Minabe reflected darkly – where Hirata showed terror, Shunsui simply showed a reluctance that bordered on insubordination. She frowned, grabbing up two sheathed _asauchi_ from the rack and holding them out, hilt first.

"I expect to see your effort in this class equal your grades in other classes, Kyouraku." She said quietly. "If you truly have held a sword before – I'd like to see you prove it to me. If you simply think you can avoid intensive training by saying you have experience, I will soon discover it. I know better, after all, than to take you simply at your word."

"Yes, Sensei." Shunsui took the weapon in his left hand, holding it for a moment, then nodding his head. "I'll do my best."

"See that you do." Minabe warned. "Well? You too, Endou. Take the blade and then unsheathe it. Both of you. You needn't try to kill one another. I just want an idea of your technique."

"Y…yes, Sensei." Hirata looked uncertain, but obediently unsheathed his blade, gripping it tightly in his right hand as he gazed nervously at his opponent. At his expression, Shunsui grinned, removing the scabbard from his own weapon and setting it aside.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to kill you." He said evenly. "I'm not Kai, after all – if you've trained with him and lived, you have nothing to fear from me."

"Prepare your stances." Minabe instructed. "I want simply to see one of you try to disarm the other. There is no need to spill blood – do you both understand?"

"Yes, Sensei." The two boys agreed as one, and Minabe stood back, observing both students as they took up their positions.

_Well, well. Endou's stance has improved after all._

She pursed her lips, taking in the line of his body and nodding her head approvingly.

_He no longer looks about to drop it and run – that's progress in itself. And Kyouraku…_

She frowned, holding up her hand.

"Wait a minute! Kyouraku, why are you holding that sword in your left hand?"

"Sensei?" Shunsui lowered the weapon, looking surprised.

"You train right-handed." Minabe's eyebrows knitted together. "I already told you that I wouldn't tolerate your stupidity this term. Stop trying to waste time and energy – it is an insult to your opponent if you don't take him seriously."

"Yes, Sensei." Shunsui shrugged, obediently transferring the sword over to his right hand. "If that's what you want me to do."

Minabe eyed him warily for a moment, then nodded.

"Then begin." She instructed, bringing her hand down as if to mark the start of a bout.

It was a far cry, she reflected, from the _bokutou_ spar she had presided over a year earlier – where Enishi and Kai had both shown their classmates the high levels of their practical skill. And although it was her custom to begin the year with one such student battle, she somehow found herself watching this one with more interest than she had that, taking in the tentative yet resolute swings and slashes that the young Endou boy managed in between Shunsui's lazy parries and strikes.

Hirata was no natural swordsman, but he had not lied to her. He had, at least, a basic grounding in how to hold and swing an _asauchi_, and in this Minabe found some relief.

_Genryuusai-sama is determined that the boy must learn Ouyoudou, else I'd have had him out of my class. But this is a different attitude to the one I'd seen so far…if this effort persists, then I imagine it isn't a lost cause at all._

Her gaze fell on Shunsui, and her eyes narrowed.

"Kyouraku!" She exclaimed. "I know I said this was not a blood fight, but I expect to see at least some effort from you!"

"I'm sorry, Sensei." Shunsui looked apologetic, as both boys stepped back away from one another. "But I'm more used to wielding a sword in my left hand. If you want me to swing more strongly, then…"

"What are you talking about?" Minabe glared at him, as a faint gasp at his temerity spread around the gymnasium. "You trained all last year right-handed. I know you well enough to know that. Why now do you want to swing a sword with your left?"

"Because the _bokutou_ we were using were longer, Sensei, than the _asauchi_." Shunsui lowered his sword, eying the teacher earnestly. "I guess it's just instinct. As a boy I was always made to train with _bokken_ in my right hand – but when I did a bit of sword training with Oniisama, he let me choose and I tended to favour doing it left-handed."

Minabe stared at him for a moment, then sighed, shaking her head.

"Very well." She said flatly. "Enough of this."

She turned to glance at the other students, then,

"Shihouin, Houjou, Shiba, Kuchiki – take _asauchi_ and go down the end of the gymnasium." She instructed, swinging her meaty fist in the direction of the far wall. "Pair yourselves as you see fit, and run through some basic moves. I will come oversee them presently."

"Yes, Sensei!" Realising their teacher was in no mood for games, the students scrambled to do as they were bidden, and Minabe frowned.

"Class Four, plus Ukitake, Edogawa, Shikibu and Endou, take to the other end of the gymnasium, please." She said quietly. "Each take an _asauchi_ and wait for my further instruction. If you wish, you may take _bokutou_ from the racks and spar a little among yourselves. However, anyone unsheathing a sword without my permission will find themselves in grave trouble – do not let me have to say that twice."

"Yes, Sensei." Minabe caught Juushirou's glance of concern as he turned his head to meet Shunsui's gaze, but neither he nor Hirata made any demur, taking the indicated swords and making their way to the other end of the gymnasium.

"What about me, Sensei?" Shunsui raised an apprehensive gaze to his teacher, and Minabe smiled – her usual, terrifying smile that had most of her students cowering back in fear.

"_You_ seem to have an answer for everything today, Kyouraku." She said quietly. "Since you evidently want to be the centre of attention, I intend to give you my full attention. You will show me exactly how well you fight with your left hand – and I expect you to give it your all, else you will be nursing some serious bruises come the end of the day."

"You…want me to swing my sword at _you_ now, Sensei?" Shunsui's eyes widened, and Minabe nodded.

"Yes." She agreed lightly. "I'll see for myself exactly what kind of magic skill your left hand apparently has."

She moved closer to him, bending so that her gaze pierced into his, then,

"I have taught many students." She said softly. "Some right-handed, some left. But I have never yet encountered one who fought one way with their right and another with their left. It's a ridiculous idea – are you seriously planning on continuing to train with a _bokutou_ in your right hand but a sword in your left?"

"If that's all right, Sensei." Shunsui agreed lightly, and a mischievous grin touched his lips despite himself. "I could have one in _each_ hand, if you'd like – that way I'd be doing twice the training everyone else is all in one go."

At his flippant response, Minabe frowned, quelling the anger that stirred inside of her and resisting the urge to hit out at her companion.

"I have had enough of your games and excuses and flat out insubordination over the course of our acquaintance." She said flatly. "A first year may be forgiven ignorance in several areas. A second year may not."

"But Sensei, I…"

"Enough." Minabe shook her head, pulling her own customised _asauchi _from its perch against the window. She jabbed its sheathed form up against Shunsui's chest, pushing him backwards a few steps as she did so.

"You will work properly in my class." She told him coldly. "Or else you will suffer the consequences. To think Genryuusai-sama said you were of a level high enough to jump into third year from first! I'm only glad he didn't do it. A boy with your arrogance and attitude needs the sense beaten into him for as long as is possible – and I intend to start it now."

With a sweep of her hand she discarded her scabbard, darting forward towards Shunsui with her blade raised. Though she was a large woman, she was agile on her feet, and even though she did not have her full strength behind her thrust, it was all her student could do to instinctively swing his weapon up to meet hers. A clash of metal on metal resounded through the gymnasium as he struggled to keep his footing, his fingers tightening around the hilt of the weapon until his knuckles began to turn white.

Minabe allowed her pressure to continue for a few moments, then she stepped back, tapping her blade idly against the leg of her _hakama_.

"It seems to be all you can do to defend." She said acidly. "Well, let's see what happens when I give you a little space. You come at me this time, Kyouraku. And we'll see exactly what kind of skill you think you have."

Shunsui bit his lip, but he nodded his head, swinging the sword experimentally once before launching himself towards the teacher's body. Even though Minabe was not poised to receive his attack, still she managed to swing her weapon across to meet his strike easily, and blade clashed with blade once more.

_But there is potential in that swing. Power, perhaps, if he was to use it against one of his training level…and not cast it across with so little intent._

She swung her arm back, pushing him away from her and eying him pensively.

"Again." She instructed. "Don't try and aim so obviously. I want to see your skill, not your desperate lunges. You are supposed to be a Kyouraku, after all – or has their military history completely bypassed a generation and abandoned you?"

Shunsui's brows knitted together at her criticism, but he said nothing, shifting his stance slightly before launching a second attack at his companion. This time he twisted his weapon slightly, bringing it down at a more awkward angle and though Minabe met it, the speed and power of his swing caught her completely by surprise. As the clatter of metal rang out a third time across the open gymnasium, she found herself fielding a far more powerful strike than the previous ones had been – and her eyes narrowed as she interpreted this fact.

"I see." She murmured, pushing her student's sword away with hers and gesturing for him to sheath it. "You really are the most awkward, impossible individual that I've had the misfortune to teach since I started at the Academy – do you realise that, Kyouraku?"

Shunsui lowered his sword slowly, eying her with a hesitant look on his face, and Minabe sighed.

"Your left arm does have power, when you intend it to." She admitted grudgingly. "I still find it a ludicrous state of affairs – to train one way with one hand and the other with the other. Tell me – which hand do you commonly write with?"

"Right, Sensei." Shunsui looked startled. "Though I can letter with my left too, if I have to."

"And cast Kidou?"

"Whichever is most convenient."

"And yet you always train with a sword in your left hand?"

"No…not always." Shunsui frowned, then, "Just I found it easier that way. That's all."

"But you persist in taking the _bokutou_ in your right?"

"Usually, Sensei, yes."

Minabe sighed again, shaking her head in resignation.

"I suppose I should expect such a haphazard style from a student like you." She said heavily. "Very well. In this class you may use whichever hand you choose – providing you show me your full effort every time. If I feel you are slacking, I will tie your left hand to your body, and make you train with your right. I am quite serious, after all – I will not let you lapse in any regard this year. Whether it be with _bokutou_, sword, or any other form of practical skill. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sensei." Shunsui bowed his head towards her, and Minabe nodded.

"Then go join Shihouin and the others." She told him firmly. "Make sure they swap you in and give you a chance to spar, too. I will be watching you from this point on – and will expect all the more of you as a result."

Shunsui's shoulders sagged slightly at this, but he did not demur, instead bowing his head a second time, and withdrawing to the back of the gymnasium to join the other more experienced sword users. Minabe watched him go for a moment, her lips thinning as she pondered his final strike.

_If he would do the work, there would be killer intent behind a swing like that. If he had brought that blade against Endou, he would have disarmed the boy on the spot. Why, then, if he has power like that, will he not openly use it? Even if his other skills have improved, he only does just enough in this class to rank comfortably and no more. In that swing was the potential to rival Houjou or Shihouin's strength and skill. Yet he doesn't use it. Such a frustrating brat of a boy – I can see I will have to cause him considerable bruising this year if I am to make him reach his full potential._

_

* * *

  
_

"Sensei has it in for you today, it seems."

As Shunsui joined his classmates, Enishi lowered his blade, casting his classmate a sympathetic grin. "She's starting early this term – normally it takes her a week or two before she yells at you for coasting."

"Or flirting with the girls instead of concentrating." Sora put in, as she neatly parried Ryuu's strike, holding up her free hand to indicate that she wanted to stop the battle. "Still, I didn't know you were left-handed, Shunsui."

"I'm not. Not really." Shunsui grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "I use whichever hand is more convenient, that's all. It's too much bother to have a dominant hand – if both work, I might as well use them and share the burden between them."

"Somehow that makes total sense, seeing as it's you." Kai leant back against the wall, folding his arms across his chest and eying his friend in amusement. "_Bokutou_ in one hand, sword in the other. I can't believe you actually suggested that to her face. One of these days she's going to whip you stupid for saying things like that."

"You heard, huh?" Shunsui looked sheepish, shrugging his shoulders. "Perhaps I did push it a bit, with that. But my left hand is stronger than my right when I'm holding a sword. It's a totally different tactic if it's a _bokutou_…I guess maybe I am just wired up strange."

"You said it." Enishi grinned. "Not us."

"Are we talking about Kyouraku's hands or are we going to do as we were instructed?" Ryuu's arch tones interrupted the discussion at that moment. "It's all very well, commenting on his ambidextrous skills, but we are meant to be practicing our sparring. And if we don't, it will be us who Sensei punishes, in the end."

"Kuchiki's right." Sora nodded. "Minabe-sensei's not in the mood to be messed with and the longer she stays down the other end with Mitsuki and Juushirou and the others, the less time she's spending breathing down our necks. We shouldn't push it too hard."

She cast Shunsui a grin.

"I'll spar you, if you like." She suggested. "I'd like to see this left-handed style for myself, since I've only ever clashed_ bokutou _with you so far."

"I'm not sure I could beat you, Sora-chan." Shunsui eyed her doubtfully. "Nii-sama might have things to say, if I accidentally caused you some harm."

"Ooh, are you that sure you can disarm me?" Sora's pride rallied at this, and Shunsui laughed, holding up his hands.

"All right, if you like, I'll spar you." He said evenly. "Just don't say I didn't warn you. Nii-sama taught me, after all, the best way to swing a sword."

"I'm surprised he could pin you down long enough to do so." Sora said frankly. "But even if that's true – Okaasama saw to Tokutarou-nii's training. And I learnt from Okaasama. So in the end, there's no reason to suppose your strength or skill is superior to mine. Is there?"

"Then I'll spar Kuchiki, since I don't suppose it's safe to let Kuchiki and Shihouin spar each other." Enishi observed frankly, casting Ryuu a questioning look. "Is that all right with you?"

"I have no objection." Ryuu nodded his head.

"Which leaves me to sit it out, if everyone's too scared to spar me." Kai's golden eyes glittered with wry humour. "Houjou's the only one who voluntarily meets my blade – is it that daunting a prospect, fighting with me?"

"It's far too much work." Shunsui shot him a playful grin. "Because you fight seriously, and we all know it. Enishi's the only one who can keep up with you – and the rest of us are smart enough to know it."

"I wouldn't put it as simply as that, Kyouraku." Ryuu cast him a glance, and Shunsui chuckled at the censure in the grey eyes. "Even if Shihouin is top of the class – you shouldn't praise him so out of hand. It can only be bad for his ego – even if he tops this class, both you and I outrank him overall."

"And we'll start sparring now, before this becomes a Clan war." Enishi laughed, raising his sword and shifting his large feet into position as he did so. "All right, Kuchiki. Ready when you are – let's go."

"Houjou is getting far better at reading moments like that." Sora reflected, casting Kai a glance, then readying her own sword. "He seems to realise letting you two alone together is a recipe for homicide right from the start."

"Maybe." Kai shrugged his shoulders. "Overall, too, Kuchiki's right. But in this class, he'll always be playing catch-up – so I've no real desire to rub it in. Besides,"

He grinned.

"I'm more interested in seeing you two go at it." He teased. "You spar verbally pretty much all the time – but this will be a first with blades attached. I'm curious to see who wins."

"A gentleman shouldn't want to fight a lady." Shunsui intoned gravely, though the humour in his eyes gave him away. "But if that's how things are, then I suppose I have no choice but to begin."

He lifted his sword, tilting the blade slightly as he gauged Sora's position. "Give us starter's orders, Kai-kun. I don't want anyone claiming unfair advantage."

"Like I'd need to do that to get one over on you." Sora snorted. "You really do think you're going to beat me, don't you? I wonder if you are."

"Let's see." Kai grinned. "Hajime!"

At his command, Shunsui darted forward, meeting Sora's blade with his almost before she had time to move, and she grimaced, leaping deftly back as she prepared herself for her own attack.

"Naïve shots like that won't do anything." She taunted. "Stop playing gentle, Shunsui. You barely touched me then – at least try and disarm me, else I'll come slash your arms off for you."

"Minabe would be so proud to hear you talk like that." Shunsui neatly sidestepped Sora's stroke, bringing up his arm and swinging his blade back against hers to push her away from his body. "Though I think that Yama-jii might have something to say if you started parting his students from their body parts – I don't think that technique is in the second year curriculum."

"No, maybe not, but I'm serious." Sora said frankly, swinging around and launching a fresh attack from a new angle, taking Shunsui momentarily off guard. "And you're dreaming, Shunsui…pay attention, else I really will be slicing you up."

"It's really not ladylike, you know, being so thirsty for blood." Shunsui scolded, as their weapons met again, clattering together in the space between them before parting as both readied for a fresh assault. "I wonder what Kyouki-sama's been teaching you – you'll never make a noble marriage match if you go at things so aggressively."

"And you'll never make one if you continue being such an ass around women." Sora shot back, darting to her right before springing forward, blade lowered as she aimed for Shunsui's torso. "These blades are blunted, so I can't cut you open – but you're full of holes and I could take you down as easy as anything if you fight like…"

She faltered in mid-sentence, as Shunsui drew his left arm down swiftly, meeting her blade at an awkward angle and forcing it back from his body with a sweeping gesture of his own.

"Thanks for the advice." He murmured. "I'll keep it in mind."

"How the hell?" Sora's brows knitted together. "There's no way you should've been able to block that shot! You were way out of it, and…"

"Well, I did block it, so I guess fortune is on my side today." Shunsui said calmly, bringing his weapon back and casting it a quick glance. "So you'll have to think of something else."

He shrugged.

"Or let's try one of my ideas instead." He suggested, darting suddenly forward and thrusting his weapon across towards hers with a force and intent that their playful sparring had so far lacked. As his weapon clattered against Sora's, it caught her blade once more at an ungainly angle and she let out an exclamation as the _asauchi_ was forced from her grip, skidding across the polished floor with a clang and a clatter. It slid to a halt beneath the sill of the window, and as Shunsui lowered his weapon, Sora gazed at him in disbelief.

"Where did that come from?" She whispered. "One moment you were…and then you…"

"You wanted me to be serious. I was serious." Shunsui smiled at her, shrugging his shoulders. "My left arm is stronger than my right when it comes to that kind of combat, Sora-chan. You've taken my _bokutou_ from my hand a few times, I know – but you'll have to go one better to disarm me like that."

"Ippon, Kyouraku." Kai grinned, looking impressed. "That last move was ruthless, you know – if you'd wanted to, you could've taken her out and not just her sword with a swing like that. There's nothing Sora'd've been able to do about it – if you'd wanted to slice her open, you could have done it with ease."

"Maybe." Shunsui shrugged his shoulders, reaching for his sword's sheath. "But I don't actually believe in hurting people if I don't have to. Especially not Sora. And this is only training, Kai-kun. Taking her sword is enough for the time being."

"Do you fight like that against Tokutarou-nii?" Slowly Sora retrieved her weapon, sending him an uncertain look, and Shunsui grinned, nodding his head.

"When I first came to live with him back at the main house, we used to train at least once a week." He agreed.

"And he taught you to do that?" Sora looked doubtful, and Shunsui shook his head.

"No. I kind of did that just on spec." He admitted. "I'm sorry, Sora-chan – it was a bit mean of me to not give you any advance warning. The thing is, Nii-sama stopped properly training me when I was fifteen or so – because by that point I'd already learnt to disarm him, and he thought it would look bad if too many people saw that happen."

"You…disarmed…Tokutarou-nii?" Sora's eyes became huge, and Shunsui nodded.

"Several times." He agreed. "And he was fine about it – he took it into his stride. But he was worried – because the politics in District Eight became so complicated, he thought it better that not many people saw me as a potential threat to his position. He trusted me, but after what happened with my Uncle…so it was decided that I'd stop training with him properly, then. I didn't mind. It meant less work, after all."

"Then I want to spar you." Kai decided. "Seriously, properly, one on one. I want to see what you can do, Kyouraku – when you really put your mind to it."

"Mm. Not today." Shunsui looked rueful, shaking his head. "I still wouldn't put myself in your league yet, Kai-kun – and I've already sparred Sensei and Sora. Let's leave that to another day."

"All right." Kai looked disappointed, but he nodded his head. "I will hold you to it, though. Ouyoudou's supposed to be your weakest subject – so I really want to know whether that's just because you're lazy after all."

"Weakest subject." Sora snorted. "When you're top in two and second in a third, coming fourth looks like 'weakest' but it's all relative in the end, Shihouin. I don't think Shunsui has a 'weak' subject. He just plays with us, that's all – and then neatly takes us to pieces, little by little."

"That makes me sound mean, Sora-chan." Shunsui objected. "Since when did I take anyone to pieces? I'm lazy, so I don't always score as well as maybe people tell me I should. That's not an attack on anyone else. It's just how I am."

His gaze flitted down to the far end of the gymnasium, and he smiled.

"Juu won't be with the beginners long, either." He murmured. "I'm sure of that. His Ouyoudou officially ranks over mine – it's just a case of him getting used to the sword weight and the feel of the weapon. He'll pick up the skill pretty quickly."

"Hirata looked better, too." Sora agreed. "You really have performed a miracle with him, Shihouin. Even in a short time."

"He has a long way to go before he's of a level enough to challenge Seimaru." Kai said frankly. "But at least he's not afraid to hold the thing now – and that's a victory in itself."

He reached across to scoop up his weapon, swinging it experimentally, then,

"I guess if Kyouraku won't spar me, that leaves you, Sora. Are you game?"

"If Shunsui can disarm me, I have no chance against you." Sora looked rueful. "But at least I might claw back a bit of pride in the fact you asked me. All right, Shihouin. Give me a moment to catch my breath and you're on."

* * *

"Well, that was something of a wake-up call."

As the students trouped out of the gymnasium, Shunsui nudged Juushirou's arm, casting him a playful grin. "I guess Minabe is keen to start us off with a bang – I didn't expect us to be handed the blades right from the start."

"Since when has Minabe-sensei been anything but direct?" Juushirou glanced up, offering his friend a faint smile. "And you were full of surprises, as ever. Though you know, by now I'm no longer even surprised when another of your hidden talents rears its head. In comparison to being able to shunpo and pass exams without trying, I think using your left hand for swordplay is quite a minor feat, really."

"I don't just use my left hand. I just have a stronger swing that way." Shunsui stretched his arm, flexing his fingers thoughtfully. "Nii-sama doesn't really understand it either, but my skills came on in leaps and bounds when I was practicing like that…so he let me carry on. I didn't really think much about it - one arm is as good as another, so far as I can see."

"It's an advantage, though, in battle. If you can use both hands, you have more options." Kai came up to join them, offering them a grin. "A lot of families try and train two-handedness into their soldiers in order to get the best effect out of them. Whether it works or not though is another matter – most of those don't have natural two-handed coordination, after all."

"Seimaru can fight with either hand." Hirata murmured, glancing at his own fingers. "He was trained that way, though his right is stronger than his left. But Kyouraku-kun, were you serious about using both at once? Could you do that – really?"

"No idea." Shunsui chuckled. "But it made her double-take, didn't it? Maybe I'll try it sometimes. It might be fun – wood in one hand, metal in the other."

"All in all it was quite a fun lesson." Enishi agreed. "I saw Kyouraku actually seriously disarm someone for the first time – and we got our hands on decent weaponry for a change. I think I'm going to enjoy spending most of our kenjutsu lessons with _asauchi_."

"You have an advantage, though. You've already done a lot of this training." Kai pointed out. "Like me and like Kuchiki and Sora. We know this stuff backwards – everyone else doesn't, even if they have done _bokutou_ work before."

"It does make our groups uneven." Enishi nodded. "Though Hirata didn't look too bad, really, with a sword in his hand. And Ukitake's skills in Ouyoudou are probably good enough for him to grasp swordplay really quickly. So it will work out, in the end."

"I'd only just about mastered the _bokutou_ when Kai-kun made me try a sword." Hirata admitted. "But I'm glad, in a way, that he did. At least I knew a little bit for today – Minabe-sensei was a little nicer to me because of it. Thank you, Kai-kun."

"Well, you're not a lot of use to anyone if you can't use a sword." Kai said pragmatically. "How can you summon a _zanpakutou _if you can't manage basic sword skills? That is what you're aiming to do, in the end, if you want to become a Shinigami. So it's common sense that you need to master these things one way or another. You're obviously not a natural, but if you work at it, you'll be okay. And Minabe could obviously see you were trying – she's hard but not unfair, not if you give everything you have."

"That depends if you're a Kuchiki." Ryuu muttered. "She's not particularly fair then."

"She did yell at Edogawa-san a fair bit today." Hirata cast the nearby Mitsuki a pensive glance. "She really doesn't like the Kuchiki-ke at all, does she?"

"There's probably some deep dark Clan reason for it that we'll never figure out." Shunsui said evenly. "But Kuchiki's right – she does give him and Mitsuki-chan a hard time."

"Mitsuki's never been trained, either, not like I have." Ryuu cast his cousin a sidelong glance, and at the attention she raised her head, meeting his look with a startled one of her own. "So it's worse on her. I, at least, have some skills in this subject."

"Ryuu-kun?" Mitsuki frowned. "Is something up? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"We were just discussing Minabe's crusade against the Kuchiki." Enishi explained. "And that she gives you a harder time than most because of it."

"Mm." Mitsuki sighed, shaking her head. "Well, I am useless at it. Hirata-kun is a lot better than I am, even though last year we were at the same level. I don't like holding a weapon – I don't want to cause anyone harm. So I suppose it gives me a mental block – I just freeze and don't know what to do."

"And you can't tell Minabe that it's because you're a healer, and so your instincts are different, can you?" Shunsui shot her a sympathetic glance. "Because you're a Kuchiki, not an Unohana, and Naoko-chan has all the bedside manner of a donkey when it comes to dealing with wounded people."

"I heard that, Kyouraku Shunsui." Naoko's indignant voice cut through the group of students, and Shunsui turned to smile at her ruefully.

"You know what I mean." He said frankly. "Mitsuki has far more healer's instinct than you have, even if you're a blood relation of the healer's Clan."

"I don't like sick people. They annoy me and get in my way." Naoko shrugged. "Not all Unohana are healers."

"And not all Kuchiki are fighters." Shunsui spread his hands. "I rest my case."

Mitsuki frowned, shooting Juushirou a questioning look.

"Ukitake-kun, are you all right?" She murmured, and at her question, Juushirou started, gazing at her in surprise and consternation.

"Edogawa-san?"

"You seem quiet today. That's all." Mitsuki pinkened, shrugging her shoulders. "Even though you were practicing hard earlier, it wasn't…you didn't talk a lot, and I wondered if you were okay."

"Juu wasn't talking? To Mitsuki?" Shunsui frowned, casting his friend a sidelong glance. "Were you concentrating that hard?"

"No…I don't think so." Juushirou looked sheepish, shaking his head. "I think I'm just a little…out of sorts this morning. That's all. I didn't sleep too well last night and it's catching up to me."

"Are you sick?" Hirata was anxious, and Juushirou held up his hands hurriedly, shaking his head once more.

"No, I'm not sick. You needn't worry – it's not that." He said hastily. "I've no fever and I feel all right. No…I think it was just…I always have a lot to think about when I come away to school and leave my family behind. That's all. I wonder if they're all all right – if the kids are crying, if Hiro's said something stupid and offended someone…if Chi is managing to keep them all in order. Whether Shinkei's focusing on his studies or climbing out of windows to escape them instead – things like that. And when you've a lot of things to think of, you wind up not getting much sleep."

"I guess when you've a family as big as yours, that's a lot of thinking to do." Kai said wryly, and Juushirou nodded.

"It is, rather." He agreed with a grin. "I'm sorry if I worried you, Edogawa-san. I didn't mean to space out on you."

"School starts with a jolt, too, after you've had a break for a few weeks." Shunsui said wisely. "And this year we're expected to actually know some things before we start – which is a touch unfair, but apparently part of being second years."

"Shunsui." Despite himself, Juushirou laughed.

"It's quite concerning, really, that the top ranked student in our year has that attitude towards his studies." Ryuu observed. "It reflects rather badly on the rest of us, doesn't it?"

"When you put it that way, I suppose it does." Juushirou grinned. "But Shunsui is Shunsui. His genius balances his laziness, so he's a special case."

"I'm not a genius, and I've told you before about using that awful word." Shunsui shuddered. "It's entirely unjustified and very mean, Juu-kun – especially so early in the term."

"What do you think, though, Ukitake? You reckon you'll handle the transition from wood to metal pretty much okay?" Enishi changed the subject hurriedly before his District classmate could respond, and Juushirou looked thoughtful, pursing his lips as he considered the question.

"It was a weird feeling." He admitted. "I thought it would be just like the _bokutou_ but…it's really not, is it?"

"It's heavier." Kai agreed. "But otherwise…you shouldn't have a problem shifting from one to the other."

"I didn't mean like that." Juushirou shook his head. "It was just…holding the sword, suddenly all of this seemed a whole lot more real. Like the whole Shinigami thing…was suddenly right there in front of me."

He looked sheepish.

"I know I sound crazy, don't I?" He murmured. "But I felt it, today. Something went through me when I held that sword for the first time. A buzz of something. Electricity…adrenalin…I don't know what it was. But it was like…holding a sword was the most natural thing I'd never done before. And I never felt like that with the _bokutou_. As though the sword…well…belonged with me."

"That's a good sign." Enishi clapped his friend on the back with a grin. "If it feels that way, you'll pick it up real quick."

"I don't know as it's usually that much of an epiphany, though." Shunsui pursed his lips. "Kai? Ryuu? Either of you ever get that feeling when you started wielding a sword? Because I know I didn't. It was just one big lump of weapon in one hand – that's all."

"I don't remember." Kai admitted. "I was four when I first started training, and probably about seven when I first held a sword."

He grimaced.

"Plus, I had at least one instructor who was a complete Neanderthal, so most of the time I was trying to work out ways of staying alive. I don't think I ever thought of the sword quite in that way. And now it's second nature to me – so I've moved past the point where I'd notice, I suppose."

"I also do not recall any special feeling." Ryuu acknowledged. "Except pride that I had reached a level whereby I was able to begin sword training."

"Then I guess it's just you, Juu-kun." Shunsui grinned. "We Clansfolk are far too jaded to glean special thoughts or memories from our firsts."

His gaze flitted to Mitsuki for a moment, then,

"What about you, Mitsuki-chan? Did _you_ feel an epiphany today?"

"I was more worried about not dropping it." Mitsuki smiled sheepishly, a faint pink colour touching her cheek. "Ukitake-kun is good at kenjutsu. I'm really not. There's no way a sword would feel natural to me – so I guess that even with my senses, I don't feel that way."

She frowned, casting Juushirou a look, then,

"But I think…when Ukitake-kun said a jolt went through him – I think I felt that." She admitted. "I think that was why I was worried. There was something different in his aura when he had the sword. I guess that's what it was."

Juushirou bit his lip at this, and Shunsui frowned.

"Juu?" He murmured, and Juushirou shook his head.

"It's nothing." He said simply. "Just as you said. This is another novelty for me - the idea of being a Shinigami one day hasn't lost its appeal or shine just yet."

"Ukitake-kun." Mitsuki's eyes clouded, and she sighed.

"Let's talk about something else." She suggested. "Shihouin-kun, I wanted to ask you…about Onoe-kun and whether he…whether he's actually…how he is."

"Tomoyuki?" Kai's expression became startled, then troubled, and he shrugged.

"He's asleep." He said briskly. "Just as he's been since the day you and Madeki-senpai managed to pull him back from death. Honestly, Edogawa, I think you'd have been kinder letting him go. For his family as much as anything – it's been hard for them to deal with."

"I wondered that myself." Mitsuki looked guilty. "But he was afraid, Shihouin-kun. I could feel that fear radiating from him, and I couldn't just let him die. But if he never wakes up…I maybe did the wrong thing after all."

"I don't think it's ever wrong to save life." Juushirou reflected. "Onoe-kun may wake up, or he may not. But while he's alive, there's still that chance."

"His mother hopes for it, his father has disowned him." Kai said honestly. "If he did wake, it would be better that he didn't remember everything that happened to him here in District One. But if he didn't…to be shunned by his blood…"

He shook his head.

"I think it would've been better had he died." He concluded. "But Neesama promised Genryuusai-sama to at least give him time. Some people have slept for years in Eimin comas before coming back to consciousness – all hope hasn't gone quite yet."

"Why are you thinking about Onoe now, Mitsuki?" Naoko demanded. "He's long gone. It's a long time ago."

"Sensei mentioning that seventeen was an awkward number." Mitsuki replied. "Onoe-kun was the eighteenth. That's all."

"But it was a long time ago. Naoko is right." Sora slipped her arm into Mitsuki's. "So don't think about it any more. If he wakes, Shihouin will no doubt tell us. If he doesn't, then he's not in any pain. Okay?"

"Okay." Mitsuki nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Sora. I suppose you're right."

Shunsui shot Juushirou a keen glance.

"Are you really okay?" He demanded. "Lack of sleep it may be, but you are definitely not yourself today – Mitsuki is right."

"I'm fine." Juushirou nodded impatiently. "More than, in fact, since I just had a physical class and I'm not really out of breath. My lungs aren't aching and I feel all right. Maybe that's what's bothering you – the fact that we're leaving the gym and I'm not coughing."

"Yeah. Maybe it is that." Shunsui looked rueful. "You have been practicing a lot in the holiday, though, haven't you?"

"Mm."Juushirou nodded again. "But it's more than that, too. Before I began first year, it'd only been about a year and a half since I'd been really ill – and I had no real training on how to manage my reiatsu at all. I just suppressed it all the time. But now I've had a year's training, and aside from odd events, I've had no real return to that state at all. I spent eighteen months more or less bedridden after Father died. But I've bounced back quickly from every _haibyou_ episode I've had since I started here. That means my health is more stable than it's been in a long time and that I'm learning to work with it – you've nothing to worry about at all."

"As soon as anyone says that, I immediately start looking for things to worry about." Kai murmured. "One year at the Academy has generally taught me that if things look like they're fine, they're probably about to crumble."

"You know, I liked it a lot better when you kept to yourself and didn't insist on inflicting your opinions or your company on us at such frequent intervals." Ryuu interjected, casting Kai a dark look. "I have never understood why it is you latched on to us so easily – but I really wish sometimes you'd keep quiet."

"I could say the same things about you, since your social skills are pretty basic most days." Kai raised his eyebrow. "But if I do, it'll annoy other people. So I'm willing to deal with it. It's a pity you can't look at it the same way."

"_Deal_ with it?" Ryuu's eyes narrowed. "_I_ am a Kuchiki – the acknowledged strongest of the Eight Clans of Seireitei. _You_ are a Shihouin, the most recently disgraced. There is a complete disparity in status, class and position. You are not in a position to be offended by my company, even given the rivalry our families have long since had. I, on the other hand…"

"Kuchiki, shut up." Shunsui said bluntly, before Ryuu could embark on one of his long, laborious speeches about why the Kuchiki were superior to the Shihouin. "You might hate Kai, and he might hate you. But the rest of us couldn't give a damn either way. So far as we're concerned, there's two of you or none of you. We're not taking sides – so don't start drawing lines in the sand."

"What Kyouraku said." Enishi nodded. "You can hate each other on your own time. When it's our time, you should try and get along."

"_I'm_ not the one causing the problem." Kai said lightly. "But it's fine, both of you. I know. _I'm_ okay with it. If Kuchiki's here, then he's here. I've shared a dorm with him for a year without dying. I can manage to keep the peace."

Ryuu looked obstinate, folding his arms across his chest, but he did not respond, and Juushirou sighed.

"Yes. Don't fight, please. Either of you." He said heavily. "We've moved past all of those things now – let's at least try not to fall out on first day?"

"There are first years heading for the gymnasium now, look." Hirata murmured, nudging Juushirou and indicating across the grass to the other side of the big stone building. "They look apprehensive. I know how they feel."

"It takes a strong-stomached individual not to be apprehensive before a class with Minabe, regardless of your year." Shunsui said candidly. "What do we know about this year's first year, anyway? Clan or District? What's the story?"

"I think it's about half and half." Sora frowned. "Juushirou's gained the school quite a reputation, after all, as a prominent District student, and other families are starting to send their children here. There are twenty new first years, so I understand. Eight are girls. And I think…nine are not Clan."

"That's progress. Only four in our year aren't Clan." Enishi remarked, and Shunsui nodded.

"Thanks to Juu's reputation, as Sora said." He said mischievously, and Juushirou's face flooded red.

"No." He said firmly. "Thanks to Genryuusai-sama's, not mine. Just because people gossip, it doesn't mean that this is anything to do with me. Maybe when I'm a graduate, it'll be different. But it's too soon to think that I've made any kind of a difference, so don't tease me."

"Some of those students are probably our age." Kai reflected. "Older than you, Hirata…you have the jump on them even at sixteen."

"I know. It feels weird." Hirata admitted. "I felt so-o-o much younger than you all last year. Now…even though nothing's changed…I sort of don't any more."

"You grew up a lot." Shunsui told him, and Sora grinned.

"And Shunsui grew down, which helped too." She teased, casting her classmate a playful glance. Shunsui looked rueful, nodding good-naturedly.

"Probably." He agreed lightly. "But you know, it's going to be funny if any of those kids refer to me as 'senpai'. Then I'll start to feel like I need to actually do some work, as opposed to just turn up."

"I doubt it." Juushirou shook his head, a grin touching his own features. "It'd take a much bigger crisis for you to do that, Shunsui. We all know by now - nobody's fooled for a moment."

"I can't even imagine being called 'senpai'." Hirata murmured. "Especially by people who are older than me."

"It is an odd thought." Kai pursed his lips. "But something we need to get used to. Eventually, if we finish schooling here, we're supposed to be aiming for rank of some kind, after all. And rank means..."

"People above and people below you." Sora said thoughtfully. "Shihouin's right. In that way, school isn't that different from what the squads will be like, is it?"

"We're still a long way from squads." Juushirou pointed out. "A long, long way. Last years Seniors had been here mostly for six years by the time they graduated. We're only second years. We've a way to go yet."

"Mm." Shunsui nodded his head, his expression pensive. "A lot can happen in that many years, though. I guess we'll just have to see where we end up...and what kind of a world we'll be graduating into when it comes to being our turn."


	6. Spider In Shadow

**Chapter Five: Spider in Shadow  
**

Slipping out of the manor had been harder than he had anticipated.

Seimaru pulled his cloak more tightly around his body, glancing anxiously around him at the deserted, dimly lit back-streets of the small shanty town that had grown up on the outskirts of the manor's land. It was, to all appearances, just a peasant gathering of huts and loosely strung together constructions, and usually far beyond the notice of any of his Clan. But it was in this place that various of the exiled Urahara had been hiding since the cleansing of the Endou-ke's experiments the previous summer. From protecting them in anonymity, Shouichi's decision had made the exiled Urahara suddenly enemies in what had always been their sanctuary, and Seimaru knew that in the last couple of weeks several had fled this place, leaving it mostly a ghost town. Some unlucky ones had been apprehended, dragged to the Main House and interrogated, tortured and finally put to death, their remains burnt and the ashes spread on the wind as nothing more than household waste. Shouichi had, then, been deadly serious about eliminating them - and at the thought, Seimaru's gut clenched with anger and frustration.

These people were smart people. Useful people. People the Endou needed. Yet even so, the old man was oblivious.

_Because of Grandmother's death, all of this has begun. Because of her and her stupid ethics, the Clan can no longer reach forward in the way it should and in the way it deserves. Between Misashi-jisama returning to the council and the Urahara being persecuted, we're positively slipping backwards._

"You seem concerned tonight, Seimaru-sama."

He had come silently, revealing no trace of his presence until he had spoken, and Seimaru visibly started, swinging around as he looked for the speaker. A hooded, caped figure swathed in grey and black stood a few feet away, his face more or less obscured by the heavy fabric, and at Seimaru's obvious surprise, he let out a low, amused chuckle, bowing his head.

"My apologies, sir. It seems I interrupted some important thought."

"These days, all I do is think." Seimaru muttered bad-temperedly, gathering his wits as he did so. "You're very brazen, wanting to meet here after all. Or don't you know that three of your kin were taken from this place only yesterday?"

"I know." The figure nodded its head, and though Seimaru could not see the man's cool brownish eyes, he could feel the faint ripple of displeasure in the other's aura nonetheless. "But I am not afraid of your Lord Grandfather's retainers. On the contrary, they are little more than a passing nusiance to me. I have encountered death before, Seimaru-sama. You need not concern yourself on my account."

Seimaru frowned, digesting this. Then,

"Even despite that, you wish to continue our acquaintance?"

"I am your servant, Seimaru-sama. What else would I do but serve you?"

The question was innocently asked, yet Seimaru could not help but think that the words were somehow barbed in a way he could not yet see. He did not query it, however, merely nodding his head. Grasping the other man by the arm, he slipped them both into shunpo, re-materialising in the underground labyrinth of tunnels that had been the Urahara-ke's shelter for many years.

"Then we'll talk here. Away from potential witnesses."

"Here?" His companion pushed back the hood of his cloak, and Seimaru saw the man's features for the first time, taking in the messy tail of muddy brownish hair and the impassive pale brown eyes. "Right beneath your Lord Grandfather's quarters?"

"Yes." Seimaru nodded his head. "For now, it's quite the safest place to be, so long as we're quiet. There is no way in or out of these halls, after all - there is no longer a door and Grandfather went to great trouble to seal up the tunnels leading down to this place when Grandmother made him clear out our research last summer. Nobody has been in here since that time - not even a mouse could slip through the cracks."

"I see." Keitarou brushed his fingers thoughtfully against the dusty wall, then smiled. "But then, how am I to leave this place? If there is no door, Seimaru-sama, surely..."

"There is no need for you to continue concealing such things from me." Seimaru said bad-temperedly. "I am trying to help you, after all, Aizen. You are my ally, and I am protecting you. This place is a safe place - to work and to hide, right beneath the Clan who want to eradicate you. I do not follow Grandfather on this one. On the contrary, I am frustrated and horrified by many of his decisions of late. And I hope you will repay me with the same honesty. You call yourself my servant, but I do not think that to be quite correct."

"No?" Keitarou looked surprised, his expression becoming calculating. "Then how do you see me, Seimaru-sama? I am indebted to you again, for not following your Lord Grandfather's desire to purge my kind from this District. Why would I be anything else?"

"You are an Urahara by blood. You are Clan."

"No. Not now." Keitarou shook his head firmly. "My family were struck off the Urahara records a long time ago. I no longer even carry the name. I have lived under mother's maiden name almost my whole life. I am simply Aizen Keitarou now, Seimaru-sama. An ordinary scientist with nothing but my skill to recommend me. You need not concern yourself about status. I have had none since I was four years old - and I am quite content with things how they are. This way, after all, I can continue Father's work. And also, I can continue to do what is inherent to all Urahara. To gain knowledge. You have given me those opportunities - therefore my loyalty is to you."

Seimaru eyed him long and hard for a moment, taking in the sincerity in the man's expression and yet, somehow, not quite believing it to be entirely true. He shook his head.

"As Clan blood, however, you have reiatsu." He said quietly. "Even I can sense that much. Are you going to tell me that you've no skills that you can use because of that? I am not interested in shunpo or Kidou, but even I can and will use the most basic techniques. You must surely be able to do the same."

"Basic techniques, but without formal training, sir." Keitarou agreed softly. "I have learnt all I've learnt from simply studying and experimenting. So I wouldn't claim to have a pure understanding of any Noble skills."

He offered a slight smile.

"But you are astute in your understanding of my bloodline." He added. "If you are telling me that my entrance to this place is through shunpo, then I will no doubt manage to attain that level of power. Somehow."

"Somehow." Seimaru eyed Keitarou once more, then he sighed.

"We are allies." He said quietly. "Even though things stand in our way. I have the future of my Clan in mind. You want a chance to further the research and explore all kinds of new possibilities. For that reason, we work well together. In that respect, I have trust in your knowledge and your ability. I believe that of all the Urahara, Grandfather will not find you. And for that reason, I trust in you most of all to succeed. The question is whether you're willing to take the risk of acting under his nose in order to obey my commands."

Keitarou was silent for a moment, then he nodded, and Seimaru was faintly chilled by the ice cold glitter in the man's eyes.

"I am not Urahara now." He murmured. "Nor have I any allegiance to that name. But there are others who came here who are now being persecuted simply because of that fact. They are my kin, even if the Urahara-ke are not. And I will not stand for that, Seimaru-sama. My Clan links are gone but I still have my pride. I will do as you ask of me. You are, after all, the only Endou in whom I retain any faith at all."

Seimaru felt relief flicker through him at those words, and he smiled.

"Then we have a deal." He said quietly. "To continue and to progress."

"To progress your position in the Endou-ke, perhaps, most of all." Keitarou nodded. "Your Lord Grandfather cleared out many of our records, but I still have enough notes to begin working on new strains of reidoku at any time. If it is your command, I will make the necessary arrangements right away."

"It is my command." Seimaru's eyes narrowed. "Grandfather is old and he doesn't see the way forward. He was blinded by the old hag who's now died and left us all with heavier burdens to bear than I imagined. To break through all of that..."

He faltered, and Keitarou smiled.

"My, it sounds almost as though you wish harm on your Lord Grandfather." He observed softly, and Seimaru frowned, biting his lip.

There was a long silence, then, at length, he nodded his head.

"Perhaps that is what I wish." He admitted. "In some way, by some means...to finally have control of this Clan and take it forward in the way it needs to go. I could kill Misashi-jisama, but nothing would change and I would be disciplined instead. Plus, that would open up the potential for Hirata to be my heir, and I don't care what Grandfather says. I don't trust that boy nor believe he's as feeble as he's let us all see. The whole thing would be counterproductive and I can't risk that. Still..."

Aizen smiled.

"You should not be so worried, Seimaru-sama." He said matter-of-factly. "I am here to help solve your problems. Put your faith in me...I will make it possible for you to achieve those goals."

"But Grandfather is Gotei - is strong - is not the kind of man I could beat even if I cheated in a fight." Seimaru said flatly. "And if I was to try and poison him, Misashi-jisama would be immediately on my case about it. There'd be no way I could inherit the Endou-ke and be accepted by the Council of Elders in those circumstances. I don't see how you can help me, Aizen. I don't see a way around it. The old man has gone senile - but even senile, he's still more than a match for me."

"Then I will help you become his match." Aizen slipped his fingers into his _obi_, pulling out a_ tanto_ knife and tilting it so that the dim light of the chamber glinted off the blade. "Do you trust me, Seimaru-sama? I have put my trust in you. And I will do all in my power to help you achieve your goals. All I need ask of you is a little time and patience."

His smile widened.

"Exiled or not, after all, a Urahara rarely gives up on a scientific breakthrough." He murmured. "And in this case, our grievances are mutual. Leave it in my hands, Seimaru-sama. I promise, I can bring you what you wish for."

* * *

"Term so far seem to have flown by far too quickly, don't you think?"

Thus Shunsui, as he, Juushirou and Hirata made their way through the rambling halls of the old building towards the old chamber that had been their Sakusen classroom for the previous year and a bit. It was the end of the fourth week of term, and little by little the group of students were beginning to adjust to their new lives as second years at Genryuusai's unique Academy.

"In the blink of an eye, we've been back almost a month - how did that happen, do you suppose? At this rate we'll be into the summer before any of us know it - and the summer means exams first and foremost!"

"For someone who doesn't like studying, you seem to be very focused on exam deadlines." Juushirou cast his companion an amused look, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't think it's that surprising, really. We've been back almost a month, sure enough - but it's not like it was last year. Everything was new, then. Now it's not. There's more work involved, and nothing out of the ordinary happening in the local towns or villages to distract us. It's nice, peaceful and normal. I like it. And time flies, they say, when you're having fun."

"You're boring sometimes, you know that?" Shunsui sighed. "No sneaking out of windows or heading down to town after dark...working all the time will make you a dull boy, Juu-kun. Keep an eye on that, all right?"

"I like it peaceful too." Hirata admitted, a faint smile touching his features as he pushed his glasses back on his nose. "I was worried about things at home - but so far as information goes, everything is settled down and stable at the moment. So long as that's the case, it means that there's no problem in District Seven and my family are safe. And right now that matters most to me - it means I can stop worrying and carry on working."

"Misashi-dono appeared at the Council of Elders last week, according to my brother's letter." Shunsui agreed. "I think his appearance was a token gesture, since he didn't put forward any opinions and deferred to Shouichi-sama whenever a point of decision was put to them. But that he was there was something in itself. Almost an Endou-ke show of solidarity - in any case, Tokurarou-nii said he looked well enough. I think it's all right, Hirata. For the time being, your Father is okay."

"Midori-sama sent me a letter saying the same." Hirata nodded. "She even managed to speak to him a little - just basic greetings - and she said his attitude was one of someone who'd come of his own free will - not as a forced puppet acting under Ojiisama's threats. She was quite glad to see it, she told me - if Tokutarou-sama has said the same, I really feel that it's the truth."

"Is that normal, then, for others than the Heads of Clan to go to the Council of Elders?" Juushirou looked surprised. "I thought it was a meeting place for just the eight leaders - was I wrong?"

"No, you're not wrong. Each Clan has one vote." Shunsui shook his head. "If they're very busy, a leader might delegate. Unohana-sensei sends someone else, sometimes, when she's here helping us, for example. The Unohana-ke are entirely without ructions under her leadership, so she has the trust to be able to do that without causing any problems. Equally, sometimes Yama-jii sits in on the Council on behalf of the Yamamoto-ke. Unofficially he's been considered the Head of the Gotei in many quarters for generations, and he has a lot of influence - so it's not the case that each Clan only sends one individual each time there is a meeting. Sometimes two or three representatives can go at any one time. Okaasama has been with Tokutarou-nii and so on. But the important thing is the voting. One Clan, one vote. It doesn't matter how many representatives are present - those are the rules."

"And the Clan leader overrides the vote and has the last say if their subordinates can't agree with each other or with him." Hirata murmured. "So basically, Father going doesn't mean anything politically speaking. He has no rights or anything, even if he's there. But the fact that he is there means that people can't talk about a rift in the Clan quite so freely any more. If he's gone of his own accord and openly proved that the reconciliation is working, then that's a good sign for the Endou-ke and for the Clans outside."

"And for you." Juushirou grinned, and Hirata nodded his head.

"For the time being, Endou-ke are still debarred from District One." He agreed. "But that aside, everything seems to be all right. And even if I can't go home - I guess I'm all right with that fact."

"I wonder where Kai and Ryuu-kun have got to." Shunsui pursed his lips, glancing around him as they reached the door of the classroom. "I would have thought Kuchiki would give the best boring and long explanation of how the Council works for your benefit, Juu - he's missed his opportunity."

"Houjou-kun isn't here either." Hirata frowned. "We were all at breakfast together - what could be keeping them?"

"Enishi-kun had to go and speak to Kazoe-sensei about his Kidou." Juushirou remembered. "He's still having extra classes this year, and Kazoe-sensei told him they were urgent after he almost blew his own ears off trying to fire Byakurai up into the sky above hs head yesterday afternoon. Since Byakurai is a first year spell and Enishi-kun's still having trouble with it, Kazoe-sensei told him to come report to his office first thing to arrange times for extra coaching. If he's late, Genryuusai-sensei will know about it - but I don't know about Ryuu-kun or Kai-kun."

"So long as they haven't been picked up somewhere in the halls by a Senior for fighting." Shunsui rolled his eyes. "Kai acts like it's not his problem any more, but he's still proud enough to get riled if Kuchiki keeps digging at him. It's not as bad as it might've been, last year - but I doubt we're going to make them best friends any time soon."

"Probably not." Hirata looked rueful. "Though even their fighting seems quite nice and normal to me, now. It's all right like that, Kyouraku-kun."

"And to answer your question, looks like they did beat us after all." Juushirou pushed back the door of the classroom, stepping inside and gesturing for his companions to follow. He frowned, realising that the rest of Class Three minus Enishi were gathered around Sora's desk, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Looks like we missed some kind of a party - what's everyone all gathered around about?"

"Juushirou! Shunsui! Hirata-kuun!" Sora appeared from the middle of the gathering at the sound of Juushirou's voice, hurrying across towards them with excitement in her green eyes. "You'll never guess what!"

"Seeing as it's you, probably not." Shunsui grinned at her, holding out his hands to stop her from practically charging on top of them. "Calm down and tell us, all right? If everyone's up and around your desk about it, it's obviously a big deal - and you look happy, so nobody died. Other than that - want to give us a clue?"

"We're going camping!" Sora exclaimed, not noticeably crushed by her classmate's down to earth response. "All of us - and Class Four - for a whole three weeks!"

"Pardon me?" Juushirou frowned. "Camping? Sora, what do you mean? Why would we be..."

"Apparently it's something that happens in the Second Year pretty much as standard." Kai joined them at that moment, offering Sora an amused grin. "Sora's been full of it since we got here - that apparently it's decided for sure each year by Sensei and the staff to see whether or not it's a good idea and whether it's safe to arrange. Everything last year was so chaotic, last year's second years never got a chance to do it. But they've been scouting hereabouts for days to make sure that there's no immediate danger in the vicinity. And there isn't. So the bottom line is, it's a go."

"But camping?" Juushirou looked non-plussed. "I don't understand. Why is this something that second years do? What do you mean, camping? Going out and what, building fires...? Fishing in lakes with sticks? Playing games? Telling stories...?"

"Ukitake, sometimes I wonder about the kind of childhood you had." Ryuu sighed heavily, shaking his head slowly. "I have no idea where you get your strange ideas from about things...sometimes it's beyond me to comprehend."

"My brother and sister used to go camping on the Kira-ke's land with Kira-kun's brother and sister and another local friend." Juushirou pinkened at his classmate's bald observation. "That's the kind of thing they called it, anyway. They'd stay in an old barn and do all that kind of stuff - what other kind of 'camping' is there?"

"Gotei training." Sora said emphatically, and Juushirou's eyes widened.

"Gotei...?"

"Training, huh?" Shunsui let out a low whistle. "And I thought things were quiet around here. My bad. Remind me to shut up next time."

"Noo, you idiot! It's going to be fun!" Sora shook her head impatiently. "Listen. Father's told me about it before, and I wondered if we'd do it, but until I heard Minabe-sensei talking to Kazoe-sensei at breakfast this morning I didn't know for sure. But it looks like it is. We're really going to go."

"Sora, I think you need to explain for Ukitake's benefit just what this camp entails." Kai reflected. "He still looks wholly bewildered - and I can't really blame him."

"It's simple." Sora pouted. "Look, basically, we're all here learning to be Shinigami. Right?"

"Right." Juushirou agreed slowly. "So...?"

"So this is where we get to play at being them for real." Sora grinned. "We'll get to be a 'squad', and we'll have 'assignments'. Kazoe-sensei was talking about setting up a Kidou barrier, so that means they've got a safe location that we can use. We'll all have our _asauchi_, and we'll all have to work as a team and do all kinds of 'missions' and other exciting stuff. It's going to be brilliant. I can't wait."

"Well, that much is clear at least." Shunsui eyed her affectionately. "You get excited so easily, Sora-chan."

"It does sound like fun, though." Kai put in. "We spend too long inside classrooms as it is, and it'll be nice to do a bit more practical application as opposed to just studying the theory. I'm all in favour of the idea."

He glanced around him.

"Houjou not here yet? He'll love it most of all. He'll get to abandon that huge pile of study notes he has beside his bed for a while."

"He was with Kazoe-sensei." Juushirou shook his head. "So this is...official? We're definitely going to be spending time away from the school and doing all the stuff that Sora says we are?"

"It seems that Shiba has a keen ear for gossip and a poor ability to keep it to herself."

The rumbling tones of their headmaster made them all jump, preventing anyone from answering Juushirou's question, and as the students turned to eye him guiltily, the old man smiled, slowly shaking his head.

"Take your seats, all of you." He continued, gesturing to the desks with a wizened hand. "Since Shiba has obviously gained some insight into our plans, I will tell you a little of what we intend to do. It may mean your Sakusen class runs into your free time a little this morning - you can also thank Shiba for that, since I don't believe in wasting important class time on idle gossip."

"Sorry I'm late, Sensei!" At that moment a breathless Enishi appeared at the door, his cheeks red from exertion, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Be seated, Houjou." He said frankly. "I am about to impart some news which will be of interest to you in particular, I think."

"News, Sensei?" Enishi obediently took his seat, eying the old man in surprise, and Genryuusai smiled.

"From the beginning of next week, you children will have your first taste of active duty." He said quietly, turning towards the board as he did so and reaching for a clean piece of chalk. "Though there is much that can be learnt in the classroom, there is also plenty that can not. You are none of you beginners any more - you are each of a level now where you have some basic training and knowledge and your own particular strengths and weaknesses are starting to show themselves clearly. Therefore as a rule in the second year, it is my intention to give you a chance to utilise those strengths and those weaknesses in conjunction with one another."

He turned to face them, then,

"You will be divided into two squads." He said simply. "Of approximately eight or nine students apiece. Each squad will have an appointed Captain and Vice Captain and thereafter ranked seated officers. The exact details of those squads are not yet ready to give you - but they will have some relationship to your current class rankings. Each squad will be of mixed abilities - you will already have realised that that means you will work with Class Four students in this exercise as well as your fellows in this room."

"Two squads, Sensei?" Sora looked startled. "Does that mean...will there be a competition?"

"Those details can wait until I have a chance to speak to all of you - Class Four as well - and explain things more fairly." Genryuusai shook his head. "For now all you need know is that an area of rural land is being prepared for you some two _ri_ south of the school grounds. Kazoe-sensei is already working on a powerful barrier to prevent any outside interference, and permission has been granted by my Clan to use the land as a training area for a period of approximately three weeks. During this time you will face a different set of challenges than the ones you face here - challenges intended to promote both skills and teamwork. In the Gotei, after all, there are no classrooms and no theoretical exams. If you cannot apply one to the other even at this early stage - you will struggle to make Gotei material in the future."

"Practical skills, huh?" Enishi's eyes lit up. "No books at all?"

"Books will not be forbidden." Genryuusai shook his head. "But this exercise will not have a written examination. You will pass it or fail it based on your performance in various areas. Those criteria are criteria that a squad Captain will look for in a new recruit - and the earlier you understand them, the better."

He looked thoughtful.

"I have good hopes of this year completing the task with a hundred percent pass rate." He mused, brushing his fingers pensively against his long beard. "I am already aware that there is a team spirit in the current second year and I hope to see that built on over the next few weeks."

He turned back to the board.

"I will call a proper meeting to discuss this matter tomorrow." He added. "For now, we will return to Sakusen and the exercise I set you all at the start of the week."

He scribed some characters on the board, then,

"Let us discuss this concept together." He said slowly. "You should all have considered by now the problem set - that you are sent to lead a mission into unknown territory - maybe the Real World. This mission is to rescue innocent untainted souls - Plus souls - and send them to Rukongai using your _zanpakutou_. Your task should be an easy one, and no Hollows have been reported in the vicinity. However, during that patrol visit, the unexpected happens and you're suddenly accosted by a Hollow."

He tapped his finger against the kanji, then,

"It's a large beast and it's blocking your path, but at present it's not actively attacking anyone. What would be your first impulse, on seeing this creature?"

"You'd destroy it, of course." Kai said frankly. "With your sword."

"Seems like a lot too much effort to me." Shunsui murmured. "Jumping in there like that."

"You would say that." Kai snorted, looking amused. "You never want to do any kind of work."

"It's not that." Shunsui cast him a lazy grin. "Just, it's a bit stupid to run into a fight when you don't know anything about what you're fighting. F'rall you know, this Hollow's stronger than you are. It might destroy you."

"So what would you do about it, Shunsui?" Yamamoto's gaze shifted to his irreverent student, who shrugged.

"Nothing." He said simply.

"What kind of an answer is that?" Naoko stared at him. "How is doing nothing better than fighting the thing? Your way is useless, Kyouraku-kun!"

"But Shunsui _is_ right, Shikibu-san." Juushirou pursed his lips. "That if you don't know what your enemy is capable of, there's a danger in launching in to fight."

"But equally you can't let it roam free." Hirata said softly. "Souls might be in danger that way."

"Then what would _you_ do?" Genryuusai turned his gaze on Hirata, who reddened at the attention, toying with his glasses as he did so.

"I..."

"Speak up, Hirata." Genryuusai said frankly. "Your judgement is as important as your companions...and I'd like to hear it clearly. How would you tackle this problem, if you were leading this patrol?"

Hirata reddened further, but nodded his head.

"I...I'd ascertain, I suppose, what the Hollow's strengths were." He said at length.

"Good." Genryuusai smiled. "And how would you do that?"

"Read its reiatsu?" Sora suggested.

"Certainly, that's a good indication of power level." Genryuusai agreed. "Though you have to be aware that reiatsu alone can be misleading and individual Shinigami have differing levels of ability when it comes to that skill. Misjudgement may prove to be fatal, so it's an action that you'd take after considerable care and attention to those factors."

He glanced round at the rest of the class.

"Anything else you might do to ascertain your enemy before launching into battle?"

"It would probably help to know who this critter was aiming his angst at, too." Shunsui put in casually.

"Explain, please." Genryuusai glanced at him, and Shunsui spread his hands.

"If you're no weaker than your enemy, you can defeat him, probably." He said slowly. "But if the Hollow's not got his eye on you, he might be wanting to attack some other place. Or do something else. And if you don't deal with it right, he could get pretty damn angry at you, and make things worse."

"Then you hunt for the person or creature with the highest spiritual aura, and judge them to be the Hollow's likely target, surely?" Ryuu raised an eyebrow. "Though the answer would probably be yourself, in this instance, wouldn't it? As the Shinigami in charge of the mission."

"Maybe. Maybe not." Shunsui shrugged. "You don't know that for sure."

"It's common sense though, isn't it?" Ryuu argued.

"Hollows follow common sense?" Shunsui demanded.

"Kyouraku and Kuchiki both have excellent points." Genryuusai put in at this juncture. "That the Hollow's _objective_ must also be ascertained, and your understanding of your own spirit power in relation to others must also be clearly evaluated. Kuchiki is potentially correct - that as the Shinigami in charge, that may well be yourself, and you might have no choice but to actively engage it in battle. However, let's view it from another angle."

He drew a circle around his original writing, then scribed the kanji for person three times below it on the board.

"Perhaps, for example, there are three individuals in the area aside from yourself - for argument's sake, we'll say that these are not members of your squad, although it's possible that they might be. If this is the case, you must be able to act in order to preserve their safety as well as your own. You must judge which of them is most at risk."

"The one with the highest reiatsu, surely." Ryuu looked startled, and Genryuusai spread his hands.

"You tell me."

"Well, Hollows feed on reiatsu, and are known to target powerful souls for such sustenance." Ryuu said simply. "In order to best sate its hunger, the chances are that the beast would act to threaten the most powerful individual first - with the others being consolations in comparison. Therefore if you can successfully protect the strongest individual for long enough to dispel the Hollow threat with your sword, nobody would become hurt and you could resolve your initial mission."

"I don't know." Shunsui pursed his lips, looking uncharacteristically thoughtful. "Hollows are souls, right? Souls like us, though they've lost their sanity and reason and they act on instinct. So they hunt for their food, which are other souls with high reiatsu on the whole. Right?"

"In that regard, Kuchiki's argument has good, sound logic behind it." Genryuusai agreed. "Is there something you'd like to add to what he said?"

"As souls, we have other instincts besides the need to eat or sleep." Shunsui said impishly. "What's to say a Hollow doesn't, too?"

"Shunsui!" Sora's eyes widened in disbelief, and Shunsui chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

"No, not that kind of instinct." He said lightly. "What I mean is, even though we have rational thought and can make clear judgements, a Hollow isn't entirely without consciousness. If they had someone or something in life that they were dear to – perhaps something they wanted to hold on to and that they became a Hollow because of in the first instance – that might be their objective. After all, didn't you teach us last year, Sensei, that a lot of spirits become Hollows because of unresolved matters in their real lives? Things they couldn't let go of completely and so couldn't move on?"

"Go on." Genryuusai looked thoughtful. "Expand your point, Kyouraku."

"Well, it's just that they might not be interested in feeding." Shunsui responded. "They may have already sated their appetite before your encounter. Sensei, you did say that the Hollow was blocking your path but _not_ attacking you right away. That would suggest to me that its needs weren't immediate basic hunger instincts. Otherwise why is it just standing there? Unless it's looking for something or someone specific - in which case, you're not what its interested in after all."

He shrugged.

"If some deep-rooted part of them compelled them to hunt down the soul of, say, their mother or their brother…they might not act in the way a Hollow normally should."

"Hollows can't think that way, surely?" Kai looked doubtful, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Hollows are souls. We're souls." He said pragmatically. "And having seen a Hollow up close last summer, I know that there's more in their aura than just hunting instinct. They're tortured souls, and something must've driven them that way. So whatever it is could drive them to do other things, too. I'm just saying. Sometimes it's not easy to know for sure."

"But the Hollow still poses a great danger to the area and even knowing those goals and aims, it's still our duty to remove the threat." Juushirou said quietly. "Even if that does mean taking the Hollow spirit away from its former loved one. Because at the end of the day, even if Hollows are like us in some ways, they're not like us in others. And if we don't act, Shunsui, people die. For the sake of the loved one as much as for the Hollow - to purify the creature is the best thing that we as Shinigami could do. After all, even if you are right and even if that Hollow is looking for an unrequited memory - they themselves would probably not want to descend to those levels and purifying them is a mercy that sets them free, not something cruel. If you misjudged and something bad happened - you might easily wind up making other souls have regrets that lead to them clinging on to their old lives and becoming Hollows, too."

"Good."

Genryuusai stood back, glancing around his class for a moment. "You realise, I hope, that even so early in what is only your second year, you're all starting to think very definitely as Shinigami."

He gestured in Juushirou's direction.

"Ukitake's analysis is sound, at the end of the day." He added. "That the threat must somehow be countered and eliminated before the Hollow can act on its instinct and cause greater harm. Kyouraku's points about the nature of that instinct are points to consider too, though – his assertions are certainly far from incorrect. So long as you don't let that preoccupation with the Hollow's psychological state hamper your actions, Kyouraku, it's not a bad idea to try and analyse how your opponent intends to act."

He smiled at Ryuu.

"Kuchiki, your remark about looking for the strongest reiatsu is also a good suggestion." He continued. "In a situation where you know nothing about the personal circumstances, sometimes you will be called upon to make a split-second decision and it could mean the difference between life or death. In that instance, assuming the Hollow's target is the soul with the greatest reiatsu is a good idea – and, as you correctly surmise, in many cases it will be yourself. In which case, you will be facing a conflict situation."

He spread his hands.

"Reading the Hollow's reiatsu quickly and accurately is the best way of preparing yourself for the combat to come." He concluded. "And then, Shihouin, you would of course use your sword to neutralise the problem properly. Preventing further harm to innocent souls is always a priority."

"It's not always possible to know everything about an enemy before you fight it, is it, sensei?" Sora asked thoughtfully. "Especially if you're thrown into a fight at short notice. What if you make the wrong call, and the Hollow attacks in a way you don't expect? What happens then?"

"There's always a possibility of that happening." Genryuusai said gravely. "And the biggest risk of all is therefore complacency in a battle situation. It's better to go into a fight expecting to be surprised than assuming you know everything you need to know. If you're aware of the shortcomings of your brief, you'll be quicker able to adjust to whatever the circumstances call for. However, if you have a fixed idea, it will be much more difficult to change tactics and there's a greater likelihood that you or your companions might be hurt."

"It's a complicated thing." Mitsuki said sadly. "Remembering all of these things…I think if I saw a Hollow, I'd probably want to run away from it, first and foremost."

"It really is serious, isn't it?" Enishi reflected. "It really is life and death."

"It can be." Genryuusai agreed. "And that is one of the main reasons why we intend to begin this - as Shiba put it - camp project. To give you a chance to rationalise some of the things we as teachers have told you over the course of the last year and a bit."

He set his chalk down, moving away from the board and facing them all thoughtfully.

"I want you to all work hard when this project begins." He said quietly. "You all know, I think, where you are in terms of class ranking, and I've already told you that your squads will be based somewhat around that fact. However, if you have a high or a low class ranking, it does not necessarily mean you will be a good or a bad Shinigami. Wherever you are placed and whatever your assignment - I want you to each work for your own best performance. And that includes taking into account the skills belonging to your fellows in Class Four. They may not rank with you in the top class but they are skilled individuals with talents of their own and in a squad often the team effort is more important than the individual being allowed to shine. Keep that in mind for when tomorrow's meeting occurs - I want to see inter-class harmony as well as inter-squad."

* * *

"The lists are on the board!"

It was the following evening, and as the students left the dining hall after their evening meal, Sora let out an exclamation, hurrying over to read the scrawled lists of kanji that had suddenly appeared on the Second Year board during the course of the day. That morning, as Genryuusai had promised, a proper meeting had been held with members from both classes, explaining the plans for the 'camp' project and advising both groups of students that they would be fairly mixed and assigned teams that would be posted later on that day. This had been a cause of both disappointment and anticipation for the youngsters, for they had hoped to know more details there and then, but the previous afternoon one of the members of Class Four had fallen awkwardly in the gym and broken a bone in her lower leg. As a result, Genryuusai had announced that the squad lists would have to be revised - and with the girl in question bemoaning the poor timing of her injury, her name had been removed from the pool of participants.

"It's a shame that Minato-san got hurt yesterday." As they followed the excitable Shiba to the display boards in the big hallway, Juushirou pursed his lips. "I don't know her very well, but I think she's the second ranked student in Class Two, after Iwai-kun. It's sad she won't be able to take part now."

"It is for her." Shunsui nodded his head. "But at least in a way it's one less headache for the staff. There would've been an odd number, otherwise. I thought about volunteering to retire, actually, but now Minato-san is out of the game, I guess there's just sixteen of us going camping after all."

"Minato will have to read books and write something instead." Enishi said forebodingly. "Remind me never to get an injury before a practical activity. I couldn't bear to be cut out of something fun like this when the other option is being buried in study materials again."

"I wonder how these lists are going to shape up, though. Mixing classes as well." Juushirou reflected. "Aside from Ouyoudou, we don't mix a lot, do we? Maybe that's the point. They want us to mix more."

"I dare say that's a big part of it." Ryuu nodded his head. "Well? Are we going to see, then, in which teams we have been assigned?"

He shot Kai a dark look, then,

"So long as I am not with him, I have no particular concern about it...but it would be nice to know."

"No sane teacher would think of making you two work together." Shunsui snorted. "Not even Yama-jii is that radical."

"No kidding." Sora squinted up at the board. "Kuchiki, you and Shihouin are in different squads. Shihouin is in squad one, and Kuchiki is in...hey, wait a damn minute!"

"Sora-chan?" Mitsuki started at her companion's sudden outburst, eying her in concern. "What's wrong? Is there something strange written up there? I can't see past Houjou-kun's shoulder."

"Whoops. Sorry, Edogawa." Enishi shot her a rueful look, taking a step to one side to allow her through. "But it's just a list of names. I don't see why..."

"I do, though." Shunsui's expression darkened, and he shook his head. "I see exactly why she's exclaiming all over the place - damn them. I was afraid something like this might happen - but I was keeping my mouth shut and hoping that it wouldn't."

"Something like...?" Hirata looked confused, squinting up at the board through the lenses of his glasses. "I can't make it out clearly - Sensei's writing is difficult sometimes and the words aren't written that big. Will someone tell me what the problem is? I can just about see the names, but..."

"It's not the names. It's what's written underneath the names, Hirata." Kai pursed his lips, amusement in his golden eyes. "Well, that does make it interesting. In a big way. Don't you think so, Kuchiki?"

"Don't speak to me." Ryuu bristled. "You're not in my squad, therefore I don't have to have anything to do with you at all."

Juushirou stared up at the board, reading the lists carefully one by one. Then he frowned, his brows knitting together.

"Shunsui and I are on separate teams too." He murmured. "But I suppose that can't be helped. It looks like they've split our rankings right down the middle in some respects. Shunsui ranks as top, and I'm second. So it makes sense for us to be on different teams."

"It's more than that, Juu. Look." Shunsui reached up to tap the characters written beneath his name. "Or did you overlook that bit? It's under yours as well, so you should pay better attention."

Juushirou frowned, scanning the indicated characters for a moment. Then his eyes widened, his gaze darting back to his own name.

Sure enough, there they were again.

"Tai...chou?" He whispered, and Kai chuckled, nodding his head.

"That's what it says." He agreed cheerfully. "You two are rank one and two. So you're the Captains. Makes sense to me."

"Well, what does that make rank three and four then, Kai-kun?" Shunsui retorted. "Stop laughing at us for a moment and look at yourselves, will you? You and Ryuu-kun aren't out of it either. Look. You have extra kanji too."

"Fuku-taichou." Ryuu looked pensive. "Well, I have no reason to object at that. I am glad, however, that I am to be Ukitake's Vice Captain. I can't imagine that it would be much fun to be your subordinate, Kyouraku - since you never seem able to organise yourself, let alone anyone else."

"Cruel words." Shunsui pretended to look wounded. "What do you say, Kai? Are you so horrified by that idea that you're struck speechless? Or will we somehow cope?"

Kai was silent for a moment, then he shrugged.

"I don't mind." He said frankly. "I like both of you, and I don't mind being Vice Captain. I'm fourth rank, after all - so if one and two are Captains, three and four should be Vice Captains. We'll be fine, Kyouraku."

"Ukitake and Kuchiki versus Kyouraku and Shihouin." Enishi let out a low whistle. "If it's a competition, look out for fireworks."

"Hey, Juu and I don't compete like that." Shunsui objected. "And competition sounds like work, Houjou - which is against my philosophies for life."

"You have such things?" Ryuu eyed him doubtfully, and Shunsui laughed.

"I'm thinking it's time I did." He agreed casually. "If they're going to do random things like promote me to Captain like this..."

He frowned, gazing up at the board.

"I don't really welcome it." He said, his tones more serious. "But I know that Yama-jii isn't going to let me off the hook, even if I ask him to. Juu will be a much better leader, probably, than me. I may be relying on your help a lot, Kai-kun."

"That's what an adjutant is for." Kai saluted, a playful look in his golden eyes. "What about everyone else, though? It's not just down to me."

"That's true. Where is everyone else placed?" Mitsuki's eyes flicked back towards the list as slowly she read through the squads in full. Juushirou's eyes also drifted back in their direction, digesting the full lists carefully one at a time. They read as follows.

**Squad One**  
Kyouraku Shunsui (Taichou)  
Shihouin Kai (Fukutaichou)  
Shiba Sora (Third Seat)  
Shikibu Naoko (Fourth Seat)  
Houjou Enishi (Fifth Seat)  
Iwai Kenji (Sixth Seat)  
Nakamura Hanako (Seventh Seat)  
Atsudane Makoto (Eighth Seat)

**Squad Two**  
Ukitake Juushirou (Taichou)  
Kuchiki Ryuu (Fukutaichou)  
Endou Hirata (Third Seat)  
Edogawa Mitsuki (Fourth Seat)  
Kamitani Jun (Fifth Seat)  
Saitani Chiyoko (Sixth Seat)  
Fujiwara Aki (Seventh Seat)  
Kira Hideharu (Eighth Seat)

"Somebody please tell me which squad I'm in?" Hirata asked plaintively, and Juushirou turned, casting him a grin.

"Mine. You're officially Endou-sanseki now." He said playfully. "You're ranked as third seat, Hirata, for Squad Two."

"Really?" Hirata looked surprised, then he grinned. "Then I'm glad. It's not that I don't like Kyouraku-kun - but I hoped I'd be with you, Ukitake-kun."

"I have Enishi...Sora...Naoko-chan." Shunsui squinted at the lists. "And Mitsuki is with you, Juu. Well, that's convenient."

"No, it isn't." Sora cast the pink-cheeked Mitsuki a regretful glance. "Naoko and I are on a different squad from you, Mi-chan. And we have to put up with that whiny Nakamura Hanako that Naoko hates so much...I wish we could swap you over."

"That would be unfair. Squad Two already has fewer from Class One." Ryuu pointed out. "At present, things are even enough. Mitsuki will be fine, Sora. I will see to it myself."

Sora cast Ryuu a doubtful look, but Mitsuki shook her head.

"It's all right, Sora-chan." She said softly. "I'll be fine. Ukitake-kun will be a good Captain, I'm sure - and Ryuu-kun will help me if I need him to."

"As I said, convenient." Shunsui grinned. "But this Squad One and Squad Two business is all kind of impersonal somehow. I don't know. The Gotei use it, I realise - but I don't see why we should."

"Meaning what?" Juushirou cast him a quizzical look, and Shunsui shrugged.

"You and I are the Captains." He said flippantly. "Let's name them ourselves."

"Name them?" Ryuu frowned. "Squads don't need names...they're units, not people."

"I didn't mean like that." Shunsui shook his head. "But just something a little more...relevant."

Juushirou grinned, nodding his head.

"In that case, I've a suggestion." He said frankly. "You're Summer and I'm Winter - right? So what about Katai and Toutai? Summer Squad and Winter Squad? That seems to do it pretty well."

"Katai...and...Toutai." Shunsui pursed his lips, then nodded.

"I like that better." He agreed. "We'll mention it to Yama-jii. Our first job as Captains, Juu - we should be proud."

"Right now we should be clearing the hall, before a Senior comes and scolds us." Ryuu said archly. "We've discovered what we needed to know. Let us not put ourselves in a position where we might be punished and forced to forfeit by being in isolation."

"I'm with Kuchiki." Enishi said fervently. "Come on, people. Let's move before we cause a major jam. Class Four will want to check too, after all, when they realise it's all up here. And this corridor wasn't built for that many students all at once."

"Especially not if they're your size, Enishi-kun." Shunsui laughed. "It can probably take a few Hiratas with room to spare. Bu-u-ut I take the point. Let's get out of here, people."

----------

_**Author's Note: Anime Zanpakutou Arc **  
_

_I know I did mention this in the intro, but I thought I'd mention it again where people will probably see it more easily._

_My story is probably going to conflict with the new anime arc in some respects, and since all of Meifu to date has been written before this point, I'm not going to make too many attempts to bring what I'm writing into line with this new arc. There may be potential connections where I can see to fit them, but on the whole, I guess if you consider that filler to be canon, my story will be moving into AU. It isn't in the manga, despite Kubo's involvement, so you can also consider it continuing on a manga-canon basis...since that was how I began it in the first instance. I don't personally consider it canon at the present time - though I suspect some elements of it will become canon as time goes on.  
_

_When I first found out about the zanpak arc I did consider not continuing with this sequel but with as much as I have already written and so many people supporting me I decided I was gonna keep going and to hell with the new filler xD. I just wanted to clarify this now because I don't want a lot of people writing reviews telling me I'm in conflict with the latest episode of the anime. (Because that kind of stuff is kinda...meh)_

_So to clarify, Sougyo no Kotowari and Katen Kyoukotsu will be keeping the forms I imagined for them when I began writing the prequel back in November-time. You may consider Sougyo's In'you to have been dragged into human form by the anime plot, if you like...and there's a good possibility that Seibara and Amaki combine into one form when Shunsui summons his blade properly. I don't know, since those things are outside the scope of my story (as will become clear as the plot progresses). Other than that, the similarities end._

_T_T I wish this arc had waited another couple of months to air...oh well. That's life._

_Thank you for reading;)_

_~VraieEsprit, 29th July 2009_


	7. Camp

**Chapter Six: Camp**

"And that ends this morning's instructions. Squads are expected to convene now at their assigned base tents. Ukitake and Kyouraku, remain behind – Kuchiki and Shihouin, you are responsible for ensuring all other members of your assigned squad are in the correct locations until your Captains return. Dismissed."

Genryuusai tapped his cane on the ground, raising his voice slightly as he gazed around at the gathered second year students. From his position near the back of the group, Juushirou felt a flicker of faint excitement ripple through his thin frame.

Although much talking had been done about this 'camp', it had not been until that morning that the reality of it had sunk in. At dawn they had all assembled at the front gate, Shunsui still rubbing sleep from his eyes and complaining about the cruelty of depriving a young man his bed. Genryuusai, along with Kazoe Ginji, the Kidou instructor had been waiting for them, and each had been marked off one by one, given a sheathed _asauchi_ and a bundle to carry and ordered into the two groups that denoted their squad assignments. In pairs they had then been frogmarched the two _ri_ to the quiet section of Yamamoto land which had been given over to their use. Though it had been a long journey and at a quick pace, Juushirou had found it more invigorating than exhausting, for the day was bright and airy, with a faint breeze to keep them cool as they had walked. Even Hirata and Mitsuki, neither of which were particularly good at physical exercise managed to complete the distance without collapsing, and though Hirata's cheeks had been flushed from the exertion, he had seemed proud with his ability to keep up.

Juushirou, for his part, had felt equally triumphant.

"Two years ago, after all, I wouldn't have made half this distance at half this speed without breaking down and coughing." He had told Hirata as they had mounted the last rise towards their destination. "I really am getting much stronger now. Stronger and fitter. All the training we do is paying off, and keeping it going in the holiday was the right thing to do. I feel like I've come a long way – and that I am finally getting a handle on my spirit power, after all."

On arrival at their base point, they had discovered a large tent-like construction had been erected, with two smaller ones placed one to the east and one to the west. Once ushered inside the largest of the three, the second year students had discovered that their first task on arrival at their new base was to demolish their first proper meal of the day. Each student was given the same – _o-chazuke_ with no particular trimmings, a piece of fire-cooked fish and watery green tea – but not even the fussiest member of the group had complained, as everyone was simply glad to have something to fill their empty stomachs.

Once the meal had ended, Genryuusai had moved to give his instructions, his rumbling voice somehow sounding strange in the unfamiliar confines of the flimsy fabric tent.

He had been brief, merely reminding them that they were to remain within Kazoe's Kidou barrier unless otherwise instructed and that from now till the end of the assignment everything that they did would reflect in some way on the squad that they now called their own. He had told each student to check their packs, and on opening his Juushirou had discovered a rough map of the area, a folded blanket, a silver armband and a vessel for carrying water. And now, as the remaining fourteen students filed from the tent to meet at their assigned ends of the area, Juushirou got slowly to his feet, meeting Shunsui's gaze across the makeshift wooden benches as they approached the old man.

For a moment he gazed at them, then he smiled, nodding his head.

"From this point on, you two are Captains of your respective squads." He said quietly. "What you do most of all reflects on the well-being and success of your subordinates. You must think always of that, in every decision you make. In a real life situation, after all, a Captain is responsible for the lives of his men."

"Yes, Sensei." Both boys murmured, and Genryuusai reached across to pick up two folded items, glancing at them and then handing one to each student.

"As Captains, you are, of course, significant." He continued. "And you must be easily picked out in a crisis by your subordinate officers. Therefore, you will wear these – they are not quite full _haori_, but they will denote your status to the rest of the group."

"Training _haori_, huh?" Shunsui shook his garment out, eying it for a moment, then sighing, shrugging his shoulders in resignation. "I suppose that makes sense, Sensei."

"It's sort of exciting." Juushirou followed suit with his, then carefully slipped it over his shoulders, running his fingers over the fine black fabric of the garment. "Real _haori_ are white, aren't they? But even so…"

"Your uniform's common colour between girl and boy students is white, but the colour of a shinigami on duty is black." Genryuusai explained. "Therefore your training _haori_ – as Kyouraku so nicely put it – are black. You must wear them at all times that the squad is considered 'on duty'."

He scooped up two more objects, holding them out.

"These are for your Vice Captains." He added. "A Captain should present his adjutant with their badge of office himself, after all."

"Ryuu-kun's badge, huh." Juushirou eyed the armband pensively, reading the kanji for 'Vice Captain' that was neatly engraved on the band's silver shield. "I guess that makes sense, too."

"Your squad have also all been issued with armbands in their packs." Genryuusai added. "Kyouraku, your squad has maroon with a silver squad kanji, and Ukitake, yours are silver with a maroon squad kanji."

He sighed, then,

"The only other thing for me to do is give you instructions on setting up your squad's camp." He reflected. "This tent is your 'mess hall', and as I have already told you, your contact points are outside – Squad One to the East and Squad Two to the West. Your sleeping quarters are also in those directions and it is up to you to ensure every squad member has correct provision there. You will be fed as a group once a day only – each dawn, breakfast will be served within this tent. Otherwise it will be up to you to organise the collection and distribution of supplies for your squads."

He led them to the door, pushing back the flap and gesturing out across the land beyond.

"Through those trees is a natural spring and lake." He continued. "It is the only source for bathing in the immediate area and must be shared by both squads. There are girls and boys on this mission, and girls and boys' bathing must be separated. Otherwise it is up to you to organise rota and schedule with the help of your Vice Captains. Your three weeks in charge of your companions begins from this point."

He brushed his beard, then,

"I have great faith in your leadership abilities, should you choose to use them." He said gravely. "Take the duty seriously – both of you. You will understand a lot more by the end of this exercise if you do than I will ever teach you in class."

"Sensei, I have a question." Shunsui raised his hand and the old man glanced at him.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Juu and I…we wanted to name our squads, rather than number them. Numbers suggest one ranks higher than the other, and it's sort of, well, boring." Shunsui grinned. "Is it all right if we do that?"

"Name them?" Genryuusai looked taken aback, and Juushirou nodded.

"Katai, meaning Summer Squad, for Shunsui." He agreed. "And Toutai, meaning Winter Squad, for me. It just seemed more personalised that way. Since Shunsui was born in the summer, and I was born in the winter."

Genryuusai let out a low chuckle of amusement.

"If that is your decision as Captains, so be it." He agreed evenly. "Remember, a lot of decisions will be in your hands. Your first proper assignments will be given tomorrow, so you have the rest of today to work with your squad, set up camp and anything else you need to do. I hope you can settle your own questions and problems as time goes on. There will always be someone - either staff or Seniors - on hand for help if you do need it – we don't intend on leaving you out here alone, after all. But the area we have prepared for you is two _ri _square and covers a lot of land. So the more you can do for yourselves, the quicker you will achieve your goals. All right, that is all. You are dismissed – return to your squads now, please."

"Well, it seems like the old guy's in a good mood now, at the very least."

As they left the tent, Shunsui nudged his companion, speaking in low, muttered tones. "I wonder if he'll be that chirpy once the three weeks are up – it sounds like we're going to have to do a lot of suspiciously work-like stuff in the time that we're here."

"I think it's exciting." Juushirou pursed his lips. "I'm a little apprehensive about this 'Captain' thing – though I'm glad I'll have Ryuu-kun to back me up, since he knows a lot more about all of this than I do. But we're within a safe area and there's no danger. So we should just enjoy it, Shunsui. Whatever happens from this point on."

"I'm not sure, yet, whether Katai and Toutai are meant to be competitive or cooperative squad neighbours." Shunsui looked pensive. "It's a bit of a drag, honestly, being split up like this. Still,"

A mischievous look crossed his features.

"Sensei mentioned separate baths for girls and boys, didn't he? He didn't say anything about separate sleeping quarters – did he?"

"I guess not." Juushirou looked surprised. "I wonder why he didn't."

"I'm thinking because there aren't any." Shunsui's eyes glittered with anticipation, and he gestured out towards the two smaller structures. "Look, Juu. Two tents. One is yours. One is mine. That's the squad's sleeping quarters. Note, _the squad_. Which means…"

"Girls and boys in together?" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Shunsui clapped his hands together gleefully, nodding his head.

"Exactly." He said frankly. "After all, we're on squad manoeuvre. There's no fancy fittings or privileges here, is there? We're all just squad members working together as we carry out various assignments. Things like separate sleeping quarters are an unnecessary luxury – don't you think so?"

"Shunsui…" Juushirou shot his friend a dark look, and Shunsui laughed.

"I don't know why you're glaring at me." He said innocently. "The same will apply for your tent, won't it? Mitsuki-chan and the others will be at your mercy. Let me see, what other girls are in Toutai? Saitani Chiyoko-san is one, isn't she? She's quite pretty. Well built, too, in the right areas. And…"

"Shunsui, shut up." Juushirou's cheeks flushed pink at this, and Shunsui looked amused, holding up his hands in mock-surrender.

"I'm just saying." He responded calmly. "That you're going to have to think about that as well, as their Captain. It would be remiss of you not to, in fact, think about it. I intend on making that one of my priorities, you know – thinking about the sleeping provision for women in my squad seems to be an urgent item to put to the top of my agenda."

"Sora will thwack you, you know." Juushirou recovered himself, folding his arms across his chest. "And Shikibu-san will probably have plenty to say about it, too. If Sensei intends us to share sleeping quarters then he intends to trust us not to do anything silly about it. You don't want to start the assignment with a sexual harassment warning."

"I'd probably risk it, if Saitani-san was in my squad." Shunsui looked regretful. "I've never had a chance to get to know her at all, being that we're in different classes and Minabe never lets me anywhere near her when we're doing Ouyoudou. The girl really is very…gifted in certain areas. As it is, I suppose I'll have to make do with Sora and Naoko, won't I? You don't know how lucky you are, Juu – such a waste."

"From that, I'd say the lucky one is Saitani-san." Juushirou muttered, but there was amusement in his eyes. "Look, Shunsui. I know you well enough by now and I know when you're playing – so, probably will Sora and Shikibu-san. But you have Nakamura Hanako in your squad too. You've heard Sora and company talk – she complains a lot about every little thing. For God's sake don't do anything that you might regret – because otherwise you'll get yourself into serious trouble."

Shunsui sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I know. Don't worry. I'm not as much of a fool as that." He said resignedly. "But really, Juu, all joking aside…you should look on this as an opportunity. You're shamefully inexperienced with women when it comes down to it – considering you're eighteen, it's unforgivable that you've never even shown the slightest bit of interest in the opposite sex. I'm telling you now that you should use this squad task as a chance to learn more about them. You might be pleasantly surprised."

"I'm Captain of Toutai, not the keeper of a brothel." Juushirou said indignantly. "I'm not going to molest, harass or tease the girls in my squad, Shunsui!"

"As I said, shamefully inexperienced." Shunsui let out a long-suffering sigh. "Well, never mind. Don't say I didn't tell you – one day when you're old and…well…I guess you can't get much whiter, but you'll regret it. Just don't blame me when that day comes, all right?"

And with a wink, he disappeared off across the grass, black _haori_ blowing out in the wind as he made his way down towards Katai's tent.

Juushirou watched him go for a moment, then sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Sometimes I wonder just how far you're joking and how far you're serious, Shunsui." He murmured. "Especially when it comes to things like this."

"Ukitake-taichou!"

As he reached the waiting group of seven students, Ryuu stepped forwards, saluting his classmate without even the vaguest hint of a smile on his serious features. As he interpreted the resolution in the slate grey eyes, Juushirou inwardly stifled a sigh, instead offering his Vice Captain a grin.

"All are present and correct, Taichou." Ryuu said, not relaxing his stance for a moment, and Juushirou nodded.

"Good." He said lightly. "Then we should go inside."

"You're supposed to tell us to be at ease, first." Ryuu reminded him, and Juushirou pursed his lips.

"At ease, then." He relented at length, gesturing an arm towards the Toutai tent. "If everyone goes inside, it'll be easier to talk without having to compete against the noises outside. I don't want us to have to shout to make ourselves heard. Ryuu-kun…"

He held out the silver badge, and Ryuu's initial admonition for the informal use of his name died on his lips as he caught sight of the silver shield.

"As Vice Captain, I'm to give you this. Sensei's orders." Juushirou continued softly. "I have to wear the black _haori_ and you have to wear that whenever we're on duty. Which is now, I suppose – so you'd better put it on."

"Yes, sir." Ryuu nodded, obediently doing as he was instructed, and after glancing at him for a moment, Hirata pushed open the flap of the Toutai tent.

"There's paper and ink inside, Taichou." He said softly, and Juushirou could see faint amusement in the quiet boy's pale blue eyes. "Did Sensei say whether or not we would have an assignment right away?"

"Inside, and I'll tell you all." Juushirou suggested, ducking under the flap and stepping to one side as his companions followed him into the smaller tent. As he waited for his squad to settle themselves on the ground, he took a moment to glance around, taking in the meagre appointments that their new living quarters had.

As Shunsui had said, there was no segregation for girls and boys, and despite himself Juushirou found he was somewhat uncomfortable with that fact. His gaze met Mitsuki's at that moment, and she offered him a smile. For some reason that coupled with his line of thought made his discomfort all the greater, and he only just managed a sheepish grin in return.

There was probably enough space for eight people to sleep without being forced to share space or blankets, he told himself firmly, pushing Shunsui's teasing out of his mind as he mentally began to work out the best way to manage their living space. During the day it would be possible to push the blankets back and use the central area for squad meetings – and as Hirata has said, there was ink, paper and a small wooden writing desk. In each corner of the tent stood a kidou lamp of the portable variety, and Juushirou realised that this was as much for use at night as it was during the day, for enough sun came through the fabric of the tent to cast a glow into the chamber.

He turned back to his waiting companions, suddenly self-conscious as he realised they were all looking to him now to take the lead.

He took a deep breath, then grinned.

"I have no idea how a proper Captain would do this." He admitted sheepishly. "And I think everybody probably knows already that I'm Ukitake Juushirou and Sensei's chosen me to be in charge of this Squad. We're not having any proper assignments till tomorrow – so for that reason, I think now is the best time to find out about each other and strengths and weaknesses and so on – so that we can start working out who'd be best at doing what job."

He gestured at Ryuu, and the other boy immediately got to his feet. He was obviously unhampered by any such thing as nerves, Juushirou decided, and inwardly he felt faintly relieved by that fact.

_Ryuu-kun really does know more about this than I do, after all. I'll need him to back me up all the way._

"Kuchiki Ryuu-kun is our Vice Captain." He said briefly. "Otherwise everyone should be seated from three to eight."

He paused, then,

"I don't care really what rank someone has." He admitted, and Ryuu stared at him in astonishment and disbelief. "Aside from obvious things like final decisions, I want everyone to consider everyone else team members, not superior and inferior. So I don't want anyone pulling rank on anyone else. If you have an idea or a suggestion, I want you to make it, please. Ryuu-kun and I are your superior officers but we probably don't know everything. We have to make the final choices – but I want any big decisions to be made by Toutai – not by just me alone."

"Toutai?" Kamitani Jun's eyes widened, and Juushirou looked sheepish.

"One thing that has been decided already is the name of our squad." He admitted. "Because nobody wanted us to be Squad One and Squad Two. Shunsui said it seemed more like ranking us #1 and #2 because of our class rankings – so we discussed it and we decided that his squad would be Katai and ours Toutai. Tou is for winter - 'fuyu' – and Sensei has agreed. So from now on, we're to be known as Toutai."

"I wondered about that too, actually." Fujiwara Aki folded his hands pensively in his lap. "About us being #1 and #2. Having names makes a lot more sense."

"Why Toutai, though?" Saitani Chiyoko questioned. "I don't mind, but it seems a bit…random."

"It is, probably." Juushirou agreed. "But Shunsui's squad are the summer squad and we're the winter one."

"Ukitake-kun's birthday is in winter." Hirata added softly. "And Kyouraku-kun's is in summer. That's why."

"Which brings me to something else that I think is important." Juushirou nodded. "And that is the fact that some of us know each other and some of us don't really. Aside from in Ouyoudou class, we don't really mix much as classes, do we? And I know people's names – but I don't know a lot more than that."

He perched on the edge of the writing desk, then,

"I think we should start with introductions." He decided. "And work from there. Sensei said that it was up to Captains to set up our squad camps and organise duties – and I'd like to know who I'm commanding first and foremost. I think it'll be easier to work that way."

He paused, then,

"I was going to start by introducing myself." He said pensively. "But I think…I'm not going to do it that way. Instead, we'll introduce each other. Hirata, you introduce me and so on. Then we'll do the same for Class Four."

"Taichou, I don't mean to be rude, but…why?" Ryuu stared at his classmate in confusion, and Juushirou laughed.

"Because other people's views of you are more interesting and important in a team than how you see yourself." He said frankly. "It's a fun way of doing it, anyhow. Hirata, if you please…just the name and one thing you think is important to tell the group about me. We'll go from there."

Hirata pinkened, but nodded, getting to his feet.

"Ukitake Juushirou-taichou." He murmured. "I think…one thing…well…Ukitake-kun isn't someone who ever gives up. That's all. No matter what happens…he always keeps fighting. So I think he'll be a good Captain for Toutai – because he won't give up."

Juushirou stared at Hirata for a moment, then grinned.

"I think that was a polite way of saying I'm stubborn." He reflected teasingly. "Okay. Ryuu-kun – Hirata?"

"Endou Hirata." Ryuu sighed, but nodded his head. "Even though his family are disgusting barbarians, Hirata is actually quite pleasant company. So we all call him Hirata, not Endou because he's not like the rest of his Clan."

"Kuchiki-kun!" Hirata flushed scarlet, and Juushirou inwardly winced.

_Least said, soonest mended, however. On to the next._

"Edogawa-san?"

Mitsuki scrambled to her feet, eying Ryuu doubtfully for a moment. Then,

"Kuchiki Ryuu-fukutaichou." She said softly. "Ryuu-kun is always honest, no matter what the situation. And he's also very good at sword skills and Kidou"

"Of course. I'm a Kuchiki." Ryuu cast her a glance, and Mitsuki smiled.

"Edogawa Mitsuki-san." Juushirou said hurriedly. "Edogawa-san is one of the kindest people in Class Three – and very gifted with herbal remedies for wounds and fevers. That might prove to be an important thing, Edogawa-san." He added, glancing at Mitsuki. "That your chief responsibility in Toutai might be to take care of any scrapes and bruises anyone gets during our assignment."

"I don't mind." Mitsuki assured him, her cheeks pinkening. "It would be my pleasure, Taichou."

"Right. Then on to Class Four." Juushirou's gaze rested on Kamitani. "From you, and round?"

"All right." Kamitani nodded his head, indicating his neighbour – the nervous Kira Hideharu.

"Kira Hideharu-kun." He said clearly. "Kira-kun is the quickest note-taker in Class Four. He writes reams and reams in every class and always seems to know what bit is what when you ask to borrow his notes – so I suggest he should have a task involving records."

"If we have to keep a log on our assignments, Kira-kun, would you be happy to take that job?" Juushirou asked, and Kira nodded his head eagerly.

"Yes, please. I'm not as powerful as some of the others and I'm not so confident in a battle situation. But I _am_ quick at writing notes – and I'm always getting praised by Sensei for my neat assignments."

"Then that's good." Juushirou nodded. "Next…?"

"Oh. Right." Kira reddened, then, "Saitani Chiyoko-san. Saitani-san is the top ranked person in our class in Hohou, and she's always helpful in explaining complicated things from textbooks. She's Yamamoto-ke and her mother is Uebashi-sensei's younger sister, so she's read a lot of important books on Hohou and other stuff."

"You're good at Hohou, Saitani-san?" Juushirou cast her a glance, and the girl nodded.

"Yes, but I'm not very good with an _asauchi_ or with Kidou." She said ruefully. "And my tactical awareness is – well, Sensei calls it average to potentially good, whatever that means. It's no good being good in just one area because my other grades drag my ranking down. I'm just quite fast, that's all – and I understand it all quite clearly."

"That speed might be useful, though." Juushirou assured her. "If we're a team, we all have strengths."

"Can you use shunpo, Saitani-san?" Mitsuki asked softly, and Chiyoko flushed.

"I started learning a little in the holidays from my mother." She admitted. "But I've only got the basics yet."

"Shunpo? Really?" Kira's eyes almost fell out of his head, and Juushirou pursed his lips.

"You were thinking about Shunsui and his shunpo, weren't you, Edogawa-san?" He asked, and Mitsuki nodded.

"If we have someone who can already do that too, then that's a positive." She agreed.

"Kyouraku-kun can shunpo, too?" Kira was beside himself, and Juushirou chuckled.

"He calls it a bastard form of it, but yes, he can." He agreed. "If we are going to be in competition with Katai, it's worth knowing now that Shunsui's not top of the class for nothing. And if he worked harder, he would be top by a lot more marks. That's a good thought, Edogawa-san. Saitani-san – we may be relying on you for speed. Hirata, you too," He added.

"Me?" Hirata was taken aback, and Juushirou nodded.

"But I can't shunpo!"

"Not yet, but you are quick and you are discreet." Juushirou grinned. "But we'll come to that later. Thank you, Kira-kun. Saitani-san?"

"Fujiwara Aki." Chiyoko grinned, sending Aki a sidelong glance. "Aki-kun is a practical joker, Ukitake-taichou. Which is a good thing if you need to be cheered up, or a good reason to beat him silly with an _asauchi_ sheath if you don't."

"Hey!" Aki objected, and Chiyoko shrugged.

"Taichou said to give something that was true. That's true. Nobody in Class Four would dispute it." She said calmly.

"Fine." Aki pulled a graphic face, then, "Kamitani Jun-kun. Kami-kun is our Class's strategic genius in the Sakusen department. I guess that's because he's Urahara – he seems to know a lot of stuff, anyhow, without being the kind of person who always shows it off."

"Then that's everyone." Juushirou settled himself more comfortably on his perch. "Right. Sensei said that everyone had a coloured arm-band in their pack, which signifies us as a squad. Put them on, please. From now on we're properly and fully on duty, I suppose. And we need to start working out important things about the next three weeks."

He gestured around him.

"This is our living area." He added. "That means sleeping, meeting – and maybe eating. We're only going to be fed by them at dawn each morning in the communal mess hall with the members of Katai. Otherwise we have to take supplies and act for ourselves. I think we can use fire and whatever else to cook food and so on – but we'll have to ask about the rules for that once we've worked out other things. The main thing is that…everyone is going to be sleeping…in here."

"Everyone?" Chiyoko's eyes widened, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"Yes. Everyone."

"Girls and boys together?" Aki pursed his lips. "I think that's a great idea."

"You would." Chiyoko glared at him, and Juushirou was faintly reminded of Shunsui's bantering rapport with the cheeky Sora.

"Just because we're sharing quarters doesn't mean that we're going to sleep girl-boy-girl-boy." He said firmly now. "I think that it should be all right for Edogawa-san and Saitani-san to have their blankets in one corner, and the rest of us use the rest of the space without causing too much discomfort. And of course, no boys will be inside Toutai's tent when the girls are changing or vice versa. That's my first rule as Captain. I'm _not _going to get into trouble for putting anyone in an awkward situation."

"Thank you, Ukitake-taichou." Chiyoko looked relieved. "It's not so much most of the guys I mind, but if Aki's sleeping anywhere near me, I know I'll be missing my blanket by the time morning comes."

"I'm not that blatant." Aki shook his head. "I have my limits, you know – blanket-thieving isn't my style."

_More like Shunsui's style. Maybe I am glad he's not in my squad after all._

Juushirou sighed, then,

"Either way, we'll work it out. That way Edogawa-san and Saitani-san won't be inconvenienced too much."

"Taichou, I have a question." Ryuu's hand shot up, and Juushirou cast him a surprised look.

"Yes? What's up?"

"Should you be calling Mitsuki and Saitani '~san' when you're their superior officer? Surely Edogawa and Saitani would suffice?"

"I…" Juushirou faltered, pursing his lips.

"It's all right with me, Ukitake-taichou." Mitsuki assured him quickly. "If we're on duty, I don't mind if you call me Edogawa."

"Me either. Saitani is fine." Chiyoko shrugged. "Probably Kuchiki-fukutaichou is right, anyhow. We're supposed to be role-playing squad here, after all."

"I suppose so." Juushirou said ruefully. "All right. Either way, that's how the sleeping situation works out. In terms of bathing, there's a spring and a lake not far from here. Sensei showed Shunsui and I both where it was. That being the case…now what is it, Ryuu-kun?"

"_Kuchiki_." Ryuu said pointedly. "And surely Kyouraku-taichou is Kyouraku-taichou at the present time."

Juushirou eyed Ryuu resignedly, then,

"Sensei showed _Shunsui_ and I both where it was." He said quietly. "_Before_ we were on duty as Captains. Anyhow, bathing there is by rota. Girls and boys at separate times. I'm going to suggest that a rota is put up in the mess hall tent, though – for both squads to slot themselves into and keep to. Because there are girls and boys in both squads, after all."

"More guys than girls, Taichou." Aki pointed out, and Juushirou nodded.

"Yes. And Minato-san's absence means there are only five girls altogether." He agreed. "But Sensei's said that's how it should be – so that's how it'll be."

He frowned.

"Kira has agreed to be our log-keeper, and I expect we're going to need that from tomorrow." He added. "And Edogawa is our healer – so if anyone has cuts or bruises, she's responsible for taking care of them. Hopefully there won't be anything more serious, but in that case we'd have to report to Sensei. Kuchiki is Vice Captain, so when I'm not here, his orders should be followed, of course – and if neither of us are here, I suppose that falls to you, Hirata. Since you're third seat – if you don't mind."

"I hope it won't come to that." Hirata said fervently.

"Saitani, if I make you officially our message runner, with Hirata as well, would that work?" Juushirou suggested. "And then that would leave Fujiwara and Kamitani to be involved in supplies and making sure that that side of things goes smoothly."

"Is it wise to let Fujiwara near food and water?" Kamitani looked wary, and Aki snorted.

"I have to eat it too, remember." He pointed out.

"It's quite okay." Juushirou nodded, meeting Aki's gaze with a warm one of his own. "Fujiwara isn't going to play practical jokes on our food. Are you, Fujiwara?"

"Of course not."

"Good. Then I'll take that as a promise in bond." Juushirou's smile widened slightly. "Everyone here has heard it, so there shouldn't be any problem."

"What if he breaks his word, Taichou?" Chiyoko asked, and Juushirou shook his head.

"Discipline is a Captain and Vice Captain's responsibility." He said lightly. "Don't worry, Saitani. I don't think that he'll do that."

He turned back to the main group.

"Jobs may change or be flexible depending on the situation at the time." He added. "But for the time being, at least it's a rough plan to work with. We'll see, tomorrow, what we're going to be asked to do. For now I think…we should work out best who's going to sleep where. And then…then I'll want Kamitani and Fujiwara to go to the mess hall and find out what's to be done about our supplies this evening. R…Kuchiki, I'll trust you to find out from Sensei what we're allowed to do regarding fire and so on. And…Kira, when we're done here, you can go speak to Sensei about setting up a bath rota. You're thorough and pay attention to detail, so I know you'll relay everything accurately."

"Yes, Taichou!" Kira nodded his head, and Juushirou could see the pride in the boy's blue eyes at having been so quickly given responsibility. Despite himself he smiled.

_He's nervous and jumpy and far too skittish for battle sometimes. Because of that, he ranks bottom in our year – but he doesn't let it get him down and his classmates seem to like him regardless. I suppose I understand the reasons why. Hiro and Chi have always said good things about him, too._

_He's not a bad person, nor stupid – he's honest and fair about his own flaws and not at all conceited when he does something well. Even if he's not high ranking in class lists, I can see that he's going to be a helpful addition to Toutai. Especially if his noting skills are as good as Kamitani said they are_.

"All right then." He said out loud. "If that's settled - let's begin."

* * *

"I can't believe Sensei expects us to sleep co-ed."

Across the field, in Katai's tent, discussions about the sleeping arrangements were also underway. From his position, cross-legged in the entrance of the tent, Shunsui cast his companions an amused grin, taking in the tension in Naoko's slender frame as she made her objection.

"It's all very well saying that it's a squad manoeuvre or whatever your reasoning is, Kyouraku-kun - but the fact of the matter is that girls and boys sleeping in the same tent together is inappropriate on all levels."

"And you don't trust me as Captain to arrange that in a way to best suit everyone? Naoko-chan, I'm hurt." Shunsui adopted a mock-wounded expression, and Naoko snorted.

"That's the worst part of it." She snapped back. "You being Captain means that it's an even bigger problem. If you're in charge of this tent and you're in charge of us, then we're all in serious trouble."

"Trouble?" Hanako cast her companion a startled look. "What do you mean, Shikibu-san? Why trouble?"

"Aside from the fact Kyouraku Shunsui is probably the biggest pervert in our year?" Naoko demanded, and Shunsui let out a chuckle at Hanako's expression of growing horror.

"Now now, Naoko-chan. That's not a very respectful way to talk about your Captain." He said lightly.

"Well, there are a lot of things I could say about you being our Captain, so be glad I left it at that." Naoko snapped. "Ever since the first year, you've used every opportunity you could to flirt with and tease the girls in our class. Me in particular, but Mitsuki as well. You only leave Sora alone because she's almost your sister - otherwise you'd probably torment her, too. And I'm not bothered about sharing a tent with people like Houjou-kun and Shihouin-kun - since they might be idiot boys but at least they have a sense of honour where women are concerned. But you...are a totally different matter. And I don't think sharing a sleeping area with you is particularly safe!"

"Kyouraku." Iwai Kenji's eyes widened, and he glanced from the annoyed Naoko to the amused Shunsui in surprise. "Is that serious?"

"Nothing much about Shunsui is serious." Sora sighed, sending the irreverent Captain a glare. "But it's okay, Naoko. If this is Sensei's order, we have to put up with it. But Captain or not, I'll thwack him myself if he dares even think any lewd thoughts in the three weeks we're here."

"Three weeks." Naoko groaned, burying her head in her hands. "I'm not going to sleep a wink in the whole of that time, Sora-chan. It's fine for you - he doesn't deal with you in the same way he does us."

"Hey, that's a bit rough, Shikibu." Enishi objected, a grin touching his lips. "Sure, Kyouraku teases you - he teases everyone at some point or other, though. And even though he says stuff - it's not like he's groped you or anything like that, is it?"

"That's not the point." Naoko glared at him. "You shut up. You don't know anything about girls so don't think you understand about this, Houjou-kun."

"Houjou's right, though." Kai put in, as Enishi's cheeks flushed with colour at the put-down. "Kyouraku teases people, but he's not dishonourable. He's not going to assault anyone in their sleep - and you're overreacting."

He pursed his lips.

"Besides, Shikibu, this is just from my personal standpoint but...you're thinking of yourself a bit highly in all of this. No offence, but...there needs to be something to grope first, if you get my meaning."

"_Shihouin_!" As Naoko flushed bright scarlet, Sora let out an exclamation of dismay, and Shunsui bit his lip, trying not to laugh at the look of outrage that crossed the young girl's face.

"Kai-kun, that was a tad harsh." He chided, and Kai shrugged.

"I know it was." He said frankly. "But considering all the hysterical yelling that she's been doing since the subject was raised, I figured it was time someone shut her up."

He eyed Naoko for a moment, then,

"I'm pulling rank and telling you to pipe down." He added. "You're giving me a headache."

"Shihouin..." Naoko's eyes narrowed, and Kai frowned.

"Kyouraku's not going to molest anyone. He's not that kind of person, even if he does tease." He said quietly. "And I'm not the kind of Vice Captain that allows a lower seated officer to shout unfounded abuse at her Captain just because she got up on the wrong side of bed this morning. Maybe you'd have been happier in Ukitake's squad - maybe we'd have been happier too, if you'd been there. But you have far too high an opinion of yourself if you think that anyone is going to lose their self-control and mindlessly assault you in their sleep. You're pretty enough. But there are prettier. And we all have plenty of self control. We're not kids, after all."

"Ooouch." Atsudane Makoto, the final member of the Katai squad winced, shaking his head slowly.

"Shihouin..." Enishi eyed him for a moment, and Kai spread his hands.

"You can't tell me that you're not sick of her shooting her mouth off?" He demanded. "This is a squad exercise. It's not about pampered princesses putting themselves on pedestals. We're meant to work as a team. Let's start it _by_ working as a team, huh? At least wait till something happens before you start shouting about it. Right?"

"Kai, enough." Shunsui held up a hand at this point, his gaze flitting from the infuriated Naoko to the irritated Shihouin, and then he sighed.

"I'm sorry you have such a negative view of me, Naoko-chan." He said lightly. "But you have my word that I don't intend to molest you - or anyone else - in my sleep or in yours. We're sharing a tent because Sensei ordered it - not because I asked for it. So if you have a complaint, you'd better go raise it with him and not with me."

His gaze flitted to the other members of the group, then,

"Kai's right about one thing. This whole thing is meant to be a team exercise." He added. "So let's try not to kill each other before we begin, okay?"

Naoko's lips thinned, and she folded her arms across her chest in dissatisfaction, but she did not raise any further complaints, and Shunsui nodded.

"I didn't ask to be a Captain, either." He added. "So you people did draw the short straw in that regard. Juushirou's far better at this leadership thing than I am. But that's just the way it is, so for the time being I'm going to play along. After all, if it winds up as a competition, I don't think he'd forgive me if we took it easy against his squad. He has a habit of taking stuff like that quite seriously, after all."

He glanced at Kai.

"Most of all, though, we're here to have fun." He concluded. "Not to scream at each other. And to at least try to work together. I don't really mind if I fail the assignment - it doesn't really bother me if I'm top of the class or if I'm not. But I don't want to drag anyone else's grades into the mud, so I'm going to do my best with this and see how it works out. Sensei said we'd be graded on that kind of stuff - working together and all of those things. So even if some of you hate the sight of me,"

His gaze rested briefly on Naoko,

"For the time being, let's at least bury it and pretend to get along."

He sat back on his heels, a pensive expression touching his lips.

"We have the slight advantage, as well." He mused. "Strategically speaking."

"What does that mean?" Sora looked confused, and Shunsui offered her a lazy smile.

"Our position is better than Toutai's." He said off-handedly. "Surely you noticed, coming across here?"

"Noticed what?" Enishi blinked, and Shunsui laughed.

"Maybe I was the only one, then." He reflected. "Oh well. No matter."

He leant back, pushing open the flap of the tent and gesturing outside. "Look now. Out there. What do you see?"

"Fields and trees." Iwai shuffled forwards. "What's so great about that? It's just the land that's covered by Kazoe-sensei's barrier."

"Yeah. Exactly." Shunsui nodded. "We have a clear view of it - all of it - or very nearly. The mountains probably mark the furthest edge, and between here and there the tracks are quite easy to navigate, if I remember right. There's nothing blocking our view, though - if anything was to attack our position, we'd see it coming a mile off."

Atsudane's eyes widened.

"You're thinking of it as a fort already?" He demanded, and Shunsui shrugged, letting the flap fall back.

"I don't know, yet, what we're going to be called on to do." He admitted. "But it seems to me that a clear view and an easy passage down into the land below is an advantage. Toutai are on the far side of the field. The mess tent blocks their view at least partially, and to reach the easiest path they have to pass us by - which would allow us to keep tabs on their movements too, if we needed to. They could take the path on their own side, of course - but the ground is far less even there. So all in all, we have an advantage."

"Shunsui..." Sora sighed heavily, shaking her head, and Shunsui stared at her in surprise.

"Hm? What's up now, Sora-chan?"

"Nothing." Sora spread her hands. "Just, sometimes you're the world's biggest clown. And then you say stuff like that and the rest of us look like complete idiots for not having spotted it, even though no normal person would even have been looking."

"But I know this land a little, and so does Juu." Shunsui said comfortably. "When we had our adventure with the Hollow last summer, it wasn't far from here. And I took this route through when I was trying to track Megumi's reiatsu - so I know that the paths are like that. I also know, I think, where the spring and lake are that Sensei intends us to use for bathing."

"I know the land a little, too." Enishi admitted. "But only from coming through it by carriage. My family's land is a fair way from here, but we ride through it on my way home."

He grinned.

"Kyouraku's right about the lie of it." He added. "Now he's said it, I can see his point. We are better placed than Toutai."

"Ukitake will realise that quickly too, though, I would have thought." Kai looked thoughtful. "And we don't know, yet, if we're working with them or against."

"No. But it's best to have all options clearly visible from the start." Shunsui said casually. "Which means I suppose that we ought to get down to business in one way or another."

He got to his feet, gazing around the tent space pensively. Then,

"Atsudane, will you go to the mess tent and ask Sensei if we can have two more blankets, please?" He said softly, and Atsudane scrambled to his feet.

"More blankets? But we have one each - why two more?"

Shunsui gestured to the roof of the tent, which was supported at three points across with thin slats of wood.

"If we attached them to that back beam, they'd hang down and make a screen." He said simply. "And that way, at night, the girls would have privacy."

"Shunsui!" Sora's eyes opened wide, and Shunsui shrugged.

"I obviously don't have the trust of the women on my squad to behave decently." He said categorically. "So if that's the case, I'll have to work extra hard to gain it. Atsudane? If you please?"

"Yes, sir." Atsudane grinned, bowing his head and then scuttling out of the tent.

"Naoko-chan, since you're so concerned about your feminine privacy, you might as well go too. Go see about the bathing rota - if a girl settles it, then nobody can accuse me of anything. Right?"

"I..." Naoko flushed red, getting awkwardly to her feet, but Shunsui merely offered her a wide grin, gesturing to the tent flap once more. Naoko bit her lip, but said nothing, disappearing after her squad mate, and Shunsui nodded.

"I'm not an organised person." He said frankly. "And I won't have the master plans that Juu probably already has for organising his squad. We're going to need to deal with water and other supplies - does anyone want to take responsibility for that?"

"I'll do it, Kyouraku." Enishi raised his hand. "It's practical work, after all - lugging supplies and things like that should be done by someone physically strong, and I'm not going to be any use at writing reports or whatever that paper and ink is for."

"I'll do any writing that needs doing." Iwai volunteered. "I don't mind."

"Then that's settled." Shunsui offered him a grateful smile. "Kai's Vice Captain, so he already has a job, and Sora-chan, since you have a habit of knowing everything before anyone else, you seem the best person to be in charge of our communications. You're third seat, after all - that seems to fit."

"You could've said that in a much nicer way." Sora protested. "But it's fine. I'll do it."

"Which leaves Atsudane, Naoko-chan and Nakamura-san." Shunsui pursed his lips. "Naoko's an Unohana, so whether she likes it or not, she's going to take charge of any medical situations we have to deal with. Toutai have Mitsuki-chan, so we ought to have someone in the same field. Enishi, do you want someone to help you with the supplies? It might prove a big job, after all."

"I'll take Atsudane." Enishi said frankly, and Hanako's expression became indignant.

"What's wrong with me? I outrank him, you know!" She objected, and Enishi looked taken aback.

"I didn't mean it...I was just...the stuff might be heavy, and..."

"Nakamura-san, what would you like to do?" Shunsui asked lightly, and Hanako faltered in mid-complaint, eying him uncertaintly.

"Well...I don't know. I don't know what else there is for me to do, since everything seems to be settled already."

"Well, if we've two for supplies, that's plenty." Kai reflected. "Nakamura could help Sora, though - we might need more than one person running messages and collecting information. Right?"

"Nakamura-san is quite fast. And she does remember stuff in exceptionally small detail." Iwai looked rueful, even as Shunsui saw Sora's face fall. "I think that's a good idea, Kyouraku. She'd be good at that."

"Nakamura-san? Is that all right with you?" Shunsui asked, and Hanako frowned, slowly nodding her head.

"I suppose so."

"Then I guess that's settled." Shunsui grinned. "Oh, one other thing..."

He touched his _haori_, then,

"So long as Juu and I are wearing these, and Kai and Ryuu have their insignia and so on - we're meant to consider ourselves on duty. I don't know if we'll be marked down for it, but if we're out of this tent - try and remember to call us Taichou and Fukutaichou...? I don't mind, if it's just us in here. I don't really like the honorific anyway. But I know that it might reflect badly, otherwise. And I don't want anyone to get into trouble because I like informality."

He sighed heavily, then,

"I guess that's all I have to say right now." He admitted. "Kai-kun? Anything you want to add?"

"Not really." Kai shook his head. "Till we know what assignments we have, we can't do anything else really except set up in here and wait for nightfall. I guess there won't be any supplies for us to play with till then?"

"Didn't seem that way to me, when I left the main tent." Shunsui shook his head, looking faintly sheepish. "But it's a point. Enishi-kun - at dusk, I'm relying on you and Atsudane to head out there and see what's what. We'll want to eat tonight - and if we're allowed to set a fire, we need to know where and all of those things."

"How would we light it?" Hanako demanded, even as Enishi nodded his head, and at the question Sora snorted.

"Kidou, of course. Kidou." She said bluntly. "Shakkahou - right, Shu...Taichou?"

"That depends on whether we're allowed to." Shunsui said comfortably. "Though it would be easier, if we could."

He flexed his fingers.

"I guess we'll see. If we're allowed to, I'll take responsibility for lighting the fire. If not, Kai-kun, I'm delegating it to you."

"To me?" Kai looked startled. "Why?"

"You Shihouin train out of doors, right?" Shunsui pointed out. "You must know how to start a fire much more effectively than me."

"Maybe." Kai grimaced. "All right. Fine."

"Don't you mean 'Yes, Taichou?" Shunsui teased, and Kai returned the grin with a rueful one of his own, picking up his _asauchi_ and bopping his classmate once on the head with the sheath.

"Yes, Taichou." He said frankly. "Whatever you say."

"Assaulting a senior officer is a serious offence, you know, Shihouin-fukutaichou." Shunsui informed him sweetly, and Kai shrugged.

"I'll take the risk that you know if you discipline me you'll have nobody to delegate to." He said cheerfully, putting his sword away. "In the meantime, we're setting up in here, right? Then I'll show everyone how best to do that for this kind of camp - with your permission, of course, Taichou-sama."

He bowed his head, thick tail of violet hair falling over his shoulder, and Shunsui laughed.

"With pleasure, Fukutaichou-kun." He bantered back. "Don't forget that the back is going to be our hime's domain, either. At least I'm going to start on irreproachable moral ground - wherever the next three weeks might lead me!"

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_  
_Sorry for the late/haphazard review replies - have been in London till this morning and am just catching up!_

_And...Kai has finally come into his own. I don't know how people will react to him in this chapter, but it's been coming little by little since the start - this blunt, no-nonsense Shihouin-ness of his. I really am fond of Kai, but I guess we'll see if other people feel the same..._


	8. Yuuai

**Chapter Seven: Yuuai**

There was a freshness on the breeze that morning.

Keitarou slipped his hands absently into the loose pockets of his heavy grey cloak, sauntering idly down the uneven, craggy pathway. At the end of it, he knew, was a small village – neglected and impoverished both by its position and by the cruel landscape that yielded few crops no matter how resolutely its people ploughed and harvested. It was a small settlement of no more than a hundred people at the very most – and many, he knew, would walk right by it without seeing it, so shielded was it from view by the rough stone faces of District Seven's few minor peaks.

But Keitarou was not most people, and he very rarely let an opportunity pass him by.

He had first come across the village four years ago, he remembered, when looking for a safe place in which to hide both supplies and individuals during his work for Shouichi. Then he had not known Seimaru by more than just name, nor allied with him in quite the same all-encompassing way. Seimaru's father had been, Keitarou recalled, foolish and cautious both at once – reckless one minute and unyielding the next, and the scientist had felt it wise to have a bolt-hole well away from the manor house just in case the man's mercurial moods had turned against the Urahara.

His lips twitched into a faint, humourless smile at this.

In the end it had not been Seimaru's father who had provided the obstacle, but the man who had once welcomed them with open arms. Now the enemy was his former saviour – Endou Shouichi, head of District Seven.

_Well, Clan is fickle. I know that well enough not to be surprised by it. In the meantime, it just means that a little more caution has to come into play. _

He reached up a finger to touch his wavy hair.

_At least at first glance I'm not so easily identifiable as an Urahara, thanks to my mother's distant Kyouraku genes. Brown hair is far easier to hide in this place than blond – even pale brown, so I should be grateful for that. And the people here are loyal. They've benefited from their connections to the Urahara – they won't betray anyone because they know it will be betraying themselves._

"Keitarou-niisama!"

As he stepped over the last of the ruggedy track and into the village proper, an excited shriek made him pause, and he turned as a small, rag-clad blur flung itself on him, grasping at his sleeves with chubby, insistent fingers. At the greeting, Keitarou let out a low chuckle, gently disentangling the small child's grasp and holding her at arm's length.

"Have you missed my company that badly, Shikiki?" He asked lightly. "Or is it simply because your people are just hungry and hoping for help that you throw yourself on me like this?"

"You're mean." The child scrunched up her features, poking her tongue out at him. "You never come visit us now. It's been _ages_ since you last came here."

"Ah, I suppose it has." Keitarou eyed her keenly, taking in the youngster's appearance with a critical, careful eye.

To call her pretty would be a mistake, although there was something strong and resolute burning in the blue-green eyes as she glared indignantly up at him. She was not tall, but nor was she tiny, for despite the village's overt poverty, she had a thick, stocky young frame. At first glance, Keitarou reflected, it would be easy to think her well-fed – but he knew that despite her solid appearance, her nails were thin and patched with the signs of neglect and malnutrition.

She was robed in the roughest of peasant dress, ripped and worn from constantly being washed in the quick-running and rock-filled stream that trickled at the back of the settlement during most of the year. Yet, as he idly rested his hand on her head, Keitarou realised that of all of his acquaintances, this child was one of the few who had never been afraid of him.

_Childish innocence goes quite far, it seems, when you offer a simple helping hand._

"I've had some trouble come my way, I suppose you'd say." He told her now, patting her head absently. "And that's why I haven't been able to come here as often as I did before. But I came here to speak to my kinsfolk – I'm afraid I don't have time to play games with you today."

"You don't?" Shikiki looked disappointed, a melancholy expression touching her chubby face as she gazed at him. "But I've been working super extra hard since the last time you came. You promised me, Keitarou-nii…that if I did, next time, you would take me with you when you went away. Are you going to break your promise…?"

Keitarou sighed, shaking his head as he remembered the conversation to which the child had alluded.

_So I did promise, but now things have changed. Much as I want to take you from here and use you to the best of your abilities – right now I have enough to do to guard my own interests._

"For now, I want you to stay here." He said firmly. "I'm glad you've been working hard, but right now this is the safest place for you to be."

At the child's crestfallen expression, he crouched at her level, meeting her gaze with his sombre one.

"You know that your talent makes you special." He said softly. "And I've told you before that of everyone in this village, you are the one who I want most by my side. I will not break my promise, and I will not abandon you. Haven't I made sure, for the past four years, that this village remains unmolested despite the high amount of spiritual power that flickers amongst its people? You should trust me, Shikiki. I'm the only one in whom you can, after all – there is nobody else in District Seven who would protect people like you in the current climate."

"I know that." Shikiki's voice became small and faintly plaintive. "But I miss you, Kei-nii. I want to be with you and help you and do all the amazing things you said I could do, if I came and worked with you. Everyone else has a family, but I don't have one. I only have Kei-nii and Dai-nii…and I don't like it when you go away."

"I don't like it either, believe me." Keitarou's expression became rueful. "My life has been a lot too complicated in recent months and it becomes draining after a while, having to think ahead of so many potential pitfalls. But at the moment, people from my family are in danger here, too. If you were to come with me, you might get hurt – and I promised, didn't I? I wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

"Yes, but…"

"You trust me, don't you, Shikiki?" Keitarou asked softly, and Shikiki sighed, clasping her fingers together tightly as she nodded her head. As her grip tightened, Keitarou felt a flicker of spiritual magic dance against her skin even at this faint, insignificant movement and inwardly his heart leapt, as he realised the child had been telling him the truth.

_So she has been working at it. I see. Perhaps the timing is bad – perhaps it could not be better. Whichever is the case, I don't know how much longer I can leave her here. Hidden she may be now, but as her strength grows…I will not allow this one to become one of Shouichi's martyrs. She's mine and has been from the moment I saw her. I will have to take steps to ensure that nobody else can intervene before I've brought her to her full potential._

"Keitarou."

A man stepped out from one of the ramshackle houses at that point, bowing his head towards the scientist with a faint, rueful smile on his worn features. He wore a heavy hood and cloak, but straggling threads of straw-blond hair gave away his true bloodline as a member of the exiled Urahara, and at the sight of him, Keitarou's lips twitched into a proper smile.

Of all the Urahara in hiding in District Seven, this was the one he trusted most of all. As cousins, both had lost their fathers in the bloodbath in District Three – and as cousins, they had bonded and worked together ever since. Keitarou knew that most of the puppet strings were in his hands, but even so, behind the scenes he had always had Daisuke. And although his spiritual talents were not in Keitarou's league, his sharp brain and absolute loyalty made him an ally that was, in all senses, indispensable.

"Well, so you are still here, after all, Daisuke." Keitarou remarked now. "You haven't fled this place, then? Even though Shouichi-sama has decided we're no longer worth his time or protection?"

"I waited for your message, as I said I would." The man shook his head. "But the others are all gone. I saw to it myself, just as you told me. My wife and sons have fled for the border of District Eight two days ago and I pray that they managed to reach it without interception. There is only me here, now…and, of course, the few remaining village people who are willing to risk their safety to shield me."

"This village is loyal, even where Lords are not." Keitarou said simply, glancing down at the eager Shikiki as he did so. "Very well. Then you have information for me? To stay here even in light of such danger, you must have something to tell me."

"Mm. Something, I suppose." The man nodded, slipping his hand into his _obi_ and pulling out a folded piece of parchment. "Here."

Keitarou took the sheet, unfolding it and gazing at the contents. At length he smiled, nodding his head approvingly.

"You've done well. And this is a full list? All of the people hereabouts with high spirit power that Shouichi-sama has failed to locate?"

"Yes. As promised, I've done my job properly." The other man inclined his head slightly. "After all, that's why you sent me here…to find people to continue your work – didn't you?"

"I did." Keitarou agreed, nodding his head. "And it's surprising what poor families will accept in the way of trade for their relatives when money is tight and food is scarce."

"Very true." Daisuke's expression became serious. "In this climate, too, most families would sooner sell a powerful relative to your science and make some financial gain from it than risk them being found and slaughtered indiscriminately – and them too by association. Many have fled over the border to the Kyouraku and so subjects for your experiments are not as easy to come by as they were before. But even so, Keitarou – there are still families willing to sell their blood to feed themselves over the harsher months."

"Well, that is the nature of men, Daisuke." Keitarou said frankly, a faint flicker of coldness in his pale brown eyes. "They sell each other to improve their own lot. Do we not do the same? Where the Endou-ke is concerned – haven't we always acted that way?"

"And now they act against us." Daisuke said darkly. "Yes, I suppose you're right. But you shouldn't ever doubt my loyalty that way, Keitarou. I may betray everyone and anyone else I come into contact with – but I don't betray the kin who were betrayed alongside me, all those years ago."

"I know that. Better than anyone else, I know that." Keitarou nodded his head, indicating Shikiki. "That's why I entrusted this one to you to keep an eye on. I don't want anyone else taking her anywhere – her gift is a special one, and I intend to teach her fully how to use it."

"Is my magic special, Keitarou-nii?" Shikiki asked him, her eyes wide with curiosity, and Keitarou smiled.

"Very special. And unique. Like nothing I have ever found before." He agreed, ruffling her tousled wavy hair with his fingers as he did so. "Do as I say, Shikiki, and I will make sure you grow into someone who will never be hurt or downtrodden in any way again. The power that you have is a very important one…and I want to make sure you learn completely how to use it."

"Then can I come with you, Keitarou-nii?" Shikiki looked hopeful, and Keitarou nodded.

"For now, I have work I need to do." He agreed. "Daisuke's list is just as urgent and I have to act quickly if I'm to find the right people to help me in my current study. But I haven't forgotten my promise to you, Shikiki. Trust in my word. I will not break it."

Daisuke eyed his cousin for a moment, then,

"I will stay here." He said quietly. "In case you have further need for me."

"No…you should leave District Seven now." Keitarou shook his head. "Your usefulness ends with this list, Daisuke – you're now a target and I don't want to see you killed. Follow Irie and the children - and go."

"Careful, now. You almost sounded sentimental, then." Daisuke sounded amused. "But it's all right. Don't worry about me. I'll stain my hair black and cut it short – and I'll keep out of the limelight. Irie knows, after all. She realises that there's danger in me staying - if something happens, she'll understand and do the best where the boys are concerned. I can't let go of this any more than you can - more than anyone else, Irie knows that. You shouldn't be left to tackle the Endou-ke alone – not now Shouichi-dono has his armies out hunting the Urahara down. If he finds you…captures you…then it's over. We all know that. If you're caught…then we're all done for. ."

"I don't think there's a chance of me being caught that easily." A calculating look crossed Keitarou's face, and he shook his head. "For a start, Endou Shouichi may have betrayed us, but Endou Seimaru's greed is malleable and I can continue to work with it. That being the case, I have an alliance I intend to exploit so far as I can to finish Father's work and perfect the Reidoku into what it was originally meant to be. Whilst that potential exists – I don't think Seimaru will let me die."

He shrugged.

"And besides, I wouldn't let that old fool kill me, either." He said dismissively. "He is not my equal, Daisuke. Remember that now."

"I'll remember it, but I'd find it easier to believe if you knew how to fight with a sword." Daisuke looked doubtful. "I trust your sense and your skill, Kei – but even so…"

"You can trust me, then, to survive." Keitarou cut across him.

"Does someone want to kill you, Keitarou-nii?" Shikiki asked anxiously, and Keitarou nodded.

"Yes, but you shouldn't worry about it. Since I was four years old, that's been the case. I've lived this long in this world – I'm not going to leave it just at the moment."

"You can believe him, Shikiki." Daisuke assured her. "Keitarou has the luck of the devil – or maybe he is half one. Sometimes I wonder. Either way…"

"Either way, for the time being I have confidence in my ability to keep going." Keitarou said simply. "But I won't meet with you again, Daisuke. I'll contact you by Hell Butterfly if I need to pass on any instruction – your being in my company for the time being could put both of us in difficult situations."

"All right." Daisuke nodded. "And the girl?"

"Keep Shikiki with you." Keitarou decided. "I'll send for her when I'm ready."

"Keitarou-nii…" Shikiki looked crestfallen, and Keitarou shook his head.

"Do as I tell you and everything will be fine." He said quietly. "I will keep my word. Believe in me."

Shikiki nodded defeatedly.

"I understand." She said softly. "I'll do as you and Daisuke say and I'll keep practicing my spell."

"Yes. You do that. It's the best thing you can do." Keitarou agreed. "Until the next time we see each other. Now run along, all right? I wish to speak to my kinsman alone for a moment, since I won't see him again for some time."

"All right." Shikiki sighed heavily, but obediently trotted off back up towards the centre of the village, and Daisuke frowned, taking his companion by the arm and leading him across to a more sheltered part of the track.

"Are you serious about training that child? She has talent, true enough, but if you were to be detected…"

"Shikiki has a unique power and as an Urahara it makes me curious." Keitarou smiled. "I think she will be useful to me, so I intend on making myself useful to her, too."

"I know that, but even so…in this climate…"

"Seimaru-sama has expressed the wish to remove his Grandfather from the family equation." Keitarou said softly. "Right now, I am working hard towards helping him achieve that end. I am also continuing my studies in Reidoku – and I will complete them with his support and his help. You realise, don't you, what potential that would create? To finally have a solution to boost weak _reiryoku_ – to bring out true potential and even up the disparities between individuals? Where would that put us, then, to hold that power in our hands? I will use it and I will make Seimaru head of the Endou-ke. I will use him as my chief test subject, and I will strengthen his position to a place where nobody can break it down. It may take time, but time is something that I have plenty of. When I do so, everyone will see what Father was trying to do, all those years ago. And those who betrayed our people will be forced to swallow the bitter pill – that now that power they could have embraced will be used to overthrow and destroy them…their naivety and betrayal will trample them all in the dust."

"As usual, your fanaticism breeds dangerous ambition." Daisuke sighed. "Are you sure that's wise? To take on the Endou-ke…?"

"I am not taking on anyone. Shouichi-sama is an old man, and can be removed." Keitarou said simply. "Seimaru is eager and open to my ideas. I am sure, with a few more tests, I will stabilise Reidoku to a point where it can be administered more or less safely – at least, in regulated doses."

"Regulated…" Daisuke's brows knitted together. "In order to keep him dependent on your help in the future?"

"This is the start of it. Only the start." Keitarou shrugged. "Killing one old Clansman and experimenting on a young and foolish one are only first steps, really."

"You intend to take on the Urahara-ke – don't you?" Daisuke's eyes widened, and Keitarou smiled humourlessly.

"With Seimaru's help, I believe I can take on all of Seireitei." He said blithely. "And lay waste to the hierarchy and infrastructure that destroyed our lives and our families. It isn't just the Urahara-ke who are guilty of spilling innocent blood – all the Clans had a hand in it."

"And the girl?" Daisuke's brows knitted together. "Shikiki – she'll be a part of this?"

"Shikiki's power is an invaluable one to a scientist when working on limited materials." Keitarou said matter-of-factly. "And young and naïve as she is, I have won her loyalty and therefore her acceptance. Her spells are immature yet, but they are strengthening each time I come here. I picked out potential in her when she was just four years old, after all. In the four years since, she has come on in leaps and bounds even without my intensive training program to fall back on. Don't underestimate the power of that little one, Daisuke. Shouichi and Seimaru have no use for her. Better she belongs to us."

"When you put it that way, perhaps you're right." Daisuke sighed. "All right. I'll do as you say and take her with me. And I'll do my best not to get caught. So you do the same, all right? I expect to speak to you again, after all."

"You have my guarantee." Keitarou agreed solemnly. "But for now, I must go. I have to track down these individuals you've identified and negotiate with their loved ones a price for their souls. My experiments need them, after all – I have to find them before Shouichi eliminates them completely."

"District children with high spiritual power, huh." Daisuke rubbed his chin. "They're certainly becoming scarce in District Seven."

"Yes, in District Seven." Keitarou nodded. "But there are Eight Districts, Daisuke. Don't worry. I have it all in hand."

He slid the list of names into his _obi_, then,

"Right now I can be indiscriminate with who I take, but as I perfect my solution, I will need more and more specific types of individual on whom to experiment." He added. "So keep your eyes and ears open for me. If you hear about anything – I want to know."

"Understood." Daisuke bowed his head. "As ever, Keitarou – you can rely on me."

With that he withdrew back towards the village, and Keitarou's lips thinned as he watched his cousin go.

_Yes, I know. Of all people, probably you are the only one in whom I have complete trust. Stay safe, Daisuke. Do your duty and meet with me again. Of all the unforgivable crimes committed against my people of late – I would find it hardest of all to overlook the taking of your life, after all._

He turned on his heel, making his way slowly back up the way he had come.

_For now, though, I have work to do. Time is ticking…Seimaru is impatient. And for the time being, I need to pander to that impatience. I need him to see me taking action – so the sooner I snare some of these gifted people, the better!_

* * *

Juushirou pushed back the flaps of the tent, gazing out at the dew-drenched landscape that stretched out before him in the early morning gloom. On the horizon, the first vague rays of morning sunlight were beginning to creep across the ground, little by little bringing light into the campsite, and a faint smile touched Juushirou's lips as he realised that their first full day of camp was about to begin.

In a short while, he knew, he would have to raise his companions and see that each of them was ready and dressed before breakfast was served. His duty as Captain would begin the moment the sun was fully in the sky – but for that moment he was simply revelling in the fresh air and clear atmosphere that the District One terrain had to offer.

It was fortunate, he mused absently, that he had sent Kira to arrange bathing schedules the night before. As he had suspected from their trip across the districts together at the start of term, the skittish neighbour whose spiritual power paled in comparison to his Clan peers had a genuine gift for absorbing and relaying important information. He had returned to the tent excited and flustered with the news that there would be an impromptu inspection of the squad first thing that morning – and as a result, Juushirou had primed his companions as well as possible, knowing that this was likely to be just the first test of many.

_Sensei left the clue there for us to find, I'm sure. Kira's done his job in finding and relaying that information back to us. As Captain, I'm not going to let the side down._

Stifling a yawn, he stretched his hands over his head, turning his attention back towards the sleeping inhabitants of Toutai's tent. In the end, he reasoned, there had proven to be plenty of room for all of them, and as a result the two girls had managed to claim a corner for themselves without any risk of awkwardness. Juushirou had been relieved by the way all of his companions had agreed to the sleeping arrangements without incident, and he sighed now, folding his arms across his chest as he wondered whether this was luck or good judgement on his own part.

"You appear to have risen early this morning, Taichou."

A voice made him start, and he turned, seeing Ryuu sitting up, unusually tousled black hair straggling over his shoulders as he rubbed his eyes free of the night's lingering sleep. "You should have woken me sooner – surely it must be time to raise everyone else."

"I was about to start thinking about that." Juushirou nodded his head. "Just, the morning is clear and fresh, and I liked the feel of being out here in the open air. I've never done it, you know – slept out in a tent before like this. So it's a sort of a novelty for me."

"I have never done so, either." Ryuu's expression became one of censure. "It is not, after all, the normal province of Clan to spend time in such basic accommodation."

"Does it bother you?" Juushirou looked surprised, and Ryuu sighed, shaking his head.

"I am training to become a Gotei warrior, and therefore must endure hardship to attain that goal." He said quietly. "I am not used to such an environment, but I am capable of bearing it for the greater good of my training. My Uncle would be most cross, after all, if he thought I had become a coward and run away from my duties simply because I was unused to them."

"I suppose that was a silly question, then, wasn't it?" Juushirou looked rueful. "I'm sorry, Ryuu-kun. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Your ignorance does not offend me." Ryuu got to his feet, reaching for the Vice Captain's armband as he did so. "You are, after all, different from us and there are things even now I do not expect you to fully understand."

He smiled, despite the dismissive harshness of his words, and Juushirou returned the smile with a grin.

From anyone else, he reflected, such words might be considered offensive or patronising. But Ryuu was Ryuu, and Juushirou knew only too well by now that however badly his Kuchiki-ke classmate may phrase things, there was very seldom any true malice meant in his words. On the contrary, Juushirou knew that Ryuu was fiercely loyal behind his often stiff and awkward front, and once more he counted his lucky stars that the young Kuchiki had been chosen as his second-in-command.

"You're right. There are still a lot of things I'm not used to." He agreed frankly now. "But I intend to do my best, Ryuu-kun. I don't want to let anyone down."

"Well, naturally." Ryuu shrugged his shoulders, as though his companion had said something obvious. "You have Kuchiki blood, therefore you have pride in your work. It is quite natural you should feel that way. Like me, you put your duty first."

"I suppose that's true." Juushirou agreed. "And speaking of which, we need to be getting people up. If Kira is right about there being an inspection first thing…"

"Yes. We cannot risk assuming he heard mistakenly." Ryuu's expression became serious, and he pulled on his armband. "It would not do to take a black mark so early in our assignment."

"Exactly." Juushirou nodded. "Ryuu-kun, will you wake Edogawa-san and Saitani-san for me? I'll raise everyone else."

"_I_…should raise the girls?" Ryuu looked startled despite himself, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"If you don't mind." He agreed. "Edogawa-san is your cousin, after all – and Saitani-san is a Clan hime, even if she seems quite down to earth. I don't know yet whether or not these things will matter - so it seems more appropriate that you do it than me."

"I see." Ryuu's brows knitted together as he considered this, then he nodded. "Yes, I see your point. Very well. I suppose your words make sense. I will do as you suggest."

He paused, then,

"Although even born of the Districts, you have honour." He added. "I am sure both Mitsuki and Saitani know that you are not the kind of Captain that would cause them unnecessary awkwardness."

At the boy's expression, Juushirou laughed.

"Unlike Shunsui?" He teased, and Ryuu shrugged his shoulders.

"I am much happier being your Vice Captain than I would be being his." He said evenly. "Kyouraku is undeniably a talented student and he scores highly on assessments and exams. But he is lazy, indolent and frequently lacking in basic manners and respect towards those around him. I have learnt to overlook such things since first we met – but I would be very frustrated if I had to respond to his orders as opposed to working with yours."

"Even though he's Clan and I'm District?"

"Ukitake, if I did not know your bloodlines, I would consider you the other way about." Ryuu said frankly. "You behave far more like a man of Clan honour than Kyouraku ever has – or probably ever will. Much as I consider him my ally – I feel some amount of sympathy for Tokutarou-sama that that is the best he can find in terms of an heir."

"Shunsui's just Shunsui. He's unique. There's no other way of putting it." Juushirou picked up the black _haori_, shaking it out to get rid of stray leaf litter before slipping it over his loose night robes. "And now, I'm on duty and so should you be. I'm leaving the girls to you, Ryuu-kun. Let's make sure we're dressed and ready to go just in case someone comes to peer at us before they let us eat."

Within a half an hour, thanks to Ryuu's chivvying and Juushirou's gentle reminders about a potential inspection, the eight members of Toutai were all dressed and ready for the day ahead. Not that it had been an easy or an immediate thing to haul six fellow students from their beds so early in the morning. Aki was still stifling yawns behind his hand even now, and a hurried hunt around the tent for Hirata's glasses had resulted in the young boy's _hakama_ becoming coated with specks of dry earth dust. Kamitani had promptly volunteered to help him get the marks off, and had proceeded to dust his legs down with much enthusiasm and mixed success – and as a result it was a slightly battered, dazed and still faintly dusty Hirata that scrambled into the line for breakfast.

Still, they had succeeded in getting ready before the gong had sounded to summon them to the mess hall. Inwardly Juushirou was proud of this fact, very conscious of the black _haori_ flittering across his shoulders as he pushed back the tent flap, gesturing for his companions to follow him out into the morning sunshine.

"Good morning, Ukitake-taichou."

Kazoe's voice caused him to stop dead, hurriedly turning and offering a hasty salute as he felt the remainder of his companions scramble and scurry to stand in a straighter line.

"Kazoe-sensei!"

At their reaction, Kazoe smiled faintly, his eyes glittering behind his glasses.

"I believe for the duration of this exercise, whether it be Genryuusai-sensei or I, you are to consider us 'Sou-taichou'." He said lightly, and Juushirou bit his lip, realising that the older man was right. "Attempt to remember that fact – we are on a Gotei exercise, not a classroom one after all."

"Yes, Sou-taichou. I'm sorry." Juushirou murmured, and Kazoe nodded.

"Toutai are up and ready early, I see." He said frankly, his gaze flitting from individual to individual as he passed down the line. "All properly dressed and presentable, ready for this morning's activities. Very convenient of you. Almost as if you expected an inspection first thing this morning."

He paused, eying Hirata for a moment, then,

"Endou, you have dust on your _hakama_." He observed, reaching his thin cane across to tap it against the young boy's right leg. "For this morning I'll let it go, but I expect you to present more cleanly the next time I come to inspect you. Remember, you are Toutai's Third Seat. Therefore you have five subordinate officers for whom you should be setting a positive example. Understood?"

"Y…yes, Kazoe-Soutaichou."

Hirata reddened, exchanging looks with Kamitani, who offered him a resigned, faintly sheepish grin.

"Ukitake, you may take your squad to the mess hall and arrange for breakfast to be served to them." Kazoe turned his attention back to the apprehensive Captain. "Food is basic rations, but we do not expect it to be wasted. Once all your squad has finished eating, you may send a messenger to me and I will give them instructions for the remainder of the day. It is also your responsibility to see that your tent is secure and your belongings safely stowed before you embark on any duty I might give you. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Juushirou swallowed hard, managing another salute, and Kazoe smiled faintly.

"Toutai are therefore dismissed." He said softly. "For this morning, you have passed my inspection."

"Yes sir. Thank you." Juushirou bowed his head, and as his companions followed suit, Kazoe's smile widened. He gestured towards the mess tent, before heading off towards Katai's sleeping quarters with a resolute spring to his stride.

"I wonder if Kyouraku will get a scolding for not being up and about early." Kamitani murmured once the teacher was out of earshot, and Juushirou shrugged.

"Shunsui is the worst person I know at early starts." He reflected. "Kai-kun has his work cut out for him, that's for sure."

"Kyouraku-taichou. Shihouin-fukutaichou." Ryuu hissed, sending Juushirou a glare. "We are on duty, and outside the tent. Nobody may hear us, but even so…"

"You're right." Juushirou sent his companion an apologetic look. "It's easy to build bad habits and we're meant to be taking this authority thing seriously."

"I guess that goes for me too." Kamitani bowed his head slightly in Ryuu's direction. "My apologies, Kuchiki-fukutaichou. It was an oversight and it won't happen again."

"For now, we should see about breakfast." Somewhat mollified by this, Ryuu shrugged his shoulders. "Even if rations are basic, there is something in fresh air that sparks an appetite and we did a lot of walking yesterday."

"Kira, we've you to thank for the advance warning about the inspection." Juushirou shot the startled Kira a warm grin. "That was good work."

"Thank you, Ukitake-taichou." Kira reddened, beaming at the praise. "I just like to pay attention to things. That's all. And I think…Sen…Sou-taichou _wanted_ us to hear them, so I thought it would be okay to pass the message on."

"They were testing us, huh?" Aki frowned. "We're really going to be on our toes a lot while we're here, aren't we?"

"We are, and we need to make sure we're equal to it." Juushirou said firmly, stepping into the mess tent and glancing around them. There was nobody within, but a large cooking vessel stood on a stone plinth at the front of the room, with a pile of ceramic bowls and wooden spoons on a separate shelf beside it. There was steam coming from the vessel, and as Juushirou drew closer, he could see that it was full of a thick, rice porridge, a large ladle-like serving implement balanced tentatively against the pot's wide rim. Behind it was a similarly large vessel set up over a still flickering fire, and from the smell, Juushirou realised that this was filled with tea.

"Does anybody see any tea mugs?" He asked. "We've porridge and tea but…I only see bowls and spoons."

"Maybe we're meant to use the bowls for the tea and the porridge. Like chazuke." Kamitani suggested, and Juushirou frowned.

"Last night we had tea mugs." He said, shaking his head. "Yesterday morning, too. They were out and clearly labelled in groups for each squad."

"Ukitake-taichou's right." Mitsuki murmured. "Fujiwara-kun went and fetched them especially."

"Yes, I did." Aki agreed. "Carrying them all across to our tent last night was a nightmare – I almost fell flat on my face once or twice trying to juggle all eight of them at once. Awkward, annoying things."

"Well, last night they couldn't have been easier to find." Juushirou sighed. "I find it strange…now they're not. Surely they must be here somewhere."

He looked pensive for a moment, then,

"Kuchiki, will you see to making sure everyone has a serving of rice porridge?" He said at length. "I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to look and see if I can find the mugs."

"What about your breakfast, Taichou?" Ryuu looked startled, and Juushirou shrugged.

"I'll see to it when I get back. I won't be long." He responded.

"But if Katai get here, they might eat all of it before you do." Aki pointed out. Juushirou grinned.

"Maybe. But I know how Shunsui is in the morning. And if they've Sou-taichou's attention, they won't be here for a little while. It'll be fine. You begin. Kuchiki is in charge. I'll be right back."

With that he ducked back out of the tent, glancing around him for any sign of the missing vessels.

_Kamitani is right. We could drink tea from the bowls or make proper chazuke with it, and maybe that is what we're supposed to do. But even so, I know we had proper vessels last night…so if we had them then, where are they now?_

He pushed back the overhanging branch of a tree, stepping beyond it and gazing around him at the unevenly strewn rocks, boulders and fern matter that covered the forest floor. To delve too deep into the trees would be a mistake, he knew – but even so, the missing vessels nagged at the back of his mind.

_This may be me being paranoid, but I can't help but thinking they're missing on purpose. And if they're missing on purpose, it's because we're meant to notice their absence and look for them. At least, either that or I'm thinking way too much into this. But why give us something one day and label it so clearly then…but take it away the next day without leaving a clue or a trace? True enough, rations and resources can change and run out, but…_

"You've walked some way from the mess tent, Ukitake."

A voice from the path ahead startled him, and he paused, gazing around him hastily for any sign of the speaker.

"M…Minabe-sensei?"

"Your wits are about you, even if your sense of direction is not." Minabe emerged from the trees, an amused look on her harsh features. "Well? Why are you here? You are, I think, supposed to be eating breakfast?"

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't realise…Minabe-sensei…was here too." Juushirou gathered his wits, and Minabe let out a chuckle.

"That's because I'm not." She said simply. "I'm here to carry out an errand…that is all. But you haven't answered my question, boy – what brings you into the forest and away from your squad?"

"I'm looking for the missing tea mugs, Sensei." Even as he said it, Juushirou realised how stupid he sounded, and Minabe's eyes twinkled with mirth, her humour as terrifying as ever as she thumped heavy hands down on his unsuspecting shoulders.

"Ah." She said softly. "So you're missing mugs, are you? And such a thing is worth leaving your subordinates unprotected – because you can't drink your tea from a bowl?"

Juushirou faltered for a moment, then he shook his head.

"No, Sensei. That's not it." He said firmly. "Kuchiki-fukutaichou is in charge and I trust him…I trust him to make sure everyone has their breakfast while I'm not there. And it's not that I mind if we don't have tea mugs. It's just…they were there yesterday, and now they're gone. And I think…well…that it's strange that they should be, since nobody but us is here."

"I see." Minabe's eyes narrowed and she took a step back from him, eying the student pensively. Then she nodded.

"Missing tea mugs are not the be all and end all of a Gotei assignment." She reflected. "But noticing that something is not as it should be is a good trait for a Captain to have."

"Sensei?" Juushirou eyed her doubtfully.

"I came to bring a message to Kazoe." Minabe lifted one meaty fist, slipping her fingers into her_ obi_ and pulling out a folded sheet of parchment. "It's from Genryuusai-sensei and it's of some importance. Since you're here, you can take it to him for me. I have to hurry back – the first years will be waiting and I will not be late for their class."

"Yes, Sensei." Juushirou agreed, taking the folded sheet hesitantly. "But…Sensei…about the tea mugs…?"

"When you're on manoeuvre, the loss of supplies is sometimes the least and sometimes the most of your problems." Minabe said frankly. "Go back to your squad and report the loss through the normal channels. This forest is within a barrier – but on a normal manoeuvre it would not be. Do you understand?"

"Y…yes, Sensei." Juushirou bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I'll take your message – and…thank you for the advice."

Without waiting for the teacher to answer, he turned on his heel, hurrying back the way he had come.

Had he looked around, he would have seen the look of approval cross the Ouyoudou teacher's face as she folded her thick arms across her chest, leaning up against the trunk of a nearby old tree as she watched him disappear back towards the campsite.

However, he did not. Instead he reached the campsite as Katai were emerging from their tent, an amused Shunsui sauntering alongside them as they made their way to the mess tent. Kazoe was not far behind them, and at the sight of the Kidou teacher, he darted forward, bowing his head as he hurried to intercept them.

"Sou-taichou…I mean…Sensei…I mean…" He faltered, suddenly confused, and Kazoe shot him a startled look.

"Ukitake? Didn't Toutai already go for breakfast? There isn't time to waste running around out here."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir." Juushirou reddened, bowing his head once more. "But…I…Minabe-sensei asked me to…"

"Minabe?" Kazoe's brows drew together, and he frowned. "Ukitake, what are you talking about? Where would you have seen Minabe? Nobody should be in the mess tent other than your fellows, and…"

"There were no tea mugs." Juushirou blurted out, and this surprising announcement caused the nearby members of Katai to stop in their walk to the mess tent, eying their rival Captain with a mixture of confusion and surprise.

"Tea mugs?" Enishi's eyebrows shot up. "Ukitake…why are you outside yelling about tea mugs? Are you running a fever? You sound half crazy."

"_Ukitake-taichou_, Houjou." Before Kazoe could say a word, Kai had tapped his tall classmate gently on the back of the head with his sheathed _asauchi_, sending him a warning glance. "We're on duty and in rank…in front of Kazoe-soutaichou. Mind your manners, huh?"

"Whoops." Enishi looked sheepish. "Sorry. I guess I forgot."

"I suppose someone shouting about tea mugs at the crack of dawn is enough to make anyone forget their place." Shunsui mused, and Juushirou reddened even further, shaking his head.

"Toutai went to the mess hall, and there was tea and rice porridge but only bowls, no tea mugs." He said slowly. "I thought it was strange that they'd disappeared…because yesterday…"

"Yesterday we had tea mugs." Shunsui frowned. "In nice little piles, too, come to think of it. Sou-taichou, is confiscating them part of our training too? Because J…Ukitake is going to run riot around this place looking for them if not…he's got that look in his eye."

"So far as I know, they've not been 'confiscated'." Kazoe said firmly. "Whether or not they are in the mess tent, however…seems a trifling matter indeed."

He glanced at Juushirou for a moment, then,

"And Minabe? How does she come to be involved in this?"

"Oh. Yes." Juushirou nodded, holding out the folded sheet of parchment. "I was looking for the mugs and I met Minabe-sensei. She said she'd brought an important message for you from Genryuusai-sensei – and I was to give it to you right away."

"A message?" Kazoe's eyes widened in surprise, and he took the sheet, unfolding it carefully and glancing at its contents. Then he smiled, nodding his head.

"I see." He murmured. "Well, if that's the case, so be it. Ukitake, return to Toutai. Your mission has been decided. Kyouraku, you and Shihouin see to feeding your troops – I will speak with you shortly about what will happen for the rest of today."

"Our…mission?" Juushirou stared, and Kazoe nodded.

"Are Toutai going to be charged with finding the missing tea mugs, Sou-taichou?" Sora asked cheekily, and Kazoe shook his head.

"The tea mugs were removed last night on Genryuusai-sensei's orders, it seems." He reflected. "Even I did not know about this – though he did tell me to expect things to change at a moment's notice."

"They were…but…why?" Naoko looked bewildered, and Kazoe shrugged.

"To see if anyone noticed they were missing." He said simply.

Juushirou's eyes became huge at this.

"You mean…it was done…so that I…and Minabe-sensei…?"

"Please finish one sentence before starting another, Ukitake." Kazoe scolded lightly. "If you pick up that habit, you'll find it afflicting your ability to cast good Kidou spells, and that I will find completely inexcusable."

"But…"

"Taking the tea mugs was an exercise in observation." Kazoe said frankly. "Just as yesterday, your people picked up the hints about an inspection – today you've picked up on this, too. Something missing might indicate that someone or something has infiltrated your camp, and as a result, that a new danger might have shown itself to you. By being aware of what's going on around you, those dangers can be minimised. That is the message Minabe-sensei was sent to bring me."

"Then…that was part of our mission?" Hanako asked faintly. "To spot that tea mugs were missing?"

"Things that go missing during a mission might not be as simple as tea mugs, Nakamura. They might be as significant as important documents, mapping devices – or, most of all, a comrade in arms." Kazoe said soberly. "If you cannot notice minor changes, you may not be able to stem the damage until it becomes a major problem. Ukitake's squad have proven they have powers of observation by noticing that something which was there last night is not there now. Therefore they have overcome this challenge."

"Not the squad, Sou-taichou. Ukitake-taichou." Iwai pointed out, and Kazoe shook his head.

"A Captain is his squad. Ukitake represents Toutai." He said evenly. "Ukitake, you may rejoin your comrades. Make sure you make a good meal of it - when Toutai have finished eating, I wish you to assemble by the forestland at the rear of the camp. Be prompt and ready with _asauchi_ and be sure that at least one member – preferably more than one - carries a map. I am going to send you into the forest today, to complete an errand Genryuusai-sensei has apparently planned out for you to do."

He glanced at Shunsui, then,

"The contents of the mission are secret. I will tell you the rest when you are all assembled." He added. "For now, you are all dismissed."

"Then what are Katai to do today, Sou-taichou?" Kai asked, startled. "We haven't got so far as the mess tent yet – are we going to be penalised because of that fact?"

"Toutai knew there would be an inspection, therefore rose early. By rising early, they had a quicker chance to see the change, and act on it. Because of that fact, Ukitake was able to meet with Minabe-sensei before she had to return to school to carry out her other duties." Kazoe said frankly. "These are all steps in a bigger schematic – to make a mission work, all these things must be attended to."

He offered Kai a slight smile.

"Katai will have a task of their own to do, here at camp." He added. "The quicker you eat your breakfast, the sooner you'll know more. As I said – dismissed. And Shihouin…?"

"Yes, sir?" Kai looked startled.

"When you are dismissed, answering back to a senior officer is considered insubordination. Even to ask a question – understood?"

"Y…yes, sir." Kai looked sheepish, and Kazoe nodded.

"Then you are all dismissed. Hurry and eat your breakfast before it goes cold."

"I see you've started early, then."

As Ukitake and the Katai members made their way to the mess tent, Shunsui shot his friend a playful grin. "I'm going to have to sit up and pay close attention at this rate – if you're going to be quite that on the ball this early in the day."

"I don't think it's a fair way of deciding anything." Hanako complained, sending Juushirou a black look before he could respond. "We didn't know there was an inspection – how could we have done any of the things Kazoe-sensei said? It's all left to chance and luck, that's all. And if that's the case…"

"Shut up, Nakamura." Enishi cut across her before she could enter into a full blown rant. "Kazoe explained it clearly, after all. Ukitake-taichou's team…well, they must've found something out that we didn't. That's our bad – not something to moan about. Next time we'll just be quicker off the mark – that's all."

"Houjou's right." Sora nodded, casting Juushirou a pensive look. "Though how did you know there'd be an inspection? We were scrambling around like crazy when Kazoe came to our tent."

"Scrambling is the word." Naoko muttered, and Juushirou cast her a keen glance, taking in the unusually dishevelled appearance of his Unohana classmate. He smiled.

"Nakamura-san is right in one way. It was a bit of luck." He admitted. "Kira-kun was organising the bathing rota and overheard something being said about it. So, he came back and reported it to me right away – and we acted on it."

"Shikibu, you were involved in that too. How come _you _didn't hear that?" Kai cast the redhead a glance, and she shot him a poisonous look.

"I was _sent_ to organise the bathing rota so it wasn't going to inconvenience the girls. I wasn't sent to eavesdrop on teachers and their conversations." She said flatly, and Juushirou raised an eyebrow at the sullen note in her tone. He cast Shunsui a quizzical glance, and Shunsui rolled his eyes, slowly shaking his head as if to indicate that the question was better off left unasked. At this Juushirou grinned, spreading his hands.

"Well, that's why I said there was luck involved. Kira happened to overhear it, that's all." He said frankly. "Besides, whatever we're going to do in the forest may not be as good as whatever you'll do here at camp. So I wouldn't worry about it too much, Nakamura-san. I'm sure whatever the secret mission is, it's going to involve us working hard."

"That, I think, goes without saying." Sora said frankly. "Though it is starting to look like the squads are competitive – isn't it?"

"I guess it is." Shunsui looked thoughtful. "Well, if that's how it is, so be it."

He dropped his hand down warmly on Juushirou's shoulder.

"If we're rivals for now, then I guess let the best man win, or something." He said teasingly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "It might be fun, after all, to play along with Sensei's ideas just for a little while longer."

---------

**Author's Note: Yuuai**

_For anyone wondering, the title of this chapter means, essentially, 'friendship' or 'friendly affection'. _

_Aaand...this chapter introduces Daisuke and, most significantly, Shikiki! Her name is distinctly odd, I know, but there is a reason behind it.  
_

_I think it's a bit early yet, but there are cookies for anyone who can guess why she's called Shikiki and what her two connections to current canon may be...  
_


	9. Mission

**Chapter Eight: Mission**

So this was their first mission.

As Juushirou led the way cautiously into the forest, he felt a faint flicker of anticipation stir inside of his body. His fingers brushed against the hilt of the _asauchi,_ and he smiled, turning to glance at his eight companions.

Kazoe had not given them many instructions, in the end. Instead he had told them in short, concise phrases that there had been a disturbance reported in the areas of sector four and six within the tree-covered area of the map, and that it was up to Toutai to go and discover not only the cause but to find a solution to whatever problem lay within. It was vague and inconclusive, yet Juushirou did not feel apprehensive. With his _asauchi_ at his side and his black _haori_ flapping in the morning wind over his kimono, he felt eager and impatient to move forward into the trees.

_Minabe-sensei didn't want me coming in here this morning. I wonder if that's why she was really here - to help set up whatever it is we're going to investigate. It would make sense...but still. Even noticing a little thing like missing tea mugs has a knock on effect - thanks to that Toutai are on a proper mission already._

His smile widened as he remembered Kazoe's dismissive words about Shunsui's squad.  
_  
Whilst Katai are going to be doing some wholesale cleaning and clearing of the campsite and all kinds of other mundane tasks. Yes, we definitely got the better end of the deal. Whatever is in the forest - it has to be more interesting than scrubbing down mess tents or sorting firewood._

"So this is it, I guess. We're on our own from here on." He said aloud now. "We need to work out where we're going from here. Sou-taichou said sectors six and four on the map...which means there are two areas of disturbance that need to be looked into."

"Are we going to split up, then, Taichou?" Aki asked, as on cue Ryuu pulled his map from his _obi_, spreading it neatly out on the uneven forest floor. "If there are two areas...is that what you want us to do?"

"We don't know what we're facing." Juushirou admitted. "But then, Kazoe-se..._Soutaichou_ said that we were to complete the mission as quickly and efficiently as we were able - before the sun sets, that was what he told us."

"It can't be anything that dangerous, surely?" Chiyoko observed. "We're students and in training. They're not going to try and get us killed."

"Genryuusai-sensei likes to push people." Kamitani shook his head. "Yunosuke-nii was always saying it to me - that I should keep on my toes and work hard, because Sensei wasn't always conventional in how he drummed lessons into students."

"I think that whatever we're here to do, it isn't going to be entirely safe and easy." Juushirou agreed solemnly. "I've seen it as well - the way Sensei likes to let us make decisions for ourselves and, in some respects, face up to the consequences. Kamitani is right. We shouldn't take it for granted that even though this is a test exercise, we're going to be able to wing it without any real effort."

"Then do you think we should stay together, and attempt to deal with both incidents in turn?" Ryuu glanced up. "Because it seems to me that we would waste a considerable amount of time doing so. We are currently within sector five. The two areas we are supposed to investigate are in opposite directions." he indicated. "We have to pinpoint and assess a location thoroughly and deal with whatever problems we encounter on the way. That being the case - do we have time to investigate thoroughly if we don't divide into two groups?"

Juushirou was silent for a moment, moving to crouch at his subordinate's side as he scanned over the map for himself. Then he nodded.

"How many people brought maps, other than Kuchiki?" He asked softly. "I have my own copy, but that aside..."

"I have mine, Taichou." Chiyoko said, and Kira nodded his head.

"Me too, Taichou." He said eagerly. "I thought it would be useful, so I brought it along just in case."

"Mm. All right then." Juushirou cast Ryuu a glance. "Then are you happy, leading a team of half the squad if I take the other half?"

"With pleasure. As Vice Captain, that is my duty." Ryuu said immediately, and Juushirou grinned ruefully.

"I shouldn't even ask, should I? I should know that right away." He said sheepishly. "All right then. In which case, we'll divide here."

"But how will we keep in contact? What if something terrible happens and we can't get help?" Kira asked anxiously, and Juushirou smiled.

"Hopefully it won't." He admitted. "But we don't have any kind of communication devices, so I guess we're meant to think that one out for ourselves."

"We could send a runner." Ryuu suggested. "If Saitani and Hirata are meant to be our messengers..."

"Maybe, but then they might be at risk if they had to negotiate large areas of forestland on their own. We don't know what the threat is, and I won't allow them to be put in any kind of danger unless it has to be that way." Juushirou shook his head. "But I do have another idea."

He took a few paces, resting his hand against the trunk of a tree, then,

"I know this forest a little, thanks to Shunsui...Kyouraku and I having our little adventure last summer." He said slowly. "It's quite dense overhead, but even so, possibly not dense enough to be a problem. When Shu...Kyouraku and I were trapped in the cave, he fired Shakkahou into the sky to get the attention of anyone nearby. I vote we do the same thing again. We can all fire Shakkahou, right? It's the first spell we learnt, so everyone should be able to - and if not, Kuchiki and I definitely can, so that shouldn't be a problem. If there's a major problem and you need help - that's what you should do. Fire Shakkahou and we'll see it and know."

"See it...? From across the forest?" Chiyoko looked doubtful, and Juushirou nodded.

"Yes. The land here is like that. It should be all right for us to at the very least sense the spell, if not see the light from it for ourselves."

"Are we allowed to use Kidou?" Kira's eyes opened wide with surprise.

"Sou Taichou did say that we were to use anything we'd legitimately learnt so far in order to deal with the problem." Hirata said softly. "Ukitake-taichou is right. We've all learnt Shakkahou, so that should be all right. And I'd rather...that...than running through the forest alone when it might be dangerous."

"Hirata, if you don't have any confidence in doing such things, you'll make a poor Shinigami." Ryuu scolded. "What happened to the spirit that drove you all the way to District Two by yourself last summer?"

Hirata reddened, shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't know." He admitted. "That was a special circumstance...but this is how I feel about it at the moment."

"Then it's decided." Juushirou said firmly. "We'll use Kidou but only in emergency circumstances. None of us know enough complicated spells to communicate that way, so it's our best bet. If it's only as a last resort, we'll know when there's a genuine problem and when we need to act."

He glanced at Hirata.

"And if the worst comes to the worst, and we do have to send someone for outside help, Hirata, I would probably ask it of you." He admitted. "Since you're the only one of us who knows and can use Kyakkou - you'd stand the best chance of escaping without being noticed."

"Kyakkou? What's that?" Aki's expression became confused, and Hirata offered him a faint smile.

"A Bakudou spell my Father taught me when I was small. It bends light, so it makes you seem invisible." He said quietly. "If you suppress your reiatsu at the same time, you pretty much disappear. But I didn't learn it in class, Ukitake-taichou," He turned back to his friend. "And Kazoe-soutaichou did say anything we'd learnt legitimately."

"I suppose that's true." Juushirou sighed. "Oh well. Hopefully it won't be an issue, in any case."

He frowned, then,

"We shouldn't waste time. Kuchiki, you're good at Kidou and sword skills. Saitani's good at Hohou. Kamitani's good at Sakusen...take Fujiwara too and that should give you a more or less balanced team skill-wise, since he's picked up _asauchi_ skills pretty quickly in class this last couple of weeks. I'll take Kira, Edogawa and Hirata - unless you think that's too unevenly balanced in terms of class rank."

Ryuu snorted, shaking his head.

"Saitani, Kamitani and Fujiwara, come with me." He said frankly. "I have no objections to that team. But are you sure yourself? Hirata and Mitsuki are neither one of them capable physical fighters and Kira may be good with theory but he doesn't seem to be much of a practical fighter, either. Kamitani and Fujiwara are at least vaguely capable at Ouyoudou and Saitani said she can shunpo a little. Rank has little to do with this exercise since that is mostly class based...and we do not know what danger we might face up ahead."

"I'm sure." Juushirou said firmly, even as both Mitsuki and Hirata flushed scarlet at their classmate's rough assessment of their skills. "So then, it's settled. You go towards Sector Four, and we'll take Sector Six. We'll meet back here before the sun shifts too far into the afternoon, with any luck - when the trees' shadows reach half way towards the next copse, that's when we'll meet up. Good luck and remember what I said about Kidou and emergencies. Bring back whatever information you can - let's prove that we can pull together and do this, even if we are all new to this squad thing!"

Ryuu saluted sharply, then turned on his heels, gesturing for his team to follow him as he made his way unhesitatingly into the woodland beyond.

Juushirou watched them go for a moment, then let out his breath in a rush, nodding his head.

"Right. That leaves it to us, then." He said firmly, turning to face the opposite direction. "There should be a pathway through the trees that animals use…if we stay close to that, we should cross from the fifth sector into the sixth one fairly easily."

He glanced at Kira.

"Kira, I'm leaving it to you to be our navigator." He added. "You said you had a map – and I want you to make sure we don't stray from the right path. We don't know what we're heading towards, so I want everyone on their guard."

"Yes, Taichou." Kira nodded quickly. "I can do that. I'm good at that kind of thing."

"Yes, I know." Juushirou shot him a grin. "Your map-reading on our trip back to school got us across the District Seven/Eight border an hour earlier than we expected, so I'm pretty sure I can leave a small task like this to you."

Kira returned the grin, looking rueful at the mention of their eventful journey to District One.

"What Kuchiki-fukutaichou said is true, though, Taichou." Mitsuki looked troubled. "None of us are really that good with _asauchi_. If we meet trouble…"

"That's why Ukitake-taichou kept us with him, Edogawa-san." Hirata said softly. "Because we're weaker fighters than the people he sent with Fukutaichou, even if we rank higher overall. None of us rank at all well in Ouyoudou, which is what we most need here."

"Not exactly." Juushirou shook his head. "I have confidence in both of your Kidou skills, after all – and I don't think that it's all about using the sword."

"No, but…" Mitsuki faltered, then she sighed, nodding her head.

"I just don't want to be useless or let you down." She said honestly. "Because even though I can fire spells in class, Ukitake-k…taichou, I'm not sure I could use them to hurt anything. So…"

"Don't look so worried." Juushirou assured her gently. "I don't think any of Toutai are dead weights and I don't think that anyone is going to let me down. The point of this exercise is to prove that fact. Squads have different abilities and disabilities, after all. Capabilities vary from member to member – its how those capabilities work together that Sensei wants us to find out."

He shrugged.

"And in the end, _I_ was the one who split the squad into these teams." He added. "If there's an imbalance, the blame is mine. Not yours. Okay?"

"Taichou?" Before Mitsuki could respond, Kira spoke up, raising his gaze from where he had been scrutinising his much-folded copy of the map they had all been issued with.

"What's up, Kira?" Juushirou eyed him quizzically, and Kira flushed slightly, shaking his head.

"Maybe it's nothing." He said quickly. "But it's just…this path…it's going to fork up ahead. And…well, you said we should follow the animal track but…the other way is a quicker route into the Sixth Sector. If time is of the essence…"

"Let me see." Juushirou frowned, peering over his companion's shoulder, and Kira ran a thin finger along the line on the map.

"Like this." He said softly. "I think…it looks like a proper path. And…"

"And it does look quicker." Juushirou nodded. "All right. We'll try that, then. When we fork up ahead, we'll take the right, not the left. Okay, everyone? That way if we investigate this sector and clear it quickly, we can get back to Ryuu-kun and the others more speedily in case they need us."

They walked on in silence for a while, crossing the grass and taking the pathway Kira had indicated when their track reached a distinct fork in its route. Though the right hand path was less well marked out on the ground, Juushirou soon realised that it had led them more directly to their intended destination, and as they stepped forward into a break in the trees, he clapped his hand down on Kira's shoulder.

"Good call." He said frankly. "That path wasn't hard at all."

"Well, I have to be useful for something." Kira said honestly. "Because my Kidou is awful still, Ukitake-k…taichou, and my Hohou is worse. I'm really good at all the theoretical stuff, but…"

He shrugged.

"There's a reason I'm bottom of the year." He said pragmatically. "I try my best, but that's just how it is in the end."

"As I said to Edogawa-san, there's strengths and weaknesses in every squad." Juushirou assured him. "That's why we've been grouped how we have in the first place. I don't think Sensei thinks of any of us as being useless. Otherwise he wouldn't have us here as students in the first place. To get here, you both must've passed the guidance tests and shown potential, after all."

"I suppose that's true." Mitsuki looked thoughtful. "I'm sorry, Ukitake-kun. I guess both Kira-kun and I need to believe in ourselves a little more."

"_And _remember not to call me –kun, even though nobody's here to report it." Juushirou winked at her, and she flushed an embarrassed red at his expression. "But yes. That's what I think, too."

He frowned, turning as something pierced through his senses, and at his action Hirata tensed, his eyes becoming big behind his glasses as he glanced around him in a panicked, apprehensive manner. All around them, the copse had begun to grow quiet. Moments before the birdsong they had barely even noticed on their trek had stopped abruptly, and something prickled through the atmosphere, sending a sense of foreboding through each of the four young students as they stood in the centre of the clearing.

For a moment, nothing moved.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, Juushirou saw it.

"Everyone get back out of the way!" He exclaimed, fear coursing his body as he registered the huge, lumbering creature who had just thrust its horned head through the trees towards them. "Everyone get back _– it's a Hollow_!"

* * *

"I wonder what Toutai are doing right at the moment."

Back at camp, Enishi sat back on his heels, eying his cleaning cloth with a rueful smile as he glanced over the newly polished row of wood tables that lined the mess tent.

"Whatever this mission is, I bet they're having a blast doing it – I wish we'd been able to go into the forest this morning as well."

"I guess the early bird catches the worm." Kai reflected from his own position across the tent. "Don't slack, Houjou. We're being graded – and if we fail this, you can tell what we'll be doing for the rest of the week at this rate. First blood went to Toutai, after all – like hell are we going to let them take second and third."

"No kidding." Enishi grinned. "But even so, it's a bit rough – don't you think so? They get to run riot round the woods playing at being Shinigami – while we get to crawl around on hands and feet playing at being house maids. I'm not bitter about it, exactly – but I really don't want to spend another day doing this if it can be at all avoided."

"I think we all feel that way." Shunsui pushed back the flap of the tent at that moment, walking across to Enishi and dropping his own cleaning cloth down on the tall boy's head with a heavy sigh. "How are you people doing in here? I swear I'm starting to have an allergic reaction to all this heavy work – I think I need to sit down."

"I'm not doing your share of the cleaning, Kyouraku. Not even if you are Taichou." Enishi said wryly, removing the cloth and tossing it back. "Captains lead by example, after all…isn't that how it goes?"

"Yeah, I know." Shunsui flopped down on the ground in a heap, taking his cloth and toying with the edges of the fabric as he nodded defeatedly. "But since Juu and the others disappeared into the wilderness, Katai have been dredging the lake, tidying the tents, de-thorning the surroundings and now, polishing the tables and organising firewood."

"And we're going to keep on doing so till Toutai come back from the forest. That's what Sou-taichou said." Kai reflected. "Though it could be a lot worse. When Nee-sama was training with Uncle, he made her do a lot worse than just cleaning and dredging."

"Maybe the Shihouin go in for torture and self-mortification, but the Kyouraku like an easy life." Shunsui said ruefully. "Still, I take your point. And I suppose going into the forest would have meant some kind of work as well, in the end."

He rubbed his temples.

"I just had to split up a catfight, however." He said heavily. "Between one girl who doesn't like me very much and one who doesn't like anything very much. Why Soutaichou assigned the two of them to work on piling firewood together, I have no idea. I wouldn't have had them near each other or near me, if it had been my choice…but there you have it."

"Shikibu and Nakamura, huh?" Kai stood upright, dusting himself down as he eyed his Captain pensively, and Shunsui nodded. "I figured. It had to be them. Nakamura was born to whine and Shikibu…Shikibu is still in Princess mode, and hasn't realised that this is the nitty-gritty of being part of a Gotei squad."

"They also hate each other, as Sora's told me." Shunsui responded darkly. "That's obviously the reason why Kazoe assigned them together and why he did so then disappeared and left me to sort them out when fur started flying. I think I did – for the time being – but only because their mutual mistrust of me overrode their differences for a brief moment. If this is what being a Captain is always like, maybe I need to think about dropping out of school before training for it damages me permanently."

"Do you want me to speak to them?" Kai asked, and Shunsui shook his head.

"No. It'll look bad if I have to delegate it to you, and Juu won't let me hear the last of it if I can't hold my own squad together." He said wearily. "It's fine. I'll manage them somehow. I just came in here to get some sane conversation."

"Is Sora still at the lake, then?" Enishi asked, and Shunsui nodded.

"She, Iwai and Atsudane have been doing fine clearing out the bathing spring of twigs and stray debris…Iwai even found a dead something in there which…I really didn't want to stay and look at too clearly, but told them to get well rid of it before Naoko-chan saw it. They're all mucking in just fine – which is why I'm trying to as well, because otherwise I might actually find myself feeling guilty. But even so…"

"That's probably our test for the day." Enishi reflected. "Doing mundane, boring, horrible tasks under your watchful leadership."

"Yeah. We're already doomed." Shunsui grinned sheepishly. "But at least the campsite will be spotless and clean by the time Juu and his band of hunters come home."

"We're not doomed." Kai said pragmatically. "This is annoying, but it's not the end of the world and it's not beyond us. Stop being melodramatic, Kyouraku. Do you think that I'm going to let Kuchiki crow it over us if we flop out and fail, even if the orders we have suck? Not a chance. We'll be fine. Trust me."

"Enishi, our Vice Captain is a little scary when he gets that look in his eye." Shunsui observed plaintively.

"And speaking of scary, sounds like there's another squall coming from outside." Enishi nodded in the direction of the tent entrance, and at the sound of raised voices, Shunsui groaned.

"Naoko-chan again." He muttered. "All right. I guess that's my moment of sanity over. Keep at it, you two. At least I know that if I've you both and Sora to back me up, I might not completely lose the will to live. And this is only day one? God help us all."

With that he disappeared back into the outside world, and Enishi burst out laughing.

"Somehow that's just like him." He said, amused. "Poor Kyouraku. He's avoided all kinds of responsibility since we started, and yet…"

"Now it's going to bite him." Kai nodded. "But it has to, sooner or later. He's like me, Houjou. He's the heir to his Clan. And more than that, he's their Gotei heir, too. Eighth District don't currently have a representative in the Gotei because his Clan have earmarked Shunsui for the job and Tokutarou-sama's rumoured to feel the same. He might not talk about it – and he might fight against it at every opportunity…but what we're doing now is his destiny more than any of ours. He's been pretty much named for the _haori _by the Kyouraku since he was born."

"Really." Enishi looked thoughtful, twisting his cleaning cloth back and forth in his hands as he eyed the still flapping entrance to the tent. "That's a tough break. Do you think he'll manage it? I've never seen him quite that flustered before."

"Mm. I think so." Kai agreed. "He's tougher than he appears to be, Kyouraku. Shikibu, on the other hand…"

He shrugged.

"I can't imagine that she'll be entering any squad if she carries on like that." He admitted. "Her spiritual power is all right, but her attitude sometimes…"

"She outranks me, so if she's out, I haven't a hope." Enishi remarked, and Kai snorted, shaking his head.

"If I was a Captain, Houjou, I'd have you in my squad tomorrow." He said bluntly. "You work hard, you listen, and you cooperate. Plus, you can fight. The other stuff can be polished later. It's easier to teach someone skills than it is to change their attitude."

Enishi chuckled.

"A few Kidou disasters and you might change your mind." He said frankly. "But I take it as a compliment, Shihouin. Thank you."

"No problem." Kai grinned. "Even despite all of the craziness that engulfed my Clan last year, you've never got involved in the sniping or back-chatting that some people have - Shikibu included, for the record - and I appreciate that. I didn't do a lot then to deserve your support, but I feel like I've had it anyhow. Last year was complicated and last Autumn and Winter pretty horrendous in a lot of ways. But I've learnt not to take it for granted – when someone shows you a friendly face."

"Well, the Clans look down on me a lot too, because I can't dance, I mix up my manners and etiquette and am far too awkward in society to impress any bigwigs." Enishi said categorically. "My Clan have a lot of past issues with those chemicals, but I don't have any with you and you weren't really involved, in the end. So why hang onto it? Life's too short – it's better to enjoy it and get along with people."

"Which is why I'd have you in my squad." Kai grinned. "Even if you did blow up the base with your spells."

"It's a different thing, really, being here and being in a classroom." Enishi reflected. "I feel less out of place here, even doing this and even though it's only first day. At least my strength and size has come in handy so far this morning – and nobody's asking me to remember long and complicated streams of kanji for spells or theories on particle displacement for Hohou tests."

"I think that's part of the reason for doing it. To show people in their real colours." Kai agreed. "It's all very well ticking the boxes on the classwork forms, but in the end…"

He gestured around him.

"This is what it's about. And Neesama's made it very clear that I'm to work hard and give it everything I have so that I can help her restructure the Shihouin and make us respectable again. So I will. Even if that means polishing tables and dealing with Shikibu's whining."

He looked amused.

"The one good thing out of all of this is that nobody will want to arrange a marriage contract of convenience for me while the Shihouin are so out of favour." He added. "Right now that would be the worst thing imaginable. I'm really starting to enjoy being the kind of student Genryuusai-sensei wants us to be – and working so closely with Shikibu and Nakamura has told me quite clearly that I don't want some fancy engagement to throw a spanner in the works."

He shrugged.

"If everything with Uncle and the _reidoku_ hadn't happened, probably I would've been thrown into some political match on his behalf." He concluded. "So if one good thing has come out of it, it's that."

"You don't want to marry?" Enishi was startled, and Kai tossed his cleaning cloth from one hand to the other as he considered.

"Not really." He admitted. "Since last year's wake-up call, pretence for the sake of pride is the last thing on my agenda. And being here now has just confirmed what I'd already begun to suspect…that Clan hime and I are really not at all compatible in close company."

Enishi laughed.

"You might regret that attitude, one day." He teased. "I'm infamous among many Clans for bruising the feet of any woman I dance with and I'm probably hopeless in terms of political advantage when it comes to marriage…I'm quite resigned to training and being a soldier rather than a Clan dynastic mainstay. But if you're Midori-sama's heir, you might need to think about it – and the more you fight it, the harder it'll be."

"Right now, it's not on my mind." Kai grinned unrepentantly. "Right now, Katai is my first concern and nothing else."

He sighed.

"Sora's not a bad Third Seat." He admitted. "And I'm a Shihouin, so obviously I've nothing against women in positions of command. But if you ask me, even given your class rank, _you_ should've been put in charge of the wood task and not Shikibu. You don't need my supervision – and after last night's little debacle, I'd be quite happy to whip her into shape."

He tapped his fingers against the wood idly, then,

"I still think she should've picked up the clue about the inspection. If Kira could, she could've. This whole thing is partly her fault – she's got no business moaning about it now."

"But that's how it goes, sometimes. Everyone makes one or two mistakes sometimes." Enishi said sensibly. "Don't dwell on it, Fukutaichou-sama. Kyouraku needs our support if Shikibu and Nakamura persist in being difficult – let's not make the situation worse by pointing fingers, huh?"

Kai grinned.

"Sensei would be proud to hear you say things like that." He teased. "All right. Then my instructions are 'get back to work'. We'll finish this off and then see what we can do to help out outside – all right with you?"

"Yes, sir." Enishi saluted sharply. "As you wish!"

* * *

As the creature loomed out of the trees, Juushirou felt his heart still in his chest, his eyes widening with fear and dismay as he registered the ungainly form of the monster that now accosted them. For a moment he felt pinned to the spot, as the beast turned its heavy, white-masked head towards him, letting out an unearthly roar as it fixed its glittering red eyes on him.

Time seemed to pass in a blur of slow motion as terror took control of his body. Memories of his father's death and of the encounter with Shunsui the previous summer rocketed through his thoughts, and he felt the sweat beading on his brow as his _reiryoku_ began to surge and ripple inside of him, instinctively wanting to defend him from the threat that now faced him.

And yet even so, somehow he could not move.  
_  
"Hadou no Sanjuu Ichi: Shakkahou!"_

The bolt of red flame burst through the copse at that moment, its heat and power jerking Juushirou back to his senses as he realised he was not here alone. To his right, fingers still glittering with red light stood Hirata, anxiety and apprehension on his young face and somehow this managed to stabilise Juushirou's own terror as he realised that, unlike those times, now they had a way to fight back.

"Ukitake-taichou!" That was Kira's voice, frightened and more high-pitched than usual and Juushirou registered that his companion's fear was overwhelming him, piercing through the copse and, most likely, touching against his own rattled senses as he struggled to put together a coherent line of thought.

"Stand back!" He exclaimed at length, holding up his left hand as the beast swung its tail from side to side, avoiding Hirata's Kidou blast by the narrowest of margins as it let out another scream. "If we panic and fall apart, then we're all in trouble! This is a training exercise, remember? Training. We're not...it's not..."

He faltered, as the beast lurched in his direction, and he felt a fetid burst of hot breath against his skin. Somehow, however, he managed to keep a hold on his wits, pulling his _asauchi _from its sheath and taking a deep breath into his battered lungs in order to calm himself down.

"Stay away from us!" He exclaimed, swinging the weapon haphazardly and at his wild slashing, the beast drew back, mewling its complaints at his sudden, violent action.

"It looks...real." Hirata whispered, and Juushirou could tell his friend was trembling with fear. "My Kidou didn't even touch it...Taichou, what are we..."

"We're not going to panic." Juushirou made up his mind, closing his eyes briefly, then, "We're going to retreat. We're going to retreat and regroup - everyone, follow me!"

With that he grabbed the almost hysterical Kira by the arm, pulling him towards the way they had come. Relief flooded through him as he registered no hesitation from either Mitsuki or Hirata to his instructions, and he struggled to control his racing heartbeat, knowing that even if it was just a training exercise, he was truly, honestly terrified of the monster that had just crossed their path.

As they entered the next copse, Kira stumbled over a stone hidden under the leaf litter, letting out a panicked cry as he fell to the ground, and immediately Mitsuki was at his side, anxiety in her expression.

"Kira-kun! Are you all right?" She exclaimed. "Your foot - can you move it? Can you stand?"

"He _has_ to stand, doesn't he?" Hirata sent Juushirou a panicked glance. "We're not far enough away. The monster...it's coming, Ukitake-kun. It's still coming to get us."

Juushirou glanced at Kira, noticing the pallor of his cheeks and the fear that had flooded the blue eyes. From Mitsuki's anxiety, he knew, Kira had not simply fallen but had probably twisted or bruised his foot in some way, and he muttered a curse, moving to the fallen boy's side.

"Can you get up, Kira?" He asked softly, and Kira gazed at him in terror, only just enough in his wits to be able to acknowledge the question.

"Edogawa, help me get him up." Juushirou instructed, but Mitsuki shook her head.

"His ankle's turned. If we make him walk, he'll hurt it more." She said anxiously. "He fell on it badly - Ukitake-taichou, we..."

"The Hollow is coming." Hirata exclaimed fearfully. "Ukitake-kun, I can...sense it...it's coming closer to us!"

"Well, we can't leave Kira behind." Juushirou stood upright once more, fear coursing through his own system a second time as he weighed up the situation. "That's not an option. None of us are strong enough to carry him alone - and even if we did try that, it'd slow us down pretty badly. Which means..."

He trailed off.

_I'm Captain. In this situation, a Captain leads. If it's dangerous, and you have to make split-second decisions...that's what Sensei always teaches us. To try to make the right ones under pressure -and be willing to change strategies at any given moment. Kira's hurt because I chose to run - but running doesn't solve the problem and that was my own stupid fear getting the better of me. Of course if you see a Hollow, the first thing you want to do is run. But Shinigami don't run away. They can't run away._

He took a shaky breath into his lungs, feeling the hot surge of his _reiryoku_ once more inside of him as he grasped more tightly onto the hilt of his _asauchi._  
**  
"You understand then, Juushirou. What In and I keep telling you. You can't run away forever. You have to face it - all of it - sooner or later."  
**  
You's voice cut across his mind like ice, and somehow it had the desired effect of bringing his racing thoughts under some modicum of rational control. He gritted his teeth, nodding as if confirming something to himself.

"It's coming, no matter what we do. So listen." He said. "Kira's hurt. Edogawa-san, please, stay by his side and make sure no further harm comes to him. If you have to fire Kidou, you have leave to do so. Only use your _asauchi _if you feel confident to do so - your Kidou is strong enough, I think, to protect you and Kira both from whatever happens. Understand?"

"Y...Yes, Taichou." Mitsuki's eyes were huge with fright, but she nodded her head, shuffling protectively in front of the injured, half-fainting Kira. "I understand."

"Hirata, I want you to be prepared to back me up." Juushirou continued softly. "But right now, I need your speed and your Bakudou. Can you suppress your reiatsu and use _kyakkou_ to disappear even if you fire off a signal to Ryuu-kun and the others? Even if it's not a legitimate spell from class, if you can, I want you to do it."

"Leave you...with the Hollow?" Hirata whispered, and Juushirou nodded, hoping that his own terror was not as obvious to his companions as theirs was to him.

"Come back when you've done it." He said frankly. "I trust your speed and accuracy in finding the right place to fire it and your ability at suppressing reiatsu is more instinctive than any of the rest of ours. And, if you use _k__yakkou_, the creature won't be able to see you, either. We'll be okay - Edogawa-san is here too, and we'll manage, somehow, till you get back. Go now, and quickly - the sooner it's done, the better."

"Yes, Taichou." Hirata still looked apprehensive, but he nodded, bringing his fingers together.

"_Bakudou no Nijuu Roku. Kyakkou._" He whispered, and then was gone from Juushirou's sight, only the faintest trace of his comrade's suppressed reiatsu telling him the path that Hirata was taking into the forest. He was heading right for the clearest opening he could, Juushirou knew - and he let out a heavy sigh, knowing that he had no choice but to trust his companion's accuracy and judgement.

There was no time for further thought, however, as with a tremendous shriek and a crack of splintering wood the Hollow emerged into the copse, pushing trees aside as it raised its ugly, horned head to give out a tremendous bellow. Juushirou felt his heart clench in his chest once more, his grip on his _asauchi_ becoming so tight that his knuckles turned white, and as the hot fire of his fighting spirit raced through him, he felt the all-too familiar burning at his lungs as he allowed his survival instinct to take control of his body.  
_  
Think rationally. Calmly. Think it out, bit by bit._

He told himself firmly, steadying his stance as he gazed up at the huge creature with apprehension and fear.

_This is a training exercise. It's not a real Hollow. There's no way a real Hollow could get through Kazoe-sensei's barrier, after all. But even so...even so, that doesn't mean I should let my guard down. It's frightening and I'm afraid of it. Even if it's not a real Hollow - I know I still am, and that it can probably still hurt me.  
_  
He closed his eyes briefly, then snapped them open again, resolution burning in his hazel gaze.  
_  
I lost the last two battles. Both times I lost control of my body, and people got hurt because of it. But if I want to be a Shinigami, this is something I have to face. I have to overcome it. I can't always run away. It's all right to be afraid, isn't it – so long as I don't run away?_

He raised his sword as the beast lunged at him, swinging it so that it clattered against the creature's hard-armoured claw. The jolt sent shock-waves through his body, yet he leapt back, the fingers of his left hand already glittering with white energy as he settled his mind to what he had to do.

_Fake or real, I have to take charge. Edogawa-san, Kira-kun, Hirata - are all my responsibility. If I crack now, they'll all be in danger. They're as scared as I am, after all - if I'm leading them, I can't let them see how unsettled I am by this. I have to keep going - no matter what._

"_Hadou no Yon: Byakurai_!" He exclaimed, as lightning shot forth from his fingers, zig-zagging against the Hollow's substantial frame and causing it to fall back with a shriek. Buoyed by this, Juushirou gathered his courage, dragging from the depths of his memory every bit of advice he had ever received from both Minabe and Genryuusai on how to battle with a sword.

"A Hollow is only purified when you split its skull with a _zanpakutou_." He muttered. "So I have to do that, with this _asauchi_. That's what I'm supposed to do. Kill the Hollow. Save my comrades. And win."

The beast swung itself towards Mitsuki and Kira at that moment, and Juushirou cursed, berating his brief loss of concentration as the huge claw swung down towards the duo huddled on the ground.

"_Bakudou no Hachi - Seki_!" Mitsuki flung up her hand instinctively, the Bakudou spell passing her lips almost as though it had come automatically, and as the Hollow's blow glanced away from them, Juushirou was once more into the fray, sword raised as he forced himself between his comrades and the enemy.

"Edogawa-san, are you both all right?" He demanded, and Mitsuki nodded her head.

"We're fine, Taichou." She said softly. "Don't worry about us. If you do, it will hurt you. Whatever it is - we have to stop it somehow, and you're the only one of us who's any good at using an _asauchi_."

"Mm." Juushirou gazed back at his opponent, preparing his sword for another assault. "That's not saying much, considering. But I'll still do my best."

"Taichou!" Ryuu's voice from the far side of the copse both startled and relieved him and he raised his gaze, seeing the anxious grey eyes of his Vice Captain across the grass. Ryuu's sword was already drawn, having quickly summed up the situation, and at this realisation, Juushirou felt his initial panic begin to abate.

"We found an unwelcome adversary." He said now, gesturing to the Hollow with his left hand. "Kira's hurt his foot and Hirata...I sent Hirata to summon you, but..."

"I'm here, Taichou. I came right back." Hirata himself emerged at that moment. "I did as you suggested...Kuchiki-fukutaichou came right away, so I guess it worked."

"What are we meant to do with that thing?" Aki gazed at the Hollow apprehensively. "It...isn't real...is it?"

"Probably not, but either way, it can probably do some harm." Juushirou was feeling more himself now, and he shook his head. "Kamitani, will you and Fujiwara help Edogawa to get Kira somewhere out of the range of fire? He's hurt and half-hysterical and there's no sense keeping him in any danger. Edogawa can tend to him better that way, and I think he'll more easily calm down if he's not quite so much in the middle of it."

"Yes, Taichou." Kamitani nodded, grabbing Aki by the arm and pulling across the copse to where Mitsuki was supporting the still-pale Kira with one arm.

"Kuchiki, you and Saitani attack from the left. Hirata and I will attack from the right." Juushirou continued firmly. "Kuchiki, we're aiming for its head. If one of us can slice through it - Saitani, Hirata - cover us in whatever way you can."

"Yes, Taichou." Chiyoko looked doubtful, but she nodded, obediently drawing her sword from its scabbard. Hirata made no such move, yet from the glittering reiatsu at his comrade's fingertips, Juushirou knew that his young classmate was only a few words away from launching another Kidou spell, and he nodded his head.

"Then let's do this." He said quietly, raising his left hand and flinging it forwards in the direction of the Hollow.

Ryuu did not need any further encouragement to attack. With a yell he leapt forwards, bringing his weapon down towards the enemy in a sweeping, controlled strike, and something in his companion's calm confidence helped to steady Juushirou's own doubts once again.

_My Vice Captain has confidence and isn't afraid. Therefore, as Captain, I can't be afraid. I can't let him do all the work - together we'll wipe this thing out, and then everything will be over._

With that thought in mind, he darted forwards, swinging his weapon across towards the Hollow's throat and slashing decisively across its lower jaw, shattering its teeth and sending shards of white matter scattering to the ground like flakes of snow. As Ryuu sliced through the monster's horn, Juushirou steadied himself for another sword thrust, this time bringing it down squarely across the monster's skull. As the _asauchi _cut cleanly between the creature's still glittering red eyes, it flickered, faded and disintegrated into dust, and Juushirou dropped to the ground, breathing heavily as he realised they had won.

Across the grass, Ryuu landed more gracefully on his feet, slipping his _asauchi_ back into its sheath with a sigh.

"So that's how Sou Taichou intended on testing us." He said quietly. "By throwing us an enemy and seeing if we could work together to destroy it."

"That Hollow...wasn't real, was it?" Chiyoko murmured. "I mean...it sure...looked and felt...real."

"It did, but I don't suppose it was." Ryuu grimaced. "It would be something of a risk, after all, to send us into that situation with an enemy who could really do us harm."

"Genryuusai-sensei is the kind of teacher who might do it, mind you." Juushirou said ruefully. "It felt like a real Hollow, but it wasn't as powerful - at least, I don't think so. Compared with the two Hollows I've encountered before...I think that one was set up as a training exercise. But even so..."

He sheathed his sword, wiping his sweat-drenched hands against the folds of his blue _hakama_.

"Even so, it was frightening." Hirata murmured.

"That's what we're training for, however. Therefore the experience is invaluable." Ryuu reflected. "And we have proved one important thing, also. Toutai can work as a team - and pull together when needed."

"That's true. Even so early in our camp exercise, everyone did exactly as they were supposed to." Juushirou agreed. "And I'm glad about that. It would've been a mess, otherwise."

"Is Kira all right?" Chiyoko asked, and Kamitani glanced up from where he and Aki had transported their classmate, nodding his head.

"A bit dazed and bruised, but he'll be okay." He agreed. "His foot is turned, not broken - if we get him back to camp, some cold water and rest should see it all right over night."

"I have some herbs I can give him, too. It will help stop it from aching." Mitsuki added. "We're all all right, Taichou. Thanks to your orders, everyone is safe."

Juushirou looked sheepish.

"If I'd been more decisive, maybe Kira wouldn't have fallen." He admitted. "But you live and learn, I suppose. I wasn't expecting to face something like that - it took me by surprise."

He coughed, putting his hand to his lips, and Hirata let out an exclamation.

"Taichou! You're bleeding! Are you all right?"

"Bleeding?" Juushirou drew his fingers away from his mouth to glance at them, registering the reddish substance that now stained his skin. He sighed, brushing his sleeve absently across his lips and nodding his head.

"I'm fine. Just a bit shaken up inside - it's nothing major, Hirata." He said firmly. "I'm not about to have an attack, I promise. It's just the result of an adrenalin rush - nothing more."

"Are you sure?" Hirata still looked apprehensive, and at his expression, Juushirou smiled ruefully.

"Yes. I'm sure." He agreed. "It's all right, really. It took me by surprise and my power surged a little too quickly – but I got it under control and I'm fine."

He glanced at Ryuu.

"Did you find anything in your sector? We should be heading back, so there isn't time to mount a further investigation now."

"Not much." Ryuu shook his head, slipping his hand into his pocket and pulling out a broken piece of wood. "Just this. It looks like nothing in particular, but it has the character for 'soul' carved into it, and it seems to have been coated in some kind of spiritual matter, since we tracked it down and sensed it through those means. I imagine that the mission intended us to find the soul and beat the Hollow - so I brought it back with us. If there was anything else...I am not aware of it."

"A fake soul and a fake Hollow. Some beginner mission." Juushirou grinned, taking the wood and turning it over so that he could see the carved character for himself. "All right, then. Kamitani, Fujiwara - I'll leave Kira to you. Everyone else...let's head back to base."

There was a murmur of assent, and as the group made their way slowly back towards the animal pathway that led to the camp, Ryuu fell into step with his companion, casting him a thoughtful look.

"Hirata's spell was powerful, but we were already heading back to find your group." He said quietly. "I knew, you see, when your power flared – that something had happened. You need to be more careful. If you flare your _reiryoku_ like that, you'll draw enemies to you, not drive them away."

Juushirou nodded his head.

"I know." He admitted. "But it frightened me, and I reacted instinctively."

"It was not a real Hollow. There was no need to fear it. Many Clans use dummy Hollows for training purposes – and this was simply another example of the same." Ryuu shrugged his shoulders dismissively. "Although it appears to be dangerous – such creatures really cannot sustain the kind of attack needed to cause harm even to students of our basic level. There was no real danger. Sou-taichou was merely testing our reactions – that is all."

"Maybe not." Juushirou agreed. "But it reminded me of the real ones I have seen, and the dangers they can cause."

He sighed.

"Thank you for coming so quickly." He murmured. "I think I could've beaten it alone – but it was good to have back-up."

"That is a Vice Captain's duty." Ryuu said firmly, though the expression in his grey eyes belied the flippancy of his words. "And I believe in carrying out such things to the letter."

"Yes. I know." Juushirou sighed again, stretching his arms over his head.

"I'm a little raw inside." He owned. "But at least this time I got myself more under control."

Ryuu was silent for a moment, then,

"I came as quickly as I did because I sensed your releasing reiatsu." He said quietly. "But it wasn't simply that – after all, I know that you are not incapable, even despite your low birth. As you say, you did not need my help to beat down such a feeble opponent. However…"

He paused, and Juushirou shot him a quizzical look.

"However?"

"I have felt that flare of reiatsu before, but today it was different." Ryuu said gravely. "There was something else in it today, Ukitake. I do not know what it was, or how to explain it to you. But either way, it was something different from what I have come to expect as usual from you. And considering your weak health – I suppose I wanted to ensure you had not got hurt."

"Something…different?" Juushirou's brows knitted together, and unbidden You's words came once more into his mind. His frown deepened, and he shook his head.

"Nothing is different." He said at length. "And I'm all right, Ryuu-kun. Really. But I appreciate the concern."

Ryuu eyed him for a long while, then he sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Then I suppose all is well." He said frankly. "And we have completed our mission with some success."

He smiled.

"Whilst Katai were left behind to do menial labour – I truly think we have had the best of the action today."

"Well, it's certainly started us out with a bang." Juushirou admitted ruefully. "I wonder if it will get any less emphatic from hereon in?"

--------------

_**Author's Note**_

_As requested in a review, the kanji for Shikiki is...._ 織姫. __

AND spoons. Well. I'm western so spoon comes more naturally to me BUT...I have read that spoons existed in ancient China for soup and such like and although Japan is NOT China (let me emphasise that once again), ancient Soul Society is not entirely ancient Japan. (For example in canon they have computers in an Edo-jidai setting, and as for Shinji and his musical taste...nuff said). So I don't think spoons are particularly anachronistic. And even if they are...well...meh. They're staying anyhow xD.

_*scuttles away*_


	10. Rebellion

**Chapter Nine: Rebellion**

"Misashi-sama, the Lord will see you now."

As the retainer bowed low before him, Misashi cast him a faint smile, inclining his own head slightly to acknowledge the instruction.

"Thank you. I trust my Father is well and in a good temper?"

"Yes, sir. He is pleased you have arrived promptly to his summons." The retainer raised his head, looking surprised, and Misashi nodded his head.

"Then I won't spoil it by keeping him waiting." He said simply. "Thank you, you are dismissed now to your other duties."

"Yes, sir."

Respectfully the retainer bowed again, and Misashi sighed, clicking his tongue faintly against his teeth as he made his way along the long corridor towards the big study which Shouichi called his own.

Since his mother's death, he mused, there had been an uneasy impasse – a stalemate that those around them had liked to call a gesture of peace. That he had been recalled to the Endou administration had been unexpected and not unwelcome, he knew – but then, he had not been Shouichi's only surviving son for nothing. He knew his Father – far better than any of those who speculated outside of the District he knew the way the old man's mind worked. And for that reason, ever since Yayoi's tragic demise, he had done everything in his power to be seen to tow the line.

_Selling my loyalty and my ethics are small prices to pay, if it means my wife and children are unmolested, after all. And if distancing myself from Hirata keeps him safe too – then no matter what penance it means I face later, I'll do it without hesitation._

He reached the big wood-carved door, hesitating for a moment, and then reaching up to knock on it. Whilst his brother had been heir, and now too, during Seimaru's time, he had often invaded the smaller study that lay to the left, feeling that with Yayoi in the shadows watching over him he could at least dare to face the next in line and voice his true opinions. But with his father, he knew, things had to be done more carefully. Shouichi was, after all, different.

As the gruff voice called him in, he carefully swung back the heavy divide, stepping over the threshold and prostrating himself on the mottled floor tiles that spelt out the motto of the family that had built its dynasty on so many people's flowing blood.

Shouichi got to his feet, and though Misashi had not raised his head, he could feel the man's every movement and hear his every footfall as he drew closer.

There was the feel of a hand on his shoulder, and then, a voice.

"Stand before me, Misashi. I wish to speak to you, not see you grovel at my feet."

"Yes, sir." Misashi obediently pulled himself upright, keeping a respectful distance from the older man as he did so. "I came as soon as I received your message."

"Yes, so you did." Shouichi's eyes narrowed, and for a moment he eyed his youngest son with a pensive, half-critical look. Then he sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"You have always spoken in such nice, pretty tones when faced with me directly." He said quietly. "I never have known your thoughts and I never will, will I? You are, indeed, that cursed thing – a kinsman whose loyalty is locked and whose opinions are never known until they ignite a war."

"A war, sir?" Misashi blinked, then he shook his head.

"The last thing I want is a war, sir." He said gravely, his pale eyes becoming clouded as he bowed his head once more before his companion. "If such a thing happened, my family would no doubt suffer. The people of our District would suffer. The Endou-ke's name and honour would suffer…Mother would not have sanctioned such a thing, and so, nor do I."

"Ah. Your mother." Shouichi's words were heavy, and Misashi nodded.

"Her last wish for me was that I work with you, and I will do so, Otousama." He said quietly. "Regardless of the past, that is my resolve. There is no rebellion in this heart. I am content to work as you see fit – and play my part in the administration of my family's government just as you command me."

"You know, maybe I become an old fool." Shouichi dropped back down into his seat, letting out a sigh. "But I almost feel I believe you. Not that you'd do it for my sake, for I know that you detest me as much as I have always disdained you. But that you'd do it for Yayoi's sake – yes, I believe that you would. She was the only one who could keep you in hand, after all – and even now she's gone, her strings are tight around you."

"My loyalty is under question, my Lord?" Misashi asked softly, and Shouichi shook his head.

"I have no reason, yet, to doubt it." He acknowledged. "You are not a fool, even if you do vex me often…and your conduct has of late been suitable and acceptable. Many have commented on it – even so far afield as the Council of Elders – and I trust it will continue. That you won't forget your late Mother's wishes, and renege on the agreement set out on her death?"

"I will not." Misashi said firmly. "An oath sworn by an Endou in such a way should and will be upheld. Like you, Father, I am a man of my word. It is the one trait Okaasama said I had inherited from you…that we are both men of honour, who do not go back on decisions made. You may take it as you see fit, but I give my word once again that so long as you live, sir, I will not provide contest to your position in this Clan."

"Then it is well that I speak to you." Shouichi seemed relieved. "Since I must, and soon, about the subject of Eiraki."

"Eiraki?" Misashi was taken aback, alarm flickering into his expression at the mention of his young daughter. "I don't understand – has she done something to cause you offence, Otousama?"

"On the contrary. I find her quite becoming for her young age." Shouichi shook his head. "She is pretty and she has manners, and does not seek to involve herself in politics. Her manner is suitably retiring and timid for the tastes of many men in the society in which we live. To have a daughter is not always a blessing, but to have one with the right temperament and assets can become one, if it is handled carefully. Tell me, Misashi…Eiraki is now of what age, precisely?"

"Almost fourteen." Misashi murmured. "But…Otousama…are you suggesting…?"

"Fourteen." Shouichi nodded his head. "A good age, then, to begin negotiations for a future marriage contract. Do you not agree?"

"I…I confess I had not…thought much on it." Misashi faltered, and Shouichi's eyes narrowed.

"You should think of such things. Had I had a daughter, I would have done…had Seimaru a sister, we would all be much further blessed." He snapped. "But such things are not always at the Gods' pleasure. As it stands, there is only Eiraki – yet her blood descent from me must make her desirable a match in some quarters. And beyond that…"

"Beyond…that?"

"I assume, Misashi, that since your son remains an exile in District One, you do not expect me to consider him as the heir to your land and title?"

"I…"

"You had not thought of that, either?" Shouichi's eyes narrowed, and in that instant, Misashi knew that his father was testing him. He shook his head.

"I've not seen or heard from my son since he decided to remain at the Academy." He said evenly. "It is as you say. Hirata has chosen a path away from the Endou Clan."

"Then you accept that your land will settle on Eiraki, when you are no longer here?"

"I suppose, when put like that…" Misashi faltered, and Shouichi nodded.

"An adequate dowry, then, for an Endou princess." He said, satisfied.

"Yes, but Father…"

"I am not ignorant of your involvement in the dissolution of Seimaru's engagement." Shouichi's eyes hardened. "Seimaru has told me…that you had a hand in the girl's escape from District Seven."

"I was never under the impression that Midori-sama was a prisoner of our Clan, Father." Now Misashi knew where he was, and he offered the old man a faint smile. "Equally, it was my belief she left of her own free will. I had no power or influence to let her leave – her accommodation and servants were all handled by Seimaru's retainers and accounts…not mine. Until recently, Otousama, I had no political position at all. And I was in favour of Seimaru marrying. I do not understand why he blames me…I think she would have made him a very good wife."

Shouichi eyed him carefully for a moment, and Misashi met his father's gaze stoically, knowing that to glance away even for a second would be to the old man a clear indication of guilt.

There was another long silence, then Shouichi spread his hands.

"The alliance, as it stands, would have proven a foolish one." He admitted at length. "I do not know whether Seimaru tells me the truth, or if you do. But Midori proved to be an unsuitable consort for an Endou heir…as she has recently proven by changing her family's stance to favour the lower born that Genryuusai-sama thinks so highly of."

Misashi said nothing, and Shouichi continued.

"You have heard nothing from Hirata?"

"No, sir. Not once." Misashi shook his head. "I have received one communication from Genryuusai-sama only – just to inform me that my son had given his Endou pendant of his own free will for confiscation and had elected to remain in District One as a student at the Academy. I have not heard from the boy, nor have I tried to contact him. Mother said I was always too soft on him – now I must be nothing but hard. After all…after all, even if he enjoys his training there…"

"His loyalty to the Clan should come first." Shouichi nodded. "Yes. In that you are like your mother. In that, Misashi, I can believe."

He sighed.

"Hirata is a feeble boy, in any case. I defy even Genryuusai-sama to make a man out of such a snivelling wretch, so this causes me no distress." He said at length. "Eiraki is far more promising to our future and I am sure I can settle her an influential marriage with a Clansman of high birth. This will, of course, be my decision – do not expect me to consult you before making such arrangements."

Misashi was silent for a moment, then,

"My prime concern is the safety of my kin." He said levelly. "Not my advancement in politics. I want no particular favour or position of influence in your government, Father. I do not expect that kind of kindness given our past. I only ask that Sumire and Eiraki are protected and safe from harm. So long as that is the case, I will not raise any arguments."

"Meaning, I suppose, that you see Eiraki becoming engaged as a threat?"

"If my daughter does not object, Otousama, I will have no reason to object." Misashi said softly. "But I would beg you to speak to her, if not to me. She is young, and she has no right to speak against you. But even so, I would ask you…to speak to Eiraki before deciding for her her whole future."

Shouichi's expression twitched into an unpleasant smile.

"Very well." He said softly. "I will speak to Eiraki. But I think you will find her willing to submit. She is, after all, the kind who obeys. Not the kind who commands."

He got to his feet.

"I have prisoners to interrogate, and traitors to sentence." He added. "I trust that if you had no part in Midori's departure, that means I can assume you aren't concealing Urahara scientists from me?"

"I am not." Misashi shook his head. "I have never had any interest in those experiments, Father. If you suspect anyone of concealing those men – you are asking the wrong kinsman."

"Meaning?" Shouichi eyed him sharply, and Misashi shook his head.

"I know nothing about it." He said truthfully. "If I did, I would tell you. I have no affiliation with those people. Their future is nothing to do with me."

"There is one in particular." Shouichi said slowly. "A man who came here as a boy…a man who Seimaru worked with up until last summer. Then he disappeared, and nobody has seen him since. A man by the name of Aizen Keitarou – or, perhaps, _Urahara_ Keitarou. Do you know that name, Misashi? In any vein at all, do you know of him?"

"I know that he was Seimaru's scientist, and that he worked here last summer." Misashi said frankly. "I don't believe I met him more than in passing, and I wouldn't know him again. All Urahara look the same to me."

"This one does not." Shouichi shook his head. "He has some latent gene from some other Clan and his hair is brown, not blond. I wish him in my custody, because there are many, many things I need to ask him. Things that the Endou-ke should record for themselves before dispensing with the loose ends completely. There were many projects he worked on. I wish to have his notes and data before I deal with him."

"I would think, then, that offering him his life may make him willing to talk." Misashi murmured, and Shouichi shook his head.

"I do not trust him." He owned. "He is smart and he was useful. But on his own, he is not safe. He is dangerous with the knowledge he has. Not only about the experiments but also about our family. I promised your Mother to deal with these loose ends. I will deal with them. And him in particular. If you hear anything, report it to me at once."

"Yes, sir." Misashi inclined his head. "I'll do so. As I said, I have no allegiance to any exiled Urahara."

"In that, at least, I think I can trust you." Shouichi sighed. "Very well. That is all, Misashi. You are dismissed."

"Yes, Father." Misashi bowed his head once more, then withdrew, closing the door softly behind him.

"Are you polishing Grandfather's sandals with your tongue again, Ojisama?"

Seimaru's voice caused him to stop in his tracks, turning to face the speaker with an impassive expression on his face.

"Father was asking me about the missing Urahara scientists." He said coolly. "But since I know nothing, I could not help."

"Urahara?"

Was it imagination, or had the briefest flash of consternation crossed Seimaru's expression at that point? Misashi's brow furrowed thoughtfully, and he nodded.

"It seems that he's quite interested in locating the man who used to work for you. Aizen…was it?" He agreed. "But he's not worked for this family in a year – so I suppose he's probably long gone by now."

"I imagine so, considering the way the labs have been sealed up." Seimaru snapped, stalking towards his companion and shoving him aside. "Get out of my way. You might think you're back in his favour, but you'll never be in mine. And this won't stay like this forever, you know. You still have no rank and no say. And you will never take control of this Clan."

"I have no intention of doing so." Misashi steadied himself, sending his nephew an ice-cold smile. "I have sworn allegiance to Father and have been accepted back into his administration. I am not a rebel, Seimaru. I seek only a quiet life…for Mother's sake and for my own, I will do as I am bidden."

"Then acknowledge me as Grandfather's heir!"

"I do and I have." Misashi said lightly. "It was Mother's wish, therefore it is my wish. And I will happily serve under you, just as I serve under Father…if and when that time comes."

"What do you mean, if?" Seimaru's gaze glittered with suspicion, and Misashi chuckled softly.

"You are far too paranoid for someone so young." He murmured, resting his hand briefly on Seimaru's shoulder "You should be careful of that, Seimaru. Some might think it a sign of a guilty conscience."

With that he released his grip, heading purposefully down the hall towards the landing that led to his own quarters. He did not turn back, though even so he knew that Seimaru's eyes were boring accusingly into his back, and he pursed his lips.

_We all play dangerous games at the moment. Me. You. Hirata. Father. All of us dancing around trying to pretend everything is well. Hirata, to survive here, I have to forsake you in the same way you've forsaken us. I think you understand that, and I hope you aren't angry. You're the only hope this Clan has if it is to ever have a future…get strong quickly, my son, while Father is still here to honour his word. This regime is violent and ruthless, it's true…but it's nothing to the kind of rule Seventh District might see if Seimaru ever claimed power!_

* * *

"You know, something is definitely going on over that side of the camp."

Kai sat back against the trunk of a tree with a sigh, running his fingers absently through his thick tail of hair as he did so.

"Don't you people think so? We've been breaking our backs all day, and yet since they came back here I feel like whatever they did was a lot bigger than what we did. Like something happened…out on their mission today."

"Something?" Enishi paused in his polishing of his _asauchi_, casting the Vice Captain a surprised look. "Kira came back with a sprained ankle, but otherwise…?"

"Kira gets clumsy when he's nervous, and he gets nervous easily." Iwai said dismissively. "Probably he fell over something – he's brilliant at theory, but at practical tasks he's a bit of a lost cause. It's nothing to worry about, Fukutaichou. Just Kira getting into another of his usual scrapes, that's all."

"Mm, he looked pretty scared out of his wits to me." Sora put in at that moment, reaching across to poke the fire absently. "I realise Kira gets scared a lot – but I see Shihouin's point. There was something about them when they came back, wasn't there? Mitsuki seemed troubled too…and though she was probably worried about Kira, even so…"

"I asked her, when she came to bathe an hour ago." Naoko dropped down heavily on the grass beside her friend, pointedly ignoring Kai as she made herself comfortable on the ground. "She said that it wasn't important, so I let it go. Mitsuki's not the kind to tell lies – probably she was just concerned about Kira's injury."

"I wonder." Shunsui frowned, folding his arms across his chest as he sat back, considering his companions' words. After all, if he was honest to himself, something had been bothering him too.

It was late in the evening now, and the Toutai squad had returned from their manoeuvres some time earlier, yet even though they were once more all one camp, an invisible divide seemed to have sprung up between them all the same. The other squad had secluded themselves in their tent almost at once, only emerging to bathe or collect supplies, and something in this sudden withdrawal had struck Shunsui as odd.

_Even Juu seemed somewhat hesitant, when they came back. He didn't really look at me – he and Ryuu were deep in conversation, but it was as though only Toutai were there. And there was something else._

His brows knitted together.

_Juu definitely had blood on his sleeve._

"Kuchiki was the only one who seemed his normal, stuck up self, to be honest." Shihouin pursed his lips. "Aside from being a tad more smug and know-all than usual. Otherwise…"

"I think you're reading too much into it." Enishi shook his head. "They're probably tired – and besides, Sensei probably told them not to talk too much about the mission, since it's meant to have been a secret one. That's all it is – we're tired and they are and that's all. Tomorrow everything will be fine. You'll see. It's not that easy to put rifts through the Second Year, after all."

He glanced at Shunsui.

"Right, Kyouraku?"

"Mm. I suppose you're right." Shunsui offered his companion a rueful grin. "Whatever they did today, too, they all came back in one piece. And even if they are shut away in their tent – probably they have to debrief. Maybe you're right, Houjou – in the end, that's all it is."

"Well, you can ask for yourself, if you like. Captain to Captain." Kai twitched his sword in the direction of the Toutai tent, and Shunsui turned, seeing Juushirou emerging into the moonlight. "Maybe he'll tell you something about it on those terms."

Shunsui sighed, then nodded, getting to his feet.

"I'm going to." He decided, making up his mind. "Juu's capable of doing a lot for himself, and I don't want to be making a fuss over nothing. But there was definitely blood on his sleeve when he came back earlier – so at the very least, I want to make sure he's not hurt."

"Blood?" Enishi looked startled. "You think he had an attack?"

"If he did, that'd be why Mitsuki was so worried." Sora said emphatically, casting Naoko a knowing look. "She considers herself his personal nursemaid, so that's one mystery solved at least."

"Maybe." Shunsui agreed. "All right. I'll be right back. Kai, it's all yours till then – don't kill anyone till I get back, okay?"

"Aye aye, sir." Kai grinned, offering a wry salute, and Shunsui returned the gesture with a playful one of his own. Then he headed purposefully across the grass to where Juushirou was examining the cold remains of the Toutai fire.

"Juu?" He said softly, and at his voice, Juushirou started, gazing up at him in surprise. A rueful smile touched his expression, and he put a hand to his chest.

"Shunsui! You startled me – I was miles away."

"You look it, too." Shunsui cast his gaze over his friend, then, "I just came to see if you were okay."

Juushirou frowned.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked softly, and Shunsui's gaze drifted to the boy's snow white sleeves.

"You've changed your robe." He observed. "But you had blood on your sleeves when you came back from the forest. I wondered…"

"If I had had an attack up there?" Juushirou questioned, and Shunsui nodded.

"I'm not trying to be protective, but I was just concerned." He agreed, and Juushirou shook his head.

"I coughed, but it wasn't an attack. I'm fine, Shunsui. You know as well as anyone that my health lately has been much stronger...you shouldn't worry about me quite so easily."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed, taking in the clouding in the other boy's usually open hazel eyes.

"You look tired." He said quietly, and Juushirou snorted.

"Of course I'm tired." He said, a faint edge in his normally even tones. "Just because you people have been cleaning all day doesn't mean we've been doing nothing but picnicking in the forest. We had our own challenges to face too, you know – it's been a long day for all of us."

"Juu." Shunsui's eyes widened, and Juushirou sighed, rubbing his temples.

"It's been a long day." He repeated. "And I'm not allowed to talk to you about it. Sou-taichou's orders…we're not allowed to disclose anything about our mission to any of Katai. So don't ask me questions, Shunsui. Okay? I can't tell you, even if you beg me to."

"I don't care about your mission, particularly." Shunsui shook his head. "But I'm having trouble believing you're okay."

He frowned, taking in the faint, odd flickering of his friend's reiatsu and he reached out a hand to brush his classmate's brow.

"Something happened in the forest." He said quietly. "I don't know what, but it did. Right now your reiatsu is fluctuating in a funny way and I'm not sure I like it. I'm worried that something hurt you, because I know that you don't always admit it when you're not feeling well. Especially…"

"I told you I was fine." Juushirou snapped, glaring at his friend as he knocked away Shunsui's hand. "If you don't believe me, then I can't tell you any more…but you said you weren't protecting me, so don't. I'm a Captain, just like you. I completed our mission today and I did it without your help. I'm not hurt and I don't need you to fuss. Toutai can manage just fine, even if my class ranking is below yours. And I think I'm the one who knows best when my _haibyou_ is causing a problem – which, for your information, right now it is _not_!"

Shunsui gaped, completely taken off guard by his friend's sudden reaction, but before either boy could respond, Ryuu emerged from the tent. He cast Shunsui a glance, then bowed his head stiffly in Juushirou's direction.

"We have to report to Sou Taichou now, Taichou." He said softly. "We shouldn't be late – he did say once we'd finished eating and cleaning up, we should all go."

"Right." Juushirou nodded, casting his Vice Captain a weary grin. "Can Kira walk?"

"He's determined to come too." Ryuu agreed. "His foot isn't swollen now Edogawa's seen to it, and he seems a lot better in himself, so I thought it'd be best if he did. He is our log-keeper, after all, so he'll have to write all this down. Kamitani and Fujiwara are going to help him if walking is difficult – everyone else is ready and just waiting for your order."

"Then let's go to the mess tent and debrief." Juushirou responded simply, and Ryuu nodded.

"Yes, sir." He agreed. "I'll pass the message on right away."

He ducked back into the tent, and Juushirou sighed.

"I have something I need to do." He said unnecessarily. "It's fine, Shunsui. Really. I'm fine. Let it go, okay?"

And with that he too disappeared back into the tent, leaving his classmate standing and staring after him.

"Well, that seemed to be out of character." Sora's voice at his left shoulder made him turn, and he offered her a rueful smile.

"No kidding." He said with a sigh. "I think maybe Toutai are starting to take this a little bit too seriously."

"I wonder what did happen in the forest today." Sora wondered, linking her arm in her companion's and leading him back towards the Katai fire. "It's not like Juushirou to get a rod up his ass so easily – do you think Kuchiki's influence is starting to have a bad effect?"

"Ah, who knows." Shunsui shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "Maybe."

"Well, Kuchiki is stiff and rigid as they come, and Hirata's not exactly going to stand up to him." Sora said sensibly. "You and Houjou and Shihouin are in a different squad, and Mitsuki's going to side with Kuchiki because they're kin. So it stands to reason they're taking it seriously. Even as Vice Captain, I'm sure Kuchiki knows exactly how he wants Toutai to be run. And Juushirou's too nice, really, to stand in his way."

"Ryuu-kun sure does seem to have adopted the mantle of Vice Captain pretty seriously." Shunsui reflected, and Sora nodded.

"I don't dislike him, but his people skills generally suck." She said frankly. "Probably Juushirou has enough on his plate playing referee between a rigid Clansman who wants to do things his way and everyone else who just wants to have fun. Whatever happened in the forest…I bet that was it."

"Juu usually has a way with him, though." Shunsui pointed out, and Sora snorted.

"Maybe, but this is different from school. Kuchiki's much more experienced in practical skills and he knows much more about the Gotei." she said wisely. "Juushirou's a fish out of water in that respect – stands to reason that given half a chance, Kuchiki'd take over."

"I don't think Juu's that weak willed."

"Me either, but as Captain he has to keep the peace." Sora grinned. "Just like you've been doing with Hanako and Naoko – right? You've been complaining enough about how draining it is having to actively play referee. Maybe it's been the same for Juushirou."

"Maybe so, but just then…Juu…that reaction was…" Shunsui's brow furrowed, then he sighed.

"This is meant to be fun, isn't it?" he demanded. "When does that bit begin, Sora? We've cleaned all day and now we're getting yelled at…"

"All because Toutai found the tea mugs were missing." Sora frowned. "And they knew about the inspection, but nobody did tell us. Even if we are different squads, we're classmates and this is about team spirit. They could've – don't you think?"

"Mm. Possibly." Shunsui acknowledged, dropping down by the Katai fire once more.

"No luck?" Enishi set aside his sword, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Apparently Juu's fine." He said ironically. "Which is presumably why he looks like the world's weight is on him and why he shouted at me when I just asked how he was."

"We think Toutai are taking this rival squad thing a liiittle seriously." Sora supplemented, and Kai frowned.

"Judging by Kuchiki's demeanour earlier, I'd agree." He reflected. "He was all about how they'd been doing _proper_ Shinigami work and we'd been doing menial stuff all day…rubbing it in our faces even though he couldn't give us any details. It was annoying – if it hadn't been that we were bathing, I'd have taken my _asauchi, _even sheathed_, _and battered manners into him, to tell you the truth."

"That doesn't sound like Ukitake, though." Houjou objected, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Well, its how he was." He said frankly.

"He was. And I'm sure Kuchiki's got a lot to do with it." Sora sighed. "Since there's nobody in that squad to really stand up to him."

"Well, then maybe _we'll _do the standing up instead." Shunsui said slowly, and Kai shot him a startled look.

"Kyouraku?"

Shunsui raised a hand, gesturing towards the Toutai tent as the eight shadowed figures of their classmates slipped one by one across towards the mess tent.

"They're with Kazoe now, reporting on their top secret special mission. The tent is empty." He said softly. "I wonder if we should take advantage of that."

"_Kyouraku-kun?_" Naoko stared, and Shunsui smiled, a faintly wicked expression entering his dark brown eyes.

"Toutai like spotting things that are missing." He said innocently. "So let's give them something else to play the game with, huh?"

"What are you planning?" Kai's eyes narrowed suspiciously, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Let's take their blankets." He said simply. "If they're such a dedicated squad who can take such a vital mission out into the wilderness, they don't need creature comforts like that, do they?"

"Are you _serious_?" Sora stared, and Shunsui nodded, any faint flickers of guilt dissipating as he remembered the impatience in Juushirou's tones.

"Completely." He agreed. "I won't force anyone who doesn't want to, of course, but even so, we've all worked darn hard today. And Toutai need to lighten up, else all of this experience is going to be a major drag for everyone. Sora keeps saying it's meant to be fun, so it's about time we made it fun – right? We don't deserve to be crowed over, just because _they_ went on a field trip – do we?"

"Katai aren't Toutai's whipping boys, that's for sure." Iwai murmured. "But could we do that and get away with it, Kyouraku? I mean…"

"Now is our chance." Shunsui said evenly. "While they're all busy with Kazoe."

He glanced around at his companions.

"Does anyone have any real objections?"

There was silence, as the squad members all glanced at one another.

"Nakamura-san isn't here yet. Are we going to include her?" Naoko asked slowly, and Shunsui looked surprised.

"We? You're including yourself in this, Naoko-chan? I'm honoured...you're actually going to follow my leadership in this?"

"It's nothing to do with you. I just didn't work my guts out today to be patronised by that stuck up Kuchiki bocchan." Naoko shrugged, spreading out her hands and Shunsui could see in the flickering firelight the red scratch and splinter marks mottled against her pale skin. "He may be Mitsuki's cousin – and I wouldn't put up with him or his rigid attitude if he wasn't – but I heard him sounding off earlier too. He was denigrating the wood pile and talking about how badly we'd cut it – and I'm not having him get away with that. Especially since I had to put up with Nakamura-san the whole time."

"Nakamura would probably tell tales." Makoto muttered, and Sora sighed.

"Most likely. But she's still bathing, so she needn't know." She said pragmatically. "Since she likes to have her 'bathing privacy', she'll probably be gone for some time."

She exaggerated the phrase, twitching her fingers into quote marks, and Shunsui grinned.

"Then it's decided." He said frankly. "We'll take Toutai's blankets and hide them, and see how long it takes them to figure out what's gone on. If this mission is about teamwork, well, we'll remind them that there's another half to this team – and if it isn't, we'll remind them that Katai aren't just menial workers but we've got a few tricks up our own sleeves, too. All agreed?"

He held out his hand, and one by one each of his companions brought a palm down on top of it. He grinned, getting to his feet.

"Right then." He said, gesturing towards the empty Toutai tent. "Follow me."

* * *

Well, so that was their first mission over with.

As Toutai left the mess tent, Juushirou paused for a moment beneath the clear sky, gazing pensively up at the glittering moon overhead as he ran his mind over the meeting. It was late, now, and he and his companions were all tired after their day's events. Yet even though it was easy to put everything down to weariness, he knew that this was not entirely the case.

For the most part, he had charged Ryuu with the duty of giving Kazoe the clinical, brief report of their adventure in the forest, giving his own opinion only when asked for it directly. Sora's concerns to the contrary, Ryuu had done so fairly and without embellishment, giving full credit to his Captain for the strategies that had enabled them to complete their mission. As a result, they had all been praised for their teamwork and quick thinking, yet the praise had somehow still left Juushirou feeling hollow inside. He had passed his first test as Captain, but it had come at something of a price. While his doubts and uncertainties swirled up within him, he knew that the shadow of two small fish were never far from the back of his thoughts. For the first time that afternoon, one of them had spoken to him during a battle. And even though he tried to dismiss it – the more he thought about it, the more alarmed he was about how far these spectral creatures were starting to push into his everyday life.

_Even though I thought them just a chimera – a dream put there by my wishing for my parents, a way to gather together my confidence – even my last desperate survival instinct kicking into play. But now they seem to be there even when I'm not in trouble. And I'm starting to realise that they don't only come when I ask them to. Today, You came on his own. In was there too, even though I didn't hear her. And every time I've held the asauchi it's been more and more that way. Ever since that conversation by the sea back home, before term started…no matter how much I try to ignore it, nothing is quite the same. And no matter how well I feel…I'm starting to wonder how much is real and how much is an illusion._

And then there had been the disagreement with Shunsui.

Juushirou's brows knitted together in consternation as he remembered how short he'd been with his friend.

_Although he was fussing. But even so, I know Shunsui well enough by now to know that he only does fuss when there's something to fuss over. I yelled at him because I knew it too – I didn't want him asking me things when I don't really know how to answer them myself. If I tell him something's wrong, then I'll be admitting that In and You are really troubling me – and more, that their consciousnesses are separate from mine. But that would mean that they're able to make decisions for themselves and enact them if they see fit. Surely that's crazy! I can't talk to anyone about that. Fish telling me what to do? It even sounds stupid in my head. If I start down that path, I'll end up being locked away for losing my mind._

"Are you all right, Ukitake-kun?"

Mitsuki's voice broke through his thoughts at that moment and he turned, eying her in surprise as he took in the concerned expression on her pretty features. He had stopped dead, he realised, the rest of the squad having headed on back towards the tent without him, but Mitsuki alone had waited behind. Her demeanour was tentative and anxious, as though she wanted to say many things but didn't know how to begin any of them, and at this realisation, Juushirou let out a heavy sigh.

So he was worrying his own squad too, was he, by dwelling on the afternoon's exercise so much?

For a moment there was an awkward silence, then Mitsuki bit her lip.

"You seem to be troubled by something." She murmured, "In the forest earlier...there, too. I wondered...if maybe...you weren't feeling well?"

The tentative way in which she phrased her question told Juushirou that she had probably heard his altercation with Shunsui, and his brows knitted together, inwardly berating himself for having so easily lost his temper.

"I'm all right, Edogawa-san. I'm sorry. It's just been a long day...and I'm tired out."

"I see." Mitsuki fell silent once more, then,

"I'm sorry that I wasn't able to help you more in the forest." She said quietly, bowing her head towards him. "With the Hollow. Even though it wasn't real. If I had been stronger, maybe Kira-kun wouldn't have been hurt."

"That was my bad call, not anything to do with you." Juushirou shook his head, managing a crooked smile. "If that's what's bothering you - don't let it. I chose to retreat, and so Kira tripped up. But he's all right - it's not a bad injury. He'll be fine, so you needn't worry about the situation any more. I know you can feel it, when someone's hurt, but even so..."

"It's not Kira-kun that worries me." Mitsuki interrupted him, shaking her head. "I know he'll be fine. I gave him some herbs and he said it doesn't even hurt, now. He'll be much better even by tomorrow. I know that."

"Then...why?" Juushirou frowned, and Mitsuki sighed.

"This is probably not something I should say." She murmured reluctantly. "But I know...Ryuu-kun said something about it, and I'm sure...Ukitake-kun...that you're aware of it too. And I thought maybe you were worrying about it...so it made me...well...worry about it too."

"Am I upsetting you again, with my all-over-the-place reiatsu?" Juushirou asked her sharply, and Mitsuki managed a faint smile, shaking her head.

"It's not like that." She assured him. "Just...in the forest, when the Hollow came...Ukitake-kun, you were different. And when you extinguished it...then, too. I've felt it before - in Ouyoudou class, when we were using the _asauchi _for the first time. It was like...it wasn't just you swinging the _asauchi_. You picked it up so quickly…like it was a natural instinct, but it was still, somehow…odd. I don't know what else to think of it as - but it didn't feel like the normal Ukitake-kun. That's all."

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then he sighed.

"I can't conceal anything from you, even when I want to." He said darkly. "I know you want to help, Edogawa-san, but sometimes...it would be better if you couldn't see so easily through me."

"I'm sorry." Mitsuki looked stricken. "I'm not trying to pry, really I'm not! I just..."

"No, I didn't mean it that way." Juushirou held up his hands. "It's not your fault, and if I had better control over my reiatsu and my body, I wouldn't be causing you such a bother, anyway."

He offered her a sheepish smile.

"The truth is, I've noticed it too." He admitted. "That something is different. And I can't explain it either - which bothers me a little bit."

"I see." Mitsuki pursed her lips, then, "It doesn't seem like a...a bad thing, Ukitake-kun. You don't seem in pain. It's just..."

"I'm not. I feel fitter than I've been in a long time, but somehow that's starting to feel like a false impression." Juushirou rubbed his temples. "Like it's the calm before the storm - I don't know how else to put it. I feel like there's a storm somewhere inside of me, Edogawa-san. What that means...even I don't know. But there is something. And while at the moment, everything is fine - in the forest today, I felt different too. Since I held an _asauchi_ for the first time, I've noticed that my style has changed bit by bit, too. And...well...I didn't feel quite like I was fighting alone, either. Today, or before. I felt like there was something or someone else there...and I don't know how to deal with that."

"Kyouraku-kun has probably noticed it too." Mitsuki said softly. "Because he came to speak to you...he was worried about you, too."

"I know, and I shouted at him - probably _because _I knew that." Juushirou groaned. "I don't want to talk about it, not really. Talking about it makes me uncertain...unsettled. I feel fine. I'm healthier than I've been in a long time. It's not impeding me when I fight - today I managed to do what we were supposed to do, even though Hollows still scare me as much as they always have. There's probably nothing at all wrong. It's just..."

He trailed off, and Mitsuki offered him a faint smile.

"I won't ask you any more about it, then, if that's how you feel." She said quietly. "And I'm sorry if I've made you feel more unsettled now, because I've brought it up. But I think...that its not a bad thing that's happening. And I don't want you to worry about it. It doesn't feel...well...it doesn't seem bad to me. I can't really explain what I mean either, but it feels like...like Ukitake-kun is getting stronger. That's all."

"Stronger, huh?" Juushirou frowned, remembering once again the conversation by the beach that he had had with the two fish spirits.

"Maybe that is what it is. Maybe my power is just maturing." He said at length. "Either way, you're right. There's no reason to worry about something that isn't doing me any active harm. If I'm not ill and I'm able to act as I should - that's what matters. Thank you, Edogawa-san. I think...I feel better about it now."

He stifled a yawn.

"It's just been a long day. That doesn't help, either. To be honest, I'm looking forward to having a good night's sleep."

"Ukitake-taichou!"

At that moment Chiyoko came haring across the grass, breathless and anxious with dark hair flying every which way as she hurried towards them. "Ukitake-taichou, come quickly! Kuchiki-fukutaichou wants you – somebody's been in our tent!"

"What?" Juushirou's eyes widened. "In our tent? What do you mean, Saitani…? How do you know?"

"Our blankets are gone." Chiyoko said emphatically. "All of them. Every single one. Completely gone."

"Gone?" Mitsuki's expression became one of alarm. "But…all of them? Just like that?"

"Every last one." Chiyoko confirmed. "When we got back, Kira was going to rest his foot and go to sleep early. But he couldn't find his blanket, so Aki-kun was going to lend him his, and then Aki's was missing too – which is when we knew it wasn't Aki playing silly games, because he wouldn't have pranked himself…and so Kuchiki-fukutaichou said everyone should find their blankets…except…"

"There weren't any to find." Juushirou's eyes narrowed and he pushed his earlier anxieties out of his mind, indicating for the two girls to follow him to the tent. "Right. I see. Then in that case, I obviously need to see it for myself."

"Is anything else missing, Saitani-san?" Mitsuki asked anxiously, and Chiyoko shook her head.

"Nothing. That's the stupid thing." She said frankly. "Nothing else has been disturbed. It's been done really neatly – carefully, so it wasn't animals or anything like that. It's as though someone went methodically through everyone's pile of belongings and just took out the blankets before putting everything else back as it was."

Juushirou pursed his lips.

"Katai." He murmured, reaching the tent and pushing back the flaps, stopping as he registered the confusion inside.

"Taichou!" Ryuu was on his feet immediately, and Juushirou nodded, stepping inside and glancing around him.

"Saitani's told me." He said frankly. "And they're really all gone?"

"Everyone's. Yours and Edogawa's, too…I had Saitani check Edogawa's things while I checked yours." Ryuu bowed his head slightly. "My apologies, but in your absence, I thought it the best thing to do."

"No, you were right." Juushirou sighed, shaking his head slowly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to delay coming back here. But I had thought we'd had all our excitement for the day."

"Do you think it was Katai, Taichou?" Aki asked, and Juushirou frowned.

"I don't see who else it could be." He admitted. "As Saitani said, if nothing else is disturbed, it can't be blamed on animals."

"I can think of a few animals in the Katai ranks." Ryuu muttered, and Juushirou shook his head.

"Ryuu-kun, don't." He said firmly. "For the time being, we have to work out what we're going to do about it. It's late, after all."

"Sou Taichou is in his tent. We could go speak to him about it." Kira suggested, but Aki snorted, shaking his head.

"If we have to run to Kazoe-sensei for help, then that would make us a pretty pathetic kind of squad, wouldn't it?" He demanded, and Kira looked sheepish.

"I suppose so. But how are we meant to find them? It's dark outside, and if we went to Katai's tent and accused them…"

"A late night confrontation would probably also reflect badly on us, if we charged into their tent and demanded answers." Juushirou said softly. "But I agree with Fujiwara. We're not going to tell any tales. Today we fought a Hollow, after all. Even a dummy one, we still worked together and we won. If Katai are pranking us because of it, then we're not going to run scared to report it."

"So what are we going to do, Taichou?" Ryuu looked somewhat disgruntled, and belatedly Juushirou realised that his young friend had already had designs on challenging Kai with his _asauchi_ if a direct assault had taken place.

"Well, firstly we need to know for sure that it was Katai." Deciding to overlook it, Juushirou settled down on the ground. "Given the tea mugs, it might not have been them at all. It could just as easily have been someone working for Sensei trying to make us doubt our companions."

"It could…" Kamitani looked doubtful. "But twice in one day? I don't think that's very likely, Taichou."

"Me either." Juushirou admitted. "But we have to think of all the possibilities."

"Taichou!"

At that moment Hirata let out an exclamation, and Juushirou turned to stare at the youngest member of the group, eying the scrap of log-book paper that was clutched between his fingers. With a frown he held out his hand, and Hirata handed it over, his eyes big as he absorbed the tension in his companion's demeanour.

Slowly Juushirou unfolded it, taking in the slashed black ink across the rumpled paper. Then he glanced up.

"Where did you find this, Hirata?" He asked softly, and Hirata gestured to the wall of the tent, against which he had been casually leaning.

"It fell on me." He admitted. "And slipped down the back of my _hakamashita_. I thought it was a fly…but it looks like someone pinned something to the fabric of the tent wall. I must have knocked it free when I sat down."

"A note?" Kamitani asked eagerly, and Juushirou sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Not much of one." He said resignedly, turning the sheet over and holding it up so that the whole group could see the crudely scribed strokes of the 'natsu' kanji inked across the paper. "Just the one kanji. Natsu."

"Natsu. Summer. Ka." Ryuu muttered. "It's enough of a note to be a blatant announcement of guilt, if you ask me. Fancy language is not needed. That one character tells us exactly who did this – and that they don't seem to feel even the slightest hesitation about bragging over it."

"Yeah. It looks that way." Juushirou set the piece of paper down. "As Ryuu says, just that one kanji tells us everything we already knew is right. It _was _Katai. And it looks like they did it with serious intent."

"If we sit back and do nothing, it'll be like they've won." Chiyoko hugged her knees to her chest. "And they might do it again, which would suck. Next time it might be more than blankets – Taichou, are we really going to do nothing?"

"No…we're not going to do nothing." Juushirou made up his mind, resting back against his hands as he glanced at his assembled companions. "We've had a long day and obviously they've had too much free time, if they're able to sneak into other people's tents and borrow things that don't belong to them. Fortunately, it's not a cold night. If we don't have blankets, we won't freeze, and we can always sleep in our uniform if necessary. For now, I suggest we get some sleep."

"For now…" Hirata looked confused. "But…Ukitake-k…taichou…?"

"For now." Juushirou confirmed. "Because they'll be expecting us to give them a reaction. And we're just not going to give them that satisfaction."

"So what do you want us to do, Taichou?" Mitsuki asked softly. "If we're not going to do nothing, but we're going to go to sleep now…"

"Toutai are early risers." Juushirou said frankly. "And tomorrow, we'll rise early as we did today. With the exception of Shihouin Kai, Katai aren't such quick risers as we are. And I think, if we can take care of him…we can manage tomorrow morning just fine."

"Manage Shihouin?" Ryuu's eyes narrowed, then, "I volunteer for that task."

"Ryuu-kun…" Despite himself, Juushirou's lips twitched into a smile, but he shook his head. "No. I'm sorry, but I don't want it to end up in a sword spar. However…"

He glanced at Hirata.

"Maybe I can leave that duty to you?"

"To me…?" Hirata blinked, and Juushirou nodded.

"Can you think of some way to distract Kai-kun from the Katai tent for a short while tomorrow morning?"

"I…I suppose I can try." Hirata bit his lip, then a smile touched the corners of his mouth. "Yes. I can think of a way, Ukitake-taichou. You can count on me."

"And while Shihouin is otherwise engaged? What are we to do, while Katai are so leisurely enjoying their slumber?" Ryuu demanded.

"Patience, Kuchiki." Juushirou eyed him for a moment, then relented, spreading his hands.

"They wanted our blankets, so obviously they must want to trade for them." He said simply. "So we should take what we're owed in trade."

"Meaning?" Aki's eyes glittered with interest, and Juushirou offered him a benign smile.

"I think we might borrow their _hakama_." He said calmly. "What do you people think?"

"Their _hakama_?" Kira's eyes almost fell out of his head. "You mean…from the girls as well?"

"Yes." Juushirou agreed. "Since they took all of our blankets – it seems only fair, don't you think?"

"Naoko will go crazy." Mitsuki murmured, and Juushirou cast her a glance.

"Are you against it?" He asked, and Mitsuki grinned, shaking her head.

"I think it sounds fair to me." She said, an uncharacteristic glimmer of mischief surfacing in her grey eyes. "Since they did start it. And you look less tired now, Ukitake-taichou. So I think…it must be a good idea."

Juushirou looked rueful.

"Yes." He agreed. "I guess all I needed was a distraction."

"So who's going to be the thief?" Aki demanded. "If we're stealing _hakama_, surely we're not all going to go invading their tent?"

"No. Two people should be enough." Juushirou shook his head. "One should be a girl, since we're dealing with girls there, too."

"So that's you or me, Edogawa-san." Chiyoko shot Mitsuki a grin. "What do you think?"

"I wake up more easily than you do." Mitsuki said composedly. "So if Taichou agrees, I don't mind doing it."

"You really mean that, don't you?" Juushirou was surprised, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I never play pranks on Sora or Naoko. This will be the first time." She admitted. "If it's all right with you, Taichou, I'd like to do it, please."

"Then I will go with her." Ryuu volunteered. "I promise not to cause trouble with Shihouin, Taichou – but if Mitsuki is going, _I_ should be the one to accompany her. After all, as a Kuchiki, it is my duty to look out for my kinfolk."

"All right. If you like." Juushirou agreed. "Hirata, are you sure you can handle Kai-kun?"

"Mm. More or less." Hirata nodded his head. "Last summer, when I was first training with him in District Two, we went into the forests near his home and I found a snake. It was quite big, and it scared me. Kai-kun killed it, but apparently it was quite a poisonous one."

"And you're going to pretend you've found another one?" Juushirou asked. Hirata nodded.

"Even though I'm an Endou, people don't usually suspect me of anything." He said blithely. "Kai-kun told me if I ever found another, I should get him or one of the retainers to deal with it, since I'd probably wind up antagonising it and maybe getting hurt. So I'm sure he'll come, if he thinks it's for real. Apparently snakes are quite common in parts of District Two – and all the Shihouin are quite firm about dealing with them before they become a problem."

"You are a lot more devious than you look, aren't you, Endou?" Kamitani eyed him for a moment, and Hirata shrugged.

"I'm still an Endou, deep down." He said frankly. "I guess that's the reason why I'm still alive, after all."

"Then we're settled." Juushirou looked satisfied. "Before dawn, Hirata will take care of Kai-kun and Edogawa-san and Ryuu-kun will mount a Toutai offensive on the Katai tent. In the meantime…"

He frowned, his brows furrowing as he considered the matter carefully. Then he nodded.

"In the meantime, the rest of us will ensure that if the Sou Taichou is out and about, we keep him occupied." He decided.

"If the worst comes to the worst, we can always pretend Kira's foot is hurting and he needs help." Aki suggested, and Kira nodded cheerfully.

"So long as nobody makes me drink any foul-tasting medicines, I don't mind." He agreed good-naturedly. "It's almost all right again, and the herbs Edogawa-san gave me weren't all that bitter – but if it's for the rest of the squad, I'm willing to play along."

"Well, Toutai are a team, aren't we." Juushirou's eyes twinkled. "So we'll show Shunsui and his band of miscreants just how much of a team we can be."

"Do you think Kyouraku is the one behind it, then, Taichou?" Kamitani asked quizzically, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"Without a doubt." He said immediately. "If this is Katai's work, it's definitely Shunsui's brainchild. Absolutely no question about it."

"I agree with Ukitake-taichou." Ryuu said darkly. "This is exactly the kind of thing Kyouraku-_taichou_ would dream up, _haori_ or no _haori_. He is a completely inexplicable individual at the best of times – and the words appropriate and moderation do not often exist in his vocabulary."

"Aren't you his friends?" Chiyoko looked bewildered, and Juushirou nodded.

"Of course." He agreed. "But Kuchiki is still right. This has Shunsui's mark all over it."

He let out his breath in a rush, then,

"But if Katai want to throw down the gauntlet, then that's fine by me. Just as I know he's capable of causing chaos, he should know that I'm stubborn and I don't give up very easily."

"They'll consider it a declaration of war." Kamitani mused, and Juushirou grinned.

"No. They already declared war when they took our property and left us their calling card." He said frankly. "But for now, it's getting late. Lets leave it and go to bed as best we can. Tomorrow, we'll settle things – and make them realise that they can't mess with Toutai that easily!"


	11. Nemesis : correct chapter:

**Chapter Ten: Nemesis**

Another early start.

Kai stretched his arms over his head, stifling a yawn as he took a deep breath into his lungs. Glancing around him, he could tell that it was just before dawn, and the rest of his squad were still sleeping peacefully, huddled under their blankets like small, furry mounds of earth.

At the sight, he stifled a smile, remembering the previous night's prank.

_I wonder what Toutai did about it. It wasn't a cold night, too, but I half expected someone to come and charge in demanding to know where we'd hidden them. Kuchiki, at the very least. I wish I could have seen his face. Ukitake must have gone to some lengths to keep him from doing anything rash._

He pulled his night robe more tightly around his body and got to his feet, pushing back the flap of the tent and stepping out into the darkness. At home, it wasn't uncommon for him to wake before the rising sun, since many of his past training sensei had expected him to be dressed, fed and prepared before the first rays of the sun crossed the ground, and as a result he had come to like this time of day...a time when everything was still, and yet a brand new day was still on the horizon.

It was going to be a nice one, too, he could tell. Licking his finger and holding it up, he determined that the faint breeze was blowing in from the west - gentle and lazy and in no hurry to disturb the petals or leaves from the nearby trees. There was nothing heavy in the air, and he let out a heavy sigh of contentment.

Maybe, this time, it would be Katai's turn to leave the camp.

As he sauntered down towards the lake, intent on splashing cool water on his face and hands in readiness for the start of the day. There wouldn't be time, he knew, for a full bathing session if he was to get the rest of Katai up and about in time for an inspection...and after the previous day, he was taking no chances.

"Kai-kun?"

As he reached the lake, a soft voice out of the darkness made him start, swinging around in surprise. In the dim light he could just make out Hirata's diminutive form, a faint glint across the lenses of his glasses as he stood beneath the shade of a tall willow tree.

"Hirata?" He frowned, casting his companion a confused look. "What are you doing? It's early to be up, isn't it?"

"I could say the same to you." Hirata murmured, and there was the rustle of grass as the smaller boy stepped forward towards his friend. "But I've woken up before dawn most mornings so far this term. I think your training schedule has started to affect me - I'm waking up even when I don't need to."

He turned, the light glittering once more off the spectacles as he did so.

"Why are you here, Kai-kun? It's too early for a bath, isn't it?"

"I just came to splash my hands, really." Kai shook his head. "We're not missing out on an inspection this time, so I don't have time for anything else. I'm going back to wake up the others in a moment - hey, and won't Ukitake wonder where you've got to? Don't tell me that Toutai are already up and about."

"Mostly." Hirata shrugged. "We didn't all get that much sleep last night."

At this, Kai offered an amused grin.

"Really? I wonder why not."

"Well, we couldn't find our blankets." Hirata said frankly, kicking his foot idly against a lump of earth on the ground. "So we wound up sleeping kind of late, and I suppose it meant we didn't sleep as deeply. Fortunately, it wasn't a cold night...and so far, Sensei hasn't inspected our tents. If we lost those, I guess we'd be punished."

"Possibly." Kai agreed, hiding a smile. "I guess that must've been quite a problem for you."

"Mm. Well. I'm sure we'll find them." Hirata shrugged his shoulders. "They can't have got far, after all."

"Probably not." Kai agreed. "Like the tea mugs - they'll magically turn up again when you least expect it, most likely."

"I think so too." Hirata said seriously. "Maybe Sensei was playing another trick on us...I'm not sure what the rules are of this camp, Kai-kun, but I'm starting to think we need to be on the ball every second."

"No kidding." Kai dropped down at the water's edge, running his fingers through the cool liquid and splashing it up onto his face. "And for that reason, I have to go wake some sleeping beauties now. Don't linger around here too long, Hirata-kun. Your Captain will worry about you, after all."

"I suppose he will." Hirata agreed. "I'm sorry to have held you up, Kai-kun. I didn't expect anyone to be out here this early in the morning."

"Me either." Kai admitted. "But I suppose that you've lived with the Shihouin enough to be half Shihouin yourself, now. Sorry about that, huh?"

"It's quite all right." Hirata said composedly. "I've learnt a lot of things from staying with you and your family, after all."

Kai shot him a grin, moving to leave the waterside, but as he did so, his young companion let out an exclamation, and there was a frantic rustling of grass and leaves as the boy darted back against the trunk of the tall tree.

"Hirata?" Despite himself, Kai paused, turning to cast his companion a look of consternation. "What the hell are you shrieking about - what's wrong? Did you step on something?"

"S...S..." Hirata was visibly trembling, Kai realised, his glasses having half slipped down his nose as he pointed frantically towards a patch of earth on the far side of the copse.

"Hirata? Spit it out - you can't tell me you're afraid of the dark now!" Kai frowned, and Hirata shook his head hastily, not lowering his hand for one moment.

"S...s...snake!" He whispered, and at the word, Kai's eyes widened.

"Snake?" He echoed, immediately slipping between the younger boy and the indicated area of land. "You sure? In this light, it's difficult to see anything. Couldn't it have been a branch...? I don't think District One has as many of them as District Two, so..."

"It was there, Kai-kun!" Hirata's fingers latched onto the sleeve of Kai's nightrobe, and Kai found two desperate, urgent blue eyes staring up into his golden ones, fear glittering in their depths. "Like before, it moved...it went..."

He faltered, indicating towards the roots of another tree, and Kai sighed, running his fingers through his thick long hair as he weighed up his options.

"Are you absolutely certain? I know you didn't like the one back home, but Hirata, we're not there now. And your eyesight isn't the best in the world. There are a million things that it could have been."

Hirata nodded his head emphatically, and Kai sighed again.

"All right. I'll look. Stay there, okay? And if you see it again, yell. But quietly. We don't want to wake Sou Taichou. I don't think he'd be too impressed if he knew you were scared of snakes - and I don't think your Vice Captain would be too complimentary about it, either."

"Okay." Hirata agreed nervily. "I'm sorry, Kai-kun. But if it's there...it might come out when we're bathing...and...and..."

He faltered, and Kai rubbed his temples.

"Remind me to teach you, next time we break, how to kill a snake yourself." He said frankly. "I'll add it into our training program. I know I said I'd help you out if you found one, but you can't quiver away from them forever. Not if you're really going to be a fighter, Hirata."

"I know." Hirata was not trembling as much now, and Kai bent to scoop up a large broken branch from one of the nearby trees, stalking purposefully over towards the indicated area. Carefully he staked out the piece of ground, poking and digging at it at intervals as he hunted for any sign of the slithering reptile, but there was none.

He sighed.

"If it was here, it's gone now. You must've scared it with all your fuss." He said frankly.

"But...but..." Hirata was anxious, and Kai tossed the wood aside, coming to put his hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

"Come on. Let's go back to camp. There are no snakes there, I promise." He said, amused. "I won't tell anyone if you don't - we both need to get up and dressed for whatever today's going to hold, after all."

"I..." Hirata hesitated for a moment, his gaze apparently fixed on a point far beyond where the two of them were standing. Then he adjusted his glasses on his nose, slowly nodding his head.

"All right." He said slowly. "I suppose you're right. I suppose the sun will be properly up soon - and we don't have time for this."

"Well said." Kai clapped his hand down warmly on the younger boy's back. "That's more the spirit. If you're going to be a shinigami, after all, you can't be hiding from wildlife. And if you're going to beat Seimaru one day, you really need to up your game."

"I suppose so." Hirata looked rueful. "I can't rely on you to help me forever, after all. Or Ukitake-kun. One day I'll have to do it for myself."

"Yes. You will." Kai agreed. "All right. I guess I'll see you at breakfast - I haven't time to dally with you now, because I bet Kyouraku isn't even vaguely up yet, and he takes a lot of poking."

Hirata grinned, nodding his head.

"I understand." He said simply. "Thank you, Kai-kun. I'll see you then."

And with that he was gone, darting off across the grass towards the Toutai tent.

Kai watched him for a moment, then raised his gaze to the skyline, taking in the first proper rays of sun beginning to creep across the horizon.

_Just about time, I think, if I hurry._

He sped up his pace, throwing back the flap of the Katai tent and slipping back inside. Within, Enishi and Iwai were just beginning to stir, and Kai scooped up his sheathed _asauchi_, stepping between bodies and poking each one firmly as he passed. As he reached the end that had been sectioned off for the girls, he threw back the blanket divide, taking a malicious amount of pleasure from the startled looks the three girls shot his way.

"It's about dawn, and we need to be up." He said firmly. "If we're not going to be caught napping today, we need to be up and out before Kazoe-sensei decides on another spot inspection."

"You're noisy, Kai-kun." Shunsui objected sleepily, and Kai grinned, prodding his friend again for good measure.

"And you're lazy, Taichou." He said playfully. "I'm serious. None of us want to do menial tasks again today, right? We need to get up. Otherwise it'll be the worse for us, if we do."

"All right, already, we heard you the first time." Naoko muttered, and Kai sent her a dark look.

"We heard you the first time_, Fukutaichou_." He said pointedly. "If you're insubordinate, Shikibu, I _will_ discipline you. Don't forget that."

"Oh, scary." Naoko pulled a face. "Besides, Sora and I are already awake. We don't need you to play rising bell."

Before Kai could respond, Sora let out a cry of dismay, grabbing her friend by the arm.

"Naoko! Have you got my _hakama_ in with yours by mistake? I swear I folded it last night, but it's not here!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake..." Kai rolled his eyes. "Sora...how can you lose your clothing? This is a tent, not a manor house. There are only so many places you can put things."

"Well, _you_ come look then, Shihouin." Sora said frankly. "Because I can't find them."

"I don't have them." Naoko shook her head, then her eyes widened. "Sora...I don't have mine, either. I left everything by the wall of the tent - but though everything else is here, they aren't."

"Mine either." Hanako piped in.

"Shihouin, if this is your or Kyouraku's idea of a joke..." Naoko said threateningly, and Kai snorted.

"I have no interest in your clothing." He said bluntly. "On you or otherwise. If you lost it, you should be more careful."

His gaze drifted to the pile of clothing he had set neatly by his own sleeping space, and his eyes widened. Though he was certain that before he had left the tent, his _hakama_ had been carefully placed atop his _hakamashita_, now there was no sign of it, and as he stood there, struck silent, a low chuckle came from Shunsui's space.

"Well, this is good, isn't it?" He said, amused, and Naoko was immediately on him, suspicion in her eyes.

"Is this something to do with you after all?" She demanded, and Shunsui shook his head, gesturing to his own pile of clothing.

"Nope. Mine are gone too." He said matter-of-factly. "And I'm pretty sure that means all of us are in the same position."

"Then why are you laughing?" Sora demanded, and Shunsui grinned, holding out a scrap of folded parchment.

She took it, glancing at him in confusion.

"Someone left us a message." Shunsui said softly. "It seems they've declared war."

"Toutai." Sora breathed, holding up the paper and Kai felt his heart sinking in his chest as he saw the black scribed kanji for 'winter' scrawled in Juushirou's unmistakeable hand across the sheet.

"Damn." He muttered, his mind flitting to the conversation by the lake, as sudden doubt flooded his thoughts. "Was that..."

"Was that...what?" Iwai cast him a startled look. "Fukutaichou, is something wrong?"

"Yeah, you were awake first, Shihouin." Enishi put in. "Didn't you see anything?"

"I went down to the lake." Kai shook his head. "Everything was all right when I left - my _hakama_ were here, I'm sure of that. But..."

He dropped down on his blanket, shaking his head slowly.

"Damn him. That mischievous little brat." He murmured. "I would never have suspected him in a million years."

"Brat?" Naoko demanded, and Kai nodded.

"Hirata was by the lake." He said heavily. "He made some big fuss about a snake, and had me look for it. Damn. I bet he was the decoy."

"Probably, since Juushirou thinks things out thoroughly." Shunsui nodded. "I'm a little surprised, though - how were you so easily taken in, Kai? We did raid them yesterday, after all."

"Hirata's not really someone you suspect of anything, though." Enishi pointed out ruefully. "Even if he's an Endou, you don't automatically think of him doing something like that."

"And he _is _scared of snakes." Kai said ruefully. "I had to kill one for him last break. He's good at acting scared...I guess because it's been second nature to him for so much of his life. It's easy to forget that he has toughened up a fair bit since we first met him. When he's like that, I guess, my guard is down. He's become like a little brother and I have to protect him...damn."

"Wait a minute." Hanako's voice cut through the conversation. "Are you saying that the people in _Toutai _did this? That they came into our tent, while we were sleeping, and stole our clothes?"

"Something like that." Sora nodded. "They must have been quiet as mice...none of us even stirred."

"If they deployed Hirata as decoy, they meant business." Kai sighed. "They must've known he'd be the only one I wouldn't suspect...I never knew he was that good an actor."

"He's a rum one, that kid." Enishi mused. "But I suppose if Ukitake asked him to..."

"So what are we going to do?" Makoto asked. "If none of us have _hakama_, how are we meant to get dressed for breakfast?"

"Mm. Slight problem." Shunsui rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We could just turn up in our robes, of course. We could tell Kazoe that we were trying it as a new form of squad uniform, and see if he went for it. _Or_…we could send someone to negotiate with Toutai for our clothes back...which seems to be a better plan of action."

"Well, at least we can negotiate." Kai reflected. "If that's what it comes to. But we're running out of time. Yesterday, Kazoe was about really early to inspect us. We can't lose out to them again. Not even if they _have_ got the upper hand right at the moment."

"_I_ think it's perfectly simple to resolve." Hanako got to her feet, tying her sash more tightly around her waist, a purposeful expression in her dark eyes. "They are behaving childishly to get us into trouble and there's no reason we should stand for it."

"Hanako, what are you going to do?" Sora eyed her in surprise, and Hanako sent her dorm-mate a withering look.

"Do? Tell Kazoe-sensei, of course. What else would I do? _They're_ the ones who've been stupid, and I refuse to let us get punished again because of it."

"Woah, girl, calm down." Shunsui reached out to grab her by the arm, but she shook him off, glaring at him indignantly.

"Don't grab me." She snapped. "You know I'm right. It's the only way to resolve it."

"Nakamura, tale telling doesn't solve anything." Enishi said frankly. "Kyouraku's right. Besides, there's more to this than just..."

"Well,_ you_ can do as you please." Hanako cut across him, shrugging her shoulders. "You can sit here without clothes if you like. I don't care. But I'm going to Kazoe-sensei. And you're not going to stop me."

With that she stormed out of the tent, and Shunsui winced, casting Sora a rueful look.

"I'm starting to see all too clearly why you're so fond of that girl, Sora-chan." He said evenly. "She really doesn't understand the meaning of 'joke', does she?"

"She doesn't know we pranked them first." Iwai pointed out. "She's only going to get us into trouble too."

"Not if I can help it." Naoko got to her feet. "I'll go and pull her back...at least, I'll try. She's a wriggly brat and she shrieks fit to burst people's eardrums - but at least I can try."

"Thank you, Naoko-chan." Shunsui shot her a grateful look. "In the meantime...I suppose I'll go and talk to Toutai. And see if we can't come to some arrangement about missing items before it blows up into a huge incident."

He pulled himself into a more upright position, reaching across to drag back the flap of the tent, but then he stopped, and Kai frowned, casting his Captain a puzzled look.

"Kyouraku? Something wrong?"

Shunsui muttered a curse under his breath.

"Kyouraku?" Enishi was alert now. "What is it? Is there something out there?"

"Not something. Some_one_." Shunsui bit his lip, turning to face them. "Yama-jii's out there."

"Genryuusai-sensei?" Iwai's eyes widened, and Shunsui nodded.

"And Hanako's gone right on up to him." He said darkly. "Naoko's gone to join her, but…in the circumstances…"

"A little prank's about to become a big deal." Kai sighed heavily, and Shunsui grimaced.

"Not if I can help it." He said frankly. "We're as guilty as Toutai and if Yama-jii's involved, they might get into way more trouble than if it was just Kazoe laying down the law. I'm going to go speak to him too, you people. Just so you're aware…I don't think we should let Toutai take all the blame."

"But…Genryuusai-sensei…" Makoto faltered, and Sora shook her head.

"Shunsui's right. We began this." She said firmly. "The blame is ours too. Cowards lie, run away and hide…we're not that, right?"

"As Sora said it." Enishi nodded.

"But won't Ukitake just tell them that anyway?" Iwai asked. "I mean, given the situation…"

"Juu won't tell tales." Shunsui shook his head. "He's not that way. He'll take the blame and if he tells them to, so will his squad. No, unless I go speak up, they'll get all the blame. And even if that means we get another day's cleaning – as Captain of Katai, I'm not going to let that happen."

He cast Kai a glance.

"Kai, come with me." He said firmly. "Sora, I'll leave you in charge here. Everyone else stay here unless Yama-jii shrieks for you…we'll handle it from here."

Kai eyed Shunsui for a moment, taking in the uncharacteristic resolve in the dark eyes, and he nodded.

"Understood." He said quietly. "I'm right behind you."

* * *

"Genryuusai-sensei's here!"

From the doorway of Toutai's tent, Kira was the first to raise the alarm, turning to glance at his companions with an anxious expression in his blue eyes. "Genryuusai-sensei's come to the camp this morning, Taichou…do you think he's going to inspect us?"

"Genryuusai-sensei?" Juushirou's eyes widened in alarm, and he got hurriedly to his feet, crossing the tent swiftly to join his squad-mate by the opening. "Today? Why would he come here this morning…of all mornings, why today?"

"If he is inspecting us, Katai are going to be for it." Aki said frankly. "Since we have their clothing, and they can't get up without it."

"If I'd known Sensei was coming, I wouldn't have suggested we retaliated this morning." Juushirou chewed on his lip. "You're right, Fujiwara. If he finds out, there will be big trouble. Katai were disorganised yesterday morning. If they are again today…they might get serious black marks put against them because we chose to play a trick on them."

"They played a trick on us first, though." Kamitani pointed out. "In the end, it is somewhat their own fault."

"Yes, but even so…" Juushirou frowned, shaking his head.

"What are you going to do, Taichou?" Ryuu asked quizzically, and Juushirou sighed.

"If I go and speak to Sensei now, I won't be able to explain why we acted how we did without getting Katai into trouble either way." He said slowly. "But if I don't…I think, if there's an inspection due, I'm going to have to say something. In the end, after all, this is my fault in the first instance. They probably pulled the blanket trick on us because I was tired and I snapped at Shunsui last night. So…"

"Nakamura-san is talking to Sensei." Kira interrupted at that moment, reaching over to grab Juushirou's sleeve. "Taichou, what if she's telling him everything?"

"Nakamura Hanako?" Chiyoko demanded, and Kira nodded. Chiyoko groaned.

"In that case, we're all doomed." She said flatly. "Hanako's a whiner, Taichou. She complains about everything and anything and if something happens, she's more than happy to tell tales about it if she doesn't see the point in it. She's stubborn and bratty and a pain in the butt, to be quite honest. If she's talking to Sensei, I guarantee she's telling him we took their clothes."

"Shikibu-san is haring after her." Kira put in at that moment. "I don't know Shikibu-san very well – she's a little scary – but she seems like she's trying to get Nakamura-san's attention somehow. I don't think it's working though. Nakamura-san…doesn't seem to be listening very much."

"Naoko doesn't tell tales." Mitsuki said frankly. "She might have strong opinions, but she's fair. But she and Nakamura-san hate each other…so I doubt…that Nakamura-san will listen to her, even if she tries."

"Mitsuki is right." Ryuu sighed. "I also dislike that Nakamura girl. More than once I have heard Shikibu pulling her in line for making thoughtless comments about Mitsuki's healing abilities and mistaking it for peculiarity. I believe Shikibu is a fussy madam if she so chooses to be – but she does have honour. I do not think she is a tattle-tale."

"Either way, I don't think it matters." Kira swallowed hard, then, "They're coming this way. Sensei, Nakamura-san and Shikibu-san."

"Then we'll have to be ready to greet them." Juushirou said at length. "Everyone is dressed?"

His gaze ran around the members of his squad, then he nodded his head.

"Then let me do the talking." He instructed quietly. "Ryuu-kun, you in particular. No matter what Sensei says…this is, in the end, my responsibility, so I will deal with it."

"Yes, Taichou." Ryuu nodded his head, though Juushirou was aware of the uncertainty in his friend's eyes. "I understand."

"Ukitake-taichou. Kuchiki-fukutaichou. Please present yourselves outside the tent _immediately_."

Genryuusai's unmistakeable tones came through the fabric wall at that moment, and Juushirou swallowed hard. He glanced across at Hirata, then,

"For the time being, this leaves Hirata in charge." He said softly, and despite the apprehension in his pale blue eyes, Hirata nodded his head. "Hopefully Sensei won't need to speak to any of you…just stay here and keep quiet, all right? We'll try and work things out."

Without waiting for an answer, he pushed back the flap, stepping carefully past the still-squatting Kira and out into the morning sunlight.

Ryuu followed close behind him, and as both straightened to face their headmaster, Juushirou could not read the intentions in the old man's guarded gaze.

There was a moment of silence, then,

"I would like simple answers, please." Genryuusai's voice was soft, and Juushirou did not know whether the teacher was angry or not. "Are Toutai responsible for articles of Katai's uniform being missing this morning?"

Juushirou hesitated for a moment, then he gathered his resolve, nodding his head.

"Yes sir." He said clearly.

"And can I ask on whose orders such an act was carried out?"

"Mine, sir." Juushirou did not hesitate this time, even as he caught Ryuu's wince out of the corner of his eye at such a direct question.

"I see." Genryuusai's thick brows drew together, and there was a brief pause.

"Sensei, they're just trying to get us into trouble!" Hanako took advantage of the silence to put her case once more. "They came into our tent and they took our things and…"

"Silence, Nakamura!" Genryuusai's tones rapped out across the clearing, the sharpness of his words piercing straight through Juushirou's body. Hanako cringed back, suitably cowed by her elder's clear displeasure, and Genryuusai turned his attention back to Juushirou.

"I would like a reason, please, for your conduct." He said mildly. "Since you have admitted responsibility, I am sure you must also be able to explain why you felt such an order was a necessary part of your training."

Juushirou bit his lip, but this time, he did not answer.

"I am waiting, Ukitake." As the silence threatened to drag on, Genryuusai's brow creased in annoyance. "Or am I to assume that you were feeling childish, and that even as a boy two years shy of adulthood you thought it a good idea to play havoc with your companions' belongings? If so I am disappointed in you – I had thought you a more responsible individual than that."

Juushirou flinched at the stinging criticism in the words, but still he did not speak, and as the quietness became unbearable, Ryuu slowly raised his hand.

"Yes, Kuchiki?"

"Ukitake-taichou did not order us to act, Sensei." Ryuu spoke quietly. "Though the suggestion was his, we were not commanded to raid Katai's tent. I was in charge of that mission. I accept responsibility for it alongside him."

"You too, Kuchiki?" Genryuusai slid his gaze across to the young nobleman. "You yourself were a part of entering the tent and taking the items?"

"Yes sir."

"You…and others?"

Ryuu hesitated, then he sighed.

"Yes, sir."

"But even if I asked you, you would not give me their names, I think." Genryuusai sighed. "Very well. A Captain and a Vice Captain both involved in such a petty action vexes me. If you will not give me a reason, then…"

"Sensei!"

Before Genryuusai could finish his sentence, Shunsui came haring across the grass, Kai in close pursuit, and at the sight of their night-robed, dishevelled forms, Juushirou's eyes widened. In any other circumstances, he realised, it would have been an amusing sight, for Shunsui's wild curls were stood almost up on end and Kai's normally neatly bound hair was loose and scattered over his shoulders. But in that instance, with the headteacher's stern presence so clear against his senses, he found it impossible even to raise a smile.

"Kyouraku?" Genryuusai stared, then recovered himself, casting the other boy a frown.

"Well?" He demanded. "Why are you interrupting us? If you have something to say, I trust it to be important."

"I don't know if it's that, Sensei." Shunsui shook his head. "And it might or might not make things any better. But since Nakamura-san has told you half of the story, you ought to know the rest of it."

"The…rest of it?" Hanako looked blank, and Shunsui nodded.

"It was just a prank, after all." He said lightly. "That's all it was meant as. We were all just fooling around."

"This is a Gotei exercise, Kyouraku. Not a holiday jaunt." Genryuusai snapped, and Shunsui nodded, bowing his head apologetically.

"Yes, sir. I know." He admitted. "But what I wanted to say was that…really…it was my fault in the first instance."

"Your fault?" Genryuusai frowned. "While I find myself unsurprised by that revelation, I would like to know how you came to that conclusion."

"Last night, Katai stole Toutai's blankets, while they were reporting with Kazoe-sensei." Shunsui said frankly. "We'd had a long day, and well, I guess everyone was tired and tempers were a little frayed. So we decided to lighten the mood a bit."

He cast Juushirou a rueful grin.

"I guess they decided to fight back, because this morning they took our _hakama_ in revenge." He added. "So you see, really, we're all to blame. Not just Toutai. In fact, Nakamura-san is the only one of us who's completely innocent. She was bathing when we discussed taking Toutai's blankets – she's the only one who knew nothing of it at all."

He smiled blithely at Hanako, who flushed angrily, clearly more upset at having been left out of the discussion than she was at being singled out for her innocence.

Genryuusai rubbed his temples.

"I'm sure it's a futile question, given that it's you I'm asking, Kyouraku – but why did you think something like that would be a good idea?"

"I suppose I just did." Shunsui admitted. "It seemed like one, at the time."

"But everyone backed him up, Sensei." Kai said firmly. "We were all involved. All of us."

"Shihouin-fukutaichou is right." Naoko added, sending Hanako a scornful look as she did so. "With the exception of Nakamura-san…we were all involved in the blanket stealing plot last night."

"I seem to be babysitting a group of unruly children." Genryuusai said heavily. "Do you imagine that on a true Gotei mission, with dangers at every turn, such behaviour is suitable? Kyouraku, you are a leader. Why are you leading your troops into misadventure? And Ukitake…you have no reason to stoop to the same level."

"Some of the blame may lie with me also, Sensei." Ryuu said awkwardly at that moment. "Other than my direct actions, I mean. I think…perhaps…I am somewhat to blame for Katai's actions last night."

"Kuchiki?" Kai stared at his rival, and Juushirou turned, eying his friend in consternation.

"Ryuu-kun?"

"I may…have said…a little too much." Ryuu's cheeks were red, but he kept going stolidly, his eyes fixed resolutely on Genryuusai's face. "I perhaps…often people have said…that I am lacking in tact. And perhaps…given our success yesterday…I maybe…"

He faltered at this point, and Kai grinned ruefully, coming across and slapping the other boy on the back.

"That's the last thing I'd expect from you." He admitted. "But I'm impressed that you'd say it nonetheless."

"Don't touch me." Ryuu glared at him, taking a pointed step away from the Shihouin boy as he did so. "I am not speaking up for your benefit. Only, I am a Vice Captain. And as such, I realise that my actions have an impact on others. Even those subordinates who are not my own."

"So you do at the very least appreciate that fact." Genryuusai rubbed his beard. "I see. Very well. Then it seems there is blame in all quarters."

"Except me, Sensei. I didn't know anything about any of it." Hanako glared at Shunsui accusingly, and Shunsui offered her a benign smile in return.

"You are guilty also, Nakamura." Genryuusai said evenly, and Hanako stared at him in surprise.

"Sensei?"

"Was it your Captain's order that you came to speak to me this morning?"

"Well, no, but…"

"What rank are you, Nakamura Hanako?"

"I…"

"I asked you a question. Within Katai, where do you rank?"

"S…seventh seat, Sensei." Hanako murmured reluctantly, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Did anyone perhaps instruct you to return to your base, when you decided to come speak to me?"

"Well…yes…but…"

"You are ranked for a reason." Genryuusai did not allow her time to finish. "You are, therefore, guilty of insubordination. That in itself is a serious offence – I would like you to think on that for a while, please."

"Y…yes, Sensei." Hanako dropped her eyes, seemingly subdued by this brisk appraisal of her actions, and Genryuusai nodded.

"As for the rest of you, I cannot condone such childish behaviour between young men and women training to be protectors of this world." He said gravely. "The pranks must stop. There must be no more of this. This is a black mark against each of you – one more and I will send the offending squad back to school with a fail. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sensei." The others murmured, and Genryuusai sighed.

"I am, however, somewhat cheered by your loyalty to one another and to your willingness to honestly accept and share blame." He added at length. "For this reason, I will not send anyone home today. However, it is clear that, even two days into the exercise, you are not sufficiently occupied by the tasks that you have been assigned. For that reason…"

He paused, and an ominous smile crossed his features.

"Toutai will return to Katai their missing items of clothing, and from that time, you will have till the sound of the gong to collect up anything you believe may be of use to you outside of the campsite." He said softly. "Once the gong sounds, you must be assembled neatly in rank order outside your tents for me to inspect you personally. You will be given travel rations for one meal each and you will, in squads, be sent out into the wilderness. You will of course remain within the barrier put up by Kazoe-sensei…however, you will _not_ be welcome to return to the base camp until I deem you have learnt enough about the realities of survival on manoeuvre for yourselves."

"Not…welcome?" Naoko blinked, and Genryuusai nodded his head.

"We are clearly too lenient on you." He said evenly. "Perhaps some days where you have to find your own food and shelter will teach you how difficult it truly can be to be sent out into the wilds on your own."

"But…we can take things with us, Sensei? Maps, blankets, things like that?" Juushirou's mind was already working, and Genryuusai nodded.

"A good Captain will have a strategy." He responded. "There are plenty of sources of food in these surrounds – fish in the river, fruit in the trees, several plants that are edible and a few that are not. You should have no trouble finding resources for firewood and places for shelter. The test will be to see whether that loyalty you have just shown to each other can last when conditions are harsher. After all, rain may yet fall. The ground may become muddy. You may lose your way."

He ran his fingers over his beard, then,

"I was saving this your till second week." He admitted. "But clearly now seems to be as appropriate a time as any to send you out. Return to your tents – Ukitake and Kyouraku, see to it that all missing items are returned immediately to their respective owners. You will have a very short time indeed to prepare – make the most of it while you can."

* * *

"They are an enterprising bunch, Second Year."

As Genryuusai entered the makeshift tent set up two nights earlier, Kazoe glanced up from his papers, a rueful expression on his face. "We should have expected them to be like this, given their past reputation in doing their own thing."

"They are indeed an interesting group." Genryuusai settled his aging form down on a large cushion, letting out a heavy sigh as he nodded his head. "I hoped that the challenge of yesterday's mission would keep their young minds active – and inspire those not involved to work harder in order to gain a mission of their own. I should know better, though, than to expect sense from any group involving Kyouraku Shunsui."

"Quite true." Kazoe grimaced. "If he wasn't so gifted, I would choose not to teach him at all. Even as it is, I'm sure he never gives his full attention in any class he has."

"But he is honest, at least." Genryuusai reflected. "He did come forward and own his part in the matter without prompting. They are all young fools, Kazoe – but in the end, I think they are young fools I'm rather fond of."

"And it's also an indication, when they go on this kind of exercise, that the top ranked class members aren't always the best potential leaders." Kazoe observed.

Genryuusai was silent for a moment, and then he shook his head.

"No…it is too early yet to judge them on that." He said seriously. "They are still, after all, very young. And the truth is, Kazoe, Kyouraku _must _gain this experience sooner or later. He is, after all, destined for the Gotei. The moment he stopped fighting us and decided to participate in classes was the moment he accepted that sooner or later he will be a part of the squad system. More, Tokutarou intends him to wear the Eighth District _haori_. He is the only member of the Kyouraku clan who the whole family will back to take the role."

"Really?" Kazoe snorted. "Then they must be desperate. They've chosen him, over all others?"

"Well, Shunsui is the most gifted Kyouraku in some time." Genryuusai said simply. "His temperament acts against him – and perhaps his intelligence does as well. His Father was also very gifted – and suffered for that fact. Shunsui is in the same mould. You know that he has great skill. Our job is not so much to teach him magic or technique – these things he has picked up largely by instinct. In his case, the curriculum we provide needs to be founded on responsibility and judgement."

"I remember Kyouraku Matsuhara." Kazoe nodded. "I don't think many older Clansmen could forget about him, to be honest. There was so much scandal when he laid down his sword and ignored his duty as one of the Gotei chosen. If Kyouraku Shunsui is the same kind of character…surely the Kyouraku-ke would do well to learn by past mistakes."

Genryuusai smiled.

"This Kyouraku has something the last one did not have." He said evenly. "Ukitake Juushirou."

"Ukitake?" Kazoe looked startled, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Ukitake has a good deal of influence over his peers. Especially where Kyouraku is concerned." He said quietly. "Whilst I know they are prone to getting into trouble and scrapes, even so…I think Ukitake has been good for Kyouraku. Certainly, he seems to want to work to keep pace with the District boy. I've heard him say that he doesn't intend on letting himself drop out of the top class because he doesn't want to be separated from his friends. And Ukitake is a worker. Even if he is still naïve in several areas, he gives one hundred percent in every class he takes."

"That is true." Kazoe admitted. "I have to say, though, that I worry more about Kyouraku's influence on Ukitake."

"Well, it does go both ways, of course." Genryuusai stroked his beard pensively. "But in the end, I doubt too much bad will come of it. Kyouraku is mischievous, cheeky and lazy – but he is not malicious or cruel. And I still hope that some of these traits will fade as he gets older in years."

He frowned, his expression becoming grave.

"Kazoe, on the subject of Ukitake…"

"Yes?" Kazoe sent his superior a quizzical look.

"Have you noticed any changes in him lately? Not so much in his character or attitude, but in his spirit levels and his reiatsu?"

Kazoe furrowed his brow, slipping his glasses off his nose and absently rubbing them against the fabric of his _hakama_ as he considered the question.

"Yes." He said at length. "Now you ask me, I have noticed it. Something rougher and more raw in his approach to the spells he casts. His control is still there – he's worked hard on that and it has paid dividends. I can't fault him on any level and he is still the most promising Kidou student in the Second Year by far. But there is certainly…something a little…deeper in his aura when he summons his_ reiryoku_."

"Mmm." Genryuusai's moustache twitched as he pursed his lips pensively. "Minabe too has noticed a change – in the way in which he holds and swings his weapon, and the manner in which he approaches sparring with his classmates. He has picked up the transition from _bokutou_ to _asauchi_ with frighteningly swift speed – but it is more than that."

"Do you think it's connected to his chronic health troubles?" Kazoe asked, and Genryuusai shook his head.

"No. Not directly. Although his improved health may yet be compromised by the changes that are beginning to take place." He said soberly. "He is young, and I had hoped to have longer to work with him before we faced this kind of thing. But as it stands…"

"This kind of thing?" Kazoe looked blank, and Genryuusai nodded.

"When I first met Juushirou, I felt it very clearly, and he even told me as much himself. That even as a boy of fifteen, without proper training, he had met with his _zanpakutou_'s spirit at least once." He said softly. "The boy hasn't realised, I don't think, the significance of what he saw or what it may mean for his future. But once I realised it, bringing him here was the only option. I have an acquaintance with his former sensei, Kamikura…and he had told me about Juushirou's flares of power and his constant bouts of ill health, particularly since his father died. This information just confirmed for me the urgency of the situation. With his level of spirit power, it would eventually flare up and either kill him or hurt those close to him…and you know the dangers as well as I do of uncontrolled reiatsu in a world where Hollows are growing ever more numerous. Still, he is only eighteen. I'd hoped…at least another year…before this became a significant issue."

"You think that he's at that stage? That he'll summon his sword…as a _second_ year?" Kazoe was alarmed, and Genryuusai spread his hands.

"Every student is individual in that regard. Our timetable only follows what is most likely, not what is simply possible." He said quietly. "I think there is a chance, Kazoe. A good chance. And we must be ready for it. Juushirou's spirit level far outstrips the feeble body nature gave him, and for that reason, his development may have been hastened. As yet, I don't know. But one thing I can see all too clearly. Juushirou has not spoken to us, but I am sure he too has realised the change. Sooner or later, it will move beyond his control."

He let out a heavy sigh.

"When the boy realises he needs our help – or even if he doesn't realise it – we must be there and ready to act." He concluded. "I do not want to interfere until he comes to us himself – but with his health history, we have to be prepared to intervene if things move out of his control. That is why I am telling you, just as I have told Minabe and will tell Uebashi, too. Otherwise it might mean the difference between us training a top level Shinigami or him losing his life shy of his true potential."

**_Author's note: :|_**

_Yes, this is the proper chapter ten. No wonder people were confused, since I somehow missed it out ._

I've deleted and reloaded the chapters so people should have new chapter notifications - sorry for the spam. The error is now corrected though and the right chapters have the right names and links and so on.

_Thank you Dragonsabre :|_


	12. Hanako : correct chapter:

**Chapter Eleven: Hanako**

"I suppose, in the end, we got off lightly."

As Katai trooped across the grasslands towards the path that lead near District One's mountains, Shunsui gazed philosophically up at the blue sky overhead. "We could have been in much more trouble, considering the fact Yama-jii was on the site – all in all, he's been quite lenient, really."

"Lenient?" Naoko snorted. "He's kicked us out of our base camp and basically told us to fend for ourselves until we either starve, freeze or beg him to let us back in. On what level is that lenient, Kyouraku-kun? As usual you don't make any sense."

"Well, we could've been sent back to school." Enishi said good-naturedly. "With failing grades – and it might not bother you, Shikibu, but I need all the practical marks I can get if I'm going to stay in top class. Besides, Kyouraku's right. We could be spending a second day cleaning. At least this is kind of a mission – and it's got to be better than scrubbing and cleaning all day long."

"You have to look on the bright side." Kai cast Enishi a rueful grin. "And make the best of changing circumstances. Overall, I think Kyouraku's right. We were going to do this next week, anyway. It isn't really a punishment, if you look at it like that."

"I suppose that's true." Sora frowned. "I just wonder…what kind of thing they're going to throw at us, that's all."

"It's unlike you to be so cautious." Shunsui shot her a surprised glance, and Sora nodded.

"Toutai still haven't told us – whatever it was that they had to face yesterday in the forests." She said grimly. "But whatever it was, they all came back a little shaken. Plus, Kira was hurt. You saw Sensei talking to him and Kazoe looking at his ankle himself before they decided he was fit to be evicted with the rest of us. Obviously they thought it could've been a worse injury…and that bothers me just a little."

"Kamitani did say one thing to me before we split up." Iwai's tones were thoughtful. "He said he couldn't break his word and tell me properly, because obviously it was a promise he'd made as part of his mission and if he did that, he'd be in trouble. But he said…to make sure…that everyone stays alert. And…not to go off alone, especially not without an _asauchi_."

"That's cryptic." Makoto sighed. "Trust Kamitani. He's always so precise about things – any more, I suppose, would've constituted breaking the rules."

"Even that might be seen that way." Shunsui pointed out. "So we'll keep it in mind. Not that there's a need for anyone to go off alone…but the asauchi information is interesting. And, also, somewhat reassuring."

"Reassuring?" Naoko stared. "How so?"

"Well, no matter how balanced Yama-jii tried to make the squads, there was always going to be some areas that would be unevenly matched." Shunsui said comfortably. "Toutai undoubtedly have the bulk of the Kidou ability…and we have the bulk of the kenjutsu ability."

He gestured.

"Enishi and Kai top the class in Ouyoudou every time without fail." He added. "Sora's not bad with a sword, either, and even though you've only acted with sticks till this term, Naoko-chan, you're pretty ruthless with a blade too if you want to be. In comparison, Hirata's still quite scared of using a sword, and Mitsuki is even worse than he is."

"Maybe that's why Toutai had a torrid time." Iwai murmured. "It's my first term using a sword, but I've picked it up more quickly than Endou or Edogawa-san seem to. Plus there's Kira, too – he's practically allergic to physical tasks, no matter how hard he tries."

"For now we're staying together, anyhow." Shunsui said firmly. "But if we do split up, it seems to make sense that we use the people who are most practiced with _asauchi_ to pair up with those who are less so."

"You haven't included yourself in this, either." Sora reminded him. "I haven't forgotten how you disarmed me so easily – you're strong at kenjutsu too, Shunsui."

"And Kidou, too." Enishi added, and Shunsui smiled sweetly.

"I'm Captain." He said simply. "Isn't that how it's supposed to be? A Captain has to be multi-faceted, after all."

"Kyouraku's weak subjects are getting up in the morning and exerting effort." Kai said, amused. "Except if it involves flirting or teasing, in which case his effort is undeniable."

"Such disrespect from my Vice Captain." Shunsui affected a hurt expression. "Do you really think so ill of me, Kai-kun?"

"I just like to tell the truth, Taichou-sama." Kai bowed his head mock-respectfully in his classmate's direction. "In the meantime…how far out are we heading? We don't want to go too far from camp, do we? Sensei sent us this way and Toutai the other – but that doesn't mean we have to be at opposite ends of the safe zone…does it?"

"No, but as I've said before, I know this area a little." Shunsui replied. "And at the end of this path there are some shelters cut into the rock. Caves and such like. Further on up the path is where Juu and I hid from the Hollow last year – we can't go that far, but I thought we could at least make a firm shelter our base point for the next few days. Our mission seems to be survival, after all. Not specifically retrieving or looking for specific items."

"And there he goes again." Sora sighed heavily. "Just when everyone thinks he's an idiot, he says something smart to confuse us."

"Sensei talked about rain, though." Naoko pulled a face. "In this instance, I agree with Kyouraku-kun. He may be an idiot, but if he's found us somewhere dry to sleep, then that's surely all to the good."

"They're over there." Shunsui ignored the jibe, raising his hand to indicate the cluster of trees that flanked the rocky face beyond. "Behind those trees…I'm pretty sure. When I brought Juu this way, my shunpo gave out about here…I had to lug him up the rest of the way because I thought this might be too easy for the Hollow to track us to. But I remember thinking about it…and I'm sure they're big enough to do the job."

"You really can shunpo, huh?" Makoto eyed their Captain keenly, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Not exactly." He said cautiously. "It's more of an as and when situation. I used it then because we were under pressure and Juu was hurt – I doubt I'd be able to do it now, even if I really wanted to. It's only if there's danger – it seems to sharpen my wits and then I can do it."

"But for a second year, it's still pretty impressive." Kai reflected. "Even as a Shihouin, I can't do shunpo yet. Not even considering that it's a technique my clan considers its overriding speciality."

"The Kyouraku don't really have an overriding speciality." Shunsui admitted ruefully. "Except for annoying people. We're quite good at that."

"There really is a cave hidden here, though!" Iwai poked his head through the trees, letting out an exclamation as he did so. "And Kyouraku's right – it looks like it'd be big enough to house us all. We brought blankets and there's trees for firewood – this is probably a better base than Toutai will be able to find."

"No doubt Juu will use his brains and find something." Shunsui slipped past his companion, stepping into the cave and glancing around him for a moment. Then he nodded.

"Doesn't look like its been used for a while. It's kind of dusty, so I guess the first job is making it habitable." He reflected. "I don't think it'll take too long – certainly not as long as trying to build our own shelter – and the sooner we've done it, the sooner we can flop down and rest. It's going to be hot again later, after all – let's get the worst of it over by midday and we'll have somewhere cool and shady when the sun's highest in the sky."

He frowned, pursing his lips as he cast his gaze over his team.

_I wonder what Toutai are doing. Although the air was cleared this morning, I'm still concerned about Juu's behaviour last night. He only acts like that when he has something on his mind…and if that had something to do with their mission yesterday…_

He sighed, shaking his head slightly as if to clear it.

_Right now I can't focus on that. Last night's prank was my idea and if I keep having ideas like that I'm going to fail everyone. That would mean problems – especially for Enishi, since he scrapes into our class each time anyway. For now, I have to try at least to be something like a Captain. So…all right then. As a Captain…what would be the best thing to do?_

"Taichou, there's quite a lot of trees around this area." Kai broke through his thoughts at that moment, his fingers brushing absently against the hilt of his sheathed _asauchi_. "Shall I take someone and go and gather firewood? That way we're prepared."

Shunsui shot him a rueful glance, inwardly grateful for the Shihouin boy's suggestion. He nodded.

"Take Iwai." He suggested. "He can swing a sword, and so can you – and I want to keep Enishi and Sora here, just in case Yama-jii has any nasty surprises in store for us in the next few hours. I wouldn't put it past him – he's a crafty old devil and he's flung us in at the deep end more than once – so be careful, okay? Any sign of anything suspicious – come right back. Wood or no wood – I want to know about it. All right?"

"Understood." Kai saluted playfully, casting Iwai a grin. "Well? You heard him. Let's go."

"Right behind you." Iwai nodded, and as the two disappeared into the woodland, Shunsui let out a sigh.

"He's definitely done this kind of thing before, hasn't he." Sora's voice at his shoulder made him turn, and he nodded his head.

"Since he was knee high to a flea, so it sounds." He agreed resignedly. "But right now, that's a good thing. And that leaves the rest of us to worry about setting up here. We've food rations for one meal so we don't need to worry about that straight away – so we'll clear the dust and debris from the cave and make it Katai's base camp. With six of us, we should be able to do that, right?"

"You're going to help, too?" Naoko shot him a doubtful glance, and Shunsui winked at her, reaching across to pat her on the shoulder.

"Of course, Naoko-chan. Why would you think otherwise?"

"Don't start with the Naoko-chans again." Naoko bristled, pushing his hand away. "I still don't trust you. And now we're outside of camp, what are you going to do about the girls, anyway? Because no matter how much you might like it, we're used to having a little privacy."

"It doesn't really worry me, Naoko. We're camping, after all. It'll be fine." Sora put in, and Naoko shook her head.

"It's all right for you. Kyouraku-kun sees you as a sister. He won't trouble you." She said frankly. "It's Nakamura-san and I that are really the ones under threat here – we don't have the same kind of escape as you do."

Shunsui sighed, glancing at Hanako as he expected her to also chime in, but she made no attempt to respond, and he frowned, eying her keenly.

"Nakamura-san? Is something wrong?" He asked softly, and Hanako's head jerked up, startled eyes staring at him in consternation.

"You seem in another world from everyone else." Shunsui said frankly. "Are you all right? You don't have anything to say about the girls' sleeping arrangements?"

Slowly Hanako shook her head, and Shunsui frowned. Then, he nodded.

"Then if that's the case, Shikibu-san, I'm putting you in charge of organising the sleeping area." He said at length. "Atsudane, I want you to help her. That way we can have it organised so as its fair to both girls and boys. All right?"

"I suppose so." Naoko sighed, and Makoto nodded his head.

"Right. Then Enishi, since you're probably the strongest, I want you to begin on clearing any rock and debris that's gonna get in our way." Shunsui turned to his companion. "Sora, I'll ask you to help him…also, since Kai's not here, as third seat I'm leaving you in charge."

"Leaving me in…?" Sora frowned. "But…what about you? Didn't you just say you were going to help? And what about Hanako? She hasn't got a job, either."

"I've just realised an important errand I need to run and I want Nakamura-san to help me." Shunsui said simply. "Since I'm Captain, it's something I should take responsibility for. And since everyone else's jobs are settled, Nakamura-san – can I ask you to come with me?"

Hanako stared at him blankly, and Shunsui smiled.

"I promise I'm not going to do anything lewd or inappropriate." He said with a rueful grin. "This is strictly squad business. Nothing else."

There was a long pause, then Hanako nodded.

"Y..yes, Taichou."

"All right then." Shunsui looked satisfied, though inwardly he was somewhat apprehensive about the decision he had made. "Then everyone begin. We'll be back shortly. Sora, if Kai comes back, tell him that we've gone to scout out viable water supplies in the area…and obviously, when he gets back, he's to take over command."

"Right." Sora's face cleared. "Water sources. That is a good point. We need to drink and to bathe, and there's no river this way. Okay. I'll tell him."

"Then that's settled." Shunsui grinned. "All right, Nakamura-san – lets go."

Slowly Hanako followed him out of the tree-lined area, and for a while they walked in relative silence, Shunsui trying to work out how to begin the conversation, and Hanako clearly still sunk within her own concerns, her eyes clouded and troubled.

_Juu would know right away what to say or how to deal with this. But he's not here, and this is my mess to sort out. Dammit, as Captain, I guess I have no choice. But…_

Shunsui let out his breath in a heavy sigh.

_I guess if it's me, cutting right to the chase is my best option. I'm good at being awkward and annoying, after all. This one shouldn't bother me any more than the others. Besides, this isn't right, as it is. And I can't leave it like this. Not if I'm stuck being Captain._

Out loud he said,

"If there's something you're not happy with, Nakamura-san, it's unlike you not to voice it."

Hanako frowned, but she didn't respond, and Shunsui sighed again.

"Are you cross because we left you out of last night's trick?" He asked softly. "Because it wasn't done on purpose. You were just bathing when it was decided…and then, when it was done, we had other stuff to worry about. Nobody intentionally left you out…it just worked out that way."

More silence, and Shunsui grimaced, racking his brains once more for the kind of response Juushirou would give in the same situation.

"You know…Yama-jii wants us to operate as a team while we're out here. That's all of us…we're all part of this so we've all got to look out for each other."

He smiled ruefully to himself as he finished his sentence.

_Damn, how does Juu manage to churn out corny stuff like that without cringing? Obviously there's a technique to it – remind me to ask him, next time we see each other. _

Hanako bit her lip at this point, then, at length, she sighed.

"Sensei…said I…was insubordinate." She murmured. "And because…I went against…your orders, everyone…"

She faltered, and Shunsui's expression became grave. Inwardly he made up his mind. Hanako was a difficult individual and he did not necessarily like her. But for the time being, she was part of his team – and that meant he at least had to try and work things out with her.

_What is it Juu says? You don't get trust if you don't give it – you don't get respect if you don't give it. Yeesh, he really is full of cheesy comments…but to give him his due, they work for him though…_

"You didn't know, and we didn't tell you." He said frankly. "So that's the end of it as far as Katai are concerned. We were all to blame for something, so we all got punished. You didn't cause that – you're not the only one at fault. I could have properly ordered you back, and I didn't. And I was the one who thought up the blanket stealing…so in the end, the blame really falls on me."

Hanako looked startled, and Shunsui offered her a grin.

"I'm not a natural leader." He said honestly. "And to be truthful, I'm not sure I really want to be one. But right now I am one, and I'm not going to get other people into trouble if I can help it. Last night was just a bit of fun – but what Enishi said this morning about his ranking – well, I'm not going to do anything to jeopardise anyone's grades or rankings if I can help it. I don't care that much about mine – but Yama-jii's got me tied up, this time. He knows that if I fool around and goof off, everyone else's final mark will suffer. So I guess I want to be a good Captain, at least for now. So if you can put up with that, I'll write off your insubordination and we'll get back to work as a squad."

A faint smile touched Hanako's lips.

"Shikibu-san is wrong about you." She said thoughtfully. "She seems to think that if you get a woman alone you'll just grope at her or flirt with her and that you've got no sense at all. She says you've got a reputation for it – among the Clans, that you're irresponsible with alcohol and you're reckless and you chase after women all the time, regardless of who they are or where they come from. But…I don't think she's right. Right now there's nobody else here but…you haven't tried to do anything to me at all."

"Naoko-chan and I have a very _special_ class rapport." Shunsui's eyes twinkled in humour at this bald assessment of his past actions. "And you know, if you wanted me to, I _could_ flirt with you too. You're just as pretty as she is, and I don't mind having pretty girls in my squad. But…"

He paused, then shook his head.

"I'm trying not to be completely irresponsible, these days." He said regretfully. "So no. I'm not going to do anything like that. I promised, didn't I? I guess as Captain…I can resist the temptations and get on with my work."

Hanako stared at him blankly for a moment. Then she began to laugh, and now it was Shunsui's turn to be surprised, for there was none of the usual mocking edge in the young girl's tones.

"Nakamura-san? Is what I said that funny?"

"It _is_ funny." Hanako nodded, and as a grin unlike her normal snide one touched her features, Shunsui realised that he hadn't been exaggerating – in her own way, the young District girl was just as pretty as the Unohana _hime_ whose pride he loved to tease. "But it isn't just that. It's just…it's hard to believe you belong to a Clan, Kyouraku-kun. Especially since…well, right now you took me with you just to talk to me, didn't you? Not because you thought I was the best person to help you do this job."

"I did want to talk to you, because you were obviously not happy." Shunsui said honestly. "And you've not been shy about your opinions so far, but you didn't speak a word on the walk down. But we do need to find a source of water. And I'm pretty sure it's a task you can handle, either way."

Hanako sighed.

"Shikibu-san doesn't like me." She responded. "Because I'm District and she's Clan…and I don't really like Clan any more than she likes District. So we disagree a lot. And well…I'm the only girl who is District. Everyone else is Clan. So it gets…difficult, sometimes, in our dorm."

"I can't imagine that Sora or Mitsuki-chan pick on you for that, though?" Shunsui looked surprised, realising belatedly that he had broken through the edge of his unpopular companion's brittle shell. "Both of them are all over Juu most of the time – and he's just as District as you are."

"Edogawa-san is…not normal." Hanako said bluntly. "I don't know how else to put it, but I don't really understand her at all. And Shiba-san…Shiba-san treats everyone the same, no matter who they are. But she doesn't stop Shikibu-san…nobody does. Shikibu-san is the oldest, after all, out of all of the girls in Second Year. And I'm not going to just sit there and have her look down on me. So I speak up. And then things get difficult."

"Why do you hate Clan, then?" Shunsui asked, curious, and Hanako snorted.

"Because they look down on us." She said emphatically. "As though we can't do all the things they can. Like we're common and stupid and all of those things. We might not have as much _reiryoku_ as a Kuchiki or as much money as an Urahara but we're here on merit too. And we do work hard. We're not stupid or lazy, even if we don't match up in every area. And I hate that people think that we are."

"You're right. I hate that too." Shunsui said simply, and Hanako stared at him.

"Even though you're Clan..?"

"I never said I liked being Clan. I didn't choose it, after all." Shunsui grinned at her. "Or have you forgotten? My closest friend is District born. Just like you."

"Ukitake-kun?" Hanako frowned. "But he's different, isn't he? Even Shikibu-san doesn't seem to look down on him. He's powerful. Everyone says so. He's not Clan…but even so, he matches up."

"It'd be hard for anyone to look down on him, considering he ranks second overall." Shunsui shrugged. "And _I _certainly don't look down on him, since his common sense keeps me on the straight and narrow most of the time. Yes, I suppose he is…different in that respect. His _reiryoku _potential is probably higher than some Clan, after all. But even so, he is still District. And he did still get picked on, to begin with. Thing is with Juu…he doesn't let that kind of stuff bother him. He just carried on doing his thing. And now…well, people came to respect him because of that. Like you, Nakamura-san, Juu's the only District kid in our Dorm. Also, in our class. But you wouldn't know it. Everyone accepts him."

"Guys are different." Hanako said shortly. "Nobody bothers about Kira or Atsudane all that much. It's just me, really. Because nobody really stands up to Shikibu-san except me when she's moaning about the Districts."

Shunsui was silent for a moment, considering.

_Yep, just as I thought. Juu would be so much better at handling this than me. Oh well. Here goes nothing._

"Yama-jii's pretty hot on the Academy being mixed. Girls and boys. District and Clan. The new first year are even more mixed than we are." He said slowly. "And everyone who's here has to have passed his test to be here. He doesn't let in just anyone. Thing is, Nakamura-san…this world is still not totally ready for those changes to happen. I know, even as a Clansman – no, because of it, maybe – that it's difficult to break down those barriers. My District are lucky. My brother is a fair and reasonable Clan head in District Eight and he doesn't act as some Clans do against gifted District children. But even if there are people like him who think that way, it's gonna take a long time before those differences are totally ironed out."

He grinned, looking rueful.

"We're all kind of starting this from scratch ourselves." He added. "Juu's always said if you don't like something, change it. And you guys – not just him, but you, Kira and Atsudane too – you're all doing that by being here. You guys will probably be the first District Shinigami to enter squads. You're setting the trend, after all."

Hanako looked thoughtful, then she nodded.

"I like it when Shikibu-san is wrong, because she's always so sure she's right." She said at length. "Shihouin-kun talks to her plainly and I like it when he does…so I thought…having him as a Vice Captain might be okay. I know, after all, that his Clan had some really bad things happen and a lot of people were cold to him. And I remember Onoe and what he did…which he deserved, if you ask me, because he was always a stuck up idiot. Now…I guess…I think it's okay to have you as Captain, too. Because I don't think you're like other Clan people either, Kyouraku-kun."

She shrugged, looking sheepish.

"You said you're no good at it, but I think you are." She admitted. "I'm stubborn and sometimes I say too much. I don't change my mind easily and people don't like it – because I don't pull any punches and I say what I think all the time. But I'm sorry I was insubordinate last night and I'm sorry I told Sensei about Toutai this morning. I caused trouble for the whole squad and I realise that now. I don't care that much about Shikibu-san or if she's happy or not, but I didn't think about Houjou-kun's grades or anything else like that. But even so, you're talking to me, not yelling at me or talking down to me. And you didn't do this in front of everyone else, either. I…respect that."

She bowed her head towards him, as Shunsui stared at her, a little bemused by her sudden change in attitude.

"I'll make sure I follow your instructions from now on, Kyouraku-taichou." She said seriously. "And I won't cause you any more trouble."

Shunsui hesitated for a moment, then he grinned, nodding his head.

"I'll try not to cause you any either, and it'll be a deal." He said wryly. "For the time being, then, that matter is over and settled and you shouldn't worry about it any more. Or about Naoko-chan, either. Some people just aren't compatible…but in the end, you and she probably won't see each other past graduation and you don't see each other in class, anyhow. One person won't dictate your future or hers, after all."

He shrugged.

"Though maybe…you should just leave Mitsuki-chan alone." He added. "She is…different from most people, but that's because she's a healer, not because she's strange or abnormal. Healers have unusual sensitivity – especially to other people's suffering. Unohana-sensei explained it all to me, when Kai-kun and Onoe had their fight and Kai was so badly injured. Naoko-chan understands about healers the best, of course, because even though she isn't one herself, she is an Unohana. And even though she yells abuse at me – and maybe at you, too – I'm pretty certain Naoko-chan cares a good deal for both Mitsuki and Sora."

"A healer?" Hanako frowned, digesting this. "So they're not all in the Unohana Clan?"

"No. Guess they're not."

"Well, then I wish they'd just explain things instead of Shikibu-san getting all scathing and high and mighty." Hanako muttered. "Fine, then. Now I know, so I'll let it be. I just thought she was acting odd or whatever – but if there's a reason for it…"

She sighed.

"I guess it's something else she figured a District girl didn't need to know."

"But now you do know, so it's all fine." Shunsui said casually.

"Yes." Hanako pursed her lips. "I suppose so."

"Meanwhile, we need to look at this."

Shunsui fumbled in his pocket for his map, pulling it out and unfolding it as he squinted at the layout. "In order to find out where the nearest water source is to where we are."

Hanako laughed, reaching out to pluck the piece of paper from his grip.

"You've got it upside-down already. That's not a good start." She scolded, yet again there was no snideness or spite in her tone, and Shunsui allowed himself a rueful grin, shrugging his shoulders.

"Upside-down is in keeping with my general philosophy of things." He admitted. "Well? How's your map-reading, Nakamura-san?"

"Probably better than yours." Hanako said frankly. "My people are nomadic, so map-reading is sort of their life blood."

"Nomadic?" Ignoring the insult, Shunsui eyed her in fascination. "How so, nomadic?"

"How it sounds." Hanako shrugged her shoulders. "We travel. All the time, really, from one base point to another."

"So…I suppose…camping is nothing new for you, then?"

"We don't camp like this." Hanako snorted. "People always think that, but it's not the case. There are settlements in Fourth and Third Districts that we travel between, that's all. In the winter, we're in Fourth District. The frosts are less cold there, in the valleys. But in the summer, it can be hot and dry, so we go to Third District and spend the warm months there. We've done it for generations…as far back as our family's history goes. It's always moving between the same static places – we have houses and homes like anyone else. But the journey is from the far side of Fourth District almost until the border between Three and Two. So it means we travel a lot in-between."

"I didn't realise." Shunsui let out a low whistle. "I didn't know there were people like that in the Districts."

"Well, we're not in your District, so I suppose that figures." Hanako shrugged. "Besides, the Clans generally ignore us most of the time. District Three did used to charge us exorbitant taxes and so on for crossing borders and lands – but then Nagesu-sama took over the Urahara Clan and he agreed something with our family leaders so that doesn't happen any more. We bring trade to Third District in the summer, after all – we have several crafts we specialise in, and they brighten up the Third District markets. Only the last Head didn't like us very much, because of some civil Clan squabble or other…so they made a big deal out of levying taxes. Nagesu-sama is more reasonable. He doesn't think in the past."

"Clans are good at civil squabbles." Shunsui said ruefully, and Hanako nodded.

"I don't know the details, really, of this one." She admitted. "It was a hundred years ago – a long time before I was born. I only know that something happened and a bunch of Urahara got put to death over it. Several of their womenfolk and children fled for sanctuary in the Second and Fourth Districts – a lot of them disguised themselves with our folk and snuck over the divide into Unohana territory that way. The Urahara found out and were ticked about it – but what kind of Noble house kills women and kids, anyway?"

"You'd be surprised." Shunsui's thoughts flitted to the Endou-ke and their current persecution of District individuals. "And probably the incident you're talking about was one that bothered all of the Clans. I'm pretty sure it was related to an experiment gone wrong – but the Urahara have moved on from it now, and so…well, hopefully, so has everyone else."

"You never know. Clans do have long memories." Hanako reflected bitterly. "But even so, they've not managed to pin us down. We live our lives our way…that's just how my people are."

"The Districts really are more interesting than the Clans, aren't they." Shunsui mused. "I think I envy you, Nakamura-san. To have that kind of freedom and to travel so easily between two places…it must be nice."

"Most Clan people think the opposite." Hanako admitted. "My mother wasn't sure about me coming to school here, either, in the first place. But my Uncle and my Grandmother were both killed by Hollows during our travels, and others among our people have been hurt or killed by them in the past. Neither the Unohana nor the Urahara take responsibility for our protection because we don't belong to either District, not officially. So…in the end…Father decided I should go."

"Juu's father was also killed by a Hollow." Shunsui remembered. "I see. That makes sense, then…why you'd come here even hating the Clans like you do."

"Well, I'm going to be a Shinigami, so I'm not going anywhere else." Hanako said frankly, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't really care if everyone here hates me or looks down on me. The people back home are relying on me and I've three younger siblings to look out for as well as for myself."

"You really do sound surprisingly like Juushirou." Shunsui laughed. "But I like it. That spirit…I like it a lot."

"You're the first person to say that." Hanako admitted. "Maybe if our people were in Eighth District, we'd have less trouble getting protection from a Clan."

"I don't know." Shunsui looked grave. "Right now there are Shinigami in Eighth District, but no Gotei Captain and no Clansman with a high level _zanpakutou_ release. My brother's foisted that duty on me…but as you've already seen – I'm nowhere near ready for it."

Hanako shook her head.

"I don't think so." She said frankly. "I think the people in Eighth District will be all right, if you're the one looking out for them."

She grinned suddenly, surprising him once again with her open, warm expression.

"And according to the map, there should be underground water a little way over that way." She added. "A small spring, something like that. It's close enough for drinking water, anyhow. It's only dotted on the map, so it's probably not been fully opened up. But you're top of the class, right? So you must be able to fire Kidou without blowing up the whole area. In that case…"

"I might blast us a spring?" Shunsui offered her a rueful smile. "All right. You find me the place and I'll do as you suggest. It might not solve the bathing problem completely – but it will certainly do for drinking water, and its close enough to be convenient, too."

"Yes, Captain." Hanako folded the map, handing it back. "I'm pretty certain I know where it is. Follow me."

* * *

Night was drawing in.

As Juushirou carefully built up the fire, he frowned, casting his gaze pensively around the small, wooded area that Toutai had chosen to make their base that night. It was not a perfect shelter, he reflected, and the previous day's experience told him that it probably wasn't entirely safe, either. But for the time being, it was the best they could manage.

Since their eviction from the main camp, Toutai had headed in an entirely different direction from their Katai classmates, striking out towards the winding river that ran from one end of the safe zone to the other. Juushirou had reasoned – with some common sense – that an area with a flowing water supply would probably also be an area plentiful in food and other supplies, and Chiyoko had backed him up, saying that the river in question was well known in District One for being full of various different species of fresh-water fish. Thus encouraged by this, Toutai had made a bee-line for an area of trees that ran almost parallel with the flowing water, and now, as the sun had begun to set over the First District mountains, they had found a place in which to settle for the night.

"It's kind of fun, isn't it, that we'll be sleeping under the stars tonight." He reflected, as Ryuu dropped an armful of wood down beside him, casting him a resigned look. "Probably, if we'd have got here earlier, we might have worked out a way of building a proper shelter. But even so, I don't think it's going to rain tonight. The sky is clear as anything – we should be okay."

"Sleeping out in the open still has dangers, however." Ryuu dusted his hands off absently on his blue _hakama_. "Yesterday was deliberate, but there is no saying what other tests Sou Taichou might have in store for us. Also, we know little about the local wildlife. Aside from fish in the river and fruit in the trees – we have no idea what larger predators may operate in this region."

"Predators?" Juushirou was surprised. "Such as…?"

"Bears, perhaps." Kamitani suggested, joining them at that moment. "I've heard that there are bears in the mountains in District One, and they eat fish, after all."

"There are bears." Chiyoko agreed. "But they're probably not going to come this far down the mountain. The river runs well into the peaks, you see – and they don't really like shinigami. I don't think we're in any danger from them here, Kamitani-kun – the only predators that we'll probably see are hawks and birds of prey."

"Well, those won't bother us." Juushirou was relieved. "I'm glad to hear you say that, Saitani-san."

Chiyoko dimpled, nodding her head.

"I don't know this part of District One as well as I do others." She admitted. "But I do know that that's usually the case. Bears haven't emerged from the heart of the mountains in a long long time. They won't come this far down and in any case, Kazoe-sensei's barrier should keep them from bothering us even if they did."

"It will keep out bears, but not hawks?" Ryuu looked startled. "That seems to me to be a funny kind of distinction."

"Depends on how high up the barrier is, I suppose." Juushirou looked thoughtful, staring once more up at the sky. "I can't see it, now – but sometimes I think I see something faintly glittering up there, when the sun is properly shining through. Perhaps the hawks can fly over the barrier – but the bears can't walk through it. Either way, though, it must be a pretty high level of Kidou that Kazoe-sensei used. If it can keep even the native creatures out…"

"I believe the spell is called '_Kyoumon_'." Ryuu agreed. "Though I know nothing more about it. It was mentioned briefly in a book I read over the holiday period…a strong barrier that cannot be easily broken from the outside."

"_Kyoumon_." Juushirou repeated the word softly to himself. "I see. There are still a lot of Kidou spells we haven't come to learn yet, aren't there?"

"I believe there are at least a hundred known spells. Perhaps there are more yet to be devised or discovered." Ryuu agreed. "But we are only second year students – it is natural that we would only know a handful of them, even now."

"Speaking of which, I'm going to light the fire." Juushirou flexed his fingers, softly muttering the words of the _Shakkahou _spell and as he did so, a burst of red light flew across the ground, licking its way up the dry pile of wood and consuming it into flame in an instant. "There. At least that saves us using other methods – I suppose it's something to know that we've got even just a few of them down to a level we can really use them."

"That depends on who's firing. I couldn't control _Shakkahou_ like that." Chiyoko sighed. "I guess I see why you're top in Kidou, Ukitake-taichou."

"_Shakkahou_ isn't a difficult spell, though." Juushirou was surprised, gazing at his faintly ash-dusted fingers and then back at his companion. "Is it?"

"If you observe Houjou's efforts, you'll soon realise that not everybody has the knack for it that you or I may have." Ryuu said drolly. "But since we have a fire, we should all regroup. I will go and summon the others from their fruit gathering – for tonight, that should suffice us in terms of food."

"Yes. And tomorrow we'll try and catch some fish." Juushirou agreed. "But after the long trek, collecting fallen fruit is easier – especially when there's so much of it hereabouts."

He glanced at Chiyoko.

"Can I trust you and Fujiwara to go and collect water from the spring we passed just before we reached here?" He asked softly. "I realise it is getting darker, but you are swift and he is strong and between you I'm sure you can manage."

"Can do." Chiyoko nodded, getting to her feet. "I did wonder why Aki-kun insisted on lugging that great heavy metal bowl down with him – but now I guess I have to give him credit for thinking ahead. If we collect the water in that, it should do for everyone. I'll go now, and tell him what you've said."

"Meanwhile, here come Mitsuki and Hirata." Ryuu indicated, as Chiyoko disappeared off into the trees. "And Kira…who appears to be limping slightly once more."

"I asked Edogawa-san to look at his ankle again." Juushirou admitted. "Sensei…I mean, Sou Taichou said it should be all right, but we've walked a lot of uneven ground today. Tomorrow I'll make sure he has a task here, close to home. He's got a lot to write up, after all, if we're still supposed to be keeping a log."

"He's brought paper and ink with him, so I imagine he thinks so." Ryuu said wryly. "Kira! If that foot pains you, you should not insist on using it so much!"

"It's all right, Kuchiki-fukutaichou." Kira reddened. "I don't want to be any more trouble. It's just aching a little – it's fine. Edogawa-san's given me some herbs, and…"

"Tomorrow, you'll stay here and rest it." Juushirou cut across him, casting him a smile. "And catch up on writing the log, since you've had next to no time to do it, yet. We're here for a while, after all. We don't have to find a better campsite so long as the weather stays fine."

"Where were Saitani-san and Fujiwara-kun going?" Mitsuki asked, as she and Hirata brought the gathered fruit to the fireside. "It's getting dark, after all."

"Just to collect water. Nothing else." Juushirou assured her. "I want us to keep together, after all. Tonight we'll all sleep here – and we'll take turns to keep watch. I'm willing to do the first shift – and Ryuu-kun, I hope you'll do the second. If someone else volunteers a third, then we should all be able to get enough rest tonight."

"I'll do it." Kamitani volunteered, as Ryuu inclined his head in agreement. He grinned, looking rueful. "Urahara don't generally need much sleep, as a rule, anyway. We're always working on this or that or thinking up something – so I don't mind if I have to wake up earlier for once."

"Then it's settled. Thank you, Kamitani-kun." Juushirou looked relieved. "All right, then. For the time being, Toutai are off-duty and at ease."

He sighed, stretching his arms out in front of him as he did so.

"I don't really know much about the Urahara-ke." He reflected. "Other than the fact Anideshi was an Urahara – and you are too, Kamitani-kun. You're the only Urahara I'm aware of having met – but if you both are typical, I guess it's a pretty reasonable Clan to belong to."

"Hah, you'd like to think so, wouldn't you?" Ryuu snorted, shaking his head. "Or have you forgotten so quickly? The Urahara are the ones who first invented those chemicals that brought the Shihouin-ke so much grief last summer. Thanks to their work, many people died. I don't think you can call them 'reasonable' – not based on that."

"That was a long time ago, Kuchiki!" Kamitani protested, his eyes widening in dismay at the bluntness of his companion's tone. "True, we made mistakes – my people made mistakes. But none of the people who were involved in those things are still alive. Neither the scientists nor the Head of the Clan who presided over them…the Urahara have gone a long way to rebuild their reputation, so please don't drag up ancient history as though it's something we're still actively involved in."

"That was a bit over the line, Kuchiki-kun." Hirata said softly. "Kamitani-kun isn't to blame for what's happened in his Clan either, just like I'm not with mine."

"Don't get me started on _your _Clan." Ryuu sent Hirata a meaningful look. "But even so, I know it is the past. The current Urahara leader Nagesu-sama is well known for his reasoned, cautious outlook. He is much respected – and it was not my intention to imply otherwise."

"Nagesu-sama, huh." Juushirou pursed his lips. "I really know nothing about him or about District Three at all."

"What Kuchiki says is somewhat right." Kamitani nodded his head. "About Nagesu-sama, anyway – he is cautious and he does think things through carefully before endorsing or acting on them. Everyone in District Three really respects him because of that – he doesn't take silly risks and he makes our family safe and stable."

He smiled.

"When the vote happened over admitting District children here, he and his advisors chose to abstain because they felt they didn't know enough about the situation to judge." He added. "But last summer, he summoned Yunosuke and spoke to him in some detail about the first year of District children at the Academy. He spoke to me too, since I share a class with three District students and am well placed to talk about them."

He paused to grin at Kira, who grinned back, nodding his head.

"Based on our testimony, the Urahara have shifted their stance to in favour – but Nagesu-sama wouldn't do that until he'd had actual facts reported as opposed to just rumours and myth."

"The Urahara-ke are now supportive? Of people like Kira and I studying here?" Juushirou was taken aback, and Kamitani nodded.

"We were never against it. Nagesu-sama just likes to be careful." He agreed. "Big mistakes have happened, after all, in the past."

"Their concession hasn't come without a catch, though." Ryuu reflected. "True to form, Nagesu-sama attached conditions to his change in stance. No District child is allowed to summon or use weaponry outside the Academy premises without the permission of their ruling Clan. Just in case anyone decides to rebel against the Urahara – he wanted to know he could act."

"He really sounds like a canny individual." Juushirou grinned. "That's not a foolish choice to make, though. If I were him, I'd probably feel that way."

"It's not just about District children." Hirata shook his head, his expression grave. "It's about Urahara exiles as well – sneaking in and slipping through the cracks in the system to get training at the Academy under false pretences."

"Exiles?" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Mitsuki bit her lip.

"You mean…the _reidoku_ scientists' descendants and their families, Hirata-kun?" She asked softly, and Hirata nodded.

"But _reidoku_ was created more than a century ago." Juushirou looked confused. "Why would that matter now?"

"Clan have long memories." Hirata said bitterly.

"But the whole thing is not really talked about much any more."

Kamitani settled himself around the camp-fire, shooting Juushirou a hesitant glance in the flickering light. "The Urahara-ke have done their best to...well...detach that part of their history completely."

"Which is a prudent move." Ryuu said archly. "After all, no good comes of being associated with such a disastrous experiment."

"But all the blame wasn't with the Urahara-ke." Kamitani objected. "Nobody knew in the first instance what risk there was in the reiatsu experiments. It was a mistake, yes, but..."

"People were put to death by the Council for it." Hirata said quietly. "Some of them were kin to my Clan - there are Urahara in my ancestry, after all."

"The people who escaped the Council raids took refuge in District Two and Seven." Kamitani agreed. "So the stories go. Most settled and started new lives. Changed their names and lived in anonymity. There are probably Urahara kin living at lower Seireitei levels even now. District by all appearances, but in actual fact, not."

He cast Juushirou a rueful smile.

"That's why I can believe your spirit power is your own." He added. "But you must see why Nagesu-sama is so cautious. If there are District children who truly have the kind of power you do, there can easily be forgotten Urahara lurking in the shadows. At the time everything happened, the Shihouin showed sympathy and opened their borders to let the women and children of the convicted escape into anonymous exile. It's one of the reasons the Shihouin and Urahara were so cold to each other for such a long time – and why for a while there was war along the borderlands between Second and Third. It was always a bone of contention that the Shihouin-ke had gotten involved. Others fled with nomadic peoples into District Four, disguised as part of their travelling band – but there's never been any real proof of Unohana involvement in that. In contrast, the Shihouin at that time encouraged people to break for the border and escape into District Two."

He sighed.

"In the end there were quite a lot of them – people who vanished into the darkness and were never seen again."

He gestured to Ukitake.

"All Clans have their secrets." He added. "You're not from District Three – but if you were, it might be suspected that you had somehow got distant, diluted Urahara blood and were related somehow to the disgraced Clansfolk."

"As it happens, Kamitani, Ukitake is a Kuchiki, distantly, by blood." Ryuu agreed. "So your theory is somewhat correct."

"Very distantly." Juushirou shook his head. "I'm an Ukitake, really, and that's as far as it goes."

"But the Urahara-ke had people put to death." Mitsuki shivered, pulling her cloak more tightly around her body. "Because they made mistakes."

"Just like Shihouin Kamuki-sama - ,maybe some mistakes can only be paid for in blood." Kira glanced at his hands. "It makes you realise what the weight is on the Clans, really, doesn't it?"

"Makes me glad not to be part of one of them." Ukitake agreed. "It seems everything carries such heavy consequences."

"Shihouin Kamuki had no choice but to submit to death." Ryuu said quietly. "It was the only noble thing he could have done, considering that it was his bad judgement that has cast his Clan into so many problems. I do not like the Shihouin," As Juushirou shot him a startled look. "But I do respect him for doing the right thing. His life was forfeit to the Council's Justice. By accepting that, and taking the bulk of the blame, he has allowed his family some measure of breathing space."

"Well, if you say it, it's high praise." Juushirou grinned. "But even so - to pay with your life..."

"Urahara Keitsune was responsible - indirectly, but responsible - for the deaths of many people." Hirata said softly, a troubled expression on his features.

"Urahara…Keitsune?" Juushirou blinked, and Kamitani nodded.

"Urahara Keitsune was the Clansman in charge of the _reidoku_ experiments." He said gravely. "He was the younger brother of the ruling Clan Leader of the time – and thought by many to be a true scientific genius. People had high hopes of him bringing true greatness to the Urahara through the work he did…and a lot of it was to the benefit of his family and District Three's people. However…"

"He miscalculated." Kira chewed on his lip. "And instead caused a big disaster that meant lots of people died."

"A capital crime in anyone's book." Ryuu intoned darkly.

"And his death was voted for and sealed by the Clans. Other than the Unohana, who never vote for death, only one Clan voted against." Kamitani agreed sadly. "There was nothing else to be done. Even the Shihouin, who'd opened their borders to allow wives and children to flee the witch-hunt couldn't bring themselves to vote to save his life. The blood was on Keitsune's hands, after all. He was, in the end, the main one to blame."

"The one Clan who voted against death was the Urahara, I presume?" Juushirou asked, but Kamitani shook his head.

"No." He said unwillingly. "No."

"The Urahara would have been prevented from voting." Ryuu pointed out, but Kamitani frowned.

"The Urahara did cast a vote." He said softly. "Or at least...they made a decision. They added their seal to the Execution Warrant and severed any connection with Urahara Keitsune or his immediate family."

"To their own kin?" Mitsuki's eyes widened, and Kamitani nodded.

"I don't agree with it - I never have." He said quickly. "I don't think you should turn on your own. But it does happen."

"So who voted against the execution, then?" Kira's brow furrowed. "If the Urahara didn't..."

"The Endou-ke." Hirata said softly. "They and the Unohana voted against. And the Shihouin abstained."

"The Endou?" Ryuu was floored. "No offence, Hirata, but I find that difficult to fathom. Your blood-thirsty Clan...showed mercy?"

"I'm sure they had their reasons." Hirata looked troubled. "I don't know what they were, not exactly. Maybe it was that distant kinship...who knows? At the moment I couldn't be further from the centre of my Clan. And as for the Shihouin..."

"I guess they saw promise in the experiments, given recent events." Kamitani's gaze became clouded. "Onoe was my friend, so I can't pretend that I know nothing about what he did or the reasons why he acted in that way – I just wish I had known sooner and could have stopped him before it was too late."

He sighed.

"I think Shihouin is pretty brave, really, considering all of the stuff that's happened. He and his sister have had a lot to manage, yet..."

"There is no such thing as an innocent Shihouin." Ryuu said frankly. "Perhaps they were not actively involved - but they were not unaware."

"We're _not_ going to character assassinate the Shihouin." Juushirou said firmly, holding up his hands. "That's an order, Kuchiki, from Captain to Vice Captain. Okay? That's all over and past now. Kai-kun is one of us and that's all that matters. He wasn't charged by the Council, and nor was Midori-sama. That's the end of it. Let it go."

Ryuu looked obstinate, but at that moment the remaining two division members returned, bringing with them the heavy metal vessel containing fresh water from the spring, and at the sight of them, Juushirou got to his feet, immediately assuming his role as Captain once more as they approached the campfire.

"Do you think there's enough for everyone to drink?" He asked, and Aki nodded, setting his burden down on the ground.

"Yes, Uki...Taichou." He agreed with a nod of his head. "We brought as much as we could carry back – there should be enough for everyone and still some to fill gourds after that."

"It was heavy." Chiyoko let out her breath in a rush, sinking down onto the ground. "But I think Aki-kun is right. We should be fine for the night, Taichou, with what we've brought now. The spring runs pretty freely and the water seems very clean – so we should be all right."

"And we have plenty of fruit, Ukitake-kun." Hirata put in. "Edogawa-san, Kira-kun and I managed to gather plenty, so maybe we should start to divide it out."

"You can't call him Ukitake-kun, not when it's official." Ryuu glared at him. "Address him properly, Hirata! He's Ukitake-taichou until this exercise is ended!"

"But...just now we were..."

"That's neither here nor there." Ryuu said coldly. "When we are on duty, he is your Captain...how will you ever enter the Gotei if you cannot understand that fact?"

"Kuchiki?" Juushirou's voice prevented Hirata from answering, and Ryuu stiffened, turning to eye his classmate warily.

"Yes...Taichou?"

"Don't bully your subordinates, please." Juushirou's tones were even, but they held a faint warning note. "We were off-duty before, Hirata - but now we're not. So try and remember, okay? I don't mind, but Sensei would, if he heard. Ryuu-kun might not have said it in a very nice way - but he is right about that."

"Ryuu-kun again." Ryuu muttered, and Juushirou smiled.

"As Captain, I think I can call you that." He said matter-of-factly. "Besides, right now we've got the more pressing matter of dividing up our evening meal so that everyone gets a fair and even ration. From tomorrow, we'll have to see what we can do about building a more permanent shelter – but for the time being, let's replenish our energy and get some rest. Sensei…I mean, Sou Taichou wants to see how well we can survive out here on our own – let's work together and make sure we don't let him down!"

-----

**Author's Note: ACK!**

_Thank you so much to DragonSabre for pointing out that I am a complete idiot. This is the first time it's happened xD thanks to FFnet's lack of acknowledgement of prologue chapters. All my chapter numbers are one behind the chapter number FFnet thinks it is, so this time I missed one out (no wonder people were a tad confused by what was going on...)_

_They're corrected now. Chapter Ten is Nemesis, Chapter Eleven is Hanako and I'll be updating with chapter twelve soon. Please go back and read the proper chapter 10 if you want to know how they got from camp to suddenly being in the wilderness _

_Once more, my apologies for being stupid. It's been a busy couple of weeks (flops)_


	13. Spider's Web

**Chapter Twelve: Spider's Web**

"Well, Eiraki. I wait to hear your answer."

In the high-ceilinged chamber of the Endou-ke estate, Shouichi sent his only grand-daughter a piercing look, his pale eyes fixed and scrutinous as they focused themselves on the young girl's face. From his vantage point across the room, Misashi frowned, aware that to his frightened daughter, the old man probably seemed more like the hunting bird whose spirit ghosted his blade than any member of her family. Cast in shadow by the morning sun as he stood before the window, the head of the Endou Clan did indeed appear terrifying, and Misashi's frown deepened as he resisted the urge to intervene.

After all, he had pushed his luck far enough already. To even have his Father humour him to this extent was a victory – for Eiraki's own sake, he had to keep his quiet.

_Even so, the subject of marriage to a fourteen year old must be a frightening prospect under any circumstances. When proposed by one like Father, and what he is asking of her to agree to…my son has already forfeited any chance of childhood because of this Clan. Am I to see my daughter's life go the same way, sold off as some bargaining chip in a marriage of convenience?_

_  
_His gaze flitted to Eiraki's young face, taking in her expression carefully. She seemed composed, at first glance, but Misashi knew the girl too well and understood the fierce terror that burned just beneath the surface in those sky blue eyes. Of all of the Endou-ke, Eiraki had inherited most expressively the vivid blue eyes of her grandmother, and in that moment Misashi thought he saw a fleeting likeness – that even in Eiraki's deep terror he could find the shadow of his fearless mother.

_In that case, Okaasama, if your spirit is here – I'll ask you to watch over Eiraki, since it seems there's nothing I can do to protect her from Clan politics any longer._

Eiraki was silent for some time, then she bowed her head.

"I understand, Ojiisama." She said softly. "If that is your wish, I will obey."

"Ah." Shouichi's lips twitched into a smile. "As I thought, you are a good and obedient child. It is well said, Eiraki – even for a girl of your young years."

He raised his gaze to Misashi.

"I trust, then, you have no objections now?" He asked, a faintly mocking tone in his voice, and Misashi sighed, casting his daughter a pensive look.

"Are you truly content with this, Eiraki-chan?" He questioned. "Once agreed, remember, there will be no going back. You will be bound by your word to your Lord Grandfather…his judgement will override yours and mine in all respects."

Eiraki was silent for a moment. Then she nodded her head, pain in her blue eyes.

"It is penance that I must do." She said sadly.

"Penance?" Misashi's eyes widened, and Eiraki nodded, tears glittering in her gaze as she faced her Father fully.

"There is nobody else here to do it." She whispered. "So instead, I must try."

"I don't understand what you mean." Misashi stared at his daughter in confusion. "Why would you feel that, Eiraki-chan? You've done nothing wrong. Your Grandfather thinks well of you and so do your Clan. You have nothing to be ashamed for – no reason to repent."

"Not for me." Eiraki took a deep breath, meeting her Father's gaze head on. "For Nii-sama. I have to do it…because of him."

"Hirata?" Misashi looked stricken, and Shouichi let out a low chuckle of appreciation.

"So, the younger sister has seen what the older brother cannot." He said approvingly. "Well said, Eiraki. Well said indeed."

He bowed his head mockingly at Misashi.

"Then it is decided. I have humoured you, Misashi, so you can have no further possible objection. I will begin at once in entertaining potential consorts for the hand of Eiraki-hime when she comes of age."

Once he had gone, Eiraki sank down into a seat, burying her head in her hands as sobs wracked through her tiny frame. Misashi sighed, sinking down beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders.

"You needn't have said it, Eiraki-chan. You owe nobody anything. Not for Hirata, or anyone else."

"Nii-sama betrayed Seimaru-sama, didn't he?" Eiraki raised her head, looking dolefully at her father. "I know it's true – I've heard people talk about it. Even you and Okaasama…I know he did. I love Nii-sama, Father. But even so…he…and now…"

"The politics of this family even taint the young." Misashi agreed, hugging his daughter tightly to him. "But even so, to say it's a debt you owe…"

"Father, Seimaru-sama scares me." Eiraki admitted. "I don't know how Nii-sama defied him, but I know that if I don't do something, it will end badly. If Nii-sama ever came home, Seimaru-sama would want to kill him. And Ojiisama…maybe…Ojiisama would want to, too. But if I…please Ojiisama…then perhaps he won't. Maybe then…Nii-sama will be safe."

Misashi sighed, feeling a dull ache beginning to spread across his skull as he realised the depth of his daughter's understanding.

"You're a child now burdened with adult concerns, just as your brother is." He murmured, more than half to himself, and Eiraki raised her gaze to her father's.

"Father…do you know…why Nii-sama…what he did?"

Misashi was silent for a while. Then he shook his head.

"We mustn't talk about it." He said quietly. "I feel how you do – I miss him too. But things are this way and we cannot regret them. All we can do is move on."

Eiraki bit her lip.

"Seimaru-sama was very angry." She whispered. "When he came back here, and I thought…that we…I don't understand, Otousama. Nii-sama…what he could have done…to make things like that. I was afraid…and now…"

"A lot has happened in the past year." Misashi took Eiraki by the hand, leading her gently across to the window seat and sitting down, ushering her down beside him as he slipped a strong arm around her shoulders. "Eiraki-chan, I don't know, precisely, what your brother's aims are. All I know is that he has chosen to finish his training in District One. To do that, he has had to submit his crest and deny his Clan. So he has done and so Genryuusai-sama has advised me. As to anything else…Seimaru-sama is the heir to our family. He is your Grandfather's chosen descendent and in that matter we cannot be anything but firm. Whatever Hirata did or did not do is not our concern now. Our concern is here – in supporting our Clan leader, his chosen heir and the future of our family. So your Grandmother would have wanted it – so it must be."

"Then if Ojiisama asks me to marry, I will." Eiraki said softly. "If it makes him pleased with us, I will. He seemed pleased, didn't he? When he left, he seemed like…he was pleased with me?"

"I think he values it very much…your existence in this family." Misashi assured her. "Very much indeed. Hirata is unfortunate – being born a boy means that his position is always in jeopardy. In contrast, Eiraki, yours can help consolidate and strengthen this family for the future."

"I see you even spout your lies to your daughter, Ojisama."

Seimaru's voice sent a shock-wave through Misashi's system, and as he felt his fragile daughter's shoulders tense, he raised his head, meeting the mocking gaze of his nephew with an impassive one of his own.

"It is customary to knock before entering a Hime's chambers, Seimaru." He said quietly. "Eiraki-chan is, after all, a lady of your Clan."

"She is yours, so she is immaterial to me. Besides, it was you I came after. Not your whelp."

Seimaru cast Eiraki a disdainful glance.

"She may be useful to Grandfather in plotting a marriage match, but she is not old enough to bother me yet. Even if she does spawn children – no woman has ever inherited this Clan and nor has any son whose claim runs through the female line. If you think you can bide your time and challenge my claim that way now your son is a known traitor…you will be disappointed. Even Grandmother was not allowed to rule the Clan, despite her reputation. Your Eiraki-hime is just another family puppet – and I outrank her, so she should accommodate me and my intrusions as I wish her to."

Misashi sighed, getting to his feet.

"I suppose that my manservant told you I would be here." He said, resignation in his pale eyes. "If you have a need for me, then let us leave Eiraki to herself. She is not involved in Clan politics yet. She need not be concerned with our discussion."

"It's all right. Let the girl listen. Maybe she'll take note, too." Seimaru's eyes narrowed. "You've been spending a lot of time with Grandfather of late, and now he's bestowing honour on your daughter, too…you must think that you and your family are safe. Secure in the knowledge that Ojiisama doesn't break his political word."

"I have resolved the differences with Father that have divided us for such a long time." Misashi said quietly.

"I know he can't trust you. Nor can I."

"I'm not asking to be trusted. Nor to be liked." Misashi shook his head. "Father keeps me where he can see me – I know that, and knew it when I agreed to recognise you as his heir and become reconciled to his will. I have only one interest, Seimaru – protecting my family from harm. Anything else is not my concern."

"So the old bag didn't leave you with some death-bed order to raise your son as a warrior and send him to decimate your kin, then?" Seimaru's words were scornful, and Misashi snorted.

"Your Grandmother would never have spoken so foolishly, particularly not in regard to a Clan for which she gave her everything." He said coldly. "Nor would she encourage me to rise against or betray a husband whom she loved and respected right until she drew her last breath. If Father heard you speak of her thus, you would be punished."

"Will you tell him, then?" Seimaru's gaze held a challenge, and Misashi sighed.

"You know that I won't." He said heavily. "You know that I am tied by my word to my Mother as well as my word to my Father. I won't betray her wishes. She wanted me to reconcile and accept you. I have done so. The matter is ended. I will not rebel against you. Whether you believe me or not, it is still true. For the sake of this Clan's future – I have given my word. Father has accepted it. He knows that in this one thing at least, I am like him."

"And Hirata? What of him – your rogue son?" Seimaru demanded. "I am not fooled, Misashi-jisama. I know that boy is not what he seems to be. I know he summoned the Shadow Cat to face me, and lives with the Shihouin when he is not training at that accursed Academy in District One. I know that, secretly, you still harbour hopes that that old man will teach him to wield a sword so that he can face me and, perhaps, take my position by force."

"I have had no contact with Hirata. I know nothing of his current intentions, nor his future ones." Misashi said evenly, and Seimaru snorted, pacing across the room and grabbing his uncle by the collar of his robe, shoving Eiraki out of his way as he hauled the older man to his feet. Eiraki tumbled to the floor, scrambling into a sitting position as horror and fear glittered in her blue eyes, and at his daughter's fright, Misashi quelled the urge to lash out at his nephew, instead allowing himself to be dragged across the room and thrown up against the wall with a heavy thump.

"You lie." Seimaru's eyes glittered with anger and suspicion. "I know you lie, and you think that I can't touch you. Well, you're wrong, Misashi-jisama. I cannot kill you – that is all. I haven't acknowledged you as my heir, even if Grandfather and the Clan have. I haven't welcomed your reconciliation, even if they still celebrate its occurrence. I will never accept that you have any connection to me at all. Father would never have stood for it – and I won't, either. Your family will never gain power in the Endou-ke…and one day, mark my words, I _will_ find a reason to have you killed."

"In that case, I look forward to that day with both interest and contempt." Misashi spoke softly, his own expression hardening as he met his nephew's indignant eyes with cold ones of his own. "For on the day you break my Father's vow, he will strike your head from your body for it as sure as I stand here now. And when that happens, Seimaru, who do you suppose will inherit this Clan then?"

Seimaru froze, his eyes widening as he stared at the other man with a mixture of horror and fury. Then he let out an exclamation, swinging Misashi around and throwing his unresisting body down hard against the cold stone of Eiraki's chamber floor.

"You always use such pretty words. So Grandfather always says." He said darkly, his voice shaking with anger as his fingers slipped automatically around the hilt of his sleeping _zanpakutou_. "Yet with me you only ever use ugly ones. I have never doubted your intent for one moment…how much I'd like to pour my curse into you and watch you die slowly and painfully."

"But even so, you won't do it." Calmly Misashi picked himself up, dusting himself down although his body ached and his muscles jarred from the sudden roughness of the assault. Eiraki was still watching, he reminded himself, staring at her father pale-faced and teary-eyed, and for that reason, he would not show his anger or his pain. "Father and I have reached an agreement that even you will not breach. To kill me will be to kill yourself. To kill me will be to make Hirata heir to this family by default. So long as he lives, you will obey Father's word. So long as Father lives, you will be kept in line. This Clan does not belong to you yet, my boy. It may be many many moons before it does. And a lot can happen in that time."

"A lot can happen indeed."

Slowly and with conscious effort, Seimaru released his hold on Yojinmozu's hilt, casting his uncle the most unpleasant look he could muster. "Grandfather might not see it, but I do. I know exactly what you are and I won't overlook it. Besides, like Grandmother, Grandfather is old. Even a strong Shinigami cannot fight old age forever. You shouldn't be so smug, Ojisama. Your time may yet come – and when it does, I will take great pleasure in severing your pathetic life."

With which parting statement he turned on his heel and, with a sweep of his dark red cape, he was gone, banging the door shut hard behind him.

Once they were alone, Misashi let out a heavy sigh, and Eiraki hurried towards him, grasping his hands in anxiety.

"Otousama? Otousama, are you hurt?"

"No more than usual." Misashi managed a smile, reaching across to wipe the tears from her lashes. "Don't cry, Eiraki. This body is strong – its survived far worse over the years."

"But…Seimaru-sama…"

"Seimaru knows that so long as we don't upset Father, he can't hurt us." Misashi said quietly. "Don't worry. Everything will be just fine. Seimaru is spoiled and angry and greedy for power – but even he knows he can't cross Father and get away with it. All we have to do is wait, and stay as strong as we can. Right now, there is no way to act – but I have faith, Eiraki-chan, that one day there will be. And when it comes…then…all will finally be as your Grandmother wanted it in the Endou Clan."

* * *

Another battle lost.

Keitarou pulled his hood more carefully over his face, disguising his features in shadow as he stood on the embankment, gazing down impassively onto the execution ground below. Moments earlier, screams and pleas for mercy had filled the air, but now all was silent, and as he stood there, Keitarou found his thoughts flitting back to that day so many years ago when he had felt his father die.

So, Shouichi's campaign against the Urahara in District Seven had continued to gather speed.

His eyes narrowed as his gaze flitted across the ground, taking in the features of the executioners one by one. He did not need to commit their faces to memory, nor did he need to know their names. They were marked by him now – and he would ensure that the balance was evened out.

They were arrogant, he reflected bitterly, believing that in the courtyard of the Endou estate they were under the Lord's protection. They had not even made to cover their faces as was customary among executioners charged with carrying out Endou justice. As he saw their blood-spattered features and heard them laugh and joke among themselves whilst they hauled the blood-soaked corpses of their prey into a heap for burning, he felt cold anger surge inside of his heart.

_The Endou who were once our allies even now have turned on us. Will Seimaru also turn on me, before I have a chance to utilise my connection to him?_

Keitarou sighed, slipping his fingers into the fold of his _obi _and pulling out the small, insignificant looking_ tantou_ knife. For a moment he glanced at it, taking in the faint, delicate design of a spider weaving its web across the silver blade. To anyone who didn't know, it was barely more than a science tool – an implement with which he divided samples for testing and nothing more. Yet to Keitarou, whose bitterness had wrapped itself lovingly around his spiritual potential even from that day in his childhood, it was something much more.

It was his revenge. And as he had done before, he would use it again.

"_Ore, Chudokuga_." He whispered, feeling the weapon hum and vibrate softly beneath his touch as the blade glittered and glimmered with a faint silverish light. As the metal parted and weaved out into strands of almost invisible fibres, he narrowed his gaze, flicking the fingers of his left hand out towards the guardsmen that stood below.

It was only the faintest of gestures, his weapon more than hidden from sight by the heavy folds of his unremarkable peasant's cloak. Yet at that tiny flick of his finger, eight long, web-like threads shot out across the landscape, glinting only briefly in the sun as they made a beeline for the three unfortunate Endou retainers.

"_Ginchusou_." He murmured, and the threads parted, the ends sharp as needle-point barbs as they burrowed mercilessly through the soldiers' livery and deep into the flesh and tissue below. With exclamations of surprise and pain, the three men turned, just in time to see the cold outline of the cloaked silhouette watching them from atop his mound. But it was no more than a glimpse of the one who would kill them, as Keitarou spread the fingers of his left hand, and the three men collapsed to the ground, twitching and struggling against the web-like tendrils that had burrowed deeper and deeper into their bodies.

For a moment Keitarou hesitated, as he weighed up whether or not these men could be of any further use to him. Then, with a cold smile, he slowly closed his fist.

The screams of the dying soldiers more than made up for the shrieks of his murdered kinsmen, and as the sounds pierced the air, Keitarou took a moment to soak in the empty victory of his revenge.

These men were weak, and they were of no use to him in any way or form. But killing them also achieved nothing so long as their master still ordered their comrades to go out and hunt down more Urahara refugees.

He sighed, twitching the hilt of the knife in his right hand as the blood-soaked threads reeled themselves back in, forming into a flat silver blade once more. The surface was mottled with blood and fragments of internal organs, and he frowned, pulling a cloth from his _obi _and wiping it clean.

_I have better blood to stain this weapon than the blood of common soldiers, after all._

He slid the knife back into its secure hiding place, turning his back on the slaughter ground and slipping into shunpo, re-materialising within the basement laboratory that had once more become his home from home.

_Still, it grows ever more dangerous. Shouichi is ruthless in his carrying out of that old, dead woman's wishes…and I cannot guarantee even my own safety if it goes on like this. Daisuke and the girl are at risk, also – maybe it is time I brought both of them here where they will at least be under some feeble protection. I know that Shouichi seeks me, after all…but if I brought Daisuke and Shikiki to this place, would that simply make me easier to find?_

"Aizen!"

Seimaru's voice pierced through his thoughts and he swung around, taking in the expression of his benefactor with a cool smile of his own.

"Seimaru-sama. What do you do here? And so noisy, when we are so close to the estate above?"

"Grandfather is not here. He has gone to meet with a kinsman some twenty minutes ago and has ridden out towards the border with Sixth District." Seimaru was clearly in a bad temper, for his aura prickled with angry energy and Keitarou frowned, taking in the young man's demeanour as he did so.

_You are ill-tempered because you did not get your way today, I imagine. I am ill-tempered because I saw kin of mine being treated like animals and then slain while their executioners laughed and the man who ordered it entertained his own whims elsewhere. I wonder, then, which of us has more justification for our anger? Sometimes I think you don't understand anything at all – but at the moment I need you, so for now, I will bend to your will._

"I see." He said softly, bowing his head slightly in submission. "I am sorry, then, for my words."

"More than that, what have you been doing all morning? I came looking for you before and you weren't here." Seimaru glared at him, and Keitarou shrugged his shoulders.

"I was gathering important resources for my work." He lied glibly. "Collecting data and material that I need to progress to the next stage."

"I see." Seimaru's eyes narrowed, then, "Aizen, listen to me. You may be ex-Clan and your bloodline and spiritual power may be considerably higher than most of your test subjects. But you are not trained or experienced in any demon arts, nor proficient with a weapon. This District becomes more dangerous for you day by day. I would sooner you stayed here as much as possible – any supplies or resources I can easily arrange to bring you, after all."

Well. Was the whelp worried for his safety? Or simply for the safety of the experiment? Keitarou smiled ironically, slowly nodding his head.

"Your concern flatters me, Seimaru-sama. I understand your worries and I am sorry to have caused you such inconvenience." He said mildly. "I will do my best to remember that in future."

He pushed back the hood of his cloak, revealing the muddy brownish hair that fell haphazardly in a tail over his shoulders.

"Even though I don't have the classic Urahara appearance, I suppose that I might still be set upon." He added. "Even with the protection your patronage provides – these are dangerous times."

"Yes. They are." Seimaru's expression darkened. "So long as that uncle of mine and his wretched son live, there is no way of changing them either. Keep your head down and do as I say, Aizen. I am serious. Grandfather knows you by name and by appearance – he will remember and he is looking for you specifically. He seeks the secrets of your work and he has already interrogated my uncle about you. Your strange appearance does not make you safe – and if you were caught now, everything would be for nothing."

"I suppose so." Keitarou bowed his head once more. "But I have no intention of being caught, Seimaru-sama. I have it very clearly in my mind what you expect from me – and what I expect from myself. You can be well assured…I will not let either of us down."

* * *

At least it was another bright, clear day.

As Juushirou and Hirata made their way towards the banks of the fast-flowing river, Juushirou allowed himself a rueful smile as he thought about their first night fending for themselves out in the open.

It had been an interesting one, he reflected, and with night-watch duty divided between them, he had had more than enough chance to study the sky and the glittering stars that lit the night in District One. Although they had been quite exposed in the woodland, somehow he had not felt afraid. Even though they had faced a dummy Hollow only the day before, Juushirou had found the experience of camping out more relaxing than anything else they had done so far.

_Perhaps because I had a chance to be alone with my thoughts a little…and to put things fully into perspective._

He had divided Toutai's members once they had eaten what scraps they had left for breakfast. Aware that their base camp was still very open and unsuitable if it came to rain, he had instructed Ryuu to take Mitsuki and Kamitani to search for firewood and other suitable supplies in order to build some kind of makeshift cover among the trees. He had told Kira, Aki and Chiyoko to remain behind, Kira to rest his leg and write the squad log up to date, and the other two to help put together the basic shelter that he hoped would be enough to at least keep them free of rain. There was not much natural cover in this part of the safe zone, but, he reasoned now to himself, they would manage the best that they could.

In the meantime, he had decided to play both scouter and food gatherer, and Hirata had quickly volunteered to come with him, eager to do his bit to help his squad.

_Well, I suppose that even if Hirata is stronger than he was, lugging stuff around probably still doesn't suit him. Collecting food will be easier…so that's that, in the end._

"Saitani-san said there was plenty of fish in the river, didn't she?"

Hirata's voice broke through his musings at that moment, and he shot the younger boy a grin.

"She did, but I've never fished before. I was hoping maybe you had, since you've been living with the Shihouin-ke."

"Once or twice." Hirata reddened sheepishly. "But I'm not all that good at it. Still, I know what you're supposed to do. Maybe if I can remember that, and you try it too – we'll manage somehow."

"I wonder if they swim too fast for us to simply use the _asauchi_ and pick them up that way." Juushirou reflected. "We don't have any proper equipment for this, and I'd rather not go into the river itself if we can avoid it. The current seems to be quite quick, from what Saitani-san was saying. I'm not confident of holding my footing."

"Me either." Hirata admitted. "So if we can find another way, so much to the good I suppose."

He pushed his spectacles further up his nose, then,

"How long do you suppose Sensei will keep us out here like this?"

"I'm not sure." Juushirou admitted. "It sounded like he'd planned for us to manage for about a week, just from what he said. But I suppose…it might not be as long as that."

"A week, huh." Hirata pursed his lips. "I see."

"Don't you think it's even a little bit exciting, though?" Juushirou questioned, pushing back branches as they approached the river bank itself. "Being out here like this and making all our own decisions? Toutai have a pretty good working chemistry, so everyone's doing their bit to help. I think it's sort of fun – even if we are being punished, I quite like it."

"Well, so long as it doesn't rain." Hirata's gaze drifted up to the skies. "Or we don't start finding snakes in the river reeds."

"You really don't like them, do you?" Juushirou questioned, and Hirata shook his head.

"Not at all." He said emphatically. "Even though Kai-kun said most of the river snakes aren't poisonous – they're slippery and they come out of nowhere and make me jump."

"Well, there are quite a few reed clumps around the edges of the water." Juushirou approached the water's edge cautiously, gazing down into the ripples below. "It's hard to see what's below there, even if the water is quite clean. At this angle, the sun is glinting off the water too much to be clear. We're going to have to go into the river to have any chance, aren't we?"

"Mm. Maybe not." Hirata glanced around him, shaking his head as he gestured to an old willow tree hanging heavily over the rushing water. "If I was to climb up there, Ukitake-k…taichou, I might be able to see what's swimming in the water more clearly and then I could tell you what I saw."

"You climb trees now?" Juushirou looked startled. "And it's all right, Hirata. When we're alone, you don't have to call me Taichou."

"Oh. Okay." Hirata smiled. "Just Kuchiki-kun is so strict about it, I suppose I'm trying to remember. But if you say so, then it's all right. And as for the tree…"

He glanced up at it, then,

"I wouldn't have been able to, a year ago." He admitted. "But living with the Shihouin has taught me a few things. One of those is how to get up a tree at speed to avoid a snake…and since there might be snakes in the reeds…I'd rather try the tree."

"Well, if you're sure you can manage." Juushirou looked doubtful, and Hirata nodded, resolution in his pale eyes.

"If I'm Toutai's third seat, I have to be useful somehow." He said firmly. "And I can do it, Ukitake-kun. I'm sure of that. The branches are quite easy for even me to reach – and I don't weigh all that much, so I should be able to get to quite a good position."

He grinned sheepishly.

"Even though I'm scared of a lot of things…it turns out that I'm not afraid of climbing."

"In that case, I guess it's our best plan." Juushirou returned the grin, nodding his head. "You play scouter and I'll see if I can catch anything. The _asauchi_ isn't so very long, but if I stay close to the edge and act when you tell me, maybe we'll have some better luck."

"Kai-kun would probably be building a net or something else with sticks and bits of vine." Hirata reflected ruefully. "But I don't know how to do those things, so I suppose this is the best we can do."

He placed his hands cautiously against the trunk of the tree, then nodded. "It's all right. It isn't slippery, either. I can climb up here, Ukitake-kun. It should be fine."

With that he pulled himself cautiously into the branches, and Juushirou watched him, acknowledging the change between the young boy who had been frightened to climb down from the dormitory window in their first term and the determined classmate who was now, by his own volition, scaling a tree to help catch fish.

_Living with the Shihouin has made a difference to him, that's for sure. And perhaps, all the things back home, too. Even if there are still things that he's afraid of – he's not the same child now that he was that first time I spoke to him. He's found his voice and his place and he's fighting as hard as any of us now for what he believes in. _

"All right, Ukitake-kun! I'm ready!" A call from the branches brought Juushirou back to himself and he nodded, slipping carefully into position and pulling his _asauchi _from its sheath at his side.

_Well, even if we're amateurish and unprepared, we're still doing things for ourselves. And we're still working as a team – so in that vein, I don't suppose Sensei can fail us._

Almost as soon as the thought had crossed his mind, however, there was a loud and ominous creak from the tree above his head and he glanced up, fear piercing through him as he realised a crack had begun to rent its way through the large supporting branch. With a jolt he recognised the fading colours of the leaves and registered that the bough, though outwardly broad and sturdy, was probably hollow and dead inside.

"Hirata! You're too far forward! You'll put too much weight on it if you stay there!" He exclaimed, and Hirata frowned.

"Pardon? I can't hear you, Ukitake-kun. The river's racing too fast and I don't know what you said."

"Move back! Back on the branch!" Juushirou waved his hands, and Hirata's eyes widened as there was a second cracking sound and the branch began to judder slightly. Realising the danger, the young boy began to scramble back, but it was too late, and as his weight shifted across the decaying limb of the tree, it gave way completely, tumbling pell-mell into the racing water below. Hirata tried desperately to grab hold of the remaining stub of the branch, but it too splintered under the sudden pressure, and as the young boy fell, he collided head-first with the broken shaft of wood, knocking him clean out as he plummeted like a stone towards the speeding current below.


	14. Into The Current

**Chapter Thirteen: Into The Current**

"_Hirata!_"

Almost the moment that his classmate's black head had disappeared beneath the surface of the river, Juushirou was on his feet, tossing aside his _asauchi_ and kicking loose his sandals as he hurried forward towards the river bank. Without even pausing to think about what he was doing, he plunged forwards into the racing water, the sudden shock of the cold piercing through him as he entered the swirling blue.

But he didn't have time to hesitate.

Hirata had hit his head as he had fallen from the tree, and Juushirou knew that such a blow would be enough to render the boy confused if not unconscious upon entering the water. Whether the young Endou could or could not swim was a subject they had never discussed – but even so, Juushirou was not willing to let such things be left to chance.

Hirata was in trouble. He was Captain. And it was his job to act.

A flood of bitter, brackish water rushed into his mouth at that moment, and he coughed and spluttered, fighting against the spasms in his throat as he thrashed to keep his head above the surface.

"Somewhat premature, wasn't it? Jumping into a racing river when you've never learnt how to swim?"

You's voice rattled against his senses, making him jump and sink below the water once more as a second swirl of liquid invaded his breathing passages and he gasped, feeling as though his lungs were about to burst as the river cruelly closed over his head.

"Don't you think that you should've gone for help first? How can you rescue your friend if you can't even help yourself?"

"It…would…be…too…late." Somehow Juushirou's head broke the surface once more, his thrashing arms and legs keeping him enough above the line of the river to allow him to draw precious gasps of air into already protesting lungs. "I…Captain. Have…to…"

He sank a third time beneath the water, spots dancing before his vision as he realised the breath he had taken was still not enough and that unless he found some kind of foothold or anchor soon, it would not only be Hirata in real danger of his life.

He had acted instinctively and he had not feared the water. But even though in his dreams the sea had wrapped itself comfortingly around him, the river was not the same. It was cold and harsh and determined to punish him for his temerity, and has his thoughts began to blur together, Juushirou felt very real panic begin to set in.

Was he going to die, then?

Was he going to drown, the boy who had spent his whole life growing up beside the sea?

"Juushirou."

The voice was soft and echoing, yet even as the world closed into darkness around him, Juushirou clung onto it, desperate for anything that might steady him in this freezing, choking hell he had plunged his heavy body into. A faint prickle of light pierced through the blackness, and he forced his tired thoughts towards it, not knowing what it was but somehow feeling that it was there to bring him strength.

And then, in a moment, all the world around him was sea once more, and two small, distinctive creatures were flitting into his line of sight.

"In'you." He whispered, and at the sound of their names, the fish drew closer to him, In's eyes reflecting consternation, whilst You's glittered with frustration at his impetuous action.

"This world is water you control. In this place it's safe to be beneath the surface. In this place you'll never drown." He said frankly, swishing his long white tail as if to emphasise his words. "But out there is real. That water is not the same as this. Juushirou, that world and this one…they're not the same thing at all."

"I want to save Hirata." Juushirou protested. "There's only him and me and he hit his head…"

"Right now you're barely conscious. You're drawn here, away from that place." In said softly. "Whether you came here to find us or out of instinct, I don't know. But if you stay here, you can't save your friend. You can't fight against the real water with the water in your head."

Juushirou closed his eyes, aware that somewhere around him his heart was pounding fit to burst.

"How can I fight the real water, then?" He demanded. "Father never let me swim, but right now, I have to swim. Even if I've done something careless – I want to find Hirata. I'm his Captain. His friend. His classmate. I won't give up. How can I fight the river water – you two are fish. You must know a way."

"Calm yourself." In chided gently. "Your panic is making the situation worse. You are afraid and your body is in shock. In that way, you won't be able to save yourself…let alone your friend."

"Is that truly what you want to do, Juu-kun?" You asked, drawing closer to the young student as he did so. "Fight the river itself in order to save your friend? Are you sure that's something within your capabilities? Or are you going to run afraid from us again – if we try to help you, will you once more beg us to stop?"

Juushirou hesitated for the briefest of moments, remembering the burning wasteland that had seared his mindscape in the past and the choking, blood-spattered fits that had made every drawn breath seem like he was breathing raw flame into the heart of his body.

Then he remembered Hirata's fall once more, and the intense coldness of plunging beneath the waves.

"I want to fight." He said purposefully. "I won't run away. I won't beg. Whatever you need to do to get the both of us out of here…I want to fight."

"Then I suppose we have our answer." The two fish seemed to exchange looks, then Juushirou saw a faint glittering light begin to sparkle against the creatures' tiny scales.

"What are you going to do?" Suddenly apprehensive, Juushirou eyed them in alarm.

"Release our power. Your power. The power that you've been so afraid of up till now." You told him evenly. "Once we do so, there's no reeling it in or pushing it back. You must embrace it, or it will not work. Even if it hurts you – remember that this is the choice you made."

"I remember." Despite his terror, Juushirou nodded. "I remember. Please, In'you. Help me."

Almost as soon as those words had passed his lips, he felt a surge of energy pour through his body, plunging him once more back into the freezing river as he became aware of his physical body once more. Pain seared through his battered lungs, and if he had not been submerged in bitter river water, he knew that it would have brought tears to his eyes as the power drove through his body relentlessly. Yet even as it did so, and despite the stifling, agonising pain of the release, Juushirou realised that little by little his consciousness was becoming more aware. That the dim world around him was becoming more coloured as his dulled senses began little by little to recover their normal perceptions.

At that moment his head broke the surface, and he gasped air into his lungs, coughing and choking as blood poured up through his vocal chords and into the water around him. Yet even though he was choking, Juushirou found he was no longer afraid of the water. The enemy that had so resolutely tried to drag him down had now relinquished its attack. He may be choking and coughing and on fire inside…but he was no longer seared by panic or on the verge of drowning.

And what was more, he could feel Hirata's reiatsu not far ahead.

This realisation startled him, the signal piercing through him as strongly as if the young boy had deliberately fired off a beacon to signal his whereabouts.

_In'you, was this your doing? Is it you making it easy for me to do this, now?_

This is your power, Juushirou. Right now it's rough and piecemeal and you cannot control it. But one day, you will do. _If_ you cease to be afraid.

It was You who answered him, matter-of-fact as ever.

_I don't understand._

No, not yet. But you will.

_Hirata's close by. I can sense him now…I have to get us both to land._

Your senses are sharpened by your increase in power. Now you've calmed down, you can use those strengths in the way they were intended to be used. You run frightened from yourself, but truly, this is the only way in which you can become stronger and progress. Do you understand now, Juushirou? You are a very powerful person…but that power is useless if all you seek to be is a powerful coward.

_I'm not a coward._

I suppose we'll see. For now, you can't keep this level of power up long. Your body lacks the endurance for it – even vaguely using your _reiryoku_ to deflect the water around you is something far beyond your normal capabilities as yet. Stop talking to me and help your friend. He's caught on some branches up ahead, but you'll still have a job getting him to the side in your current state.

_Time's short, huh._

Juushirou coughed again, realising that the fish, however abrasive, was right. Though his awareness had risen, his body was already starting to pay the price for his gamble and he gritted his teeth against the dizzying pain, pushing himself forward until he had Hirata clearly in his sights. As You had said, the young boy's _obi_ had become entangled in some sunken branches, keeping the other student's head above water, but even as his frozen fingers fumbled to free the fabric, Juushirou knew that it would be hard to get his unconscious companion to the shore.

Then, in that instant, he heard the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard in his life.

"Ukitake! Hirata!"

"Ukitake-kun!"

"Ukitake-taichou! Endou!"

Ryuu from the bank, followed by Mitsuki and Kamitani, and then behind them the other members of Toutai's squad. As relief surged through Juushirou's tired heart, he was aware of Ryuu entering the water, swimming with strong strides to where he and Hirata were floundering. After a moment of hesitation, Kamitani followed suit, and between the two of them Juushirou soon found he and Hirata were safely deposited on the muddy bank, soaked, freezing and mottled with blood – but alive.

Juushirou collapsed down on the grass, coughing violently as his chest spasmed and heaved, blood spattering onto the ground below his shivering body. Mitsuki was at his side in a moment to support him, her touch comforting to his ragged senses, and at length the attack quieted, leaving him aching and empty, but still relieved.

"Ukitake, what the hell happened?"

Ryuu's formality was gone in an instant as, drenched from head to foot and with his long dark hair dripping and loosened from its normal ties, he dropped heavily down beside his friend. "How did you end up in the river? And what…what did you _do_?"

"Hirata fell…from the tree." Supported only by Mitsuki's reassuring grip, Juushirou struggled to catch his breath. "He hit…his head…and…I…went…after him."

"But you can't swim, can you?" Ryuu stared at him, and Juushirou shook his head.

"Then why did you jump in, you fool?" Ryuu was actually angry, the dazed District boy realised – angry and frightened by what had happened, and inside he began to feel faintly guilty for causing his friend so much concern.

However, he knew that drawing attention to the Kuchiki boy's broken composure would only make things worse, so instead he said,

"Is…Hirata…?"

"He's only knocked out. He's breathing fine and he's starting to come to." Kamitani reported from where he had been crouched at the unconscious boy's side. "Edogawa-san, he might need your help – but I can't see any actual wounds on him."

"Hirata-kun isn't in pain." Mitsuki looked guilty herself now, obediently transferring Juushirou across to Ryuu's care as she shuffled to peer at the youngest member of Class Three. "I'm sorry, I suppose I just…instinct said…"

"_He's_ not, which means _you_ are." Ryuu shot Juushirou a dark look. "Else Mitsuki would have attended to Hirata first – and my suspicions _are_ right. You did something in the water – didn't you? You released spirit power – and now you've hurt yourself."

"I'm all right." Juushirou knew he wasn't all right, but he struggled painfully free of Ryuu's iron grasp, casting his companion a rueful smile. "I just…am not used…to sudden dips in…cold water. That's all."

"Edo…gawa-san?"

The faint sound of Hirata's voice at that moment prevented Ryuu from voicing the cutting retort Juushirou felt sure was on the other boy's lips, and with some difficulty Toutai's Captain manoeuvred his heavy body around so that he could more clearly see his friend, brushing the residual blood from his mouth with the sleeve of his _hakamashita_ as he gauged his classmate's condition.

Hirata was pale, soaked and caked in mud, but aside from looking a sorry sight, he did not seem to have taken any major injury and Juushirou let out a sigh of relief as he realised his actions had not been in vain.

"Hirata, are you all right?" Ryuu turned his attention to the younger boy now, and Hirata nodded, putting a hand to his head and wincing as he did so.

"Yes…I think so. What…what about my glasses?"

"Here." Kamitani rubbed the muddy spectacles on the equally muddy fabric of his sleeve before holding them out. "They were caught up in some river lilies – you must've taken quite a dive, Endou…you were lucky they surfaced and I saw them."

"The tree branch broke, didn't it." Hirata frowned, shaking his head slightly as if to clear it. "Then…I don't remember."

He took the glasses tentatively, glancing at them and running his fingers over the lenses to feel for any cracks or scratches before sliding them back onto his nose.

"Thank you, Kamitani-kun."

"You h…hit your head and…f…fell in the river." Juushirou told him quietly, a hoarse note in his tones as relief and exhaustion crashed once more over his body. "I managed to g…get to you, and Kuchiki and K…Kamitani helped pull you out. Are you sure you're all right, H…Hirata? You're a little pale, and a b…blow to the head is…"

"He's fine, Ukitake-kun." Mitsuki said softly, putting a hand to Hirata's brow and then to her own with a nod. "And it's warm enough that already the sun is starting to dry you both off – he banged his head but his spirit isn't scattered enough for a serious concussion. He'll have a bump – I think that's all. If we get back to camp now, you can both dry off and change into your night robes…we can wash the mud from your uniforms in the spring, and nobody will even get a chill."

"If the both of them can stand after their adventure." Ryuu muttered. His eyes narrowed, then, "Kamitani, go back to camp. Get Saitani and Fujiwara and bring them back here right away. Tell Kira that he's to stay put – with his ankle already questionable, we don't need to put more weight on it than we have to."

"Wait." As Kamitani made to obey his Vice Captain's instructions, Juushirou got unsteadily to his feet, holding up his hands.

"It's all right. No n…need to create a panic." He said firmly. "I can w…walk back and if Hirata needs h…elp, Edogawa-san, w…would you give him a hand?"

"Are you overruling me?" Ryuu looked startled. "You barely look able to stand up, Ukitake – are you seriously overruling my order?"

"Yes." Juushirou said frankly. "It's n…not far, after all. And I'm not h…hurt any m…more than Hirata is. Come on. We'll go now."

Mitsuki sent him a long, hard look, and Juushirou was aware of the concern burning in her grey eyes. Then she sighed, obediently holding out her hands to help Hirata to his feet.

"Let's do as the Captain ordered." She said softly. "Hirata-kun, if you're dizzy, hang on to my arm and I'll guide you. You're not heavy, and I can manage."

Ryuu cast Juushirou another incredulous look, but Juushirou ignored it. Inside his chest was raw and on fire from the gamble he had taken, yet still the faint buzz of adrenalin burned against his wits, as he relived the sensation that had swept through his body in answer to his call. It had been agonising and intoxicating all in one fell swoop, and somehow he knew that he did not want to try and explain it – not to Ryuu, or to anyone else.

_Perhaps not even to myself._

It was not a long walk back to Toutai's campsite, but even despite his determination for Juushirou it felt like an eternal walk. With every step, he felt his body jar and complain against the enforced motion, and each breath of air he pulled into his battered lungs sent another spasm of pain juddering through his abused body.

At last they reached the camp, however, and amid Kira's exclamations and Aki's loud questions of concern, Juushirou sank down with some relief on the drier, more sheltered ground.

Giddiness washed over him, as, for the briefest of moments he thought he heard waves once more lapping against his senses. Detachedly he watched Ryuu send Aki to fetch both Hirata and Juushirou's night robes, ordering Kamitani to change into his own with a firm austerity that induced the gathered squad members to obey the Vice Captain's instructions without hesitation. Although he knew he was Captain and that the orders they followed should be his, Juushirou found himself unable to open his mouth or speak. Cotton wool once more seemed to fill his throat and his airways, stifling him and causing his vision to blur and the world around him to shake.

"Ukitake-kun?" Mitsuki was back at his side now, anxiety clear in her tones, but he could not acknowledge her – it was too much effort suddenly even to turn his head to look at her. It was not the world that was shaking, now, he realised, but his own body that was trembling uncontrollably with the shock of his exertion, and even as he felt her gentle touch on his arm, he knew that the scene around him was becoming less and less real with every passing second.

The voices merged into one unintelligible blur of sounds as his body slowly gave up the fight to remain upright and awake, and as the blackness closed in around him, he submitted, giving himself up to his exhaustion as he collapsed, unconscious on the ground.

* * *

_Juushirou!_

Across the land, at the foot of the First District mountains, Shunsui stopped dead, turning in alarm towards the direction of the river as he felt something raw and distinctive flare across his senses. Behind him, Sora skidded to a stop, muttering a curse as she grabbed hold of his arm accusingly.

"What are you trying to do, create a pile-up? What's eating you, Shunsui…? You were the one who said we'd come out this way – don't tell me we got lost already!"

"I haven't got us lost." Hanako objected, before Shunsui could respond. "I've followed the map perfectly and if we keep going this way we're going to find the stretch of fruit trees that we set out to look for. If something's wrong, Shiba-san, it's nothing to do with our route."

"Nakamura-san's map-reading is fine. There isn't a problem with that." Shunsui pulled himself together, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry, Sora-chan. It's me – I just…for the briefest of moments, there, I thought I felt something from the river."

"River? What river?" Iwai cast the Captain a startled look. "Our camp is in the opposite direction from that, surely? If we're following the map, shouldn't this be further away from that part of the zone?"

"It should and it is." Shunsui rubbed his temples. "I'm sorry. I'm making no sense. Let's continue. Kai and the others have probably already found the grove they set out for first thing, and everyone's hungry so everyone's going to get cross-patchy if we don't bring back something at least."

"Then we're carrying on?" Sora questioned, and Shunsui nodded his head.

"We are." He said heavily, though his heart was full of misgivings as he made the decision. "We'll keep going forwards. Nakamura-san, how much further do you think we have to take this path? You seemed pretty sure we were almost there – how close is almost?"

"Just around this copse of trees and then we should have reached the clutch of fruit trees marked on the map." Hanako replied, glancing briefly at the document and then nodding her head. "Yep, I'm pretty sure that's it. We've come the quickest way, after all."

"I never realised you were so good at reading maps, Nakamura-san." Iwai acknowledged, as they continued along the pathway. "You've led us every step so far without even the faintest of hiccups…I guess I'm impressed. I didn't know you had it in you."

"There isn't much call for map-reading in a classroom." Hanako said stiffly. "Fortunately Kyouraku-taichou doesn't live in a box like _some_ people. I've been reading maps my whole life, so it makes sense that I'd be able to navigate us. Don't you think so?"

"Nakamura-san, let's not argue." Shunsui said softly. "We're there, I think – I can see the edges of what looks like a plum tree from here, and beyond that…apples? So your navigation has worked out perfectly – thank you for your hard work."

Hanako grinned, bowing her head towards him in acknowledgement, and Sora shot her a confused look, nudging Shunsui's arm.

"Hey, did you do something to her after all, yesterday?" She hissed, as they stepped into the copse proper, gazing around at the clustered fruit trees that, true to Hanako's assertions, stood there ready to be harvested. "She's been ever so nice and obedient to everything you've said since you both came back from the spring – did you replace her with another Hanako, or what?"

"No. I just talked to her. Nothing else." Shunsui shook his head. "And found out what her strengths were for Katai to utilise. That's all."

He frowned, biting his lip as he scanned the horizon once more for that distinctive flare of reiatsu.

_Nobody else here would necessarily feel it – not like I did, anyway. And even if they did, they might not know what it was. But I'm sure…I didn't imagine it. I'm sure that was Juu's reiatsu – and I really didn't like the way that it felt._

"Kyouraku-taichou?" Iwai put in at that moment, and Shunsui turned, casting him a sheepish smile.

"Mm? What's up?"

"How are we going to harvest them? With _asauchi_, we can cut branches…but…"

"No…I think that would be a shame, don't you?" Shunsui pursed his lips. "Hurting the trees for no real reason other than to fill our stomachs – seems a bit violent, don't you think? And there's plenty here. Pick what you can reach – we can only carry back so much and it'll spoil in this heat if we have too much surplus. Everyone just pick as much as you can carry – that should be enough, I reckon, to feed a hungry squad."

"Works for me." Sora nodded, reaching out for a lower branch of the tree and pulling herself up onto it as she clambered higher into the upper boughs. "Shunsui, you come up too, okay? You can climb as well as I can – probably better, because I've seen you – and then we can reach the best fruit and toss them down to Hanako and Iwai to gather up."

"I suppose we could do it that way." Shunsui agreed, nodding his head. "All right. You take apples, I'll take plums. They stain, after all, and I'd hate to mark your pretty white _hakamashita_ with plum juice, Sora-chan."

"Oh, shut up, or you'll find an apple coming for your head." Sora snorted. "Besides, you'd have to catch me first."

And with that she disappeared into the upper branches of the tree. Hanako sighed.

"Sometimes it's hard to believe that Shiba-san is a Clan _hime_, isn't it?" She murmured, and Shunsui offered her a sheepish smile.

"I think nothing could be further from Clan _hime_ than Sora." He admitted. "But that should be all right with you, surely, Nakamura-san? The further from Clan the better – isn't that right?"

"Mm. I suppose so." Hanako looked doubtful, then, "Are you really going to climb up there, too?"

"I guess I am. Sora's right, after all. The best fruit will be in the middle branches where other creatures haven't been able to get to it." Shunsui nodded. "I guess I'm not much like a Clan heir, either, when you come to it."

"Kyouraku!"

Before he could pull himself up into the nearby plum tree, however, there was a yell from the far end of the copse, followed by the appearance of a breathless Kai, anxiety in his golden eyes.

"Kai-kun?" Shunsui paused, eying him in consternation. "Are you all right? Did something happen?"

"No. Everything is fine – the others are back at the cave." Kai shook his head. "We located the grove more quickly than I thought and with Houjou's brute force it wasn't hard to gather firewood or plant matter – we're fine for that. No, it's something else. It's…"

He paused, biting his lip, then,

"Did you feel something? From…the other side?"

At his words, a chill touched Shunsui's heart and slowly he let go of the branch, nodding his head.

"Feel…something?" Iwai looked foxed, and Shunsui sighed heavily.

"You sensed it too?" He asked resignedly, and Kai nodded.

"Then I can't tell myself that it was imagination, unless we're both very active in that department today."

"I didn't imagine it." Kai shook his head. "It was definitely a flare of reiatsu from Toutai – Ukitake's, I think. And whatever it was…I think…it felt like trouble."

"Juushirou's in trouble?" Sora poked her head out through the branches at that moment, sending a shower of apples down towards where Iwai and Hanako were standing. "Whoops – sorry, down below. Didn't mean to do that."

"Watch where you're aiming next time, Shiba-san!" Iwai shouted back up at her. "Otherwise you'll brain one of us rather than fetch us down food!"

"What do you want to do?" Kai eyed Shunsui gravely, and Shunsui faltered for a moment, indecision crossing his senses. Then he shook his head.

"Complete our mission." He said softly. "That's what we came here to do."

"But if Juushirou is really in trouble?" Sora looked startled, and Shunsui nodded.

"I know, but even if he is…we can't always run to his rescue." He said sadly. "He'd hate that. You know he would. And it's not like what I felt was him being killed or anything. It was just a flare. Maybe they found something dangerous – either way, he can…probably…handle it. Right now our priority is with Katai. Not with Toutai. We've got to be fair to them…over anything else."

"I suppose that's true. And Kuchiki and Hirata are with him too. Edogawa as well. It should be fine." Kai added, though there was doubt in his tones. "All right. If that's your order, Taichou, I'll follow it. I'll go back to the cave and make sure preparations are ready for when you people return with fruit."

"Thank you, Kai-kun." Shunsui said softly. "We'll be back as quickly as we possibly can."

He gazed up at the tree branches, inwardly feeling wrenched by the decision he had just made.

_But once I've carried out my duty and made sure everyone has food, I can maybe slip away for a little while. Just for a few moments, if I tell them I'm going to wash off the plum juice or some such excuse. If I can use shunpo to get there, then I can at least find out if Juu's all right. And once I know that, I can come back. Nobody need even know that's where I've gone and I don't have to talk to anyone in Toutai. If I can get close enough to check that he's okay – that's all I need. And that's what I'll do. So the sooner we're done here, the sooner I can settle these hesitations and get back to trying to be Katai's Captain again._

_

* * *

_

"He's sleeping."

Mitsuki sat back on her heels, letting out her breath in a rush as she cast her companion a troubled glance. "But he's definitely begun a fever, Ryuu-kun – and I don't know whether he's hurt himself badly in the river or not."

It was later that evening, and since the chaotic moment of Juushirou's collapse, things in the Toutai camp had been heavy under a cloud of apprehension and gloom. Ryuu had taken charge as best he could, continuing to issue orders in such a way that nobody had dared disobey him. Consequently Aki and Kamitani had got Juushirou changed into dry sleeping clothes, whilst Chiyoko had prepared an impromptu sickbed and Mitsuki gathered herbs as best she could from the surrounding hedgerow. Hirata, for his part, had now recovered from the shock of his fall, and had insisted on getting up to help with the organisation of the squad.

They had pulled together, Mitsuki reflected now, under Ryuu's firm hand and Hirata had determinedly backed his classmate up as much as he was able in the circumstances. He had not said as much, for he had grown a long way from the young boy who would once have burst into tears at the first excuse, but Mitsuki knew that Hirata blamed himself for Juushirou's illness, and therefore was doing everything he could to lessen the burden that had now fallen on Ryuu's shoulders.

And that was something that had needed doing, for despite his outward strength and apparent self-confidence, Mitsuki alone understood how awkward her cousin was when it came to dealing with the people around him.

"I'm not sure what the best thing to do is, to be honest." She said now. "We're told to fend for ourselves, but…Ukitake-kun is our Captain. If he's like this…should we send for help?"

"If we do, that decision rests with me, doesn't it?" Ryuu's expression darkened and he sighed, running his fingers through his still-damp dark hair. "And to be truthful, Mitsuki, I don't know the answer to it any more than you do. His health concerns are something that I try my hardest not to think too greatly on – but just sometimes, they flare up and there is nothing anyone can really do to intervene."

"I don't know what Ukitake-kun did in the water, but I think it brought on an attack while he was trying to swim." Mitsuki murmured. "I felt it – his flare of power, and the wash of pain that followed it. Now it's not the same – he's quiet and resting and even the pain has subsided enough for him to sleep properly. Probably…I think…he'll sleep through the night and wake in the morning much better for it. And he might be cross with himself and with us if we ran for help so quickly."

"He'd think he'd let us down." Ryuu muttered. "When this all came about because he was trying to help someone…as invariably is the case when Ukitake winds up in this kind of a state."

"True." Mitsuki admitted. "But, even though I think he's better, I don't know it for sure. I can prepare herbs, but I only have a few plants here that I can use. And beyond that…I can't do anything at all. Even if I'm supposedly a healer – I'm really not one. Not yet."

Ryuu frowned, nodding his head.

"Your father is still resistant to the idea, isn't he." He said quietly. "Even though you clearly have no aptitude for the sword and would do far better undertaking Retsu-sama's offer of individual training in the healer arts. It is a shame, also – at present we need a healer far more than we need a sword fighter."

"The Kuchiki aren't a healing clan." Mitsuki reached across to pick up the damp cloth that covered Juushirou's brow, dipping it in the basin of water at her side before wringing it through and replacing it on her classmate's forehead. "Father is worried that Guren-sama might take action to isolate or reject me as a member of the Clan, if I was to undertake that kind of training. He's trying to protect me, Ryuu-kun – but he can't protect me from myself."

"Mm." Ryuu sighed. "But even so, I'm glad you are with Toutai at present. I have little skill or experience with medical matters of any kind – at least knowing you are watching over him gives everyone some amount of reassurance."

"I wish it did the same for me." Mitsuki said sadly. "Even though he's better than he was, I still…don't like it. When he's like this…I really don't."

"Kuchiki-fukutaichou."

At that moment Kira approached them hesitantly, anxiety in his blue eyes. "I'm sorry to bother you, but Endou-sanseki says to tell you that this evening's rations have been split and prepared, just as you asked. He wanted me to make sure that you and Edogawa-san didn't go without…so I've come to tell you…and that's all."

"I see." Ryuu's gaze drifted across to the far side of the encampment, where Hirata and the others were huddled around the campfire. He nodded his head. "Thank you, Kira. Please tell Hirata that we'll come shortly – Ukitake-taichou is sleeping, and will probably be much better if left to do so."

"Yes, Fukutaichou." Kira nodded his head eagerly. "So he'll be all right then? Oh, good. When he passed out like that…"

"He passed out due to exhaustion and the shock of the cold. He will be quite all right once rested." Ryuu said flatly. "You may wish to moderate your tones a little too – whilst your concern is appreciated, the volume may yet disturb him and I should like to let him rest."

"Oh. Yes. Of course. Sorry." Kira bowed his head, obediently muting his tones. "I'll go and convey your message at once, Fukutaichou. Thank you."

With that he was gone, and Mitsuki sighed.

"You needn't have been harsh to him, Ryuu-kun."

"Was I harsh?" Ryuu looked surprised, and Mitsuki shrugged.

"Perhaps a little." She agreed. "You're worried too, though, I can tell."

"Mm. Well. Considering things, what else can I be?" Ryuu grimaced. "Also, I suppose you know that Kyouraku was here earlier on this afternoon?"

"I thought so." Mitsuki carefully wiped the sweat from Juushirou's face and neck, nodding her head. "But I wasn't really paying attention. He didn't come to see Ukitake-kun directly, so…"

"I think he simply came to see what had happened and to ensure Ukitake was all right." Ryuu responded. "Hirata sensed him too, but none of the others appear to have done. Since he didn't speak to anyone, I think it best not to make anything of it. Kyouraku is foolish but his senses are sharp and he is most foolish when it concerns Ukitake. I imagine he discovered what he wanted to know, and returned to wherever Katai have made their base."

"I suppose." Mitsuki fell silent for a moment, then,

"Ryuu-kun, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"If I was a healer…if I trained with Retsu-sama…would you forsake our kinship and disregard me?"

"Mitsuki..?" Ryuu stared at her, taken aback, and Mitsuki pinkened.

"Things like this make me realise that I won't ever hold a sword or end someone's life with it. Hollow or otherwise – it's not in me to do." She said softly. "I want to fix things, not break them. I can't be that kind of a warrior…even if it goes against the traditions of my Clan."

She shrugged.

"Most of the Kuchiki think me weird, anyhow, and Guren-sama might consider it enough to look on me unfavourably." She said matter-of-factly. "But it doesn't change anything. I can't change who or what I am, in the end. But…I know family pride matters a lot to you, Ryuu-kun. And…well…sometimes I think you're the only Kuchiki other than Father who doesn't look at me as though I'm crazy. So…I suppose…I wanted to ask you. What you'd do, if I made that choice."

"Before I came here, I think my answer may have been different." Ryuu admitted. "But I have come to change many views since joining the Academy. I would not forsake you or our friendship, Mitsuki, not even if you chose to forsake the Kuchiki entirely. As shinigami, even if not as kin, we can still remain allies. And I have come to understand and value your gifts a little more than most of our family."

He eyed her keenly.

"Do you, then, consider my friendship that important?"

"Yes." Mitsuki nodded. "You've protected me several times since we've been here, and I trust you. So yes."

"Well, much of the Kuchiki consider me an undesirable choice of companion, also." Ryuu said with a frown. "Since I am apparently tactless, inflexible, pedantic and uncompromising – so my sisters have often told me. To be truthful, Mitsuki, I would happily exchange you for one of them and proudly support you as a healer – you need not be concerned about my point of view."

"I'm glad." Mitsuki smiled, relief glittering in her grey eyes. "Then there's something else, too."

She sighed, removing the cloth and setting it aside as she brushed damp strands of Juushirou's unruly white hair out of his face.

"My connection to Ukitake-kun is something else I can't escape." She murmured. "Even though I know the Clan wouldn't endorse it – and that it would make Father angry if I even thought about it in his presence. Right from the start…I can't help it. No matter how complicated it makes things, I know that I'm drawn to him…more and more."

"Drawn…to?" Ryuu was taken aback, staring at Mitsuki and then at the sleeping Juushirou in surprise and consternation. "Mitsuki, are you saying…are you suggesting…do you mean that you…and Ukitake…are…?"

"_No_! No no no!" Mitsuki reddened, holding up her hands hastily as she shook her head. "No, nothing untoward is going on, I promise you. I don't think that Ukitake-kun even feels that way about me – I wasn't trying to tell you that at all. Just…that I'm drawn to him, that's all. That I…pretty much since I met him…have felt that way. So when he's like this…it makes me realise even more why I want to be a healer. Because maybe if I was one…maybe I could help him. Maybe I could really…help stop his pain."

"Mitsuki." Ryuu gazed at her for a moment, then he smiled, shaking his head in resignation.

"Perhaps that is why you are drawn to him." He suggested. "Because you want to heal pain, and even though he doesn't say it, Ukitake is no stranger to suffering. Perhaps he is your catalyst."

He stretched, stifling a yawn and getting to his feet, holding out his hand to pull her up with him.

"We should go get something to eat. It won't hurt to leave him for a moment or two, and it won't help either of us if we don't eat. It will just make it look like we're worried and that will worry everyone else."

"I suppose so." Mitsuki reluctantly allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "Ryuu-kun, I'm glad you were in Toutai, too. Because even if the Kuchiki-ke don't think you're very good at dealing with people, I think…I'm glad you were here to take charge. Ukitake-kun would be glad too – with you here, we'll be all right."

"For one night, at least."Ryuu shot her a rueful glance. "But I appreciate both your and Hirata's support. Tonight, I will keep watch over him for half the night, and if you wish, you can spend the other half likewise. If he is better in the morning, we will not send for help – if he has not improved, then we must think again. But for tonight…let us let him rest."

"I agree." Mitsuki nodded, dusting the stray petals and grass strands from the fabric of her red _hakama_. "We'll see how things are in the morning…and then see what's best to be done – for Toutai and for Ukitake-kun."

* * *

As the two students headed back towards the campfire, neither one of them noticed the patient stirring, or the stricken look that flooded the District Captain's hazel eyes as he gazed at their retreating figures in dismay.

_Edogawa-san…_

For a whole half hour he lay there, his mind whirling as he struggled to digest the conversation he had just overheard. Then, as the true implication of his classmates' words began to set in, his expression darkened into one of resolve.

_Well, then I'll just have to do something about it. Shunsui's right – I don't notice things that go on around me. But now I do know…now I have to fix it, and quickly. Before I wind up causing even more bother than I already have!_

He pulled himself into a sitting position, pausing briefly as the world swam around him and then forcing himself upright, tying the wrap of his robe more tightly around his waist as he did so. The rest of his companions had finished their meal, but were gathered still around the campfire, talking among themselves in the dim glow of the amber flames. It was a Kidou fire, he realised, and had probably been started by either Ryuu or Hirata – the latter of which he was glad to see up and among his companions once again.

_So he wasn't badly hurt, after all. Thank goodness for that._

"Ukitake-taichou!" Kira's exclamation caused all of the rest of the group to turn, and at the sight of him, Ryuu was on his feet.

"You should be resting!" He exclaimed, a mixture of annoyance and relief crossing his austere features. "Taichou, you have a fever, and…"

"I can have a fever lying down over there or I can have one sitting here by the fire. It makes no difference to me." Juushirou dropped his tired body down among the rest of the group, casting Ryuu a rueful smile. "I'm sorry to have caused you all so much worry and bother…really, I'm all right now."

"Are you sure, Ukitake-kun?" Hirata looked apprehensive. "I haven't…you came to save me, and…"

"I threw myself into it without thinking. You're not to blame, so don't look like that." Juushirou reassured him. "I'll be fine, and I'm glad you're all right, too. Don't worry about me. I'm stronger than that – as you should know by now."

"But…" Mitsuki protested, and Juushirou frowned, finding it hard to directly meet her gaze.

_She's drawn to me. Drawn to me how, then? Because of her healing skills – what have I done to her, that she's considering defying her family and forsaking her Clan and all kinds of other drastic things…I have to fix this. Somehow, I have to straighten it out!_

"I'm all right now." He repeated softly, a little more edge to his tones than he intended. "As Captain, I'm not going to just sleep and abandon my duties. I'll rest plenty after I've eaten – surely even a feverish Taichou is entitled to an evening meal?"

"Of course." Aki grinned. "We did put some by, just in case you felt better by the evening, since Endou said you always had an appetite, even when you were ill. Allow me to serve, please, Taichou. Hand-gathered fruit from the trees around about and fish that Saitani and I caught personally - in one of our own special, custom designed bowls for the occasion."

"Bowls?" Juushirou looked blank, and Kamitani nodded.

"We found some large shells when we were gathering food earlier, and Kuchiki-fukutaichou ordered us to scrape out and clean them so we've plenty of tableware now." He agreed.

"I'm grateful, Kuchiki." Juushirou shot his second in command a rueful smile. "Perhaps I'm not needed, after all."

"No, you're definitely needed." Ryuu said frankly. "Now stop talking and eat. You've given everyone enough of a fright for one day – if you're really okay, prove it by having a proper meal and getting a good night's sleep. All right?"

"I think _I've_ been overruled, this time." Juushirou reflected. "All right. I'm sorry, Ryuu-kun – for tonight I'll do exactly as I'm told, I promise."

He met Mitsuki's gaze once more at that moment, taking in the distressed look in her grey eyes, and he sighed, interpreting her concern at his pushing his overworked body once again.

_And tomorrow, I'll do something about that. If I can even work out what to do – or how. But I must do something, even if Shunsui isn't here to give advice. I have to sort this out before it gets any more complicated and causes an even bigger problem, after all!_

_------_

_**Author's Note: Keitarou and his 'Zanpakutou'**_

A few people have been asking me for translations and information on Keitarou's tantou knife Chudokuga. Well, there's not a lot I can really tell about its attacks without providing spoilers, so I hope you'll indulge me a little bit longer on the keeping it under wraps.

Keitarou is an illegal shinigami - in other words, he's unrecorded and unregistered and nobody knows that he has the skills that he does. Also, his zanpakutou was not raised through intensive combat practice. Keitarou has no sword-fighting skills and his weapon is a knife, not a katana or anything of that ilk. Rather than being forced into release level by training, Keitarou's zanpakutou was born from the intensity of his bitter emotions combined with his Clan level reiryoku.

Because he is unrecorded, there is no reason for anyone to know the extent of his abilities or that he has a zanpakutou at all. Daisuke may be the only one who actually does know that Keitarou possesses Chudokuga, and whether or not Keitarou thinks of his weapon as a zanpakutou or not is under some debate.  


_I will give one little tidbit of information about the blade's name, though, since I don't suppose this is too much of a spoiler._

_Chudokuga means 'Spider's Poison Fang' or 'Spider's Evil Power'. Hence the name of the last chapter referred to Keitarou's hidden ability.  
_


	15. In Storm's Shadow

**Chapter Fourteen: In Storm's Shadow  
**

"Well, so far and so good, I suppose, regarding the second years."

Kazoe let out a sigh, settling himself in an empty space within the staff study and taking a sip of his steaming green tea. "Right now we haven't had to go in to do any kind of emergency rescue – so I suppose that means for the time being, nobody has died."

"I'm keeping a close watch over them – metaphorically speaking." Genryuusai said comfortably. "Plenty has happened, from what I can tell – but no, I think they're doing all right. To learn to make their own decisions is important, after all."

It was three days into the camp assignment, and late in the evening now. For the students still within campus, curfew had long since been observed and the building was quiet, yet kidou lamps still burned in the staff study as Genryuusai and his teaching acolytes settled down to discuss business without the constant interruptions that usually dogged such matters during the day. They were all there that evening, Genryuusai mused, for he had taken the gamble and withdrawn Kazoe from his interim task of keeping watch over the camping students. Yet although there was nobody actively at the main campsite, his own senses had been carefully monitoring each and every movement, and at the slightest sign of trouble, he knew that he and his companions would soon be on site to sort things out.

After all, he reflected wryly, he had taken the right precautions to ensure it.

"Well, the sooner some of them learn it the better." Minabe said frankly now, tapping her sword against her leg as she lounged in the doorway, a resolute look on her fierce features. "Spoiled Clan children with nothing more than their own pride to back them up, some of them – it's about time they realised that the Gotei isn't all about whose family owns what land."

"I think you are too harsh on them, Ayame." Genryuusai said lightly, shaking his head slightly as he gestured for the Kenjutsu mistress to come and join the group. "They are very young yet – all of them. They still have time to make mistakes before they reach the level of the Gotei."

"The second year are an interesting bunch." The final member of the group, and the newest member of staff, Hohou teacher Uebashi added his part to the conversation at that point, setting his own mug down on the low-pitched wooden table with a sigh. "And that is the only word for them, I have to say. Of all the classes I took over last autumn, it's the second years who provide my most enterprising set of students by far. And, if I may say it, the most wide-ranging in terms of ability."

"Meaning some are hopeless and some are overachieving." Minabe said darkly, and Uebashi shrugged.

"Not hopeless." He said cautiously. "But speed and movement are never going to be their natural gifts. Next semester they should begin to learn the basics of practical Shunpo – and while some of the class will pick it up right away, others will not."

"And one at least already knows it." Kazoe said acerbically. "Although he's done a good job of concealing it thus far."

"One of the second years? Other than my niece?" Uebashi was taken aback, and Kazoe nodded.

"Yes. I've suspected it for a while…but my suspicions were confirmed a couple of days ago when I was patrolling the campsite and keeping tabs on their progress."

He glanced at Genryuusai, who smiled.

"But I imagine you're aware of it, Genryuusai-sensei?"

"Yes." Genryuusai agreed. "It's a talent the boy came to us with, and one he has had no compunction about using when the situation has been right. The student we are discussing is Kyouraku Shunsui – and for that reason, I have decided not to curtail his activity too greatly on that front."

"Kyouraku, huh?" Minabe snorted. "It figures."

"He does have a natural talent for my class." Uebashi admitted. "But that he already knows Shunpo…"

"A basic, bastardised version – as he himself says. He didn't learn it, but began to use it on instinct – at least, so he told me." Genryuusai responded. "And I have not discouraged that instinct. It is, after all, his shinigami instinct – and that is something that he needs more than anything else."

"It was that instinct again the other day." Kazoe sighed. "Ukitake and Endou fell in a river and got wet – Kyouraku ran to see if they were all right. Even though they belong to different squads, Kyouraku is always unnaturally interested in Ukitake's well-being – or so it seems to me."

"The more time he spends with Ukitake, the more bearable he is to teach." Minabe said flatly. "It's not something I'd discourage, since Ukitake actually bothers to work even if he's running a fever. Especially of late – he's been coming on leaps and bounds and is beginning to fight on a par with some of the more experienced members of the class when it comes to the _asauchi_. If Kyouraku follows his example, we'll all be a lot happier."

"I think Ukitake and Kyouraku are very good for one another." Genryuusai said gravely. "And if Kyouraku is concerned, I think it must be because of the changes in Ukitake's reiatsu of late. We have, after all, all discussed it – that his spirit power is once more evolving and that his physical body is having trouble keeping up."

"Do you think there is a genuine danger to the boy's life, Sensei?" Uebashi looked startled, and Genryuusai nodded.

"I've seen far more of the Ukitake-ke's track history than any of the rest of you, so I know better than you all what a risk it was to bring him here." He said soberly. "We all know how powerful a young man he is – and that his attitude and his potential already scream Gotei, even at this stage. However…"

"However?" Minabe gazed at him quizzically, and Genryuusai nodded.

"I have spoken to Retsu-dono and she agrees with me that despite Ukitake's apparent improvements in health, they are somewhat of an illusion. In fact, his body is growing weaker." He said quietly. "More and more he's being driven forward by spirit power, not genuine, natural energy. I knew it would probably come to this at some point, but perhaps not quite so quickly. I have already mentioned bits and pieces – but now we are all assembled, I will share with you the little I know about it."

"You're saying the boy is on limited time?" Uebashi was horrified, and Genryuusai sighed.

"He's been living on borrowed time since he was born." He said matter-of-factly. "From Retsu-dono's testimony, his disease – _haibyou_ - is genetically inherited, and as such, both incurable and chronically severe."

"Which is why you were so adamantly keen on us not using physical punishment to discipline him." Kazoe said slowly. "I remember that quite clearly – that you felt with his health concerns, at least to begin with, the rigours of training would be enough physical strain."

"Fortunately Ukitake is not the kind of student who needs many beatings to keep in line." Minabe reflected. "If it had been Kyouraku, that would have been different."

"But either way, Ukitake's health is always a concern for us, despite his hard working attitude." Genryuusai continued. "He was saved at birth by the efforts of his mother Raiko, a talented if barely trained descendant from a broken Kuchiki-ke line. Because of what she did then, Ukitake survived and grew – and because of that, he is still alive today. But the seal she put over that spirit power had to be so strong it cost her her life to cast. And the truth is that Ukitake's native power supersedes even Raiko's greatest effort. Now he is of an age to use it, it's only a matter of time before even the last fragments of that seal are burnt away."

He hesitated for a moment, then,

"The one hope I have is that the boy has heard already what I believe to be the voices of his _zanpakutou _spirit." He added solemnly. "And that they have been there, protecting and guarding him for a lot longer than any of us have. It is a gamble, but…I believe that if Juushirou was to summon his sword, his life would not be quite so imminently in danger. If he managed that, then he would no longer be using all of his energy to suppress his spirit power and instead that power would come to bolster him and make him stronger. It is a fine balance. He is only a second year and he lacks a lot of the preparatory training for this. But the truth is that we're already…running out of time."

He sighed again, shrugging hunched shoulders.

"I think Kyouraku realises it subconsciously, even if he doesn't know it actively." He said at length. "And for that reason, he's worried about Ukitake. So he should be. So am I."

"A second year summoning a _zanpakutou _is unprecedented." Minabe said quietly. "Even among the most elevated of Clansfolk. For it to be a District boy…it will create ripples, Genryuusai-sama. Great ripples indeed among the Eight Houses."

"But if the boy's life is at stake, the Clans are not the issue." Kazoe said frankly. "You know that as well as anyone, Minabe. Ukitake is a student and as sensei, we guide and protect him as much as any of the others. Regardless of what the wider Clan community think of it – if pushing ahead with Ukitake's training can preserve and steady his life, then of course he must undertake it."

"The signals are not quite there yet – he is not entirely ready." Genryuusai said cautiously. "But I do want to have the support of my staff before taking action in that department. I already have it well in mind what I would do –and will do – where Ukitake is concerned. But I would have you behind me, all of you. Because it will mean, as Ayame said, unprecedented disruption to his class schedule."

"I agree with Kazoe." Uebashi said simply. "His life comes first. He's a good student. The kind the Gotei needs."

"I also." Minabe nodded her head. "There's no contest from us, Genryuusai-sama. Unlike some of the Clan brats in Class 3, Ukitake is a good, solid student and deserves the chance to push forward. We'll be behind you – whatever comes of it."

"Well, I may be wrong." Genryuusai rubbed his beard, relief clear in his dark eyes at their words. "But I have a feeling those decisions will be made in the next few weeks. This camping trip has already put considerable pressure on his abilities and I made him Captain in order to bring about that very thing. His sword spirits have not trusted him fully yet, and till they do, there's no more that the rest of us can do. With any luck, the camp exercise will help to forge that bond – and from then, we can work at training him into the Shinigami we all want him to be."

**

* * *

**

"All the preparations are done, Taichou. Things are tidied away and everyone is present and correct."

As Ryuu stood before him, saluting his Captain resolutely as he gave his report, Juushirou offered his friend a faint smile, nodding his head and gesturing for his classmate to stand at ease once more.

"It's been a busy day." He observed, stretching his arms over his head as he gazed around the camp. "We've built our shelter completely now, and finally we're starting to get into a routine when it comes to food and water. Everything is flowing quite nicely, don't you think so? We're doing all right. Toutai have pulled together and everyone is helping out."

"Of course." Ryuu dropped down onto the grass in front of him. "Some logical structure facilitates such things – and as you say, the squad have worked together. We do well, I think. We will definitely pass at this rate. We have not, after all, needed to go for help."

"No…" Juushirou shook his head. "No."

He sighed, biting his lip as his gaze fell on Mitsuki, busy settling her sleeping blankets with Chiyoko across the other side of the copse.

It was five days now since the incident with the river. Even now he had not managed to find a way to speak to her and inwardly, he had berated himself many times for his cowardice. He knew all the more with every passing moment that he was being irrational and hesitant, and that the longer it went on, the more difficult it would become to say anything at all. Yet even so, he had been unable to form the words. Mitsuki was his friend. He wanted her to stay his friend. And so he had kept silent, inwardly feeling guilty at not being able to express the things he was thinking.

Instead he had used the position of Captain as an excuse, throwing himself instead into the organisation and running of his squad and, with Ryuu there to assist him, such measures had gone smoothly. Yet even so, he had not spent more than a few minutes in Mitsuki's company since that night – and aside from her asking about his health and offering him her herbal remedy, he had managed to avoid any meaningful conversation on the river accident or the embarrassing aftermath.

_Still, even so, I can keep putting this off forever without getting anywhere. It will just become more awkward, otherwise. I need to find a moment to talk to her…perhaps in the morning. Maybe then, before other people are up._

"It's my look-out tonight, first of all." Ryuu broke through his thoughts once again, looking pensive. "Then I will wake Fujiwara and he will wake Saitani when it is time for her shift. So far the rota has been working well and nobody has fallen asleep during their shift – another sign that Toutai can work well as a team."

"Mm." Juushirou nodded his head. "Tomorrow I'll take first shift, Ryuu-kun. You've done two out of the last three nights and one before that – its not good for it always to be on your head."

"Maybe, but you…" Ryuu faltered, and Juushirou frowned.

"I'm recovered, now." He said lightly. "I slept the first two nights through and needed it, but really, now it would be all right. Have some faith in me, all right? I know my limits and as Captain, its part of my job."

"I know." Ryuu reddened, then bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Taichou. I didn't mean to overstep the mark."

"You didn't." Despite himself, Juushirou grinned, clapping a hand down on his companion's shoulder. "I'm glad to have you as my Vice Captain and I wouldn't have anyone else in the role. Okay? But I really am all right now. The fever's subsided. I'm okay."

"All right." Ryuu nodded, looking relieved. "In which case, I will go and assume my post. Good night, Taichou. Sleep well."

With that he got to his feet, padding across the campsite to the cluster of rocks that had unofficially become the 'lookout point' in the few days that they had been staying there. It had almost become a home from home, Juushirou reasoned ruefully, stretching out on the grass and reaching absently for his blanket as he did so. Even though it was basic, makeshift and poorly furnished – it was Toutai's, and for that reason, it felt safe.

He closed his eyes as sleep swept into his senses, seeping through his exhaustion and pulling him further and further into a deep dream-like state. He did not resist its call, knowing that he had worked hard enough for two Captains that day and that his body probably needed the rest far more than his mind did. As he relinquished his grasp on his consciousness, however, he felt an all familiar image beginning to haze into view, and he sighed, feeling the uneven softness of sand beneath his feet and seeing the lapping waves trickling up against the shore.

_It was peaceful by the sea. _

_Over the water, birds wheeled like tiny dots below the sun's rays, and Juushirou stood there for a moment, watching them arc and swoop as they courted and called to one another in the azure blue sky. The sun's warmth enveloped him in a comforting aura and for a moment he leant back against the sheer face of the overhanging cliffs, closing his eyes as he enjoyed its gentle lull._

_Could he sleep even in his dream-world? Perhaps he was about to find out._

_As he sank deeper and deeper into sleep, he found himself sent further and further back into his past, until he could see himself as a small boy perched on the uneven rocks by the water's edge, watching his splashing siblings as they played in the sea pools beyond. He had always envied them, he remembered, feeling the wistful regret stir in his young heart as the shrieks and shouts of the twins' boisterous game made him yearn once more for the chance to swim with them, like a normal local child._

_He had never been allowed to enter the water, and even in this illusive state, he knew that if he reached out his hand, there would always be someone there to stop him jumping in._

_**But there was nobody to stop you at the river, Juushirou. You finally jumped in. And, for the first time, understood.**_

_The voice was haunting and lilted against his senses – words spoken and yet not spoken, as though he had said them to himself but without knowing he was uttering them. The panic of the river flooded through him suddenly, and he found himself choking and grasping at his chest as he felt as though once more he was on the verge of drowning. Then, in the next instant, he was back on the beach, gasping and panting for air and clawing at the sand between his fingers as he struggled to get a grip on that fear._

_For an instant he felt totally alone, and then, out of nowhere, a hand brushed against his shoulder._

_Still trapped in the mind and body of a young child, he turned, fear in his hazel eyes as he stared, uncomprehending at the woman who now stood over him. She was familiar somehow, with long, flowing dark hair that was teased by the gentle wind that had begun to swirl around the seascape, and a pale, almost doll-like complexion of cream and rose that made her appear both real and unreal at the same time. As he gazed up at her, she smiled, a faintly wistful expression touching beautiful grey eyes._

_  
They were the colour of storm-clouds, Juushirou realised absently. And yet, even so, they were not threatening or angry. Rather, there was something in them which made him feel safe._

_"Juushirou." She murmured now, and the child held out his sand-spattered arms, not knowing who she was but still knowing deep down that he wanted her comfort now that the world around him had begun to grow cloying and thick with electricity._

_"I'm sorry." The woman wrapped her arms around him, lifting him gently as though he weighed no more than a feather, and holding her close to her body as she offered him a sad, bittersweet smile. "You've waited for me too, haven't you? For all of this time, you've waited too."_

_In that moment, Juushirou knew who she was, and he slid his arms around her neck, clinging on to her tightly as if afraid to let her go._

_"Hahaue." He choked, his voice hoarse as his throat tightened with emotion, and the woman sighed, ruffling his thick dark hair with her gentle fingers._

_"So you do know." She whispered. "I'm sorry, Juushirou. So much time has passed, and inside of you there's always been this hole - the one that I've never been here to fill, after all."_

_"Haha...ue." Juushirou stared at her, a million questions flooding his mind as he struggled to form even the most basic of words. Fire surged up inside of him and he choked, closing his eyes tightly as he anticipated a rush of blood to come surging up through his vocal chords – yet it never came, and in that moment he felt the sand once more beneath him - the gentle touch and reassuring presence gone as swiftly and silently as they had come._

_Once more alone, Juushirou got unsteadily to his feet, no longer the child as he gazed out in trepidation towards the swirling sea._

_The wind was rising now, and he stepped closer to the edge of the white-tipped waves, feeling the prickle of energy dark through his body as the water lapped teasingly against his toes._

_**You don't need to be afraid, you know, Juushirou.**_

_In's voice echoed gently against his senses, yet still he hesitated, aware of the suddenly darkening sky that had made the bright, sunny scene seem heavy and foreboding._

_Slowly he shook his head._

_"I don't...think I want to." He murmured, and he was vaguely aware of In's presence against his thoughts once more._

_**The water isn't your enemy. You know that, don't you?**_

_That was You, his tones slightly sharper than his soft-spoken partner, and Juushirou nodded._

_"Yes." He admitted unwillingly. "But here...I don't feel...if I enter the water now...that I can...breathe."_

_He knelt down at the water's edge, running his fingers absently in the rippling surf._

_"In the river I felt like I was choking. Drowning. Like I couldn't get away from it, no matter where I went." He whispered. "I know the water has always been my friend. I know I've never been afraid before. But now I am. This time...I'm afraid of what might happen if I step into the water."_

_**Juushirou.**_

_You's feathery tail brushed against his thoughts, then,_

_**This place is inside of you. Here, at least, you can't die. Or have you forgotten already, how it was you came to escape the river?**_

"_I escaped because Ryuu-kun helped me. And… because…you both did something to me."_

_**It was your power. No one else's.**_

"_But even so…this is how I feel."_

_**If you let yourself begin to be afraid now, you will frighten yourself more. If you back away, you will make it harder. Or don't you remember the first time we drew you here? How you were, in the water, until you relaxed and let us in? And how you were in the river, when you let us guide you through?**_

_"I...I remember." Juushirou nodded, his mind flitting back to that first meeting. "I was ill and feverish, too, the first time we spoke to each other. But I'm not, now. I don't..."  
__**  
So that's it.**_

_You sighed._

_**You've found a comfortable plateau and you don't want to push on. You feel better than you have in a long time, and you want to stay there, because it's safe. You think that if you stop, you won't have to fight any harder. Is that it? Have we not taught you anything about your spirit strength, Juushirou? That kind of thinking isn't like you - it isn't like you at all.  
**__  
"I don't like being ill." Juushirou defended himself, feeling wretched and cowardly at the fish's bald observations. "And more, I don't like making other people worry. I want to be useful, You. I don't want to be an invalid who's always coughing up blood and being a burden on the people around me. I'm not learning to be a Shinigami so I can always fall apart whenever there's trouble. I want to be able to show people that I...I'm someone they can rely on."_

_**Juushirou...  
**__  
In's voice sounded despondent, then,_

_**You and I care for you very much. Even when we're cross, or disappointed, or upset - that is always the truth. We're part of you, after all. We want you to be strong, too.**_

_Her words were faintly soothing to Juushirou's jittery senses._

_**But you have to understand - this is only a false calm - as you said it yourself, the calm before the storm. You can't escape from the curse you've been born with. Your challenges are yours to face and to fight against. If you stop now, you will not be strong enough to face them as time goes on. Complacency is your enemy. That's why we're here, now. We need to push you - even if it means we cause you pain.**_

_"Pain?" Juushirou's eyes widened, and You brushed against his mind again._

_**Your body is weak and flawed. You can either let it confine you like a living coffin or you can learn to use it as best as you can. I believe your will is stubborn and fixed - just like your father's was when it came to looking after you. This hesitation is a blip. You have to push on. And that means we have to push you.**_

_**So far you've only touched on your spirit power. Didn't we tell you that already? This is only the basic level.**_

_In's voice chimed in now._

_**We've protected you this far - but it's time you learnt to use it to protect other people instead.**_

_She paused, then,_

_**I'm sorry, Juushirou. For your own good, we'll have to release those limits sooner or later. You have to make up your mind to face up to it - otherwise it will be much more difficult for all of us.  
**__  
A hot, stifling sensation ran through Juushirou's body as she finished speaking, scalding through his lungs and causing him to choke involuntarily, putting his hand instinctively to his lips. Overhead, the clouds thickened and grew darker, and as he felt the flare of his spiritual energy rip through his frail body, he felt prickling electricity in the atmosphere, tiny pins stabbing at his skin and teasing at his reiatsu as the wind swirled yet harder across the lake._

_"What are you...trying to...do?" He managed, swallowing hard as he felt bile rise in his throat. "In'you...please...stop it! I don't want to...please...don't!"_

_**Don't beg. It's pitiful. It's not in your character.**_

_You's response was firm and unyielding._

_**This is who you are, after all. The true root of your power. If you don't face it now, you'll have to face it later - and it will only get harder, the longer you push it back. Your body won't suppress it forever, Juushirou. If you want to live, then you have to keep moving forward. If you run away, then it will engulf you. And when it does - you have no idea how much pain will come then. How much what you've suffered so far will pale in comparison. You have no idea, after all, how much power we've been keeping from you.**_

_"Power?" Juushirou whispered, and In brushed against his mind._

_**The power to live. The power to protect. The power to be Ukitake Juushirou - and bear both the burden and the honour with pride.**_

_At that moment, there was an ominious rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning split the sky over his head, suddenly illuminating the murky seascape. As the white glitter of energy zig-zagged down towards him, Juushirou drew breath sharply, finding he was unable to move out of its path._

_**There was a storm the day you were born, Juushirou. A storm Raiko-sama stifled - but a storm nonetheless. That storm was your storm - the storm that still rages inside of you. Until you're ready to learn to control that storm...neither In nor I can tell you our other name, nor help you face your true strength.**_

_You's words echoed through his head.  
__**  
It's up to you in the end. Raiko-sama is no longer here to shield you. You have to do it yourself now, Juushirou. You have to do it yourself.**__  
_  
"Ukitake!"

Ryuu's voice broke through the dreamscape and as the vivid images faded, Juushirou's eyes snapped open, meeting the anxious grey ones of his classmate's with surprise and confusion.

The young Kuchiki was unusually flustered, his hair loose around his shoulders and his robe tied hastily at his waist, and as he registered this fact, Juushirou pulled himself upright, brows knitting together as he registered the sudden, strong smell of burning wood on the night air.

"What the...?"

"A storm, I think. I'm pretty sure I heard thunder, and then there was a flash." Ryuu spoke in low, harried tones. "The trees are on fire and it's spreading. We have to get everyone up and out of here – if we can get to the spring, I think it'd be okay."

"Fire?" All other thoughts fled from Juushirou's head at this and he threw back his blanket, scrambling to his feet in a moment. "Did you wake anyone else? Or just me?"

"You first. It literally just happened, but everything is dry as can be right now. I don't think that it has become a full scale blaze yet, but there is a good amount of smoke and I am sure that our campsite was hit -or nearby was - by a bolt of lightning."

Ryuu shook his head, dark hair flying out across his shoulders. "I thought it would be worst of all for you, even if it is just smoke - because of your chest."

"Forget that for now." Juushirou instructed. "I'll wake this side of the camp, you take that. We'll get everyone out of the immediate risk zone first - anything else can wait till after we know nobody's in danger."

"Got it." Ryuu nodded, immediately turning to carry out his classmate's bidding, and Juushirou hurried down between the sleeping Mitsuki and Chiyoko, shaking each awake with one hand.

"Ukitake...kun?" Mitsuki blinked at him sleepily, and Juushirou bit his lip, feeling guilty yet having absolutely no idea why he should feel that way.

"Fire." He said shortly, pulling her and the still drowsy Chiyoko into a sitting position. "Grab your robes and get out of the copse – head right for the spring and don't look back. Don't wait to ask questions!" As Chiyoko's lips parted. "With any luck it'll rain soon - just go outside and stay there until Ryuu-kun or I give you instructions. All right?"

"Yes, Taichou." Mitsuki's eyes widened, but she nodded, grabbing Chiyoko by the hand and pulling her towards the gap between the trees that as yet was not completely obscured by thick black smoke. In the darkness, the glow of amber spreading closer and closer seemed ever more ominous, and Juushirou knew that with the hot, dry weather, the forest hereabouts was most likely little better than tinder waiting to be set ablaze. With the girls gone, however, the Captain shifted his attention to Kira, who was still sleeping in the furthermost corner of the campsite. Across the ground, he could hear Ryuu waking Hirata and then Kamitani and Aki, driving them mercilessly in the direction Mitsuki and Chiyoko had gone with sharp hisses of "don't dawdle! Get outside now!"  
_  
Thank God for Ryuu-kun._

Juushirou bent down to shake Kira awake, but as he did so, a large, amber flame seared through the branches of a nearby tree, flaring across the makeshift shelter Toutai had relied on for shade and protection from any summer rain. The fire devoured the dry materials easily, tearing the blanket-and-plant cover almost entirely across from one side of the camp to the other. Now their base was clearly ablaze, and Juushirou cursed, grabbing Kira by the shoulders and shaking him with more force than he had intended.

"Kira! Wake up! The copse is on fire - wake up, dammit! Wake up!"

At first, Kira didn't respond, and Juushirou stifled a cough, realising that the air in the tent was thick with smoke even despite the huge hole that had been ripped through their makeshift cover. He could not see the moon above them, and for some reason that gave him chills.

_A storm happened when I was born. A storm tonight, too, after that dream. Is that a coincidence? Or...?_

"Ukitake-kun?"

Finally Kira's blue eyes opened, widening with fear and panic as he saw the state of the tent. "But...what the...how...why...?"

"A storm. Lightning. Get outside, now." Juushirou snapped at him, his tones brief as he fought against the spasms that the smoke had begun to spark in his sensitive chest. "Now! Don't stare at me! Get...up and go!"

"But..."

"Don't but! Just...go!"

"The...the squad log is..."

"That's paper and ink. You're alive. If it burns, it burns. Go join the others at the spring!"

Kira eyed him like a frightened rabbit for a moment, then, as a piece of flaming branch broke and fell to the floor, sending a flame surging across the boy' blanket he shot to his feet, fear giving him extra speed as he charged towards the exit.

Juushirou made to follow him, but the cloying smoke was getting thicker and more acrid now, and his eyes watering, he put his hand over his nose and mouth in a futile attempt to keep from choking.

_If I start an attack now, I won't get out. I have to...outside. The others...waiting. Must not...panic. Must..get out._

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself forward, his body becoming heavy and dizzy as the air quality worsened and spasms wracked through his chest, prompting him to cough violently. Pain wracked through him, but he kept going, putting one hand resolutely in front of the other and then dragging his knees behind him as he somehow managed the short crawl out into the smoke-filled night.

"Ukitake!"

All assignment formality forgotten in his anxiety, Ryuu was at his side in a moment, putting a strong arm around him and hauling him further from the copse that now blazed strongly with orange light. Somehow between them they made it to the spring, and once clear of the blaze, Juushirou sank down on the grass, coughing violently as he struggled to catch his breath.

"You were in there too long. I told you, didn't I? That I woke you fast because of your chest." Ryuu sent him a black look. "Haven't you put it under enough strain already with your river heroics? What was the use of giving you advance warning if you're going to be the last one out?"

"I'm...Taichou." Juushirou managed, and Ryuu sighed.

"I should've known that." He murmured in resignation. "Still, the wind is blowing away from us, so it shouldn't reach us here."

"But can we put it out? Should we try?" Juushirou struggled to gather his wits, and Ryuu shrugged.

"I don't think it's something we can do." He said gravely. "Even if all our supplies and belongings and clothing are in there – we can't go back because it's too dangerous to risk."

He faltered, then,

"Kazoe-sensei's been patrolling this area in the last few hours – I sensed his reiatsu earlier. I don't think he's far away, so I…I sent Kira to find him. The fool was jittering around like anything and I thought he should make himself useful. The camp's properly ablaze now - so I don't know where we'll sleep tonight. If it rains...we have a problem. And in this circumstance, we have to admit defeat."

"If it...rains...the fire will...go out." Juushirou murmured, and Ryuu nodded.

"Kazoe-sensei may know how to put it out, anyhow." He said dismissively. "So don't think about moving anywhere. Not until you start breathing properly, in any case. You're only just getting over the river escapade, after all. As your Vice Captain, I may be superseding my rank. But protecting the Captain is part of my duty too - so I hope you won't decide to discipline me."

"Ryuu-kun..." Juushirou drew a shaky breath into his lungs, then, "Thanks to you...we all...got out. I'm grateful. N..n...not angry."

"Ukitake-kun!"

"Ukitake-kun!"

At that moment, Hirata and Mitsuki came hurrying across the grass towards them, but Ryuu turned to glare at them, immediately the Vice Captain once more.

"Don't crowd him, either of you." He rapped out, holding up his hands. "He needs to breathe air, not be smothered by people fussing. Mitsuki, I told you to check the other members of the squad for burns, didn't I? Have you done so?"

"I..." Mitsuki pinkened, and Ryuu's eyes narrowed.

"Then go now and do so. I will expect you to report those things to Kazoe-sensei when he comes." He said dismissively. "And as for you, Hirata, stop looking anxious and go and find a vessel of water for your Captain. He'll be fine - and panicking about it isn't going to help anything."

"Ryuu-kun..." Juushirou looked startled, and Ryuu offered him a rueful smile.

"I seem harsh, perhaps." He admitted, once the two were gone. "But both were near tears. I wish to snap them out of any hysteria - Hirata is stronger than he was, but he is fond of you and your adventures in the river are still foremost on his mind. And as for Mitsuki..."

He sighed, then,

"She does not deal with it well, when you are hurt." He admitted. "It is foolish, but true nonetheless. Her healer instincts get the better of her – so I think it better I send her away."

"Yes…maybe." Juushirou frowned, remembering what he had overheard once more, and nodding his head.

"Perhaps it is cruel of me. But I feel she is of better use deployed – and I can keep an eye on you quite well for myself."

"It's because...in a crisis...you're a good person to have as right hand." Juushirou offered Ryuu a faint smile. "Thank you, Ryuu-kun. I'm grateful…yet again for…your strong and decisive…leadership skills."

"Leadership skills." Ryuu looked rueful. "My sisters would more likely term it 'being bossy'."

"Your sisters…have obviously never…taken you camping, then." Juushirou replied wryly.

"Ukitake! Kuchiki!"

Before Ryuu could respond, the sound of the Kidou sensei's voice broke through their conversation, and relief flooded through Juushirou as he registered the presence of their teacher on the scene. Kira scuttled in his wake, eyes big and frightened, and as Juushirou watched, Kazoe drew his sword swiftly from its sheath, holding it out so the blade tip pointed towards the blazing copse.

"_Suikonde, Seidoiki._"

He murmured, and as the students watched, from the tip of the blade came a glittering shower of what seemed to be azure ash, scattering out across the blaze and binding with the flames. In an instant, the fire began to stutter and die down, and as it quieted, Kazoe lowered his blade slowly.

The tip still sparkled with discharging reiatsu, and half-mesmerised, Juushirou stared at it in fascination.

_Kazoe-sensei has a zanpakutou. A zanpakutou that can put out fire._

He bit his lip, slightly unnerved at how much his senses had reacted to what had been, in the end, a low-level, non-combattive release.

_Almost as though there was something in it…that I wanted…or needed…to see. Something that…In'you needed me to see? But whatever it was…even I don't know how to explain it. Seimaru's zanpakutou didn't make me feel like this – nor did Midori-sama's, when I saw her release it. But right now my senses are buzzing as though they've seen the secrets of the universe in that one spiritual release. What on earth has gotten into me – why do I feel as though I'm picking up some signal that even I can't fully understand?_

"Sensei!" Ryuu got to his feet. "Sensei, everyone is unhurt. Ukitake and I made sure...but Ukitake has been coughing because of the smoke. He was the last one out."

"I see." Kazoe pursed his lips, sealing and then re-sheathing his sword. "Good work, both of you. Ukitake, can you stand? You look very pale - you didn't get burned?"

No...no, Sensei." Juushirou managed a faint smile. "Just a little...breathless. That's all. It all...so suddenly."

"I thought it was going to burn us alive." Kira murmured. "If Ukitake-kun hadn't woken me..."

"Nobody was...going to be...left behind, Kira." Juushirou assured him.

"But what caused it?" Chiyoko wrapped her arms around her body, shivering as a cold wind whipped through the forest clearing. "The sky is heavy and clouded, but..."

"I heard thunder, and I think I saw a flash." Ryuu turned to glance at her. "It came out of nowhere, but I think it must have crashed down close by. I didn't see its precise trajectory, yet even so…it must have been quite near to where we were camping."

"I'd say so, looking at the state of this." Kazoe said grimly. "You were all very lucky. You acted so quickly, nobody was hurt - even a moment of hesitation might not have brought such a happy ending."

He frowned, then,

"Nothing is going to be salvaged from that mess." He said quietly. "For the time being, you will have to return with me to the campsite and sleep for this evening in your old tent. Genryuusai-sensei would say the same – if there is a storm rolling around and a possibility of rain, he would want you to be somewhere safe."

He frowned, gazing up at the sky.

"Particularly a storm that came from nowhere. Such a thing is an unpleasant omen – and one that should be heeded."

_An omen._

For some reason, this cast a chill through Juushirou's young heart.

_No kidding._

"How will we get back, though, Sensei? We're quite some way from the main campsite, here." Aki put in tentatively, and Kazoe nodded.

"And none of you are trained in shunpo, so you will have to simply follow my lead." He agreed. "Are you all together? Good. Then stay so…and follow me when I tell you to. Understand?"

There were murmurs of assent, and Kazoe drew his weapon once more from his sheath, thrusting it forward and muttering a soft spell too quiet for Juushirou to make out the words to. As he did so, patterned panels seemed to appear bit by bit before them, as a gateway slowly took form, and as Kazoe turned his blade to the right, the panels parted, revealing a dark tunnel beyond.

"What the…" Kira's eyes became huge, and Kamitani let out a gasp.

"_Senkaimon_?" He whispered, and Kazoe turned, nodding his head.

"I should have known an Urahara would be familiar with the concept." He agreed briskly. "Yes. Exactly that. Though it is a work in progress…this one was placed here by Genryuusai-sensei in case of any unforeseen emergencies by which you needed to be brought back to camp at speed. There's one in the mountains too – to act as a similar protector for Katai's troops."

"A _senkaimon_?" His doubts momentarily forgotten, Juushirou said the word softly to himself, even as the teacher replaced his weapon a second time, flicking his fingers into a ball of reddish flame to light their pathway through the strange opening suspended in thin air. "I've never heard of it…what is it, Sensei? What is a…a _senkaimon_? Is it a…spell?"

"It's a gateway device generated by the Urahara-ke some two centuries ago." Kazoe shook his head, as they trudged their way through the dark, shapeless world that now surrounded them on all sides. "Follow me and stay close together – it would be easy to get lost and none of you have the requisite experience to safely exit on your own. Mostly they were designed for speed and ease of transport among the Clans – they require a certain level of spirit power to operate, so you probably won't ever have seen one in the Districts, Ukitake. Their original intention was to build them as a safe form of passage to the Real World – though the success has been mixed since again, only the strongest Shinigami are able to make it through the tunnel without getting hurt. It's another reason why till now the Gotei has demanded such high levels of spiritual strength – although the Urahara are still working on a solution, they haven't yet found one that's entirely foolproof."

"But within Seireitei, they work fine." Kamitani added hurriedly. "Most noble houses who have active Shinigami use them to get between different areas of their land…at least, so I believe."

"But as yet they can only be operated with a Shikai level _zanpakutou_ as the key." Kazoe replied. "Which means that they aren't as widespread as originally the Urahara-ke hoped."

"The Kuchiki certainly have them." Ryuu nodded his head. "Though I have never walked through one before."

"Is it really safe?" Kira was anxious, but Kazoe nodded.

"Within Seireitei, there is no risk." He said evenly. "The danger only comes about when crossing the divide to the Real World, Kira – it's a place built on entirely different fundamental principles, and so there are many problems with making the transition. But you should save that for your next Sakusen class. No doubt Genryuusai-sensei will be able to give you a far clearer idea of their many uses and purposes, if you ask him."

He flexed his fingers, the ball of _shakkahou_ energy dissipating into the atmosphere around them, and as he did so the tunnel seemed to open up on the other side, revealing the campsite beyond. Slowly the dazed and shivering students stepped through into the night air once more, all of them viewing the familiar sight of the tents with varying levels of relief.

"For the time being, there are a few spare blankets in the mess tent and tomorrow I will see what to do properly about this." Kazoe decided. "But now it's late and the danger has passed. I think that the best idea would be to assess this reasonably in the morning, since nobody seems hurt."

"What if the storm comes back, Sensei?" Kira asked apprehensively, and Kazoe shook his head.

"The storm has passed by. The sky is beginning to clear, and there's no sign of thunder." He responded. "I'll strengthen the barrier here, too, to try and give added protection against sudden inclement weather. Calm yourself, Kira. It was unfortunate, but it is over. And everyone reacted properly - so nobody was hurt."

Juushirou nodded.

"We should do as Sensei s...says, too." He said quietly. "Go back to...our tent… and try and get some sleep for the r...rest of the night."

He glanced at Kazoe.

"Sensei, your sword...stopped the fire, didn't it? So...if it did happen again..."

"My _zanpakutou _manipulates air currents. It stifled the air powering the fire, and stopped it from burning." Kazoe nodded. "You needn't worry, Ukitake. The same thing will not be able to happen again."

"Right." Juushirou gave him a rueful, troubled smile. "Then that's what we'll do. For now, we'll all go and try and get some sleep."

"We were going to recall both squads to Camp tomorrow, anyhow." Kazoe assured them. "Toutai won't be failed on account of a freak moment of weather."

With that he was gone, leaving the eight students alone once more.

"Well, that's something at the very least." Ryuu observed. "All in all, I believe as a squad we managed quite well."

"We did." Juushirou agreed. "And…we'll keep doing…that, too. Fujiwara, K…Kamitani, Kazoe-sensei said there w…were spare blankets in the main m…mess tent. Go fetch as m…many as you can find, all right?"

"Yes, Taichou." Aki nodded his head, grabbing Kamitani by the arm and hauling him off towards the mess tent.

"But our log was destroyed, Taichou. Everything I wrote is gone." Kira said despondently, and Juushirou sighed.

"I know, and I'm s…sorry you had to l…leave it." He said apologetically. "How m…much can you remember?"

"Most of it, I think." Kira considered. "But I might not have time to write it all again. Still, if Sensei wanted me to…I think I could report quite accurately from memory, if need be."

"Then we'll rely on you for that, Kira." Ryuu said firmly. "And for now, call it a night. Tomorrow we can settle whatever needs to be done – but for now, let us all get some sleep."


	16. Lovesickness

**Chapter Fifteen: Lovesickness**

Morning.

Juushirou gazed out across the horizon, idly running his fingers across the sheathed blade of his _asauchi_ as he watched the sun begin to rise over the main campsite. It was early, he knew and inside Toutai's familiar and reassuring tent, the other members of his squad were still fast asleep. Despite the shock and alarm of the fire, he mused, exhaustion had got the better of them one by one and though they had begun by chatting among themselves, in the end he had been the only one who had not been claimed by sleep.

After the dream he had had, he had been afraid to even try.

He sighed, getting to his feet and returning his _asauchi_ to his belt as he padded softly across the camp towards a cluster of uneven rocks that marked the boundary between their campsite and the outside world.

The previous night had frightened him more than any of his companions – more even than Kira, who had been a visible bag of nerves and who had been the last person in Toutai's tent to finally fall asleep. Deep down inside he wondered – and worried – whether his stormy dream and the sudden bolt of lightning had been connected. Even while common sense told him that he was reading too much into it, time and time again he came back to the same question.

And so he had not slept, fearing that he might somehow put his companions in danger.

Yet even so, his fear was tempered by something else – something that worried him just as much when he paused to think about it. In the river his power had surged, and even though he had tried to ignore it, he knew that deep inside of him he could still feel it – that odd, intoxicating sensation buzzing against his senses.

Something had changed, moving the boundaries on his spirit power yet again. Another small step towards…

At this he paused, shaking his head as if to clear it.

_Another step towards…what? Ever since I was at home, In'you have been there far more than they ever have been before. In the river, they helped me – but that strength is still strength I don't know how to handle properly. Last night, there was a storm…but even though Kazoe-sensei dismissed it, I can't help but wonder…if it was something to do with me and the reiryoku that seems to be rocketing around my body ever since I jumped in to save Hirata. _

_No, no it's from before then. It changed before that. And it frightens me, if it really was my reiryoku that somehow caused that fire._

He grimaced, not liking where his thoughts were heading.

_If so, I really do need to settle things with Edogawa-san. If I can bring down a storm in my sleep, I'm really going to get somebody hurt and given what she said to Ryuu-kun…she's probably putting herself right in my firing line. I'm becoming dangerous – as though I'm losing some measure of control I thought I'd finally clawed back. _

_And yet, even though that's true…there was something I _liked_ about the rush of power I felt in the river. About not being afraid of my surroundings – about knowing that even if it was just for a brief moment, I could handle anything the water threw at me._

He sighed, sinking down onto the stones and rubbing his temples.

_It's almost like I understand why so many people became so interested in reidoku, now. Even if this is all my own power – the curiosity about it is just as compelling. That power that Hahaue could not fully confine…did that power really cause the storm on the night that I was born? And again last night? Was that really Hahaue I dreamed about? Without even knowing what she looked like – _could _I have dreamed about her, or was it just an illusion after all?_

_And what of the power that flared up when Father died…it took me the best part of eighteen months to reel that in to a level where I could at least exist without hurting those around me. This time it hasn't been that way, so somehow I managed to pull it back enough not to really rip myself to shreds._

He frowned.

_Or if that was Hahaue…maybe she was the one who…but wait, that's stupid. Completely ridiculous – even more ridiculous than listening to talking fish. Hahaue is dead. She died when I was born. I never knew her…nobody's controlling my spirit power except for me._

_If you can even call it 'controlling'…I'm starting to wonder for myself exactly what's going on. It's like a chain reaction…and I'm not sure how to shut it off._

Fleetingly he remembered once more the conversation by the sea, back home in District Six before he and Kira had embarked on their hair-raising journey back to the Academy.

_In'you were right. This isn't the end of the path at all. And even if my endurance now is better than it was when I was fifteen – there's still a risk to those around me. And, probably, a risk to myself, as well._

_The calm before the storm, just like I told Edogawa-san. In'you said it, too. Well, perhaps it's the opposite. It seems like the calm beyond the storm too. And maybe I have to face the possibility that…in the end, it's a false calm._

"You're thoughtful this morning, Juushirou."

In's voice broke through his musing at that moment, startling him into looking around him, and he could hear the faint tinkle of her laughter against his thoughts at his instinctive reaction.

"Are you that surprised to hear from me? I thought you realised now – we are always with you, whether you call for us or not."

"I'm trying to understand." Juushirou murmured. "Exactly what it is the two of you want from me. Whether I'm going to be able to handle it – whether I can keep it under wraps or whether I'm going to wind up hurting people again. What I felt in the river was abnormal, In – but I _liked_ it, nonetheless. For a moment I felt invincible – and I've never felt like that in my life before. But then…last night…"

He trailed off, unsure how to phrase his next remark, and he thought he heard the fish sigh.

"You're not invincible. Nobody is." In's voice held a warning. "That was simply your sleeping strength rising up to defend you, nothing more. Your body is still recovering from the effects of that surge – had it gone on longer, you might have found yourself truly ill. Your stamina isn't at a stage yet where you can release that kind of energy without risk…there is still a lot of work to do."

"Last night…the storm…was that your doing too?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know." Juushirou sighed. "I wish I did, but I don't."

"Then it's not for me to answer."

"In…why do you talk in riddles? Why don't you tell me things straight?"

"Because they're things you have to learn for yourself. Much as You and I want to guide you – sometimes we have to let you fumble and wander and stray to find them on your own."

"What if I don't find them?"

"All we can do is pray that you will." In said gravely. "And that you understand that you are not yet in a position to properly master the power the fates have gifted you – please, Juushirou, you must realise that now."

"But you both let me have it, anyway." Juushirou realised. "Even though you don't think I can control it properly, in the water, you let me – didn't you? Even if it means now I'm more out of control than before. It was you – both of you. You really are in control of my _reiryoku_, aren't you? From the start, that's been the case."

"Now he's beginning to get it." You's voice cut into the conversation, and Juushirou had the distinct impression that the white fish had just headbutted himself forcibly against the District boy's wits. "We _are_ your _reiryoku_, Juushirou. We _are_ that part of you – the part that protects you, the part that defends you. And the part that, one day, you might use to defend others, too."

"To…defend others?" Juushirou's eyes widened. "But…"

"Ukitake-kun?" A soft voice from the grass behind him made him jump, the faint traces of the spiritual fish gone in an instant as he turned to face the speaker. As he did so, his heart clenched in his chest and he swallowed, taking in the concern in Mitsuki's violet grey eyes.

"Edogawa-san." He whispered, and at the reticence in his tones, Mitsuki's gaze became even more clouded.

"I hoped…I might speak to you." She hazarded quietly. "Because…something woke me up. And I thought…maybe you weren't quite right this morning, Ukitake-kun."

Juushirou frowned.

"I'm not ill this morning." He said quietly. "On the contrary, I'm feeling a lot better than I have been, so you don't need to worry about me."

"I know." Mitsuki hesitated, then settled herself on the grass opposite him, raising her gaze to his as she eyed him pensively. "It's not that. It's just…something that's difficult to explain, I suppose. But this morning, when I came across…I thought you were talking to someone. But nobody is here. And…lately…you haven't seemed…like yourself at all."

Juushirou frowned, then got to his feet, holding out his hand to pull her up with him as inwardly he made up his mind.

"We need to talk." He said quietly, and Mitsuki's eyes widened slightly, seemingly startled by the serious tone in his voice.

"Ukitake-kun?"

"By the lake." Juushirou said softly. "Will you wait for me there? I'm going to wake Ryuu-kun and tell him we're taking a little walk, just so he can take charge of things here."

"I…all right." Mitsuki was still confused, but she nodded. "I'll wait for you there."

"Then I'll be with you soon." As he watched his dark-haired classmate slip obediently through the trees towards the squad's water source, Juushirou felt a flicker of guilt stir once more inside of him.

_I'm not a very nice person really, after all, am I, In'you?_

There was no reply this time, however, and with a sigh, Juushirou returned to the tent, bending at Ryuu's side and placing his hand gently on his friend's shoulder. Though he had been sleeping soundly, at the touch the young Kuchiki was alert in an instant, casting his companion a quizzical look as he hauled himself into a sitting position.

"Taichou? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is. Just, I'm going to go down to the lake. I sent Mitsuki there to…for water from the spring, and I'm going to go…to help her. Will you…with everyone here…"

He faltered, feeling the lies stick against his tongue, but Ryuu nodded his head straight away.

"Of course. I should have mentioned last night that coming back here has meant we have no active provision for food or water this morning…but if you've seen it too, there is no problem. Kazoe-sensei's reiatsu is not here, after all – I imagine he has returned to the school, and for the time being, we are alone to provide for ourselves just as we would have been out by the river."

He gestured across towards the far side of the tent.

"There's a bowl from the mess hall still over there – if you want to take it with you."

"I will." Juushirou agreed. "Thank you, Ryuu-kun. We'll be back as soon as we can manage…all right?"

"Very well." Ryuu shrugged his shoulders. "You are, then, feeling quite recovered today from our adventure last night?"

"Much better than I did." Juushirou assured him. "I'm all right now, thank you. You needn't worry. My body's stronger than it was – it's shaken it off pretty quickly and I'm ready to go."

"Then good." Ryuu looked serious. "I do not know if there are dangers near the campsite or if there are not. But I do know that Mitsuki is not proficient with a blade, nor with attacking in any capacity. If you are full strength again now, I need not worry about her…it is, after all, my duty to watch over her whilst she is away from home."

"Yes, I know." Juushirou admitted, chewing down absently on his lip. "And we'll try not to be away too long."

_Although now I'm feeling as though I'm betraying you too, as well as hurting her. I can't win, no matter what I do – but this has gone on long enough, and I must resolve it now._

He inclined his head to his classmate, hurrying across towards the tent flap and pausing only to pick up the weighty mess hall bowl on his way out. All in all, he reflected, their systems for gathering food and water had succeeded, and even the unexpected step of returning to camp early had not broken down their pattern of survival. Toutai had had few disagreements over either duties or rank and their team spirit had not been tested overly by the pressures of taking care of themselves – but Juushirou knew that had been at least in part because he had avoided the issue of Mitsuki and her confession of feelings the night of his fever.

Mitsuki was waiting not far from the lakeside, by the drinking water spring, and as he approached, she offered him a faint smile, coming to help him with the water vessel.

"Are we collecting water?" She asked softly. "I thought you said talk, but…"

"We'll do both, since Toutai are low on water." Juushirou said simply, indicating the foot of the spring and together they pushed the bowl into place so that the bubbling spray of water would fill it to the brim. "There. I had to tell Ryuu-kun something to explain why we were coming here – and I don't like to lie, so I thought I might as well make it the truth."

"Ukitake-kun." Mitsuki's eyes clouded and she eyed him for a moment, her expression troubled. At this, Juushirou sighed, then,

"I don't really even know how to begin with this." He admitted helplessly. "All I know is that I have to do something about it – but even I don't really know what."

"About…it?" Mitsuki looked blank. "What's it, Ukitake-kun? I don't understand – what's on your mind?"

Juushirou was silent for a long time, then his brows knitted together.

"To put it simply," He said slowly. "I think…the answer is you."

"Me?" Colour drained from Mitsuki's face and she stared at him in alarm. "What do you mean? What have I…?"

"It's not what you've done." Juushirou shook his head. "It's what _I've_ done. To you, I mean. By being in this proximity…and it worries me, that it shouldn't be allowed to go further. Damage has already happened, and…"

"What you've done to me?" Mitsuki's brow creased in confusion. "But you've not done anything to me, Ukitake-kun. Why would you think that you have?"

"Every time I'm ill, it hurts you. Isn't that how it goes?" Juushirou said softly, and Mitsuki sighed, slowly nodding her head.

"Yes." She said unwillingly. "But that's not your fault. It's because I can't control the healer's instinct – because I'm not able to train as a healer right at the moment, and so I…I find it hard to stop that from happening. It doesn't mean that you've hurt me, but…"

"I have, though." Juushirou cut across her, shaking his head as he struggled to put his thoughts and feelings into words. "You probably didn't realise it, Edogawa-san, but the night that I was fevered – the night I fell in the river – I heard you and Ryuu-kun talking. You thought I was sleeping – but even when I'm fevered, I often don't sleep that deeply. I hear conversations, and I pick up things from them. So I heard you. Both of you. And the things you said."

Mitsuki's cheeks flushed pink at this, and she lowered her gaze, unwilling suddenly to meet her classmate's eyes.

"Oh." She whispered, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"I'm sorry." He said frankly. "Because I didn't mean to do anything like that to you…and I had no idea…that I even had. Not even when I knew you were affected by my _haibyou_…I didn't really think it all through."

"But Ukitake-kun…"

"That you'd be talking about turning away from your Clan – even your family – those are big deal decisions, you know. And I wouldn't forgive myself if you made them on my account."

Mitsuki's head shot up, dismay in her grey eyes at this, but Juushirou was in full flow now and did not give her a chance to speak.

"I'm sorry that I've warped things to such a degree and I wish I could shut it off – the _haibyou_, or at the very least, the way my _haibyou_ impacts on your or on other people." He said quietly. "No matter how much I try, it always has some effect on someone, and in the end, it hurts them too, just like it does me. But it's my battle to fight. It isn't yours and I want you to stop worrying about me. Even if I'm ill sometimes – I'm not weak. I can fight against it. And I'm all right."

"Ukitake-kun, do you really understand what a healer is?" Mitsuki's question was soft-spoken, and Juushirou sent her a startled look. She sighed, twisting her fingers together as she pieced together her thoughts.

"Someone who helps other people to get well, even at risk to themselves." Juushirou answered at length, and Mitsuki nodded.

"Yes." She acknowledged. "But it's more than that. It's not a choice – none of it is any more a choice than you chose to have _haibyou_ or to be ill so often as you are. My instincts are born into me. I am a healer, not a fighter – that's how I am and it won't change. My Clan are the ones who really don't understand that – if I make drastic decisions, it will be because of them, not because of you."

Juushirou sighed.

"I heard you say to Ryuu-kun, though, that you wanted to be there to help me – to find a way to help stop it, when I was in pain." He said slowly, and Mitsuki nodded once more.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I feel that way? More than anyone else here, I know what you go through. And more than anyone else here, I feel helpless when you do. Of course I want to help you. That's part of being a healer too."

"The instinct to mend people's broken bodies." For some inexplicable reason, Juushirou felt as though all the air had been punched out of his lungs at her simple, even response. "That's what it is, in fact, isn't it? An uncontrollable urge to take care of people – regardless of the consequences for you or those around you. That's what being a healer is, in the end? To reach out and stop people's pain – to the exclusion of everything else?"

"I don't really understand what you mean." Mitsuki frowned. "Yes, I feel that way – it overwhelms me, and I can't block it out. But…"

"Then I think you should keep your distance from me from now on." Juushirou cut across her once again. "Because I don't like it, Edogawa-san…I don't like being a burden on other people and particularly not on those who are immediately around me."

"Keep…my distance?" Mitsuki was horrified. "But…why? I never said you were a burden – did I? You're my friend, Ukitake-kun! If…if you heard my conversation with Ryuu-kun, you'll know more even than that! Why would you want me to keep away – why would you think I'd ever want to? You're important to me – why would you want to stop me from helping you?"

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then he turned, meeting her gaze with a level, unemotional one of his own.

"Because I have pride too." He said quietly, his tones even and soft, yet only just masking the genuine pain that lurked beneath them. "I may be sickly, and I may have bad days when I'm ill and tired and in pain. But even so, they're a part of the me I've always been. I don't need anyone to take care of me – if I did, I wouldn't be here like this, fighting to become a Shinigami like I am. I don't want that kind of friendship, in the end. I don't want to be simply a healer's patient – or project."

Mitsuki stared at him, dumbstruck, and Juushirou's heart clenched as he saw tears beginning to run down the young girl's cheeks.

"Kyouraku-kun always says that you can be stupid." She said softly, her voice trembling under the force of her pent up emotions. "But you heard me talking to Ryuu, so you know how I really feel. I care about you and I have done since the time we first met. Why would you consider that to be anything other than what it is?"

Juushirou offered her a slight, bitter smile.

"How do you know it isn't your healing wits confusing you and making you think something that isn't really true?" He countered. "I'm not foolish, Edogawa-san. In the end, I understand better than anyone what and who I am. I'm the child with the Ukitake curse. I have a condition that makes people shy away from me – I look strange because my hair turned white and because I'm thin and pale and scrawny, compared to everyone else."

"Don't be stupid." Mitsuki snapped out, startling him with her sudden and uncharacteristic sharpness. "Of course it's not like that! I know my own mind as well as you know yours – don't assume that you know me better than I know myself! It's not up to you who I can and can't fall in love with, or to judge what level my feelings are based on your own insecurities. I've never looked down on you – and I've never pitied you, either. But sometimes Kyouraku-kun is right, Ukitake-kun. Sometimes you really are completely stupid. And the saddest thing is, you don't even know that you are."

She dashed away her tears, but more fell, and Juushirou clenched and unclenched his fists, aware of the uneven swirl of reiatsu beginning to penetrate once more through his shattered senses.

She had never spoken to him like that before. Soft-spoken, gentle Mitsuki, who had always retired from the spotlight and kept her opinions to herself…but then, in that moment, he had recognised it within her, too. The Kuchiki pride that characterised Ryuu – even in his unconventional healer classmate, that pride burnt strong and true.

He gathered his wits, again berating the fact he had not had Shunsui's advice to call on before embarking on this conversation.

"Even if you were sincere, there are far too many complications." He said at length. "And those being as they are, it would be better, don't you think, to assume that your interest in me is as a healer and as nothing else? There's absolutely nothing to be gained from associating yourself with me – nothing at all, because I have absolutely nothing to give you except more trouble and bad dreams. So in the end, its better that you do as I say. Even if you think I'm stupid or imperceptive, in the end you'll have to see I'm right. You and I aren't from the same world. And if I'm warping your world – I don't need to be a part of it."

"Nobody ever said you were!" Mitsuki protested, tears flooding her cheeks now as she lost the battle to keep her feelings in check. "Nobody ever said anything of the sort, Ukitake-kun! You're an Academy student. I'm an Academy student. We're friends and I want to help you. Not because I pity you, but because we're friends! At least, I thought we were friends! I thought that was how it was…and I've never asked you for anything except to be your friend!"

Juushirou took a moment to get a hold of himself, then he crossed the grove towards her, resting her hands on her shoulders and meeting her tear-flooded eyes with his own pained ones.

"My curse is a real curse, Edogawa-san." He said softly. "Even though I hate to call it that, that's what it is. Nobody in my family who's had it has ever lived far beyond thirty years. If they have married, they've only produced trouble and death. Their children have been poisoned and have always died in infancy. Their partners have always suffered terribly from the burden of living with someone so chronically weak. My family has always been held back by _haibyou_. No matter how much it tries to move on – the scars are always going to be there."

"But…" Mitsuki faltered, but Juushirou shook his head.

"My mother died because she wanted to save me. My father did, too." He continued. "Already my illness has caused my family irreparable damage. Every year I live – I don't know whether this will be my last summer, or my penultimate, or just one of many more to come. I've never known the answers to those questions, and because of that, I know that it isn't possible to truly love someone like me. Even if you think you do – you're mistaken and you'll only suffer for making that mistake. In the end, most people who commit to those like me want to take care of them, not to love them. I've read it, time and time again, in the annals of my family. I have never seen a cursed Ukitake bring happiness to the rest. That's why I left home. That's why I came here. That's why I agreed to become part of Genryuusai-sensei's work. But even if everyone here is working towards the Gotei – I don't know, yet, if I'll ever make that mark. Sensei believes I can, but even he can't know for sure. I'm already living on borrowed time. Why would I want to drag anyone else in with me, just to make them suffer alongside me and grieve when I'm gone?"

"Ukitake-kun." Mitsuki's anger was gone in a moment, and she stared at him in disbelief as slowly he loosened his grip on her, turning back towards the now overflowing bowl of water that sat forgotten beneath the spring.

"If you understand, you'll do as I say." He said quietly, not trusting himself to look at her. "Until camp ends, there's nothing to be done about it. But once it does…then please, for your own sake as much as anything else. Stop worrying about me. Hate me, if you like. But don't get dragged down with me. Because I won't have you make the mistake that other people have made. And I won't have you sacrificing your family and your future because you've been around me. As your friend, Edogawa-san…I won't let that happen."

There was no reply, and for a moment Juushirou thought that his classmate had gone back into the forest towards the campsite. Then, as he bent to move the water vessel from its resting place, he heard her voice again.

"Why did your mother save you, Ukitake-kun?" She asked softly, her voice full of pain yet determined and resolute as it cut through every one of his raw senses. "Why did your father? To live your life, or to run away from it?"

He turned his head to stare at her, and she swallowed hard, wiping her eyes as she fixed him with an obstinate, undeniably Kuchiki glare.

"If you live your life just waiting for death to claim you, then you should be pitied." She continued stolidly. "And if that's how you feel, then I do pity you. Because in the end, you're the one who doesn't understand."

With that she turned on her heel, disappearing back into the woodland, and Juushirou sank back onto the ground, burying his head in his hands as he struggled to calm down. Inside of him, he could feel his spirit power surging and fluctuating uncertainly as his emotions cut through his body, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath into his lungs as he fought against the urge to cough.

_  
That was the first time Mitsuki ever looked like Ryuu-kun. The first time I ever saw her as a true Kuchiki-hime. The first time…and probably the last._

To his surprise, tears pricked at his own eyes, but he forced them back, stubbornly getting to his feet and glancing at the metal bowl.

_Alone, then, I guess. That's probably better, anyway. I can manage it…and after that, I don't think…well, she won't really want to help. Now, or ever again._

He bent to pick up the bowl, but as he did so, a charge of electricity shot through his body, clattering through the metal of the container and prickling through the water inside. Juushirou gasped at the sudden jolt of power, for although it had come from somewhere within him it had been completely unexpected, and he fell back onto the ground with a hard thud, dazed and confused by the momentary flash of power.

Slowly he raised his hand to his line of sight, taking in the faint charring across the tips of his fingers.

_Did I…do that? Was that…something from inside of me? _

He frowned, lowering his hand to the ground and staring up at the sky as he fought to regain his composure.

_Then…what does that make me? In the river, I fought against the water and I won. Last night, a storm – a storm I could have caused? And now…what was that? Because I fought with Edogawa-san…was that why? Like when I shouted at Chihiro, my spirit power pushed her back…now, because I fought with Edogawa-san…is my power really at that uneven a place that just something like this can make it flare out?_

"Your power is storm and sea, Juushirou. You lack control yet, that is all."

In's voice broke through his thoughts once more, and he sighed, closing his eyes.

"You said stupid things and you hurt her feelings. No wonder you feel out of sorts - you brought it on yourself."

That was You.

"You tell me what I'm supposed to do about it?" Juushirou demanded bad-temperedly, speaking out loud and not caring who heard him. "Instead of always criticising, You, you tell me how I'm meant to handle things like this? She's too close to me – I'm causing her harm. It can't stay like it is, so I did the only thing that I could do. It doesn't mean it's what I wanted to do. But in the end, I had no choice."

"I suppose, if you seek a lonely life, all those around you should be similarly discarded, then." You suggested facetiously. "Since you can't know when you might hurt someone else – surely you should keep them all at arm's length?"

"I…"

"Or is it something more, when it comes to that one?" You challenged him. "She's a Kuchiki – she has the same root blood you do, running through her veins. But she isn't like you – she couldn't be more different. And you understand that – and so you push her away. You think she can't understand you – or you're afraid that you know she already does."

"You, enough." In's scolding brought relief to Juushirou's battered heart. "He's shattered enough already, let him be."

"Things like that should not be allowed to get in the way of his progress." You said firmly. "Adolescent or not, we have too much work to do."

"In'you…"

Juushirou paused, then,

_Tell me something. One thing, and then I won't ask anything more._

"What's bothering you, Juushirou?" In asked gently, and Juushirou sighed.

_You mentioned your 'other name', once or twice before. That other name…is it something you can tell me now?_

"No. Not yet." You responded, before In could say a word. "You are getting closer – but you are not yet at that stage."

"But if you were to keep working hard, Juushirou, you will get to that point." In assured him more gently. "You are not far away…you should trust us, and let us guide you. If you do, then we can help you a lot more than we do now."

More silence, then,

_At home, you spoke about there not being time – and danger being around me. I didn't ask then, not really. And I'm almost afraid to ask now. But after last night…I have to. So even though I said that would be my only question – I hope you'll allow me another. Then, I wondered…if there was something that was threatening the people around me. Something I could do. Something I might be able to stop. But it wasn't that, was it? In the river, I had my power released – and even though I've healed, it's not been the same. Little by little, it's eating away at me. And then, just now – even now, that was my power, wasn't it? Like the storm that raged when I was born – it raged again last night. An indication that my power… flickered out of my control again._

"And your point is what, exactly?" You asked. "It sounds to me as though you understand quite clearly how things are."

Juushirou swallowed the unpleasant taste in his mouth, then,

_You meant my body, didn't you? That at this rate, the thing that will run out of time…will be my body. What you said about my physical strength and it being an illusion…that's what you were trying to tell me. Edogawa-san and Ryuu-kun have been trying to tell me it, too. People like me don't have a long life expectancy – and mine…mine is beginning to run out on me. The storms that happened when I was born…the ones my mother suppressed…they're starting to return. Aren't they? If I don't learn to control this spirit power, more than ever before…_

He faltered, fear gripping a hold of him as he realised the true implication of what he had just reasoned out.

_I'm dying, in short. Maybe I always have been – maybe I've always known it but my _reiryoku_ really is too much for my body. Mother gave her life to prevent it, the first time. But I can't have that happen again – and in the end, that's the real reason why I had to push Edogawa-san away. Because, with her untrained healer instincts she…might try…and do what Mother did. And I don't want her…I don't want her to be hurt. Sensei warned me last summer about putting those around me in danger…even more now than I did then I start to really see what he meant._

"Neither In nor I have any plans to let you die, Juu-kun." You's voice softened, and Juushirou took some comfort in his fatherly warmth. "We decided that when we first came to be inside of you, and we're just as sure of it now. Your physical strength has always been a problem, but there are and there will always be potential solutions. Right now, to learn our name would kill you outright. You haven't reached that point yet and it can't be rushed. But from hereon in, if you keep working hard – you will learn it."

_And if I learn it?_

"Then you will most likely live."

_I see._

Juushirou pulled himself into a sitting position, letting out his breath in a rush as he raised his gaze to the sky once more.

_In that case, I suppose I haven't got a choice, have I? I'll listen to you. Both of you. From here on in, I intend to stop relying on others to save or protect me. This time…I'm going to fight for my own life. This time, I won't let anyone else get hurt!_

_

* * *

  
_

"Well, I suppose we survived it."

As Katai stepped out of the _Senkaimon_, Enishi stretched his arms over his head, a grin of triumph on his features. "In the end, it wasn't really much of a challenge at all, was it? Surviving in the wilderness by ourselves. Piece of cake."

"Only because we had Kai with us." Shunsui returned the grin, clapping his hand down on Kai's shoulder. "Him and his outdoor survival expertise. Thanks to that, we all learnt a lot of things about existing with nothing but ourselves to rely on."

"Basic Shihouin training." Kai said frankly, though there was a glitter of pride in his golden eyes. "And that was the point, wasn't it? To work together and bring our skills into the equation to survive. We did that pretty well, in the end."

"Do you think Toutai are already here?" Sora ran up to join them. "We're all being recalled through that _Senkaimon_ thing, aren't we? Because I don't see any others around."

"Mm, they're here." Naoko nodded her head. "I can feel Mitsuki's reiatsu - she's nearby. They must've come back before us."

"Early rising, again." Iwai reflected, and Shunsui frowned, shaking his head.

"I think they came back last night." He admitted. "Don't ask me why, I just do."

"Why would they do that?" Sora looked surprised. "Kazoe-sensei said we were being recalled to camp this morning. They wouldn't recall Toutai early...would they?"

"Something happened last night, for sure." Kai frowned. "I'm sure that's what Kyouraku's referring to, since I felt it, too. A swirl in the atmosphere - felt like some kind of spectral storm or...well, that sounds weird, but something like it. I don't know what, but it came from the direction of the river."

"What the hell were they doing in that damn river?" Naoko grimaced. "I'm going to rip apart Ukitake-kun and Kuchiki-kun if anything happened to Mitsuki in the meantime."

"Calm down, Shikibu." Enishi said quickly. "You said you could feel her reiatsu, didn't you? Then she's here and she's okay. Besides, Ukitake isn't the kind to do anything to hurt anyone - and Kuchiki's her cousin. You're overreacting."

"Maybe." Naoko's eyes narrowed. "But there's something not right about it, and that's all I can tell you. If they came back last night...well, something must have happened. And I mean it, Houjou-kun. If anything happened to Mitsuki because Sora and I weren't with her..."

Before she could finish her sentence, however, the bushes parted to reveal the subject of their conversation, and Sora let out an exclamation as she registered her friend's tear-stained cheeks and clouded expression.

"Mitsuki! What in hell happened to you?"

"See? I knew it." Naoko clenched her fists. "Who was it, Mitsuki-chan? Who made you cry this time? Tell me, and Sora and I will sort them out for you."

Mitsuki did not reply, merely staring at Naoko for a moment. Then she sniffed, swallowing hard and stumbling forward towards them. Without a word she flung herself on a startled Shunsui, who could do nothing but stop himself from falling headlong at the sudden, unexpected additional weight.

"_Kyouraku-kun?!_" Naoko sounded scandalised, and Shunsui winced, knowing that if looks could kill, most probably he'd be stretched out on the ground by now.

"What's this about, Mitsuki-chan?" He asked gently, somehow managing to disentangle the sobbing girl's grip as he held her at arm's length. "This isn't like you - is someone hurt?"

Mitsuki shook her head numbly, words beyond her, and at the distress in her grey eyes, Shunsui frowned.

Although she had not said it, somehow he knew that this had something to do with Juushirou.

"Shunsui, what the hell are you doing to Mitsuki now?" Sora demanded, and Shunsui turned, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm as surprised as you are. Obviously she can't bear to be parted from me." He said lightly, patting Mitsuki gently on the head as she gazed at him uncomprehendingly. "There there, Mitsuki-chan. It's all right. We're all together again now."

"Please." Naoko snorted. "The girl's upset - she obviously has no idea where she's going or what she's doing. Let go of her and stop trying to play Casanova. If something's happened to upset her, it should be Sora and I who take care of her."

"N..no." Mitsuki managed a word at that point, shaky and uneven but clear as she shook her head. "It's...okay. Naoko-chan. Th...thank you but...I c...I d...I n...need to t...talk to K...Kyouraku-kun."

"To Shunsui? And not us?" Sora was startled, and Mitsuki nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "But only...to...Kyouraku-kun."

Shunsui frowned, realising his initial suspicions had been correct. He sighed, nodding his head.

"All right." He agreed at length. "Kai, take the rest of Katai and report. If Sensei asks where I am, tell him I'm...doing something unavoidable but extremely important and if he wants to dock me points for it, then he can. I'll catch up with you as soon as possible - I'm relying on you, okay?"

"Okay." Kai looked surprised, but he nodded his head. "You heard the Captain, everyone. Follow me. We're going to report."

"But...Mitsuki..." Sora faltered, glancing back at her friend, and Kai shook his head.

"Captain's direct order." He said frankly. "Come on, Sora. We're all going. It's not as though he's going to hurt the kid - have a little faith in him for once and do as he says."

"Thank you, Kai." Shunsui frowned, then took Mitsuki gently by the arm, leading her away from the rest of the group.

_Thank God for a Vice Captain who acts and doesn't ask questions. Even if he asks them later, he had the sense not to do it then. And right now, I have enough of my own without dealing with other people's._

Once they were out of earshot, he cast his classmate a quizzical look.

"That;s unusual, you know, Mitsuki-chan. That you'd come to me, and not to Sora or Naoko. Is this something you really can't tell them? Or something you think I should know?"

"B...both, maybe." Mitsuki took a shuddering breath into her lungs, and Shunsui realised that she was shaking, her face pale even despite her light Kuchiki complexion. He frowned, pursing his lips.

"This has something to do with Juu, then, doesn't it?"

"Mm...mmm." Mitsuki sank down onto the grass, burying her head in her hands, and Shunsui dropped down beside her, casting her a quizzical look.

"And that's why me?"

"Yes. S...sorry."

"It's all right. If you're worried about something, I'll listen." Shunsui settled himself more comfortably. "Something happened last night, then, with Toutai? And you came back here then, instead of now?"

"Lightning struck our camp, and set it on fire. Kazoe-sensei had to put it out." Mitsuki raised her head, and Shunsui found himself beginning to feel cross that his friend had caused the girl to look so hopeless and folorn. "For that reason, he sent us back here last night instead of this morning."

"Was someone hurt?"

"No. Nobody." Mitsuki shook her head. "What h...happened...is this morning. I dont...know if...it's connected to last night or not. Just...I can't...Naoko and Sora will think...they'll do something and...well..."

She sighed heavily.

"I'm not making sense." She realised. "But you know...I think...about Ukitake-kun. And how...I...am with him."

"Yes. It's not hard to see." Shunsui agreed. "But Naoko and Sora know too, don't they?"

"Mm. But...they'll get c...cross with him. And I don't want that." Mitsuki ran her fingers through her thick dark hair. "Because...in the end...I know he w...wasn't being truthful. And yet...I know...he was."

Shunsui looked at her for a moment, then he shrugged his shoulders.

"Start at the beginning." he instructed. "What happened this morning to make you like this? What did Juu say or do that upset you - tell me as much as you can."

Slowly and unsteadily Mitsuki choked out the details of the lakeside conversation, and as she went on, Shunsui's eyes widened.

"He told you to keep away from him?" He demanded, only just remembering not to shout, and Mitsuki nodded.

"Because he thinks...my concern for him...is pity. And he...w...wants to protect me from being hurt." She whispered. Shunsui groaned, clapping his hand to his forehead in frustration.

"And he doesn't think that sending you into floods of tears is hurting you? Yeesh, he's worse than I thought. I knew he had zero experience with women, but even so...he's excelled himself in the idiot department this time. I'm sorry, Mitsuki. I didn't realise he wasn't ready to socialise on his own yet."

Despite herself, a faint smile touched Mitsuki's lips.

"I thought you'd understand better than anyone else because you know Ukitake-kun best of all." She admitted, twisting her hands together. "He did hurt me. A lot. But I knew...when he said it...that he was lying to me. I can tell...when he does. He's bad at it, after all. And he didn't...really want me to go away. So...but...the other things he said."

She sighed.

"Those he believed." She whispered. "That he was cursed, and that he...might not live to see graduation. And to be honest, Kyouraku-kun, I'm aware of it too. That he's changing. I thought, at first, maybe he was just getting stronger. But now...you know, don't you, that he went into the river to save Hirata, even though he can't swim? Ryuu-kun said you came to check on him, even if you didn't speak to us. Something happened then. It hasn't settled back since that night and now...I don't know. It seems as though...he's more unstable. That maybe his spirit power is masking his true weakness. And he knows...more than even I'd realised. That he...might not be able to fight it off forever."

Shunsui fell silent for a moment, digesting this. Then,

"So he pushed you away, because he's afraid your healing skills will lead you to do something reckless - or because he's afraid you'll come to pity him rather than respect him." He said softly. "And idiot as he is, it's a logical conclusion for him to make. He's always been protected, after all. By people who made huge sacrifices for him to keep living. That's just proof in my mind, Mitsuki. He cares as much about you as you care for him. Because, stupid as he's been, he's trying to put a barrier between you. So that he doesn't sacrifice someone else who means something to him."

He sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"He hasn't spoken to me in that plain a way." He admitted. "So probably he hoped he wouldn't have to. He's bad at it, you know. He's open and honest about all kinds of things, but when it comes to his own mortality...not so much. He doesn't like telling people when something is worrying him. It's just something that's built into him, I think...even though it's infuriating, he probably thinks he's acting for the best. He hasn't even thought how you might feel about it."

"I don't feel sorry for him." Mitsuki said softly. "I admire him and I have from the start. He fights against the conventions and carves out his own life and future, regardless of his status or his health. He makes me realise how dependant and clingy I've been on Clan protection for a long time. So I...I've almost made up my mind that if he can do that, so can I. I can admit to being a healer and accept Retsu-sama's offer of training, even if it makes my family cross. But he overheard that, and I think, he misunderstood it. It's not because of him that I've started to think that way. It's just that because of him I've found the courage to assess my own situation and make the decisions I was afraid to make before. I am a healer, and I have to be true to myself. That's all. It's not something he's done. It's just the way I am."

"Right now, I'd quite like to bash his head against a tree or two." Shunsui admitted. "You're very forgiving, Mitsuki-chan, considering what he said to you. I know a lot of girls who wouldn't even want to speak his name again after that kind of a conversation."

"But like I said, he was somewhat lying to me." Mitsuki twisted a blade of grass idly between her fingers. "And also...when he talked about death...I felt something else. He's afraid of it, Kyouraku-kun. And that upset me most of all. He's afraid and alone and going through something he doesn't understand. But he pushed me away to protect me...and I don't know how to overcome that."

"In short, hes making you suffer, and making himself suffer more by making you suffer." Shunsui groaned. "Maybe I'll go back to the mountain and hide out in the cave a while longer. Honestly, it never rains but it pours, does it?"

"I'm sorry to bring you into it." Mitsuki looked guilty. "But I didn't want to tell anyone else what Ukitake-kun said...about his curse. I didn't think that would be right. And...and you are his friend. My friend too, I think. So I hoped...you'd understand best."

"I am your friend, Mitsuki." Shunsui offered her a grin. "His too, idiot though he is. And to be honest, there's nothing more that I'd like to see than the two of you breaking convention and doing what you choose to do. He's too dense to know, but if he likes you this much, he really should learn to capitalise."

"He doesn't think...it's possible...for someone to love him that way." Mitsuki said hopelessly. "That something...in his family records...I don't know. But that's the conclusion he's come to."

"He's said it to me before, but he's obviously wrong." Shunsui sighed. "And he's stubborn, so he'll cling onto the wrongness for a long time before he realises his mistake."

He got to his feet, pulling her up with him and fumbling at his _obi_ for a rumpled hankerchief. He handed it to her, offering her a grin as he did so.

"Here. It's a bit late, since you've already cried yourself out, but at least it's better than not at all. It is clean - if spring-washed - so you needn't worry about that."

"Thank you." Despite herself Mitsuki grinned, taking it and folding it between her fingers as she carefully dried her eyes. "You're a kind person too, Kyouraku-kun. You just like to tease people more than Ukitake-kun does. Maybe if you didn't...more people would realise how kind you are."

"That's a big compliment I'm not sure I fully deserve." Shunsui winked at her. "It's more a case that I can't leave a pretty girl crying hopelessly without trying at least to cheer her up. Even if she's a pretty girl who's in love with my dope of a good friend - old habits die hard."

He paused, then,

"I will be talking to Juu." He said more seriously. "But I think for the time being, it's better that you do as he says. Whatever is going through his mind at the moment, I'm not sure he's being entirely rational. If you're right - if his health is deteriorating - we shouldn't be complicating things for the time being. No doubt if it's to do with his spirit power, that cunning old devil Yama-jii already knows all about it, so it may well be in hand. But just in case it isn't...Mitsuki-chan, will you promise to leave it in my hands?"

Mitsuki hesitated for a moment, then, slowly, she nodded her head.

"More than anyone else, I think Ukitake-kun trusts you." She admitted. "So...all right. I will. But please...if you can...tell him that I'm not here to feel sorry for him. In comparison to him, I'm the weak and feeble one after all. Even knowing what he goes through...I couldn't."

"I'll do my best." Shunsui reached across to ruffle her dark hair. "So try not to worry. Clean yourself up and go back to camp. I'll tell Sora and Naoko that it was something specific relating to me and some private matter of my own, so they won't ask questions or jump on Juu about upsetting you. Leave things with me, and I'll deal with them somehow. Even if I have to batter sense into him personally."

"But you said...that we shouldn't..."

"I said we shouldn't complicate things. Not that I shouldn't give him a good whack with my _asauchi _and see if it kickstarts his common sense reflex." Shunsui said acidly. "But for now I'm hungry, and want my breakfast. And, people will be wondering where we are and what we're doing. So for now, we'll go back to the others. And, for now, try to act like everything is as it was before."

"I'll try." Mitsuki took a deep breath into her lungs. "Ukitake-kun isn't by the spring any longer, so I...I'll go and clean myself up. Thank you, Kyouraku-kun. You've helped...having someone to talk to helped."

"Well, try not to break your heart too much." Shunsui eyed her affectionately. "In Juu-speak, this is tantamount to a confession of love, after all. He's too stupid to see it, but it's pretty clear to me either way. Don't take it personally. He doesn't mean to be such a clumsy oaf."

Mitsuki offered him another faint smile, then she was gone, and Shunsui let his breath out in a rush, muttering as many curses as he could think of under his breath as he remembered the pained look in the younger girl's eyes.

_  
Mitsuki's sensitive, Juu - you really are stupid. Yet even so, she's willing to forgive you and worry about you. A girl who loves you that much and you can't even see it..._

He rubbed his temples, as for the briefest of instants, Saku crossed his mind.

_You really have no idea what you have and you won't know until it's not there, at this rate. Clan or District - that's irrelevant. What matters is much more than that. And if you are as sick as all that...if you are trying to patch yourself up somehow on your own...how can anyone call you even vaguely intelligent, when you do things like that?_

He set off up the pathway towards the camp, but as he drew closer, he paused, sensing out exactly where his friend was. As he did so, he realised that Mitsuki's appraisal had been right.

_Raw and dark, just like it was the night you faced down that Hollow and saved my life. The night you did damage to yourself and the night I first realised you had more than just a nagging cough holding you back. You're being reckless, Juu. Your life is more precious than that - why do you never realise that there are people who are going to care about you whether you want them to or not?_

"Kyouraku!" As he crossed the threshold of the camp, Kazoe descended on him, and he smiled sheepishly, bowing his head in apology towards the teacher.

"Where have you been? Your squad have been waiting for you." Kazoe demanded, and Shunsui shot him a rueful look.

"I'm sorry, Sensei. Please don't punish them for it. It was a whim of mine I had to follow up, and now it's done so I'm here." He said, somewhat confusingly. "It was...not a squad matter. But it's over now. I didn't mean to cause any inconvenience."

Kazoe eyed him for a moment, then sighed, shaking his head in defeat.

"You're lucky that Katai has a competent Vice Captain, or else we'd probably grade all of you down for it." He said warningly. "As it is, this time, I'll let you off. Go get your breakfast. Afterwards, we'll hear your reports."

"Yes, Sensei." Shunsui inclined his head again, then hurried off towards the mess tent, slipping in through the flap and moving to help himself to the bland, simple rice porridge that made up their morning meal. As he did so, his gaze flitted across the tent, taking in Juushirou with a pensive look on his face.

The District boy was pushing his spoon absently from one side of his bowl to the other, without actually bothering to eat the contents, and at this, Shunsui frowned.

_Lovesickness, Juu? I've never seen anything else affect your appetite, no matter how sick you are. So that means your fight with Mitsuki at least made you feel bad - I should be glad about it, I suppose, but really you're just such a hopeless case._

He scooped up his bowl, making a bee-line for the empty seat opposite his white-haired friend. After so long apart, he realised Kazoe had not segregated the squads for this meal, and inwardly he was glad of it.

"Shunsui, where's Mitsuki?" Sora grabbed his sleeve as he passed and he turned, offering her a smile.

"It's all right. She went to wash her face - she's coming, don't worry. I didn't do anything to her."

"Is she all right?"

"Mm, I think so." Shunsui nodded. "But it's not something I can talk about - so we'll have to leave it at that."

He grinned at her, carefully detaching her grip with his left hand before heading across to the empty seat.

"Kyouraku-kun!" Hirata offered him a smile, and he grinned, setting his bowl down on the table with a nod.

"It's been a while, but I'm glad to see you all in one piece." He said glibly. "Figuratively speaking, at the very least."

"Figuratively?" Ryuu shot him a quizzical look. "What does that mean?"

"It means metaphorically, if not actually." Shunsui smiled at him sweetly. "I would have thought with all the books you read, Ryuu-kun, you'd know that."

"No." Ryuu snorted impatiently. "I understand the use of lexis. I was enquiring why you felt the need to say it."

"Well, to be honest, I say a lot of things without thinking about it first." Shunsui shrugged carelessly. "Most likely if there was a reason - it's long gone now."

He reached his spoon across to tap Juushirou on the hand.

"Aren't you even going to say hello, Juu-kun? I'm hurt - after almost a week apart, you don't even look up at my approach?"

"Shunsui?" Juushirou looked startled, then a sheepish grin crossed his tired features. "I'm sorry. Last night was...a bit crazy. I didn't get much sleep, all in all, so I'm out of it this morning."

"Mm." Shunsui frowned, registering that his friend's expression did not reach his hazel eyes. Then he nodded his head.

"After breakfast, then, I'd like to talk to you." He said simply. "If you don't mind - just us, before we get into reporting. Okay?"

"Just us?" Juushirou looked startled, then wary, and Shunsui nodded.

"Just us." He agreed. "So finish up as quick as you can and I'll see you outside."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_Angst Juu alert! Angst Juu alert! (pats him)._


	17. Coup D'Etat

**Chapter Sixteen: Coup D'Etat**

The first indication Shikiki had had that this was to be a night like no other night was the faint amber glow that had dotted the horizon.

Perched up on the branches of her favourite tree, she had sat there to watch the sun set, the remains of an apple core between her sticky fingers as she kicked her chubby legs idly against the bark of the trunk below. It had been a good day, all in all, for she had gone to the market in the neighbouring town to pick up a few things for Daisuke, and one of the local traders had recognised her, asking her how she was and giving her two extra apples for her trouble in the hot sun. She liked days that she went to market, for it was a chance to leave the impoverished, half-abandoned hamlet and venture out into a more normal world beyond. Yet even though she was young, she was not stupid. She knew that, no matter how many times she went there, she was not like the other people who traded and shopped at the market. She was a child and they accepted her - but one day, as Keitarou had often told her, they would not.

One day, she would be a target, just like her parents had been before her.

She tossed the apple core into the nearby ditch, scrambling down from the tree and dropping onto the grass with a more graceful landing than one of her bulky physique might be expected to manage. Though she had been teased before about her stocky frame and unconventional appearance, she had never really let it bother her too much. Keitarou had told her she was special, after all. And to Shikiki, that mattered more than anything. Keitarou and Daisuke both cared for her. So long as she had them, her life was fine.

The amber glow was getting closer.

Shikiki squinted into the blackness, trying to make out the haze of dark shapes that surrounded it. It had a sort of prettiness in the darkened horizon, yet somehow she felt uneasy and she nodded purposefully to herself, turning on her heel and hurrying back towards the small hut that she and Daisuke had called 'home' since he had become her unofficial guardian.

"Dai-nii! Dai-nii, are you here?"

Pushing back the flap of fabric that acted as a makeshift door, she raised her voice, glancing anxiously around the candle-lit hovel for any sign of the older man.

"What's all the fuss about, Shikiki?" His voice from the back room comforted her, and he appeared in the doorway, a strange sight now with his hair blacked and cut short, a stark contrast with his pale, naturally chalky complexion. Shikiki had thought that, if he changed his appearance, she would no longer recognise him. But she had soon realised that, no matter what he might do to himself, she could always recognise Daisuke's distinctive Urahara eyes, full of thought and perception as he carefully made each and every judgement. She had ultimate faith in him, because he had always managed to keep them safe.

She did not know that tonight would be the last night that this would be the case.

"There's something coming towards the village." She said now, twisting her fingers absently through a hole in the worn robe she wore and gazing at him expectantly. "It's sort of amberish and glowing like a swarm of fireflies...only I don't think that's what it is. I don't know where it's come from, but it seemed...strange to me, so I thought I'd come and tell you. You know everything after all, Dai-nii. You'd know what it was."

"An amber glow?" Daisuke's expression became one of concern and he crossed the chamber quickly, poking his head out into the night beyond. As he did so, Shikiki heard him mutter a curse, then hurriedly pull his head back inside, turning to face her with the look of a hunted animal in those distinctive eyes.

"Shikiki, listen to me." He said, his tones urgent and suddenly lacking in any of his usual measured calm. "That wasn't fireflies or any kind of magic glow. That was soldiers bringing fire, and they're coming here, now. They may be looking for me - almost certainly they've had a tip that Urahara have been sighted in this vicinity. It might become very dangerous, so I want you to do exactly as I say."

"Soldiers?" Fear surged in Shikiki's young heart, and she gripped hold of Daisuke's arm instinctively. "But why? What do they want? Why would they want to hurt you? Dai-nii, what's going to happen? Why would they come here - what do they think you've done?"

"I'm an Urahara. That's enough." Daisuke said bitterly. "You heard Keitarou, didn't you? We're being hunted, every last one of us. Hunted, tortured and put to death simply because we were born in another land and brought our own ideas with us when we left. You know it, Shikiki. The government of this District are evil and unreasonable. They kill without compunction and they would slit even a child's throat if they thought it was worth their time and effort. That is why you must listen to me. Understand? Listen very carefully. I don't have time to repeat it over and over again."

Terror flickered in Shikiki's eyes and she nodded, her gaze never leaving his pale face.

"Whatever happens - even if something happens to me - you're to stay here." He said softly. "No matter what. You understand? You must not be seen with me, and you must not leave this place. I want you to take a blanket and go and hide yourself away in the back room, under the desk in the little alcove like Keitarou told you. No matter what noises you hear or how frightened you are...you're not to let yourself be seen."

"But...what will...you do?"

"Go out and try and protect the village." Daisuke said grimly. "Because this is the only place Keitarou knows to find us, and the place he entrusted with me to keep you safe from harm. Don't waste your time worrying about me, Shikiki. Do as you're told and wait in the alcove. When it's over, I'll come back to find you. Unless it's my voice, don't come out. Understood?"

"Y...yes, Dai-nii." Shikiki was terrified now, as from outside the house somewhere she heard a tremendous crash followed by the sound of screams. She could smell the burning wood on the wind now, as it trickled in through gaps and crevasses, and she swallowed hard, trying to control the panic inside of her young heart. As Daisuke flung a blanket her way, she grabbed hold of it, clutching it so hard her tiny knuckles went white.

"Go!" He urged her, and thus bidden, Shikiki fled into the hovel's tiny back room, crawling underneath the delapidated desk and squeezing her plump form into the gap between the wood and the wall, just as Keitarou had shown her. Covering herself with the blanket, she huddled against the wall, shaking with fear as she heard more crashes and cries from the streets outside.

The swish of the fabric flap told her that Daisuke had charged out into the action now, and she closed her eyes, muttering an unintelligible mixture of prayer fragments that she had picked up from her long deceased mother's habit of casting blessings before beginning each meal. She did not understand the words she was mouthing, yet somehow focusing on that kept her from screaming and crying out for Daisuke to come and rescue her. Never before had she realised quite so keenly how dangerous her position was. And never before had she wished quite so hard that Keitarou would come and save them from the disaster unfolding outside.

The sound of footsteps outside the door made her freeze, heart in her throat as she heard the fabric door being ripped away and then the heavy thuds of boots across the wooden floor as their tiny abode was ransacked and torn to pieces.

They were looking for something.

Shikiki swallowed hard.

Were they looking for her? Would they..._find_ her?

"What the...?" One of the men was clearly annoyed, his accent thick with the local dialect and Shikiki realised with a jolt of horror that he was probably a local who had grown up in the same world as she had, yet now willing to see it torn to shreds in the name of some official order. "There's nothing here. Nothing at all. Just another peasant hovel. What a waste."

"Well, they'd be fools to hide anything in a place like this. No door, let alone locks." Another man put in gruffly. "Torch it anyway. Send them a message. Protecting the Urahara is treason. They'll learn it soon enough."

"They got away before us." Shikiki heard the sound of a wood torch being thrown against the wall of the house, and fresh fear crashed over her as she realised they had just set fire to her home. "Damn them. It's as though they have inside information - crafty creatures, the lot of 'em."

"They're Urahara, ain't they?" That was the first man again. "What d'you expect?"

Garou! Garou, Fukutaichou wants you!" A fresh voice yelled out. "They've arrested someone at the perimeter - he says get your ass out here and lend a hand!"

"Arrested?"

"Better get a move on - we let another one escape an' it'll be demotion for all of us."

"Damn Shinigami, orderin' us around on our own turf because the Lord decided t'send them out huntin' people instead of Hollow souls."

"Shut your lip, else Shouichi-sama'll have you in his dungeons instead. Fukutaichou's orders are law. He's Shouichi-sama's representative, after all. Shinigami or not, he's a ranked Endou officer an' we got our orders. This is pra'tically a Council order, after all. Them Urahara are traitor exiles, right? We're doin' the whole o' Seireitei a favour in whippin' their asses into custody. That's why Shouichi-sama deployed Seventh Squad. Because they're outlaws from the bigwig Council. We get involved an' help, can only mean promotions for the likes of us, right? We mightn't swing pretty Shinigami swords, but we can do our job all the same!"

"Guess so. All right. Shift out of the way. We're going."

There was a commotion, and Shikiki was aware of more thudding steps as the men abandoned her burning world, heading back out into the night sky in search of new prey. All around her, she could smell the choking acrid smoke that seeped and poured through the building, and as she lowered the blanket just a fraction, she could see the glow of flames licking hungrily at the thin divide that separated her from the other chamber.

_Shini...gami? _

She huddled closer to the edge of the desk as a warm draft blew suddenly in her direction.

The fire was coming.

_But Dai-nii told me to stay here. No matter what, I have to stay here._

Despite her panic, Shikiki clenched her fists, screwing up her eyes as she willed the fire to go away. Still muttering the strange, broken fragments of her mother's prayers, she wrapped her arms around her own body protectively, tears spilling down her cheeks as she fought and fought against the urge to call out. They couldn't find her. They _mustn't_ find her. Daisuke would come back for her. She had to believe that. And she would not move. She would do as she was told...she would stay where he had told her, so when he came, he would know where to look.

As the fire lapped across the rough wood floorboards towards the desk, Shikiki took a shaking breath of smoky air into her lungs, willing herself to stay calm.

She was going to do as she was told.

She was going to obey, _no matter what_!

At that moment, a haze of energy swelled up from her body, pushing out against the rotten wood of the now-burning desk and shattering it into splinters. As Shikiki hardened her resolve, so the pinkish haze that surrounded her became more and more stable, holding a bubble of air and space between her and the fire that had in a matter of a few moments consumed the place she had called her home. As the timbers burned to ash and collapsed around her, all she could focus on was that will to survive - that will to wait for Daisuke to come back for her, and that belief that, somehow, he would do so.

It seemed like forever before the world around her went silent, and for a long time she did not move, afraid to shatter the barrier that she had instinctively thrown up around her body to protect her from the greedy flames. It was dark, now, the fire having burnt itself out in the cool night breeze, and as she cautiously opened her eyes one by one, she realised that she was all but buried in the ash and charcoal that were all that remained of her home.

Nobody else seemed to be around, and mindful of Daisuke's final order, she did not attempt to dig herself out, instead peering out fearfully into the surrounding atmosphere as she tried to make out anything in the wasteland that looked vaguely familiar.

There was nothing, but as her gaze flitted towards what had once been the village gate, she made out the vague silhouettes of two individuals, flanked in the moonlight. One was a stranger, tall and dressed in the flowing black _shihakushou_ of the shinigami that she had heard both Keitarou and Daisuke discussing on previous occasions. On his right arm glittered a silver badge, and Shikiki could just make out the Endou crest and the number 'seven' emblazoned on its polished surface.

The other individual was quite different, his body limp and unresisting against the binding grip of the shinigami's unknown restraining technique. Shikiki could not see his face, but even so, she knew who he was, and terror stabbed her heart a second time.

_Dai-nii!_

Her heart screamed out the name, even though her vocal chords would not form the words. Then, in a blur of speed and light, they were both gone, and Shikiki was left alone amid the ash.

* * *

"So what, exactly, did you want to talk about?"

As Juushirou and Shunsui slipped away from the mess tent and down into the trees beyond, Juushirou cast his friend a quizzical, searching look. "I realise we've been in separate places for the best part of a week, but surely you're not so keen to exchange news that it can't wait till we give our reports? We'll be late if we're not careful - and you were already late back to the camp once this morning. Katai's grades will rely on you too, you know."

"I know, and I intend to be back in good time." Shunsui nodded, slipping his hands into his _obi_. "But right now something else is pressing on me. And even if you yell at me, that's okay. But I'd like you to try and yell truthfully, if you don't mind. It'll make things easier, after all."

"The truth? The truth about what?" Juushirou was trying to keep his tones level, but Shunsui could already feel the tension prickling at his friend's aura and he sighed, clapping a friendly arm against his companion's back.

"I'm not some kind of inquisition. I'm supposedly your friend." He said evenly. "But listen. Because of that, I want to find things out from you, not other people. I'm not going to ask if you're all right - for a start, I know you're not, and for a second thing, you'll just tell me that you are, so it's a pointless exercise. But I _am _going to ask you about Mitsuki. Or rather, ask you why you're such an idiot as to make a pretty girl cry."

There was silence, and for a moment, Shunsui felt sure that his companion was going to shout at him. Then Juushirou let out a heavy sigh, dropping down onto the grass and flopping back onto the ground.

At this unexpected reaction, Shunsui stared down at him for a moment, then grinned, sinking to his knees at his classmate's side.

"Well, that wasn't quite the reply I thought I'd get." He said unnecessarily. "Mind putting it into normal speak, so I can understand it as well?"

"I don't really want to talk about Edogawa-san, Shunsui."

Juushirou's words were soft, but weary, not angry, as though he had already fought the matter out with himself and lost before Shunsui had even begun to ask questions. "I know what you think and I know you're probably right on all levels, because you usually are. But even if you are, I don't want to hear it. Just let it alone for me, will you? I don't want to discuss it."

"If we don't discuss it, you can't know what I think." Shunsui said sensibly. "And there's no need to be so melodramatic, either. I'm not necessarily right. Bu-u-ut I'm not necessarily wrong, either. And while I want to respect you have a right to do things your way...I don't like seeing a pretty girl like that crying her heart out."

Juushirou flinched, closing his eyes, and to Shunsui's surprise, he thought he saw the faintest glitter of dampness on his friend's lashes, too.

"She cried because I hurt her feelings." At length Juushirou spoke, making no attempt to meet Shunsui's gaze. "And I did - I know I did. I'm not as foolish as all of that. But I had to. It was too risky. I couldn't...not when..."

"You found out she was in love with you, and it scared you half to death?" Shunsui suggested, and Juushirou's eyes snapped open at this as the boy hauled himself into a sitting position, gazing at Shunsui in dismay.

"You knew that already?"

"Haven't I teased you about it enough? I'm sure I have - Juu, do you just not listen to the things I say?"

"You tease me all the time, though." Juushirou objected. "I never for one minute thought you were serious!"

"Well, I was." Shunsui dropped his light tone, looking grave. "And she was too, Juu-kun. Mitsuki's in love with you. Really in love - not whatever you've mistaken it to be. I've seen it, after all - how girls are, when they feel like that. She feels it. She loves you. And even though you hurt her badly this morning, she still wants to help you."

There was silence, and Shunsui sighed.

"Whether you believe it or not is up to you - but it doesn't change it either way."

"Whether she thinks she is or not, she's better off not following it any further." Juushirou said bluntly. "_You_ should know better than anyone that Clan and District doesn't work. And besides, I'm not...like other people. And..."

"You're worried that your health is getting worse, so you don't want her to be worrying about you too." Shunsui supplemented easily. "Yes. If it wasn't so dolt-brained, it'd almost be romantic."

Juushirou eyed him warily.

"If you know everything, why are you asking me questions?" He demanded, a faint edge to his tone, and Shunsui sighed.

"Because I don't think you're the kind of person who makes someone cry on purpose." He admitted. "And I do think that you're not being honest with yourself or with Mitsuki about your feelings. But I'm not going to try and patch it up between the two of you. I've heard her side. I've calmed her down. And now I'm talking to you, too. It's something that isn't my business - what concerns me more is this business of you pushing her away because you're worried about your own health. And it's not the first time this term, but now your reiatsu feels more all over the place than it usually does. Are you having trouble, holding it back?"

Juushirou groaned, running his fingers through his messy white hair.

"Some of the time I feel stronger than I've felt in ages." He acknowledged. "But...I suppose so. It's all right, though. I think, anyway. I mean, nothing is ever certain with a body and condition like mine, but...but I don't think I'm quite out of options yet. I just...need to think about things. And Edogawa-san..."

He sighed.

"When Mother died, she gave me all her strength." He murmured. "And it calmed storms...storms that ran through the sky on the night I was born. Last night there was a storm over Toutai's camp, Shunsui. I don't know whether it was coincidence or if it wasn't...but there was a storm in my dream. And also...I saw her in it, too."

"Mitsuki-chan?" Shunsui was startled, and Juushirou shook his head impatiently.

"No! My mother. Hahaue." He said frankly. "But only for a moment. Then she was gone, and the storm came. Then Ryuu was waking me to tell me that lightning had struck the forest somewhere and we had to evacuate. It may have been coincidence, but I...I don't know any more. The storm is what Mother calmed inside of me, but it feels like maybe it's coming back little by little to take control again."

"You really think you can do something like that?" Despite himself, Shunsui was alarmed. "In your sleep, without trying...just like that?"

"I did it when I was born. Kamikura-sensei was absolutely sure that that's what my Father had told him." Juushirou nodded slowly. "So if I could do it then, when I was too young to know anything, surely...maybe..."

"You could do it again now." Shunsui frowned. "I see. No wonder you didn't sleep last night. Your conscience already does double-overtime, and if you're consciously trying not to let yourself slip..."

"I don't want to dream if that can happen." Juushirou agreed. He sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it. "To be honest...I'm glad to be back at base camp."

"Being a Captain isn't easy." Shunsui acknowledged. "Especially with all of that going on as well."

"Ryuu-kun's been the best Vice Captain I could've asked for, but I feel I've put burdens on him too." Juushirou admitted. "Especially after Hirata and I went for an impromptu swim in the river. I overdid it and fainted - he had to take charge until I recovered and I feel bad that I did something reckless that rebounded on him and the others. Even though Sensei told me about it - it seems I'm still doing it even now."

"It's part of your charm. Ryuu-kun is tough. I'm sure he handled it fine." Shunsui assured him, and Juushirou nodded.

"Yes." He said doubtfully. "But there's still the matter of the storm. And if it cost Mother her life to suppress it the last time...I don't intend on sacrificing anyone else, Shunsui. This is my battle and my spirit power. But if I let Edogawa-san too close...I worry that..."

"She'll use her healing power recklessly and wind up being hurt herself." Shunsui nodded. "I know. It does make sense. I just think...you confuse, sometimes, friendship and support for life and death decisions. I understand why...your life isn't exactly the same as anyone else's and you've dealt with those big issues since you were small. But not everything rotates around your _haibyou_. You shouldn't assume that it does."

"Is that what I'm doing?" Juushirou looked surprised, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Seems it. You're fixating, anyhow." He said levelly. "But you're missing a couple of important points. One - you're stronger now than you were when you were a baby. That's beyond doubt. And two..."

He paused, then grinned.

"You worry about Mitsuki, and fine, you think you can push her away." He added. "But you can't have quite the same luck with me. I'm thick skinned, you see. And I'm not in love with you, so I'm not going to cry if you tell me to leave you alone. I don't intend on letting you kill yourself, Juu-kun. I can't imagine that you're going to let yourself die that easily, either."

Juushirou sighed, shaking his head.

"It's not really on my agenda. No." He owned. "I'm sorry, Shunsui. I put you in a difficult position. I didn't mean you to end up dealing with Edogawa-san...but I should have known...she'd come to you if it was about me."

"It's all right. Mitsuki-chan is my friend as well as yours, and I'm happy to support her if she needs a friendly shoulder to cry on." Shunsui assured him. "But Juu...whatever your reasons for saying and doing what you have, maybe you should think about them. Nobody wants you to isolate yourself or be on your own. If things are going on, you have to trust us to stick with you. All of us. You know?"

"Yes, I know, but Edogawa-san is..."

"Someone you care about, in a way that's different from the rest of us?"

"Will you stop finishing my sentences for me?" Juushirou demanded, and as he did so, Shunsui felt a sudden chill in the air as a prickle of something darted through the atmosphere. He frowned, slowly shaking his head.

"Calm down, Juu. I mean it. Whatever the situation, you're obviously not going to help yourself if you can't keep your temper or your _reiryoku_ under proper wraps."

"It's been like it once before." Juushirou murmured, gazing at his hands pensively as he did so. "When I was sick, after Father died. When Chihiro came to chide me into seeing sense. My spirit power pushed her away from me, physically. It could've hurt her - and I think maybe it could do so to someone again. I'm sorry, Shunsui. I..."

"Stop saying sorry. It's starting to get repetitive." Shunsui stood, pausing for a moment and then hauling his friend to his feet. "I get it. Okay? You're sorry. So let's move on to the next point, which is what are you going to do about this overkill spirit surge of yours?"

"I...don't know." Juushirou admitted. "Talking to Edogawa-san unsettled me, so that's part of the reason its flaring like it is now. It will be all right. Just with other things on my mind, it's harder to keep focus. It feels a bit like when I first started to recover from Father's death and my ill health then. That I had to relearn all my own instincts to be able to carry on normally."

"But you're not coughing up blood. That has to be a good thing, right?" Shunsui pointed out, and Juushirou nodded.

"Yes. I suppose so." He agreed, but there was a note of doubt in his voice. "In any case, we should get back. The squads have to assemble, and Kira has to report from memory since the fire burnt our log to cinders. I want to be able to prompt him if need be."

"All right." Shunsui agreed. "We'll do that. But do think about it. Properly, I mean. What you're going to do."

"I will." Juushirou nodded. "I promise."

* * *

"Mitsuki, are you really all right?"

As the two groups filed out of the mess tent where they had spent an exhaustive two hours reporting on their past few days and answering Kazoe's searching questions about their teamwork, Sora reached out a hand to grab her friend by the arm, hauling her across the grass to the far side of Katai's tent and pulling her down onto the ground. After casting Sora a resigned glance, Naoko settled herself more gracefully across from them, and Sora turned quizzical eyes on her Kuchiki classmate, curiosity and sympathy burning in the emerald depths.

"You didn't say much, during the report, and you were so upset earlier. Did something happen, while you were camping? Only it's not like you, unless someone got hurt. And you know you can tell us anything - right?"

"Nobody got hurt." Mitsuki glanced down, picking stray bits of flower petal from her red _hakama_ as she shook her head. "And it's all right. I don't think it's easy to explain."

"But you can explain it to the class pervert?" Naoko arched an eyebrow. "Sora is right, Mitsuki. We're your friends, so if something did happen..."

"It wasn't...about that." Mitsuki sighed, raising clouded eyes to her companions. "I spoke to him only because...it was something private. Something Ukitake-kun said to me - and I can't repeat it to either of you, even if I wanted to. So please don't ask me to. I can't, that's all."

"So your being upset this morning has something to do with Juushirou?" Sora's mind was working fast. "Come to think of it, he seemed out of sorts at breakfast, too. Is he sick again? Is that what it was about? Or..."

"Sora, the girl just said we can't ask her questions." Naoko interrupted, sending Sora a warning grimace. "So don't, okay? If it's something private to do with another classmate, it's not for us to peer into."

"Thank you, Naoko-chan." Mitsuki looked relieved. "I've missed having you - both of you - this past week. It's been all right - Saitani-san is nice, and well, Ryuu-kun looked out for me all the time. But...it wasn't the same as being with you both."

"We missed you too." Sora glanced at Naoko, who rolled her eyes. "Naoko had a few run-ins with Hanako over various bits and pieces. And with Shihouin, too."

"I just reminded myself why I don't like either one of them." Naoko said frankly. "One's not much better than an assassin and the other's a whining District brat. But we survived. Somehow, we survived. Considering our Captain, I'm amazed we even found somewhere to camp - but surprisingly he didn't turn out to be such a waste of space when we were out there on our own."

"He made Hanako turn almost human." Sora grinned. "I have no clue what he said to her, but she stuck up for him a few times too. She obeyed whatever order he gave her without a comment after that - but if Shihouin did it, even if it was the same order...she had plenty to say about it."

"Probably he came on to her. Maybe she's pathetic enough or grasping enough to consider it attention." Naoko said dismissively. "I don't hate Kyouraku-kun, although I wish he'd learn appropriate social etiquette and use it for a change. But like I said - I suppose he could've made a worse Captain. At least he did bother to listen, when one of us had a complaint."

"Nao-chan had plenty of complaints to make." Sora said cheekily, and Naoko reached across to tweak her friend's hair.

"Only about things that needed saying." She said firmly. "You know that as well as I do, Sora-chan."

"Yeah, yeah." Sora poked out her tongue, and Mitsuki managed a faint smile.

"I don't think Kyouraku-kun is so bad." She said softly. "He flirts a lot and he's familiar with his terms of address. But I think he's kind, Naoko-chan."

"Please tell me you haven't started a crush on him, now?" Naoko stared, and Mitsuki hurriedly shook her head.

"No! I didn't mean like that. I meant as a friend kind of person. He's not...he teases, but he's not a nasty person."

"Mitsuki's right." Sora nodded. "He's still like my annoying brother, but even though he's annoying, he has his not so annoying moments."

"I suppose." Naoko sighed. "It's a shame, though, really. That he's like that, and Ukitake-kun..."

"What about Ukitake-kun?" Mitsuki's head shot up, and Sora frowned, eying her in surprise.

"Well, nothing, really." Naoko shrugged. "I like him. He's polite, he's friendly, and he doesn't give off the impression he's going to grope you if you pass him in the hall. But even so, he's District born...even if he has good manners, that's still going to hold him back."

"I don't know. Juushirou's pretty resilient." Sora pursed her lips. "I think he's already made an impact here, so I can't see him not making one in other places, too. He's as you say, after all. He has that way with him. I think he'll break that barrier down, Naoko-chan. I just have a feeling that he will."

"Some Clans will probably accept him on merit, but many individuals might not." Naoko warned. "_I'm _not prejudicing against him - but even so, that's how it will be."

She glanced at Mitsuki.

"I wish most of all that _you'd_ understand that." She said regretfully. "Because I worry that it'll get you hurt in the long run, if you keep having feelings for someone born so far beneath you."

"Ukitake-kun isn't beneath me!" Mitsuki flared up at this, and Sora stared at her, eyes wide at the sudden and uncharacteristic shift in her friend's demeanour.

"Woah, girl, calm down!" She exclaimed, holding up her hands as a mock gesture of peace. "Naoko's only making an observation. It's not that either of us look down on Juushirou - it's just, with your being Kuchiki and all..."

She trailed off, and Mitsuki sighed, shaking her head.

"Neither one of you understand." She said flatly. "That it's not like that. It's not about that with me. I don't think of Ukitake-kun as any way different from me, even though I'm Kuchiki. So is he, if you listen to Ryuu-kun talk. He has Kuchiki blood too. And he's kind and I like him - so what's wrong with that?"

"Mitsuki..." Even Naoko was taken aback now, but Mitsuki hadn't finished.

"I don't think it's right that because people think like that, they won't realise what kind of person he really is." She continued. "It's not fair and I hate it. I hate how the Clans look down on people who don't fit their guidelines. I hate it!"

"Now I know something's definitely happened." Sora cast Naoko a glance, and Naoko nodded.

"Something between you and Ukitake-kun?" She asked softly, and Mitsuki hesitated, then slowly shook her head.

"Ukitake-kun doesn't feel like that about me. Me, or any other girl." She said softly, and Sora picked up the wistful note in her friend's tones. "He's made that perfectly clear, Naoko-chan. It's nothing like that so you needn't worry. I haven't done anything inappropriate and neither...neither has he."

"Juushirou doesn't like girls?" Sora's eyebrows shot up. "You mean...are you saying that he...you know...that he likes..."

"No!" Mitsuki shook her head, uncharacteristic impatience making the normally gentle eyes unusually stormy. "No, I don't mean like that. Just, because he's always ill, he doesn't want to be a burden on people. So he doesn't want to get involved with girls in that way - he never has, because he doesn't want to hurt them. So you're both completely wrong if you think anything otherwise. He's just...just someone I care about, that's all. Aren't I allowed to care about people, or does being Clan forbid that too now?"

Naoko sighed.

"My Clan and Sora's Clan would probably overlook it, especially if Ukitake-kun graduated and made it into the Gotei. They're not so socially strict in a lot of ways." She said quietly. "But we're not talking about our Clans, Mitsuki. We're talking about _your _Clan. And if you say that about Ukitake-kun, well, I believe you and it's a relief too, to be honest. But neither of us want to see you get hurt. And what our families might come to deal with...yours..."

"I might not be a Kuchiki very much longer, in any case." Mitsuki said frankly, and Naoko faltered, staring at her as if she had lost her head.

"Not be a..." She whispered, and Mitsuki nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Sora was as bemused as Naoko. "Mitsuki, what kind of silly idea..."

"It's not silly." Mitsuki sighed, toying with the ends of her long dark braid as she did so. "It's not about anything here - or anyone in class, District or Clan or anything else. It's about me and the way I am. The fact I'm a healer, and that isn't going to change."

Sora frowned, as realisation crossed her senses.

"You're going to speak to Unohana-sensei about being trained specially, aren't you?" She murmured. "Even though your Father isn't entirely behind it and Guren-sama...well, he's not necessarily going to like it, either."

"Yes." Mitsuki agreed. "I've decided. I decided during camp. I can't be a half-hearted swordswoman and I'm not a true Kuchiki. But if I deny my instincts, I'll be useless in all ways instead of just at fighting. I can be a healer, after all. Retsu-sama said that I have tremendous potential and a real gift, if I work at it. That's what I want, and I think I've always wanted it. But I've been afraid, before, to stand against the Clan. Only, now..."

"Now you've found your resolve." Naoko looked thoughtful. "Did Ukitake-kun have something to do with that?"

"Not directly." Mitsuki shook her head. "In fact, he's concerned that I might make a rash decision and alienate myself from my family - he doesn't realise it's too late and I'm already alienated on the inside anyway. But I suppose, seeing him pushing on despite all that stupid prejudice...has made me more certain of what I need to do. If he can take it on, so can...so can I. And I will."

She bit her lip, and Sora could see the hesitation in her companion's gaze.

"I've never had to do anything on my own." She admitted. "So I'm scared of what will happen if Father and the Clan do reject me because of it. But you two...you won't change, will you? Ryuu-kun said he wouldn't see me any differently - you two won't, will you, if I get kicked out of the family for being a healer?"

"So that's why you're so on edge. That's why you're so upset." Naoko sighed, reaching across to slip a gentle arm around her companion's shoulder. "You silly idiot. You shouldn't get all worked up about nothing. If Retsu-sama takes you on, your family won't reject you. It'd be seen as an insult, after all, to disown a child especially chosen for favour by the head of another Clan. Retsu-sama has a lot of people who think highly of her, and there's no dishonour in you making the choice to accept her offer and become her apprentice. Your people might take a while to adjust to what you're doing - but if you're being trained by the best healer in Soul Society, I'm sure they won't push you away."

"Naoko's right. Unohana-sensei has got that kind of reputation. Plus, she was trained by Genryuusai-sensei, too, and he'd never allow anything bad to happen to one of his students." Sora added. "You shouldn't get worked up or start crying about things like that, Mi-chan. It's not as bad as you think, and besides,"

She grinned, reaching over to pat her friend on the arm.

"Naoko and I are your friends for life, no matter what." She added. "So whatever else happens, you're stuck with us on your side for keeps."

"She'll practically be an honorary Unohana, if she's singled out like that to be trained." Naoko nodded. "So stop worrying about it, all right? You silly girl. Just do what you have to do. It's not a shameful path, after all - and if the Kuchiki think it is, then Guren-sama needs his head reading."

Mitsuki let out her breath in a rush, nodding her head.

"Thank you." She murmured. "I'm glad that you're both at least on my side."

"Ukitake-kun said that about your family...so that means he isn't, is that it?" Naoko asked, and Mitsuki shrugged.

"He's...I don't think...it's that." She said falteringly, and Sora heard her friend's voice wobble once more. "I think...maybe he was just worried. I mean...his family are important to him. They're not quite like mine. Other than Father and Ryuu-kun and my Uncle...not many of the Kuchiki really acknowledge me in any case. A lot of them mock me or ignore me or just don't try and understand that I'm different. Guren-sama has never even spoken to me directly - anything he's said about it has only come to me through Father, as though I'm someone he'd rather not have anywhere near the centre of the family. I've always been on the outside - most Kuchiki _hime_ are technically betrothed long before they reach seventeen, but I'm not like other Kuchiki _hime_, so it's never happened for me. I wouldn't be giving up much...if I did end up turning away from them."

"But the protection, the security, the fact that you know where you belong...those things are harder to let go of, right?" Sora said gravely, and Mitsuki nodded.

"Yes." She agreed. "It makes me a coward, but I've never had to do anything on my own. I've always had people cook for me, clean for me, prepare my clothes...everything. Whenever I visit a place, there are always maids in attendance in case I need anything and if I'm tired, I can send for a carriage because Father will be known to all of the best people and just his name is enough."

She looked rueful.

"Coming to school was a culture shock, but even here, decisions are generally made for me." She added. "But when we were camping, Ukitake-kun and Hirata-kun had an accident in the river and I had to...well, they needed me to be able to make sure they were both all right. And they were, but I was aware...all I could do was put herbs together. I don't know any healing kidou spells and they could easily have both been much worse. I felt it, then. The helplessness of not knowing how to do anything for myself."

She sighed.

"You say that Ukitake-kun is beneath me, Naoko, but really he's miles above me." She said sadly. "He knows and understands all the things I don't - he's had to deal with realities and hardships whereas I don't even know what those words mean. Not really, anyhow. I've been spoiled and pampered and...all of the things that come with being true Kuchiki. But I envy him. I really envy him a lot. Because I think, if I'd grown up like he has...maybe...I'd know better now what path I should be taking."

"You really are in love with him, aren't you?" Sora asked softly, and Mitsuki pinkened, nodding her head.

"I am." She said resignedly. "And I've realised it more clearly as time's gone on. But he doesn't feel that way. He's made it clear he's not interested in those kinds of things and I...I don't want to burden him any more than I already do. The truth is that even if he was...if he did want to form a bond with someone, it wouldn't be someone like me anyway. It'd be someone self-sufficient and smart...not someone scared and clueless like me. Someone he didn't feel...that he'd always have to protect. Someone who was strong enough...to stay by him and not be broken down, no matter what happened. I'm not that person, so in the end, there's no way he could accept me."

"It would be extremely foolish of him to take that attitude." Naoko said archly. "And if he dares to try it, Mitsuki, you tell me, all right? I'm not going to have him making you feel like that, when you're a true Kuchiki and his bloodline is broken and indistinct."

"Juushirou's not that kind of person either, Naoko." Sora reflected. "But in a way, Mitsuki's right. Especially while we're here - all of us are being taught as equals, so we are...well...equals. And one day, we might fight alongside one another in Gotei squads, so then...then we'll be equals, too. Or ranked. It won't be all to do with bloodline then. So...what we can do...is going to be as important as what our names are or what families we come from. And when you start looking at things like that...Juushirou isn't going to look out of place. There are a lot of Clan people who are going to struggle to keep up with him, when that day comes."

"But it hasn't come yet, and may be more difficult to reach than you and your optimistic Shiba brain might think." Naoko shot her an affectionate smile. "Kyouki-sama is very enthusiastic about District potential and I know you feel that way too. But the realities of it might not be so clear-cut. Not all of the Eight Clans view things the way yours do, after all."

"Well, maybe they should." Sora was undeterred. "They might find it works to their benefit, in the end."

"I agree with Sora." Mitsuki stretched her hands over her head. "I never thought about it till I came to the Academy, but now I think about it a lot. How many people there must be out there...people like Ukitake-kun and Kira-kun - who could make a difference in our world. How many people there might have already been, only nobody let them. Genryuusai-sensei really is amazing, isn't he? When you look at it that way. To take on the task and risk angering the Clans in order to find those people."

"You girls do know that this isn't a picnic?" At that moment Kai descended on them, casting Naoko and Sora an irritated glance as he gestured for them to get to their feet. "We're meant to be in squad formation by the trees - Katai on the left and Toutai on the right, because we're being inspected and then assigned new orders. I don't care if you haven't gossiped for a week - now is not the time to start."

"Shihouin, you..." Naoko began, but Sora held up her hands, offering Mitsuki a rueful grimace.

"Sorry, Mi-chan. I guess that's us done playing truant. Okay, Fukutaichou. We're coming."

"I'll come with you. It's the same meeting place, after all." Mitsuki said with a shrug as they began to make their way back to the designated point. "I'm sorry, Shihouin-kun. It's my fault, really - Sora and Naoko were just concerned about me, but I'm all right now."

"Good, because Kuchiki's looking for you." Kai said frankly. "He wouldn't tell _me_ so - but I think he was worried too."

"Mitsuki! Where have you been?" Ryuu himself approached them at that moment. "You're the last one...where did you get to? We're meant to stay in squads - why are you with these Katai people?"

"It's fine, Kuchiki. You can have her back now." Sora said playfully, giving Mitsuki a little push in her cousin's direction. "She's present and correct, so it's all all right, isn't it?"

"I suppose so." Ryuu cast Kai a wary look, then shrugged. "Well, we're here, and Kazoe-soutaichou hasn't begun his inspection yet, so I imagine it will be all right."

As he led Mitsuki across the grass to her waiting squad, Naoko rolled her eyes.

"I'm not sure which of you is worse, Shihouin. Him or you." She said flatly. "Neither one of you have any idea of how to treat the opposite sex."

"It depends entirely on the member." Kai returned neatly. "Now shut up and get where you should be, else Katai will be docked marks and Kyouraku already said that he'd leave disciplining late squad members to me."

He grinned at her evilly.

"And so long as we are in squads, I _will _obey my Captain's orders." He added, tapping her leg lightly with his sheathed _asauchi._ "So stop arguing and get in line."

As the students hurried to get into position for the Kidou sensei's impromptu inspection, there was a loud crash from somewhere in the distance, and Sora heard Kai's sudden intake of breath. She turned, seeing the same consternation mirrored on Shunsui's lazy features, and for some reason, a sense of deep dread began to stir in her heart.

"What the..." She murmured. "Shihouin? Shunsui? What is it? What's happening!"

"Something...from that direction. Something foreign and heavy...something that shouldn't be there." Shunsui said slowly. "Can't you feel it, Sora? It's already got the hairs tingling on the back of my neck."

"Mine too, though I was hoping I was imagining it." Sora admitted. "But what is it?"

"It could be a dummy hollow. It might be...a training exercise." Kai's right hand had closed around the hilt of his _asauchi_ almost immediately. "But...I don't know. Kyouraku, what do you think?"

Before Shunsui could respond, however, there was a second tremendous crash and the sound of splintering trees as the ground shook beneath their feet. Hanako let out a yell, and Sora found her own vocal chords choked with fear as for the first time she saw the cause of the disturbance - the beady, glittering eyes set deep into the broad skeletal features, and the undulating, segmented form divided by what seemed like thousands of thin, spindly legs as it nosed its way ever closer to the students.

A caterpillar Hollow.  
_  
It's a dummy. It has to be a dummy._

Inwardly Sora found herself repeating those words, yet somehow she knew that it was not. That somehow, despite all of the hard work the teachers had put in on finding them a safe zone, they were now in very grave danger indeed.

From the Toutai line, she heard Kamitani say,

"Another dummy Hollow? Is that part of our next test, then?"

But it was Juushirou who finally put Sora's own deepest fears into plain words as he slowly shook his head.

"A Hollow." He murmured, then, with genuine fear in his voice. "That's no dummy - its a real Hollow!"

* * *

**_Author's note._**

_O.o 150 reviews already! *faints*_

_Thank you people. Minna ga daisuki :)_

_*dishes out cookies*  
_


	18. An Unlikely Leader

**Chapter Seventeen: An Unlikely Leader**

As the students stood stock still in horror, the invading creature threw back its head, emitting a terrifying, earth-shattering scream that seemed to vibrate through all of the surrounding area and echo though to the very core of each person's soul. Rippling its way into the campsite, its long, bone-thin legs trampled down the roof of Katai's tent as though it was no more than a pebble underfoot, and it let out another screech, turning its beady, glittering eyes towards the terror-struck Academy students.

For Juushirou, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.

He had known before it had even appeared that the sensation coursing through his wits was not the same as the dummy hollow they had fought only a week or so before. That had seemed frightening then, but now, with that memory still fresh in his mind, he could feel the difference - the darkness of aura was the same, but the underlying desire to destroy and kill was not. This beast was tormented and suffering, twisted by some terrible event somewhere in its past. The contrast was elementary, yet in his haze of shock and fear, he could not even process this newly acquired level of understanding.

All he knew was that it was there, and that more than anything he wanted to run away from it.

His companions were frightened too, he could sense it in their auras, and somehow he knew that their distress was heightening his own all the more. The atmosphere was prickling with tension, and in an instant he was back home, among the trees, waiting for his Father to come and save him.

"How did it get in here?" He heard Chiyoko's low whisper, and then, just as fearful, Aki's murmured reply.

"Sensei cast a barrier - how could it get through that?"

"Sensei? Where is Sensei?" Kira exclaimed, and then,

"Wherever he is, we need to not panic." Shunsui's voice cut through everyone else's rising hysteria, and somehow his voice was steady. Juushirou, half-ready to panic himself clung to this sudden, surprising anchor, forcing himself to keep a grip on his sanity as he listened to his friend's words.

"We need to keep together...not run off into the forest else it will just chase us. We can't beat it...so we have to get help. And until we have help..."

"We need to hold it off." Ryuu now joined in, his hands already flickering with white light. "We have Kidou. If we all fired...maybe we could push it back."

"Not all of us can do Kidou well." Enishi said apprehensively. "What if it doesn't work? Don't Hollows follow spirit power? In that case...?"

"In that case, we haven't any choice." Juushirou forced himself out of his daze, flexing his own fingers as he tried to remember the words to the spells he had been casting since the first year. "And Hirata should go and find Sensei. He's quick and he can hide better."

"Sending one person off alone, even one with Hirata's skill...that would be dangerous for him." Shunsui frowned, and Juushirou glanced at Hirata, who met his gaze apprehensively.

"If you want me to, I'll go." He said softly, but Juushirou slowly shook his head.

"No. Shunsui's right. I should have realised that much for myself." he admitted, berating his murky judgement as he did so. "Stay here, Hirata. Kazoe-sensei should be able to sense the Hollow, in any case. He'll come here...and in the meantime..."

"We should all drop our reiatsu as much as we can." Shunsui cast Juushirou a quizzical look, and Juushirou nodded.

"Yes." He said grimly. "We should."  
_  
If I even can. But I have to at least try._

"But...but..." Kira was visibly shaking, and Ryuu frowned, reaching across and tapping him smartly across the back of the head.

"Your Captain just approved an order." He said sharply, and Juushirou could tell that his friend was just as afraid, even though he was trying not to show it. "Do as you're told. We don't have time for dissenters, so unless you want to be eaten..."

"As many people as can fire _Shakkahou_, that's what we'll do." Shunsui raised his hands. "Juu, are you all right with that? We can't destroy it - but if we can delay it long enough..."

Juushirou lifted his own hands, nodding his head.

"I'm ready." He said evenly. "Toutai, everyone who can, fire. Everyone who can't, get back behind those who can. Don't hold back. This is not a practice. This is...this is real."

And with that he closed his eyes, allowing the words of the spell to flow through him as he felt his raw, jagged reiatsu surge to the surface. As he completed the incantation, he felt the blaze of hot red energy surge from his fingers, burning them from the inside out as the cannonball of spectral fire seared through the air towards the looming Hollow. All around him, he could feel similar flares from his classmates - from Shunsui and Ryuu's perfectly controlled power blasts to Hirata's neat flare, from Enishi's wild explosion to Kamitani's stuttering spray of energy.

At the sudden onslaught, the creature reeled back, seemingly confused, and buoyed by this, Shunsui cast his companions a grin.

"Guess he wasn't expecting that." He said unnecessarily, and Juushirou frowned.

"But we didn't really hit him. He's a bit scorched, but still coming." He reflected. "We need to aim more clearly. The blasts went all over the place."

"One more time, then." Shunsui raised his hands again. "One more time, everyone - anyone who can, fire! And this time, we're gunning for his body - his legs, his torso - anything to slow him down."

"That's uncharacteristically violent for you, Kyouraku." Kai said wryly. "But I'm not complaining. If we can at least hold him back...Kazoe must've sensed him by now."

"Toutai, get ready!" Juushirou added his voice to the conversation, although as his _reiryoku_ rushed through him again, he felt faintly giddy and sick at the surge of adrenalin and power.

_Like before, in the river. As though I can do anything. As though I can kill that Hollow. As though I can..._

**"Fool!"**

You's voice cut through him like a knife.

**"Remember where you are. Remember what you're doing. Do not lose control!"  
**  
Thus jerked back to reality, Juushirou frowned, forcibly reeling back the wash of energy as he prepared to fire his second spell.

But he knew it was still there, lingering, somewhere in the recesses of his mind.

The second barrage was not as powerful as the first, but even so, this time several of the blasts made contact with the Hollow, shattering through some of its ungainly limbs and scorching marks across its back and its jaw. Juushirou took deep breaths into his lungs, aware that his own blast had knocked a chunk out of the beast's inquisitive antennae, but he knew that he could not fire a third without fully losing control. If they had to fire again, he would not make it. If they had to fire again...

_"Suikonde, Seidoiki."_

A voice from behind the group made them all turn, and gasps and cries of relief went up from the crowded students as Kazoe made his way between them, sword drawn and glittering with azure light across its tip.

"Stand back, all of you. Engaging a live Hollow is not part of your camping brief." He said curtly, gazing up at the beast as he did so, and the students obediently shuffled back, Kira bursting into tears of relief that finally someone had come to rescue them. It had only been a few minutes, Juushirou knew, yet the pressure had been overwhelming and somehow he knew how his fellow District student felt.

Kazoe, however, did not show even the slightest inkling of fear. He paused a few feet from where the Hollow's front section was gyrating and twisting its way through the trees, stumbling over its broken legs yet continuing in its relentless surge forward nonetheless. It let out another horrific scream, loud enough to almost deafen the frightened students, and at this Kazoe frowned, raising his weapon and sweeping it in an s-like shape through the air.

"_Kiryuushuu_." He murmured, and sparks of blue danced out once more from the end of his weapon, spreading across the air like tiny specks of blue blossom glinting in the morning sunlight. As the students stared in awe, the tiny fragments began to spread into wispy vapour, surrounding the Hollow in their haze. Kazoe peered at the beast for a moment over the rim of his glasses, then he held up his left hand, a glitter of red light already forming across his palm.

"_Hadou no Sanjuu Ichi. Shakkahou_." He muttered, and the energy shot out from his aura like a bullet from a gun, igniting the spreading vapour as it did so and causing a huge, sudden flare of eerie purple flame. There was a shriek as the Hollow was engulfed on all sides by the blazing magic, and then, as Kazoe waved his sword again, the haze dispersed, revealing nothing but a cascade of ghostly black ash where the monster had once stood.

He sighed, sealing his weapon and returning it to its sheath.

"That's the second time I've had to use that in twenty four hours." He muttered. "After a good year of not using it in combat at all."

"Sensei!" It was Enishi who called, and soon all the students were gathering around Kazoe, eager and relieved that the danger was over. Only Juushirou did not move from where he stood, fear and awe mingling for dominance over his senses as he processed what he had just seen.

_A zanpakutou can be so beautiful as that...and use Kidou so ruthlessly? Kazoe-sensei's sword...it obeys him to the letter. If he wants it to act, it just acts. And with that, he can do...something so easily as that.  
_  
"Are you jealous, Juushirou?" You's voice teased at him, and he frowned.

_Maybe I am. Maybe I wonder...how far I have to go to hold a blade like that._

"Your blade will be different, Juushirou. Everyone's is. Yours is a part of you. It's your own and no one else's."

That was In, and Juushirou's frown grew darker.

_Part of me...then I...I am right. My blade is connected to you two, isn't it? That's what you won't tell me...my zanpakutou...is something to do with you?_

But this time there was silence, and Juushirou sighed, rubbing his temples.

_So you won't give me an answer so easily as that, huh? Not until I'm ready...ready to hear you name..? Ready to understand what a zanpakutou really is? Or am I miles off? I'm so confused and I don't know what to do about it. If you won't tell me...how can you help me? And if I can't get stronger...what then?_

"Ukitake, are you all right?" Kazoe's voice broke through his thoughts and he glanced up, embarrassment flooding his features as he realised everyone was staring at him. Slowly he nodded his head.

"Y...yes, sir. I'm sorry. I think maybe...it was just a shock."

Kazoe sighed, tapping the hilt of his sword absently.

"This exists to defend you. All of you. As an Unohana, I don't use it for anything else." He said quietly. "Seidoiki is a healing sword, not a fighting one - it gathers air to help those struggling to breathe, or stifles the oxygen in fire to prevent houses from burning down. But if I have to, I can use it in other ways too. And while I'm in charge of you, no harm will come to you."

He frowned, gazing up at the sky.

"The barrier here seems secure enough, though. I don't know, yet, how that beast got in. Something must have shattered the shield from the inside - but there was no damage in Katai's camping area when the_ Senkaimon_ was opened and as for Toutai, you were here last night. I deliberately fortified the barrier around this site when I brought you back. There's no damage to it now - but there must be damage to it somewhere. That being the case...letting you stay here has just about become impossible."

"Does that mean...camp is over?" Despite the excitement, Enishi sounded disappointed, and Kazoe sighed.

"Nobody is going to let you children camp here if there's a risk of it not being safe." He said quietly. "So yes, I'm afraid that is what it means. It may take time to discover where the breach is - and if it's been broken once, it might be again."

"Maybe it was last night's storm. That broke through the barrier and set fire to our camp." Chiyoko shivered, and at this, Juushirou's eyes widened, a stricken expression crossing his gaze as he met Shunsui's startled dark ones across the grass.

"Should lightning be able to penetrate the barrier, Sensei?" Ryuu asked. "Perhaps Saitani is correct. Could that be the point of weakness to allow a Hollow access?"

"My barrier shouldn't be affected by an ordinary storm." Kazoe shook his head. "But even so...we will look into it."

He glanced around at the devastated campsite, then,

"Gather together what you can of your belongings. I will report to Genryuusai-sensei and he will understand my reasons for bringing you back sooner than expected."

He paused, then smiled.

"But I was impressed with your team spirit against the Hollow. Kyouraku, you especially. I take back my criticism of your leadership. It seems that when there is a need for it, you can meet that expectation after all."

With that he was gone towards the mess tent, and as the students slowly began to gather up the remains of their belongings, Shunsui crossed the grass, putting a hand on Juushirou's shoulder.

"Don't. Whatever you're thinking, it's not your fault. Accidents happen. And even if you caused this one, no harm was done."

"Shunsui..." Juushirou turned, his expression troubled, and Shunsui nodded.

"Yes, I know. I can read your thoughts as though you'd said them out loud." He said frankly. "But listen. We weren't in danger. You may or may not have noticed, but Kazoe was on the scene almost as soon as the Hollow was. What he said just then proves it. He saw what we did...he was watching us. It was never out of his control - he wanted to see what we did."

"Then you think...he did set it up?" Juushirou was startled, and Shunsui shook his head.

"No. I don't think that. It would be reckless and Kazoe's not really like that." He said thoughtfully. "He seemed genuinely surprised, too. But I'm just saying, even if you did accidentally make a storm and break the barrier - nobody would have been hurt. So don't fret on it, okay? Just think about what you're going to do now."

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then he nodded.

"I think...I'm going to talk to Ryuu-kun." He said slowly, his gaze flitting to where his Vice Captain was busy organising other members of Toutai into some kind of order. "Because...I think...maybe he might know things that might help me. Being a Kuchiki and all...his family line and mine are connected, after all. Also, he was camping with me this whole last week and he was the one who was awake when the storm happened last night. And I think...there are a lot of things he knows about...well...spirit power and stuff. So I think...before I do anything...maybe I'm going to talk to him."

"Well, hopefully he can say something of sense to help you." Shunsui said pragmatically, and Juushirou eyed him quizzically.

"It won't bother you...if I ask him things...I'm not asking you?"

Shunsui grinned, patting his companion lightly on the head.

"I'm not the jealous type." He said playfully. "Besides, I'm more worried about you than I am who has dibs on helping you. If something in Ryuu-kun's immense mental archive of useless information is something that can put your mind at rest, then that's fine with me. But listen, Juu. If he can't help - don't keep fighting it on your own. You don't have to - whatever is causing it, there are a lot of people here who'd think you more of a burden if you did that than if you reached out and asked someone to give you a hand."

At this, Juushirou's lips twitched into a feeble smile and he nodded his head.

"I know. I'll remember." He said firmly. "Thank you, Shunsui. I'll do my best. And now I better go - Ryuu-kun probably needs my help and I'm being a terrible Captain, standing here and complaining to you instead of doing my bit. We'll talk more back at school - for now, let's at least try and finish our duty!"

* * *

The ground was still thick with ash.

Keitarou walked slowly up the path towards the village, every step he made bringing more and more trepidation deep into his heart.

Had he, then, so miscalculated after all?

But then he knew, in this volatile world, nowhere was ever completely safe.

Everything was quiet now, but it was a deathly quiet, and as he reached the entrance to the settlement, he drew breath sharply into his lungs, gazing around him in genuine horror at the devastation before him.

Not a single building had been left unscathed.

Where there had been a cluster of impoverished hovels, now there were only blackened stumps of what had once been wood supports, and though grass and trees flourished around the outer area, the entirety of this section was swathed in black, as though it had been thrust forcibly into mourning for its unprepared residents.

As he walked along the uneven pathway, Keitarou could make out charred remains of human and animal corpses mingled and twisted in with the remains of their homes, and every so often a faint breeze blew through the settlement, sending small flurries of ash across the ground.

This place was death, and Keitarou's eyes narrowed.

Fire, like the fire which had burnt Urahara after Urahara in the attempt to eliminate all those who had ever dabbled with reidoku.

_As though they were afraid to bury their corpses…as though somehow they think the fire can purify an evil that they don't understand. Superstitions are rife, even now…nothing has changed at all._

But it was dangerous to remain here now. Much as Keitarou wanted to sift through every burnt out corner in search of his cousin and his precious charge, he knew that any activity in such a destroyed space would soon cause suspicion from local guards. Most likely they were watching for him, he reasoned, and perhaps they had even seen him come here before. Either way, the place had probably been put in jeopardy by Daisuke's presence – yet Keitarou felt more anger for the intrusion than he did grief for the villagers.

_They knew the risk they took, protecting us. They became martyrs because of it. Such a death is not a bad one. It at least carries more honour than the squalor of starvation and the unpleasantness of plague._

He bit his lip, scanning the horizon once more for any clue as to what had happened to his associate.

_  
But where are you, Daisuke? Did you die here, as well? Somehow I can't see you staying, but…with Shikiki…did I consign you both to a fiery death in this place after all?_

In that moment, something faint penetrated his senses and he froze, locking into the signal with all his will as he tried to discern from where it had come. It was feeble and fluctuating, full of fear, weariness and desperation, yet even so, Keitarou recognised it. It was a distress cry from a child begging to be rescued from her hell, and despite his other fears, the scientist breathed a sigh of relief.

Shikiki.

So Daisuke had, somehow, managed to protect her after all.

Moving quickly, he crossed the ash-coated ground, heading for the remains of what had been Daisuke's own temporary shelter. It was as badly burnt as the others – perhaps worse, for nothing recognisable of it at all had survived and what was left was a pile of splintered, charred fragments of wood, clustered in the middle like the first preparations of a funeral pyre.

At first glance, there was no sign of the child. Yet Keitarou knew his senses did not lie. He had picked up her reiatsu and he knew she was here. And if that was the case…

Swiftly he bent, dashing aside the broken, burnt wood and letting out an exclamation as he registered the flickering glow of pink energy below. Huddled beneath the translucent flare was the balled-up form of his young stray, her eyes screwed up tight and her fists clenched as she struggled to defend herself from the danger.

A flicker of excitement stirred in Keitarou's heart.

How long she had managed to maintain her barrier this time, he didn't know. Yet that she had produced it and maintained it in such a crisis situation…had she survived the fire because of it? Had it been that special, particular gift that had preserved her after all?

_Ironic if so, since that was one of the reasons I took you in in the first place._

Keitarou put his hand gently against the barrier and at the suddenness of his touch, Shikiki's eyes snapped open, the pink haze beginning to fluctuate again as she stared up at him in disbelief.

So she had recognised his reiatsu, too. Another positive. She really was coming on.

"It's all right, Shikiki." He said gently. "I've come to take you away from here. It's all right now."

At his words, Shikiki's barrier dissipated into nothing and she stumbled forward, flinging herself on him and burying her head in his worn robes as her body shook with heavy sobs. Gently Keitarou stroked her messy hair, allowing her to cry out her emotion for a while, but then, as the tears began to quiet, he held her at arm's length.

"Soldiers came and burnt the village?" He asked quietly, and wordlessly Shikiki nodded.

"And Daisuke? What about Daisuke?"

"The…shinigami…took him 'way." Shikiki managed to mumble, her words thick with exhaustion and confusion, but Keitarou's eyes narrowed.

"Shinigami? A Shinigami came here?"

Shikiki nodded.

"A man with a seven on his arm. I saw him an' then the house fell on me some more but Dai-nii said to stay so I stayed an' I used my magic, only it was cold an' I was scared, Kei-nii"

Keitarou's heart clenched.

_Then Shouichi's stepping up his search. If he's even co-opting members of his Gotei squad into hunting for Urahara, that means it must be me he came here to track down. And it means he intends to use deadly force to capture me – so he's aware, then, that his normal retinue are simply fodder for my spells and sword. This becomes more serious…it suggests he knows far more about me already than I would like. _

His eyes became slits as he contemplated this.

_Perhaps some of those he executed gave him information before he killed them. Maybe not all of them were prepared to take it to their graves, if they thought they could somehow buy back their life. Foolish people. All you do is create more work and trouble for those left behind. Shouichi is not the kind of man who barters terms when he can silence a problem permanently._

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Daisuke was alive, then, after the fire?"

"I…think so." Shikiki looked up at him plaintively, her eyes still swimming with tears. "But he wasn't fighting back. The Shinigami did something to him an' he…flopped."

"_Bakudou_." Keitarou pursed his lips. "Then probably they want to interrogate him. Someone will have passed on the information that he's the one I trust most – at worst they will try to use him to lure me out of hiding, and at best they will believe they can get him to talk about my whereabouts and work."

_But at least I know one thing. Daisuke would sooner die a thousand deaths than betray me or any of his kinsfolk. Still, I won't betray him either. From what Shikiki said, I hope I have a little time._

Out loud he added,

"But I'll see about getting him back, so don't look so worried. You'll come back with me now and I'll protect you from the soldiers and the shinigami. After all, they're all enemies…you see it now, don't you? How dangerous these people can be."

Shikiki nodded her head jerkily, and Keitarou patted her gently on the shoulder.

"But I'm quite dangerous too, if people hurt me." He added softly. "And I made you a promise which I won't break. You're far too important to me, Shikiki. So long as you're with me, you won't be in any danger again."

He stood, lifting the small girl more comfortably in his arms.

"We should leave here now." He added. "Hold on tight. Where we're going is somewhere far more hidden – while I begin to think out the best way of dealing with this situation."

* * *

"You know, you have not been at all yourself these past couple of days."

As Ryuu and Juushirou left the library, Ryuu cast his classmate a searching look, pulling the door shut behind him. It was two days since their impromptu return from camp and, in the buzz of activity that had followed, Juushirou had not yet had a chance to speak to his classmate alone. Consequently he had volunteered to come to the library to help Ryuu track down a specific reference – but engrossed in the work, Ryuu had not given him any particular openings and Juushirou had felt awkward, not knowing how to intrude.

Now, however, the grey eyes were fixed directly on him, and Juushirou knew that despite Ryuu's fixation with his studies, he had also noticed his friend's preoccupation, too.

"You do not seem to be sleeping well and you have shadows under your eyes. Are you unwell? I wondered if the shock of the camp incident had upset you – since I remember you do not particularly like Hollows, do you?"

At this, Juushirou managed a rueful smile.

"I don't think many people like them." He said frankly, and Ryuu snorted.

"You know, I think, what I mean." He responded. "And it is nothing to be ashamed of – if you are afraid, I mean. You are certainly not the only one who was unsettled by it. Most of us were startled at the time – it is only natural for students to be afraid when encountering a real Hollow for the first time."

His eyes narrowed.

"Although, in your case, it is not the first time, is it?"

"Third." Juushirou shook his head. "But you're right, Ryuu-kun. I guess it has unsettled me."

"Even though we've come back to school, things are different since then." Ryuu reflected, leading the way up the stairs to the dormitory. "Everyone is working much harder at their skills. Houjou is talking about improving his Kidou. Mitsuki has been so busy I have barely seen her – and I must admit a new respect for Kyouraku, since he took charge so calmly in such an alarming time."

"He did the same thing, last summer, when we were stranded in the forest." Juushirou remembered. "He took control of the situation and got me to safety. If things are serious, Ryuu-kun – he is someone you can rely on."

"Clearly more so than most people thought. Myself included." Ryuu allowed himself a wry smile. "But to be honest, I was glad to see that the top ranked student in our class does have a sense of responsibility."

"You said…Edogawa-san…has also been busy?"

"Yes. Though I don't know, precisely, with what." Ryuu admitted. "She and Shikibu and Sora have more or less pulled away into a huddle over something – but I wouldn't like to guess what. Girls are strange creatures. I will not try to understand their ways."

Juushirou pursed his lips for a moment, then he sighed.

"True enough." He owned. "Probably you're right."

He pushed back the door of the dormitory, standing back to let his companion enter. To his relief the room was empty, and he gathered his thoughts together, offering his friend a faint smile as the other boy dumped his pile of books down on his bed.

"Well?" Ryuu looked quizzical. "Shall we go join the others downstairs, or is there something else you wish to do?"

"It's not so much something I want to do. Just…I suppose…there's something still on my mind." Juushirou grimaced, sinking down onto the end of his bed.

"Something?" Ryuu was startled. "Something other than the Hollow? You aren't worried about our grades, I hope? I don't think any of us are going to fail the assignment simply because we came back early. You shouldn't concern yourself too much, if it's that."

"No..something other than that."

Juushirou paused, then,

"I hoped to talk to you about it, actually. I'm sorry, Ryuu-kun - but I think I need your advice."

"There's no reason to apologise for something like that." Ryuu pursed his lips, confusion glittering in his grey eyes. "But I am surprised, however, that it is me you seek such a thing from. What of Kyouraku? You usually speak to him, don't you, about things that trouble you?"

"This one's difficult." Juushirou ran his fingers through his messy hair. "It's not that I haven't spoken to Shunsui - I have, and I know I can again if I want to. It's just...this is something that I think I should speak to you about. For a few reasons. He...understands that too. So if you don't mind..."

"I do not." Ryuu shrugged his shoulders, sitting down on the end of his companion's bunk. "What is the problem?"

"I think...it's to do with..._zanpakutou_." Juushirou admitted, and Ryuu's brows knitted together.

"_Zanpakutou_? Someone's in particular? Or just in general?"

"Someone's in particular." Juushirou bit his lip, then, "Mine, actually. I think."

"Yours?" Ryuu stared, taken off guard, and Juushirou nodded, burying his head in his hands.

"It's hard to exactly explain why I'm thinking this way, because it's something I know so little about, really.." He murmured. "But the truth is, something is happening to me of late, and seeing Kazoe-sensei use his sword made me...sort of...wonder. I don't know how to describe it any other way – it's just this feeling I have with things being how they are of late. So I want to run it by someone else. I want you to see...if you think...that's what it is."

"What _what_ is, exactly?" Ryuu asked, and Juushirou sighed.

"After my Father died, I had a dream." He said softly. "At least, I was never sure if it was a dream or if it was real. But I had been ill for a long time and had about given up on ever getting better. I was depressed, I suppose. Grieving. And I was fighting against my spiritual power in ways I'd never had to before. I'd really given up on everything, in fact."

"Somehow I can't imagine you that way." Despite himself, Ryuu offered a faint smile, and Juushirou grinned sheepishly.

"I've put it behind me, now. Father was dear to me and still is, but he'd want me to move on and make something of my life." He responded. "It was some time back now, after all."

"And you had a dream during this time? What kind of dream do you mean?"

"There was sea. Sea all around." Juushirou closed his eyes, allowing the pictures to wash over him once more. "Someone or something led me there - to the sea. I went under the water but even though I'd never learnt how to swim, I could breathe and see and it was...safe. And there were two fish. One was black, and one was white. The white one spoke with Father's voice, and they told me they were my parents' love and strength living on inside of me - but part of me as well. They said they had another name, and came from the deepest part of my soul. And then I woke up."

"I see." Ryuu looked thoughtful. "And you were what age, when you had this dream?"

"Fifteen, or thereabouts." Juushirou sighed, opening his eyes as he felt the faint swishing of waves brushing against the fringes of his consciousness. "But it didn't happen again, no matter how many nights I tried to search them out. I thought it must've been imagination, but Genryuusai-sensei said he could sense waves about me, and when I mentioned fish he didn't laugh but sounded interested. He wanted to know about them, so I told him what little I could. But that was all I did know, and they hadn't come back."

He shrugged.

"When Shunsui and I were stranded in the forest that first semester, after I let my power slip out of control, I saw them again." He continued slowly. "They were...agitated, I think, because I was in such bad state. It was almost like they appeared to bring me back from a different type of brink this time. A...a physical one, instead of a mental one. And though I asked them about their name, they told me that...that they didn't think I was ready and I shouldn't hurry to perfect my strength. They said that I had a lot of potential but that that was all it was until I'd learnt how to master it properly."

"And now?"

"In the last month or two, I keep having dreams." Juushirou gazed at his friend pensively. "Or whatever they are - they keep on being there. Just at the back of my senses, butting in sometimes when I'm trying to think or sleep. My health's also been more funny lately. Sometimes I don't feel like I'm able to focus, because there's something trying to call me away to somewhere else. And I'm tired and battling against my _reiryoku _a lot more than I was before."

He sighed.

"To be completely blunt, at the moment I'm a lot more not well than I'd like." He said sadly. "And it bothers me more than it should."

"Unwell?" Ryuu was surprised. "You don't seem unwell, if I may say it. You're not coughing blood, and you don't seem to be having fevers."

"It's more...something inside that I know, rather than something that's manifesting itself." Juushirou paused, then, "I've always been ill and I'm used to what the normal boundaries are. And sometimes it is as though I'm doing better. But then that's also unrealistic, given the state of my lungs and everything else. So I'm starting to realise...it's a false calm. Although I'm not being actively unwell...it's as though...something is driving me on. And it's not something I have a lot of control over, so really...deep down...it's doing more damage than my normal _haibyou _episodes would. Perhaps...permanent damage."

"In short, you're being controlled by your spirit power and not the other way about." Ryuu looked grave, and Juushirou nodded.

"Something like that."

"Mmm. I have heard of that happening before, on poorly trained clansfolk." Ryuu pursed his lips. "You would qualify under that term too, since your bloodline may be broken but your _reiryoku_ is at least equivalent to a lower Clan level and your training with it sorely lacking until you came to this place. And I have noticed...your reiatsu had changed. But I had not realised it was so complex. I suppose I thought that if you seemed well, you were well. Spirit power I understand, yet _haibyou_ even now I confess I do not."

"Complex is probably the right word." Juushirou rubbed his temples. "So much so that even thinking about it is enough to give me a headache."

He bit his lip, then,

"There is one other thing." He murmured. "Ryuu-kun, the night in camp…when Toutai's copse burnt down."

"The fire?" Ryuu looked taken aback, as if this was an avenue he had not expected, and Juushirou gazed at his hands, slowly nodding his head.

"I was dreaming, that night, about a storm." He whispered. "And lightning…crashing down towards my body. I don't know if it was attacking me or whether I was attracting it to me because the next thing I knew, you were waking me and…"

"And the tent was on fire." Ryuu's eyes narrowed.

Juushirou nodded.

"Part of me wants to follow common sense." He said haltingly. "That I was dreaming about the storm because one was happening, and sometimes that can filter through into dreams as well. But I don't…think that that's right. Ryuu-kun, the fish were also in my dream. They were talking to me about my strength and I'm sure the storm…the one in my dream…had something to do with me."

"And because of that, you believe the fire was your fault?" Ryuu asked softly. "For this reason, you ensured that you were the last one out of danger? And for this reason, when we returned to camp, you did not sleep?"

"I didn't really connect it that way, when I was helping you evacuate. I wanted to make sure everyone was outside because of the threat." Juushirou shook his head. "But it wasn't…like the storm continued afterwards. There was no rain…and the clouds began to clear, too. So it seemed…odd to me."

He sighed.

"Shunsui's said before that he's sensed electricity in my aura." He murmured. "And of all the spells we've learnt, _Byakurai_ is the one I picked up the skill for most naturally. Then there's also my mother's name – Raiko – Child of Lightning. I don't know...but…"

"You see a connection." Ryuu pursed his lips.

Juushirou nodded.

"If the fire was my fault, I put everyone in danger." He said miserably. "And I don't like that thought. It frightens me. It's not what I meant to do at all."

Ryuu sighed.

"I have also picked up electricity in your aura, but till now had not thought of it in terms of a storm." He murmured. "Still, even if you were to be correct – Ukitake, you were quite asleep when I came to rouse you. I heard thunder and I saw lightning – but they were in the sky and outside of the copse. Unless you are capable of manipulating the heavens in your sleep, even untrained as you are, I don't think you should blame yourself for an accidental tent fire. We do not have them in District Six, but brief summer flashes are not uncommon in District One. Kazoe-sensei was unsurprised by the occurrence – so I do not think you should be, either."

"I'm not sure it's that simple" Juushirou looked doubtful, and Ryuu shrugged.

"Unless your spiritual power is of an unusually high level, I would not expect it." He said frankly. "And you are powerful, Ukitake, but you are still not from the inner degrees of any Clan. Lower Clan - perhaps, but the kind of power you are intimating...I think even diluted Kuchiki blood should not be enough for you to wield that kind of strength."

Juushirou bit his lip, considering this for a moment.

"I hope you're right." He said at length.

"As for the dreams – you have communicated with these fish entities often?"

"More and more often of late." Juushirou agreed. "And…they haven't told me directly, but I'm starting to think…"

He sighed.

"All the things I've heard about _zanpakutou _say everyone's encounter with theirs is different, and Shunsui and Hirata have said that too." He added. "It might not be so easy to tell from what I've told you, in any case. But your Clan know a lot about things like that, and so do you. And you've always been honest with things, Ryuu-kun. So I'd like your honest opinion, please. Of what you think is happening to me."

Ryuu was silent for a moment, and Juushirou could tell he was thinking things over very carefully in his mind. At length he sighed, nodding his head.

"I won't pretend I don't feel a certain amount of envy, speaking to you like this." He admitted. "But I would not be surprised if your assumptions were correct. Even if I do not believe the storm was more than coincidence, it does sound to me like the first visitations of a _zanpakutou_'s spirit raising its head inside of you. Admittedly, there being two presences instead of one is unusual - I've never heard of that before. But even so, it's what it sounds like. And if you saw it first as young as fifteen, there seems no reason to me why you shouldn't be approaching a time when your blade may yet bend to your command and allow you to summon it properly. However..."

"They've only ever been supporting me, but sometimes now they seem to be pushing me." Juushirou said sadly. "It's not the same feeling at all. I feel less like they're watching over me and more like they're going to overwhelm me if I don't find a way to get it in check soon. Since the camp began, it's happened more and more often, and I'm getting tired just from keeping it in its place. It's difficult, Ryuu-kun. And it honestly scares me. No one else in our class is like this, after all."

"That's simply because you are a special case." Ryuu eyed him soberly. "Your family has no past precedent to compare with, so your situation is largely unknown and must be approached as such, I suppose. You are still very young - some Shinigami even in my own Clan do not summon their swords before they have been in training for far longer than you have. Yet I can believe you capable of such a thing, even so. The thing is, Ukitake, you are the first in our class to manifest anything of this nature. The others do not speak of it because it has not happened to them yet. You are leading the way - and that is why you are so confused. There is no one with whom to compare your experiences. It is, I believe, unheard of for a student to do such things in second year - you may well be the first ever."

"I suppose that's true." Juushirou acknowledged. "So what do you suppose I should do? I'm shorter tempered at the moment and it means that I'm jumping to conclusions and becoming more irrational when I should be looking at everything level headed. I just...I am scared, Ryuu-kun. Terrified, if you want the truth. I had no idea that something inside of me could have this kind of effect. And if the storm…if there's any possibility that I…could put people in danger…I…"

"Have you spoken to Sensei yet?"

"No." Juushirou looked reluctant. "Because of the storm and the camp fire and everything, I didn't know how to. It seems so silly, either way, and…so I just didn't tell him. But…you think that I should?"

"Ukitake, with your lack of training and experience, I think it's imperative that you do so as soon as possible." Ryuu said frankly. "With your weak physical constitution, you are by your own admission only doing yourself more damage by bottling it up inside and trying to suppress it instead of obtaining guidance on how best to deal with it. Sensei will know, after all. He's already talked to you about it, didn't you say? He's probably waiting for the time you need to speak to him about it. I imagine he brought you here in the confident knowledge that your _zanpakutou_'s spirit had already stirred inside of you. And it was just a matter of time before it manifested itself properly. Why else would he ask you to come here? He wants to be on hand when that happens, so that you do not lose control of what is likely to be an extremely powerful weapon."

He hesitated for a moment, then got to his feet, taking Juushirou by the arm and pulling him up too.

"We'll go now. I'll come with you." He added softly. "Because it is unlike you to have that much apprehension in your eyes, Ukitake - and I confess I do not like it. You have asked for my help and advice and this is, I think, the best thing I can do in response. If we go together, perhaps I can help further in explaining to Sensei the things you've said to me."

Juushirou stared at the boy for a moment, taking in the uncharacteristic sympathy in the grey eyes, and he sighed, offering a feeble smile as he nodded his head.

"I suppose you're right." He murmured. "Thank you, Ryuu-kun. I'm sorry I've burdened you - but glad that I did. I feel better for having talked to you."

"You have no reason to be sorry." Ryuu flashed him a smile, the austerity of his features softening in a moment. "You should be proud that such a thing is beginning. After all, all Shinigami require a_ zanpakutou_. Just because you have begun to feel yours fluctuating sooner than everyone else is not a cause for embarrassment or shame. You are indeed an enigma - but you are not at fault for it in any way."

"I suppose all of this is new to me, that's all." Juushirou admitted, as the boys walked through the hallways, making their way to the Principal's office. "And I didn't expect to be the first person to encounter it. Honestly, till now, I never thought about In and You being connected to a _zanpakutou_ at all. I wasn't even sure if it would be possible for me to summon a sword, to be honest, with my patchy training and ill health."

"I have no idea why you would think that." Ryuu said categorically. "Despite your low birth, Ukitake, you have proven on multiple occasions that you are possessed of superior spiritual ability. The only reason for you not managing to summon a _zanpakutou_ would have to be extreme laziness on your part - and it is not in your nature to address anything in that way. Therefore it is a matter of common sense. Sooner or later this was bound to occur. And you should be glad of it, now. If nothing else it's the firm proof that you do belong with us after all."

He smiled.

"And though none of us who study with you doubt that fact after so much time in close contact with you, there may yet be uneducated Clan individuals who still believe it impossible for a District boy to be a Shinigami."

"I expect there are a lot of those." Juushirou agreed. "One thing I've learnt is that in the eyes of the Clans I have to work for and prove everything before they accept me even a little bit. But it drives me forward, too, having that kind of mentality. That I need to work hard...oh!"

He cast his friend a glance.

"Do you think that's why this has been happening? Because I've been working so hard?"

"It would be a sensible conclusion to draw, yes." Ryuu agreed. "But I think that you are worrying far too much about it, Ukitake. Summoning your sword indicates control over it. If you can manage to do that, I think you will find it less frightening and more easy to deal with. That is the norm, after all. That once you master a_ zanpakutou_, that _zanpakutou_ is then a part of your spirit power yet also separate from it, too. And with all the _reiryoku_ you have, it would probably not hurt to confine some of it to a blade."

He shrugged.

"Or, maybe, two. If there are as you say, two consciousnesses instead of one."

"There are definitely two fish." Juushirou nodded. "But...is that possible? People only have one _zanpakutou,_ after all."

"I have never heard of it." Ryuu spread his hands. "But then, nor have I ever heard of a District boy summoning a sword, so there is no precedent. I do not see why not. You have a lot of _reiryoku_, after all. Perhaps there is enough of it for that."

He gave Juushirou a little tug on the arm, then,

"But Sensei will be able to tell us more. Come on. If anyone can put your mind at rest, after all, I'm sure it will be he."

* * *

**Author's Note: Seidoiki.**

_Yay, Kazoe has a zanpakutou! Are people surprised? He's the only other 'sensei' who does - Minabe and Uebashi do not._

_There's not a lot really for me to explain here, since Kazoe has more or less explained the purpose of his sword and its ability in the plot already. Just a couple of things of note, though..._

_  
The sword is called __**Seidoiki**_聖吐息_, which means 'Blessed Sigh' or "Holy Sigh".__For anyone wondering, given the kanji, toiki seemed more appropriate than tameiki for Kazoe's type of technique._

_It's release is '__**Suikonde**__' _吸い込んで_which means 'inhale'._

_Although I wouldn't call it necessarily an attack, the technique he used to surround the Hollow was __**Kiryuushuu**_気流集。 _Roughly this means gathering air current or gathering air flow. Unlike when he simply put out the fire, this technique absorbs air from the atmosphere around it. Kazoe then used his Kidou to set fire to it, creating a chain reaction to destroy the Hollow._

_  
I imagine his weapon is quite a pretty one, all in all, if rarely used in combat situations._


	19. Juushirou's Sword

**Chapter Eighteen: Juushirou's Sword**

"I see."

Genryuusai rested his arms on his desk, eying Juushirou with thoughtful dark eyes that glittered beneath the old man's thick, bristling eyebrows. For a moment there was silence, as Juushirou had the impression his teacher was reading his aura carefully and sizing up his situation. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"I'm glad that Kuchiki had the foresight to bring you to me." He said quietly, casting Ryuu a brief glance. "His judgement seems to be correct. I'm happy that you have classmates you choose to confide in – and ones who give you sound advice."

"Do you think Ukitake is manifesting his sword, Sensei?" Ryuu asked curiously, and Genryuusai nodded.

"There seems a good possibility that that is the case." He agreed. "And if that is so, then the sooner we act on it the better. Why did you not come to me at once, Ukitake? You know, I think, that we have discussed in brief these fish before. You have been aware of them all the more of late – why would you not, then, speak to me?"

"I…" Juushirou reddened, and Ryuu frowned.

"Ukitake was afraid that the fire at camp was his fault, Sensei." He said evenly. "Because he was dreaming about storms and lightning, and then lightning struck the trees."

"Ryuu-kun!" Juushirou's eyes widened in dismay, and Ryuu shrugged.

"I already told you that it was silly to think that way." He said frankly. "And if it bothers you, Sensei should know about that, too."

"I see." Genryuusai's eyes became grave. "So you had a dream that coincided directly with events at the camp?"

"S…sort of, Sensei. Yes." Juushirou spoke softly, and Genryuusai sighed.

"You are aware that such a thing might be coincidence?" He asked lightly, and Juushirou nodded.

"Yes sir. Shunsui's said so, and Ryuu-kun, too. But…"

"You still don't think so?"

"I…my fish were speaking to me." Juushirou shook his head. "It worried me…that somehow…I…"

"Stand very still, Ukitake." The old man got to his feet, resting his hands on his student's shoulders as he met the young boy's anxious gaze. "Close your eyes and visualise for me, if you will, the things you saw that night in your dream."

"Sensei…?" Juushirou stared.

"My instructions are quite clear." Genryuusai said firmly. "There is no danger. Do as you are bidden."

"Yes, sir." Juushirou swallowed hard, but obediently closed his eyes, dragging together scraps of his memory as he tried to rebuild the world in his dream.

At first he could not, then, faintly he felt the swishing of waves and the soft drumming of water against his wits as little by little reiatsu encompassed his senses. Somewhere in the background, he was faintly aware of the familiar silhouettes of two fish, jumping and diving beneath the salty blue expanse that stretched out before him.

There was no storm today. Everything was peaceful. Yet even as the colours in his mind became more vivid, he felt Genryuusai tap him firmly on the arm.

"Enough." The gruff tones instructed, and with some difficulty Juushirou forced himself back, opening his eyes and blinking momentarily as he tried to regain his wits.

The old man was regarding him thoughtfully, and another moment of silence passed between them. Then he stepped back, nodding his head.

"Kuchiki, you are dismissed." He said quietly. "You should not speak of this to anyone until Ukitake is once more among you and able to say for himself what he does and doesn't want discussed. This matter is private to him, after all – a fact which I am sure as a Kuchiki you fully understand."

"Yes, Sensei." Ryuu cast Juushirou a concerned look, then nodded his head. "I will not speak a word of it to anyone."

"Then you can go. And thank you once again – I am proud of you that you have grown so far as to give your classmate such sound and reasoned advice."

"Yes, Sensei." Ryuu flushed slightly at the praise, bowing towards the teacher before withdrawing from the study. As the door clicked behind him, Juushirou eyed the old man in trepidation.

"You sent him away because you didn't want him to hear something, Sensei." He murmured. "What is it? What's happening to me that you don't think even my friends should know?"

"You shouldn't look so frightened." Genryuusai gazed at him, a faint smile just visible beneath the heavy white moustache. "It is not my policy to discuss _zanpakutou_ spirits with students except in privacy – not yet, at least. I wished to speak to you alone – there is no reason for you to be alarmed by it."

"Oh." Juushirou felt the tension seep out of him, and he looked sheepish. "I'm sorry – I guess I didn't think about it like that."

"Juushirou, the first day we met, you mentioned these fish. I have not forgotten it, even now." Genryuusai became serious. "At that point I could not, clearly, make them out in your aura. Only that there was a power there – an entity beginning to come into focus but still some way beyond your grasp. It has not escaped my notice, however, that of late your reiatsu has begun changing. And just then, I felt it clearly. Two consciousnesses within your own – the fish that you refer to as In and You."

"Yes, sir." Juushirou bit his lip.

"This is not an uncommon occurrence." Genryuusai continued, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "On the contrary, I have encountered this many times in the years I have been training and guiding youngsters in the arts of becoming Shinigami. I might have worked with your mother, in fact, had your Grandfather not preferred his daughter to be a wife and mother rather than a defender of Soul Society. What you are experiencing is a natural progression of beginning to train your spirit power with serious intent. You shouldn't be alarmed by it or try to hide it. It is entirely normal and quite what I expected to happen when we had that conversation some time ago."

"Ryuu-kun said that it wasn't strange, either. But I don't have any experience with this, so it's strange to me." Juushirou admitted. "I was afraid – I'm still afraid. I don't really understand it – or some of the things they say to me. And…and…"

He faltered, and Genryuusai eyed him keenly.

"Something else?" He asked softly, and Juushirou nodded, suddenly knowing that he needed to tell the aging instructor everything he could.

"I feel like it's attacking me from the inside." He murmured. "That I'm walking around and doing things like normal but…it's not normal, deep inside. I don't know how to explain it, Sensei, but…it's how I feel. When you…just then…I wondered if maybe you felt it too? And maybe…if you did…you could tell me what's going on?"

"Ah. I see." Genryuusai's eyes became grave. "Then you are aware of that as well. I see."

Juushirou bit his lip, waiting for his companion to continue, and at length the old man sighed.

"You are too perceptive, but I'm not surprised." He admitted. "Yes, you are right. Your spiritual power exceeds your physical one and at present your body is failing more than it has before. You've noticed more quickly than I thought you would – that your current stable health is more illusory than any of us would like. But that still is not a reason to panic, Juushirou. It does not mean you are yet in danger of your life."

"I'm…not?" Juushirou looked doubtful, and Genryuusai shook his head.

"Those spirits that guide you know it, probably, as well as I do." He agreed. "Your body is weak already – weaker still because it is overloaded by the pressure of keeping all this power under wraps. But if you _can_ bring that power under your control and relieve that pressure – the burden on your body will ease. More, the two things will begin to work in harmony with one another. Your weakness will, in effect, start to become your strength."

He sighed.

"There is no cure for your disease. I have spoken in great detail to Retsu-dono about that, and she has assured me that while she can treat and support you, she cannot cure you." He said heavily. "I find this a great pity, because it means that in some way that weakness will always be there, trying to hold you back. But nonetheless, Juushirou, I want you to continue looking forward. I did not bring you to my Academy to let you fade and die. The question is – why did _you_ agree to come here, even despite your weak health?"

Juushirou hesitated for a moment, then he smiled slightly, reassured by the old man's matter of fact words.

"So that I could help to protect people like my family. So people like my Father wouldn't die having to fight Hollows without any kind of proper training to back them up." He said softly. "Because I'm fed up with being just a burden, Sensei…I want to be useful and if I have a talent, well, I want to be able to use it."

"Then you will almost certainly be a Shinigami." Genryuusai sat back, seemingly pleased with this response. "With a will like that, my boy, I have absolutely no doubts whatsoever. I have never regretted bringing you here – and I'm glad that you don't seem to regret coming."

"I don't." Juushirou agreed fervently. "Since I've been here, I have found a…a purpose. And I…I've been confused a lot lately, but I should have come…you would have explained this sooner, and I wouldn't have had to worry so much about it. Shunsui was right – that I'd be more of a burden if I hadn't decided to ask for help. I'm sorry, Sensei. I promise that in future I'll try hard to think of that more clearly before making my decisions."

"No path is an easy one. I won't tell you that it is." Genryuusai warned. "And I told you right at the beginning – your path would be a more difficult one than most. There is a fine line with health like yours – your weakness and your strength pulling you in opposite directions. And you are still very young and inexperienced. I have never had a second year student enter this phase before…it is as new to the Academy as it is new to you. But with things as they are, I don't feel there is any real choice. Your _reiryoku_ will outpace you otherwise. We have to take action and fight back before it does."

"Y…yes, Sensei."

"Don't look so worried." Genryuusai smiled. "It will be difficult, but you are a hard worker and a dedicated one. Therefore I do not think you will be one of those who fail to hear their spirit's true name. I think you will be one who succeeds."

"Ryuu-kun also said that there aren't usually two spirits. But In and You are definitely two voices." Juushirou twisted his hands together. "I suppose…that worried me too."

"Technically speaking you have only one _zanpakutou_ spirit, Juushirou." Genryuusai settled himself back behind his desk, eying his companion pensively. "The manifestation of it is interesting – two voices and two ways of reaching through to your subconscious. I can't deny that – to the untrained individual at least – there appear to be two separate spirits. But even the names they gave you tell you otherwise. They are In and You. Two halves of balance. They are two, but they are two which join together in one. Twin spirits, perhaps – that seems a fitting analogy since their connection to one another is undeniable and probably unbreakable. Tell me, Juushirou – have you ever encountered a time when one was present without the other?"

"No, Sensei." Juushirou was surprised. "In fact…in fact, I think You once said…that they were always together. And they do talk…about _their _true name. As though it belongs to both of them. Not just one or the other."

"That is what I thought." Genryuusai smiled. "Your sword is probably one physical entity, just as mine is and those belonging to others you have already met. However, your strength is unusually potent, and appears to have two main facets instead of simply the one. Your mental illusions of storm and sea are not accidental. I very much suspect that your spirit power manifests in both of those areas – not simply in one like most people's swords do."

"So In and You are…storm and sea?" Juushirou murmured. "Within…one sword?"

"Time will tell whether or not I'm correct." Genryuusai stroked his beard once more. "But that would be my suspicion. Yes."

He frowned.

"The matter of the camp fire indicates, however, that the sooner we take this in hand the better." He added. "Your sword spirits have not told you their collective name yet – and the first step is to train you to a level where you can receive that information and use it without losing your control."

Juushirou's eyes widened, colour draining from his thin features as he interpreted Genryuusai's meaning.

"Then…Sensei…you think that I really _did_…?"

He trailed off, and Genryuusai shrugged.

"Kuchiki is young and intelligent, but cloaked in the bias of the Clan. For him to perceive anyone below his family to attain that kind of power is probably unthinkable, even despite his obvious fondness for you." He said frankly. "I have no such delusions. Every so often in my life I have encountered an individual in the Districts with spirit power to rival and even top the strength of the strongest Clansmen. Politics and pressure have prevented me so far from bringing one through a full training program and seeing them reach their final potential. But it is there, nonetheless. The proof that spiritual prowess isn't all in the bloodline."

"But…my mother…"

"Kuchiki Raiko was strong, yes." Genryuusai said gravely. "But there is a reason she died when you were born. That reason is simple, Juushirou, and I will say it frankly as I do not believe in shielding those on the cusp of adulthood. The power she was called on to suppress was greater than her own power. She used all of what she had to seal yours inside of you so that you could breathe and live and grow to the person you are now. That was her choice and her sacrifice – not your fault or your curse. But Raiko knew you were stronger than she was. Even without knowing all the history, I'm sure of that fact. Because I trained Raiko, and I knew her strengths as well as I know yours. And while I was proud to be her sensei for the short time I had her under my tutelage – she was nothing compared to the potential you wield inside of you."

Juushirou swallowed hard.

"Then…"

"Your spirits were probably first raised that day you were born, guarding and protecting you until you were at a level where you could see and reach them." Genryuusai nodded his head. "And that power your mother sealed away…bit by bit as you use it, its true nature is returning. Those spirits have watched over you, and when they've felt it necessary, they've given you a taste of what you can do. But as yet you're not strong enough to use all of that without it doing you serious harm. That was the true reason that I warned you before you even came here. That I could train you to Gotei level. But that if you were half-hearted, it might kill you."

"I remember."

"Then so long as you are not half-hearted, you will not fail. And if you do not fail, your life will not be put in peril. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir. I think so."

Juushirou wetted his lips.

"Then I _did_ set fire to that tent?"

"I don't hold you responsible for that action, no."

"But…"

"Your spirit power may have caused it. You are certainly, potentially, strong enough to wield that kind of magic and I have also heard the story of the storm that split the sky the day you were born…the day Raiko saved you." Genryuusai shrugged. "But then we are talking about a storm that broke through the powerful barrier spell of an experienced Kidou master – I wonder if a junior student with so little training could manage such a thing?"

He smiled, and Juushirou had the impression that not only did the old man believe him responsible, but that he was also somehow proud of the fact. But Genryuusai was still speaking, so with some difficulty, Juushirou forced his attention back on his mentor's words.

"Either way, the storm happened without your active knowledge. Therefore, whatever caused it, it is not your fault. What is more important now that we review your training in a completely different light. Your surging potential remains largely untapped and idle strength causes untold problems. We've reached the point where it's time to start tapping it."

"Tapping…it?" Juushirou eyed his companion nervously. "Sensei, what do you…?"

"Tell me, my boy. Do you think there have been any times – other than your birth – when your spirit power really ranged free and unfettered through your body?" Genryuusai asked quietly, and Juushirou frowned. Slowly he nodded his head.

"Yes." He admitted. "When…when Father died. Something happened…when I saw that Hollow…for the first time. The time I was ill and my hair turned white…I think that was the first time I really realised I had power at all, and it took me a long time to come to terms with that. And…"

"And?" Genryuusai interjected gently, and Juushirou sighed.

"When I rescued Shunsui in the forest." He said reluctantly. "From the Hollow, when he went to find Megumi last summer."

"Yes. I see. Quite interesting." The old man looked thoughtful. "Both instances involved the appearance of a Hollow - and your reaction was a natural defence one. To protect yourself and those around you - a very apt Shinigami reaction, if I may say so."

"But both times I wound up collapsing and becoming a burden instead." Juushirou whispered. Genryuusai nodded.

"And that is where your control is lacking." He agreed. "Probably, in those instances, the flare of power was stopped by some sense of self-preservation inside of you. Both of those events correlate to your speaking to your fish in some way, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you must open yourself to their advice and allow them to guide you without fear." Genryuusai said categorically. "Of course, it must be managed without error. You are after all only just beginning to work with a sword. As I said, it is an unprecedented situation. And as such, must be handled carefully."

"Sensei?" Juushirou felt a sense of trepidation creep through his body, and Genryuusai folded his wizened hands in front of him.

"You will undergo additional training." He said quietly. "I will arrange that you sacrifice, for the time being, your Ouyoudou classes as they currently stand. You have moved beyond their level at frightening speed and without further guidance teaching you in that vein may prove to be harmful to those around you."

"But...as you said, Sensei, I've only just started fighting with an _asauchi_! There are several people in my class who are better with swords than me!"

"Yes, perhaps that's the case." Genryuusai nodded. "But you are now at a point where you are training with the specific goal of _zanpakutou_ summoning in mind. For that, you need specialised, individual training of a one-to-one nature. It is something that all fourth year students and up begin - you are simply starting early and therefore we have to think again."

"I see." Juushirou rubbed his temples, suddenly feeling tired. "So who will teach me, Sensei? Minabe-sensei...?"

"Minabe is a skilled fighter but she does not have a_ zanpakutou_." Genryuusai shook his head. "Besides, she and the other teachers do not have that kind of time to spare at present."

"Then...?" Juushirou stared, and Genryuusai smiled.

"Often it is the role of Senior students who have passed that stage in their training to become mentors and sensei for their juniors." He explained. "They who have learnt recently enough prove to be excellent teachers and it is valuable experience for both pupils. In your case, too, you are fortunate in that currently this school has one of the best young _shikai_ users I've taught since the Academy opened. And he, like you, began training with his sword before he reached his fourth year. I will arrange for him to take you as his _deshi_ - and you will work with him until further notice."

"With a...Senior?" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Nagoya Shirogane." He agreed, and Juushirou gaped.

"Nagoya-senpai?" He murmured. "But Sensei, Nagoya-senpai doesn't...he thinks I...He..."

"Nagoya Shirogane is exceptionally talented in the field of _zanjutsu_ and has excellent management of his _shikai_, even now. When he is able to graduate, it will be to take high office in Sixth District's squad." Genryuusai said quietly.

"But he might...not want to train me. Because...I..."

"Because you're District?"

"Y...yes sir."

"I doubt that very much."

Genryuusai dismissed this with a flick of his fingers.

"If Nagoya intends to be an adjutant, he will benefit from training you too. That kind of experience he hasn't had so far, and it's something he needs more than anything now in order to graduate with the honours and prospects his talent deserves. Besides, it's not a case of want or not want. You have need and he is the best candidate at present to fulfil it. I don't intend on either of you choosing whether or not to work together. As a senior and Anideshi, Nagoya will know that this is his duty and will undertake it accordingly. And you must show him deference and obedience and listen well to what he says."

"Y...yes, Sensei."

"He is a proud boy, and sharp-tongued, at times." Genryuusai relented slightly, meeting Juushirou's gaze. "And doubtless he will not be easy on you. But despite those things I think he is the best person to train you at present. There is much you can learn from him."

He spread his hands.

"I will speak to him myself, and we will arrange things accordingly to fit around your timetable, since as a Senior his is much more fluid." He added. "You will be continuing your other classes as normal for the foreseeable future. Anything else can be left in my hands to organise - for the time being, you may go and rejoin your classmates."

"Yes, Sensei."

Juushirou bowed his head, then withdrew from the study, his head still whirling from the conversation.

_Sensei can help me. It is dangerous, and it will be hard work. And…and if I have to train with Nagoya-senpai, I can guess that won't be easy either. But Sensei knows. He knew before. And Shunsui was right. I really don't have to deal with this on my own. It's not like protecting my family from it – Sensei's someone who knows all about Shinigami things and I…I guess I'm just another student he wants to see succeed. I'm not out of his depth – I should have gone to him right away, but now at least I know how things are. I must thank Ryuu-kun, when I get back to the others. If he hadn't have pushed me to, I probably wouldn't have gone. But now I have…even though nothing has changed yet…I feel so much better._

He turned onto the main corridor, hesitating as he caught sight of a familiar figure coming in the opposite direction. For a moment he faltered, unsure what to do, and she did likewise, consternation and apprehension in her soft grey gaze.

At length, she bowed her head.

"Good morning, Ukitake-kun." She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Slowly and almost jerkily, Juushirou echoed the movement, and Mitsuki offered a faint, feeble smile before darting past him and along the hall towards the Principal's office. For a moment Juushirou stared after her, disliking the empty sensation such a cold and hollow meeting had left inside of him.

_But this was how I asked for her to be. This was what I wanted. Why, then, should I be so unsatisfied by it?_

He sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it.

_Maybe in the end Shunsui is right. Annoying as it is, perhaps he does know more about this than I do. It's not like I've ever had those kinds of feelings for anyone before, so I wouldn't know, most likely, even if it did rear up in my face. _

He turned, making his way resolutely once more towards the student common room, where he was sure Ryuu would have headed after being dismissed.

_But, even if I do, it's not like it changes anything. Sensei is one thing, and Nagoya-senpai too. But Edogawa-san is my classmate and no more experienced in these things than I am. If I keep letting her help me, sooner or later it'll get to the point where I cause her problems or even put her in real danger. I won't risk that. And I think…maybe she understands it now. Perhaps that was Shunsui, too – he did say he'd calmed her down. Perhaps I owe him a thank you as well…it's not his fault, after all, if things are awkward._

_Maybe they always will be, now, between Edogawa-san and I. I'll just have to get used to it, I suppose._

"Ukitake!"

As he pushed open the door of the common room, Ryuu was on his feet, and at his friend's anxiety, Juushirou managed a smile, raising his hand to acknowledge the greeting as he made his way over towards the young Kuchiki. As was becoming more and more common, Ryuu was not alone – for Enishi and Kai were playing _shougi _with Hirata and Shunsui watching and making comments from time to time. That they had been not only gathered together deliberately but that they had been waiting for him did not escape Juushirou for one moment, and at this silent show of support, he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

_My friends, no matter what happens. That's the message, isn't it? Thank you, Ryuu-kun. Even though Sensei made you promise not to tell my secrets – you still thought about it enough to gather everyone together. Even Kai-kun – even knowing how you feel about him. You have no idea, but right now you could not have done anything better._

"You were a long time." As he dropped down among them, Hirata cast him a concerned look. "Is everything all right? Kuchiki-kun said that we should wait here for you, but wouldn't tell us what you'd gone to speak about."

"He was pacing the carpet, but wouldn't tell us anything to put our minds at rest that you weren't in some kind of trouble." Kai added, sweeping one of his pieces across the board and trapping Enishi's in a final gesture of victory. "There, Houjou. That's you done for the third time in a row."

"Guess it is." Enishi admitted good-naturedly. "But Ukitake's here now, so it's about time we stopped playing."

"I'm not in trouble." Juushirou shook his head. "It's not about that. And Ryuu-kun couldn't tell you because Sensei said it was up to me to do that – if I wanted to."

"And do you want to?" That was Shunsui, a question in his dark eyes, and slowly Juushirou nodded.

"I do." He admitted. "Because even though none of you can do anything about it – I…like to know that you're at least behind me. A lot's going to happen, after all. I'd rather know that…well…I wasn't doing it alone."

"Well, that's a given." Enishi said frankly. "That's why we waited. But if you're not in trouble – what's going on?"

Juushirou paused, gathering his thoughts for a moment. Then he grinned, looking rueful.

"I've heard my _zanpakutou_ spirit." He said softly. "And Sensei thinks that, with my weak constitution, the sooner I start working to control it the better."

"_Zanpakutou_?" Kai's eyes almost fell out of his head. "But…as a _second_ year? And…like this?"

"Yes." Juushirou nodded. "I know – it seems crazy to me too. But the truth is…I haven't only just started to hear them. I just didn't realise till now that that was what it was. It started when I was fifteen – only it's happening a lot more lately and I'm having more trouble confining my spirit power and keeping abreast of it all. With my _haibyou_, Sensei doesn't want to take risks. He says, basically, that if it's there now, I should work with it. And well, whatever else I need to learn I guess I'll just have to do as and when I can."

Enishi let out a low whistle.

"That's fourth year work." He said, impressed. "And you're a second year. Way to go, Ukitake."

"It's sort of ironic." Ryuu admitted. "That of all of us gathered here, representatives of various Clans, it is Ukitake who is District that first begins to train in this way."

"No, I don't think it's ironic." Shunsui shook his head, and at his tones, Juushirou eyed him sharply. He did not seem as surprised as the others, and inwardly the District boy wondered if his friend's uncanny sense of awareness had given him an insight even before Juushirou had known it for himself. "There's nothing to say District children can't do it. It's just that they've never had the chance before. That's the difference. And the Academy is only ten years old. There have been hundreds upon thousands of Shinigami who've trained outside of the Academy and summoned their swords before they even reach eighteen. Juu's not so unusual really. Even if he will be seen that way – everyone develops at their own pace."

"That's true. My sister summoned hers at sixteen." Kai acknowledged. "But she was trained into the ground by Uncle before that point. I suppose you're right, Kyouraku – but even so…"

"But it doesn't change anything." Hirata said firmly, meeting Juushirou's gaze with a serious one of his own. "None of us really know what will happen, but even so, all of us are on your side, Ukitake-kun. Even if you have to train by yourself."

"It won't be by myself." Juushirou pulled a face. "Sensei's already decided on my _shishou_ – which tells me that he knew all about this long before I did."

"Minabe?" Kai asked, and Enishi shook his head.

"Minabe doesn't have a _zanpakutou_." He responded. "It can't be her."

"No. It isn't." Juushirou sighed. "It isn't a sensei at all. Apparently it's tradition for a Senior with release capabilities to take on this kind of training in a junior. And that means…in my case...Nagoya-senpai."

"Oh boy." Shunsui's eyes glittered with amusement. "Then I'll offer my sympathies now. That in itself is going to be rough."

"There is nothing wrong with Shirogane-senpai." Ryuu looked insulted. "On the contrary, his ability is well renowned even by Guren-sama."

"But he hates District kids. Actually, he seems to hate most people, but especially District ones." Shunsui said frankly.

He cast Juushirou a glance.

"But that being said, he might find he's met his match this time." He observed thoughtfully.

Juushirou sighed.

"It wouldn't be my choice, but Sensei is decided and that's that." He admitted. "Still, I feel a little better now. Having told him, having told you all – I don't think I'm as worried as I was. Thank you, Ryuu-kun."

He offered the startled Kuchiki boy a grin.

"Your advice was exactly right, and I appreciate it."

"You need not thank me." Ryuu returned the grin with an awkward smile of his own. "We are friends, and such things are therefore natural, are they not?"

"I suppose that means you might actually sleep tonight." Shunsui said wryly, and Juushirou nodded.

"I hope so." He owned. "I haven't, really – not properly, since camp. I'm more tired than I ought to be – maybe tonight I'll catch up on that. I guess I've been worrying a whole lot."

"Which is why I told you not to worry on your own." Shunsui grinned at him, and Juushirou returned it sheepishly.

"More good advice that I eventually decided to follow." He said ruefully. "Thank you for that as well, Shunsui."

"Don't mention it." Shunsui winked at him. "Like Hirata said – we're here, so make use of us – whatever way you can."

"He'll need us to patch him back together after Nagoya's done with him." Enishi said decidedly. "I know he's your kinsman, Kuchiki, but Kyouraku's right. He doesn't like District and he doesn't mind who knows it. Training under him is gonna be more than half the battle – after that, summoning the damn sword should be a piece of cake."

"I don't know about that." Despite himself, Juushirou stifled a smile. "But I intend to work my hardest anyhow. Maybe if Nagoya-senpai sees that I'm going to take it seriously and do my best, he'll be easier to work with. At least, that's my hope. Because Sensei said it wasn't a matter of choice – so whatever our Anideshi throws at me, I'll just have to do my best to be equal to from hereon in!"

* * *

"Where is he!"

As the lashes of the whip sliced once more through the air, the guardsman repeated his demand, pacing across the room impatiently and bending his head to meet the prisoner's gaze.

"Don't stare at me as though you don't understand my words! This isn't a game, you Urahara scum – speak, or you'll be cut to ribbons where you stand!"

There was silence, as the bound man simply turned his head away, and angered, the guard brought the back of his hand sharply across the prisoner's face, the armoured plating of his mail gloves gouging deep into his victim's pale skin.

"For the last time, dammit, tell us! _Where is Aizen Keitarou_?"

At length, the blooded figure's lips parted, and a low, hoarse chuckle rattled out from the depths of his throat.

"There is no such person." He murmured. "And if there is, I do not know him."

"Lies!" The guard grabbed his companion by the remains of his cropped, black-stained hair, yanking the man's head up with a jerk. "You know who he is. You know where he is! You are protecting him – do you not care at all for your own life?"

No response, and the prisoner stared up at his captor, a mixture of resolve and mocking amusement in his eyes.

This had been going on since dawn, and it was now approaching the middle of the day, yet still Daisuke held firm to his resolve.

He knew already, after all, that he would die here.

And if he was going to die anyway, he would take his secrets to his grave.

_I will not betray you, Keitarou. For the sake of our kin, I will not._

The chamber was an old one, tucked away somewhere in the depths of the Endou-ke's current prison quarters yet sealed off from the main cells as though the family preferred to keep matters relating to such violent torture as a private concern. When he had been dragged there that morning, ropes had been slung around his wrists and his ankles and he had been bound to hooks from the ceiling, hanging against his own weight for long enough now that beneath his flesh his left shoulder had already ripped free from the socket and his right was valiantly fighting the same losing battle. The cut of the whip across his back had long since blurred into one ongoing pain as opposed to distinctive lashes, and though he knew the skin was criss-crossed into a mess of bloody pulp, the slick trickles of blood that ran along his back and dripped onto the floor at least providing some cool dampness in the stifling heat of the summer's day. He had been robed only in dirty white prison_ hakama_, stained already from past use, yet the old, crusted brown marks had now been added to by fresh crimson ones – and the fabric was now more red than it had ever been white.

Yes, he would die here. But he was resigned to that. After all, he had expected it to come to this.

_A martyr for the exiled Urahara, just as Father and Keitsune-dono and all the others were, a century ago. Just as several of our people have been in recent weeks. I'm prepared to be a martyr. I'm not afraid of death. _

The whip came down again, but by now it created more of an adrenalin buzz inside his wounded body than it did add to the level of agony that already encompassed his whole awareness.

_Irie and the children were sent far away. They must have made it to District Eight by now. They're safe, so I have no reason to worry. Just keep faith with Keitarou. That's all I have to do now. _

Another lash of the whip, and Daisuke closed his eyes as he heard the sound of fresh blood splattering up against the stone walls.

_Just succeed, Keitarou. I won't betray you, so use my incarceration to buy time and succeed. Make the Urahara pay. Make the Endou pay. Teach them all exactly what kind of hatred they've unleashed – since the start you've been the only one who can._

"Has he spoken yet?"

The door of the cell banged open, making the guards jump, and Daisuke's eyes flickered open as he made out the hazy form of the Head of the Endou Clan himself, dressed in military garb and with an impatient expression on his harsh, aging features. As he strode across the red-puddled cobbles, the brawny guardsmen shrank back, and Daisuke felt his disdain for them and for their master growing.

_A weak man who dominates those who are weaker because he fears progress or innovation. Such a man deserves to die. I'm only sorry that I won't be here to see it, Keitarou, when you finally decide his time has come._

"No, sir. He won't say a word." The man with the whip said now, brushing the beading sweat from his brow. "Just claims he's never heard of him – that Aizen Keitarou doesn't exist."

"Doesn't exist? I see." Shouichi paced across towards Daisuke's suspended form, thrusting his fist upwards and a judder went through the injured man as the rock-hard knuckles made contact with the underside of his jaw. "Well, you're obviously being too soft on him. I didn't send my Lieutenant to help snare him for nothing – you'll kill him at this rate before you break him. Didn't I tell you? This one is not like the others. This one I want kept alive until he talks."

"Then you'll see me live to a riper age than you, old man." Daisuke forced words across his dry vocal chords, shooting Shouichi a look of defiance. "Because I have nothing to say and that isn't going to change. You can break all my bones and slice me into sashimi if you like. If I don't know the answer to your question, I can't answer it."

"You know." Shouichi's eyes became slits, and Daisuke could feel the man's hot breath against his bruised skin as the Clan leader bent closer. "I know when someone is lying, and I can see it in your eyes. Why should you protect a man who's left you for dead? You Urahara are meant to be intelligent. Why, then, take such an irrational path?"

"The only one consigning me to death is you, my Lord Endou." Daisuke's words were soft yet they dripped with scorn and sarcasm. "Since I am in your hands completely, my fate lies with you and your men. Nobody else."

Shouichi balled his fist, swinging it sharply against Daisuke's cheek and the force of it caused his hanging body to swing, pulling once more at the already strained arms. Despite himself, Daisuke could not keep from crying out as his pain threshold was breached for the first time, and a nasty smile touched Shouichi's lips.

"Yes. You understand, now?" He said softly. "I do not play games. If you have any desire left inside of you to live, you have to abide by my terms."

"You will kill me. Or I will die of these wounds." Daisuke replied frankly, dragging a shuddering breath of air into his lungs as pain rocketed through his weakening body. "There is no other fate for an Urahara snared by the Endou-ke. My logic tells me as much, Shouichi-dono. I will die here. Therefore I have no impetus to tell you anything. I will gain nothing either way."

Shouichi stood back, flexing his fingers together as he contemplated the other's words.

"You are as twisted and shrewd in your logic as you were when you worked under my auspices, Kotetsu Daisuke." He reflected. "But even that logic won't save your life – or the life of your kinsman. I am not a fool. I know that, even then, you were his right hand man. You were one in whom he had a certain amount of trust…you are the one person among your kind who might tell me where to find Aizen Keitarou."

"And I say again, I know of no such person." Daisuke spat out defiantly. "I'll say it till I'm hoarse and my vocal chords start to rot. There is no such person. I know of no such person. Aizen Keitarou does not exist!"

Shouichi's thick brows knitted together, and he reached across, grabbing the suspended man by the shoulders and digging his thick fingers deep into Daisuke's wrenched joints.

"_Urahara_ Keitarou." He said blackly. "Son of Urahara Keitsune, creator of the chemical formula known these days as '_reidoku_'. Your blood cousin and childhood acquaintance. Tell me where _Urahara_ Keitarou is. I will not play games of semantics with you. Aizen Keitarou. Urahara Keitarou. The two are the same and his whereabouts matters more to me than his chosen identity."

Daisuke met Shouichi's demanding glare with a hooded one of his own, derision still glittering in the depths of his unusual Urahara eyes. For a moment there was silence in the little chamber, then Daisuke snorted, wetting his cracking lips.

"I know him not." He whispered. "Make a martyr of me, Shouichi-dono, for I cannot tell you what you want to know."

Shouichi let out a roar of frustration, pushing his prisoner away from him in his anger, and as agony ripped through Daisuke's lean frame once more, the old man turned to his guards.

"Cut him down. Throw him back in his cell." He said, and at his order, the guards exchanged looks of surprise.

"His…cell, sir?" One of them began, and Shouichi nodded.

"If he will not speak himself, we'll use him another way." He said blackly. "So long as he lives, Aizen will know it. He'll come looking, I'm sure, for his beloved kinsman and friend. So long as Kotetsu Daisuke is alive, we can smoke out Aizen Keitarou."

Despite himself, anxiety prickled through Daisuke's senses as he felt one of the men grab hold of him, the other drawing his sword to sever through the thick rope that held him in position.

_Don't come for me, Keitarou. Don't fall into Shouichi's trap. Our goal is more important than my life. Don't let sentiment get the better of you. I'll die here, so you can continue. Make sure that you succeed…for all of our sakes._

* * *

Another long and boring day.

Nagoya Shirogane turned over the page of his book, scanning the kanji columns idly without taking anything much in. Several of his fellow Seniors were hard at work on a Sakusen assignment, but for him such worries were a thing of the past. He had, after all, passed his final exams already – and therefore was not required to continue attending the classes for a second time. In fact, he reflected bitterly, his entire presence there was more than a little pointless. If not for the obstinacy of powerful Clansmen, he would have long since left the Academy behind.

"Sensei's calling for you, Gin-chan."

A voice broke through his idle contemplation at that moment and he shut his book with a snap, glaring up at the intruder with a look of indignation in his slate grey eyes.

"Ooh, someone's cross-patchy today." The girl did not seem at all perturbed, merely offering him a grin as she reached over to tweak his long tail of hair playfully. "Did you get up on the wrong side again, or something? Or is the kanji so-o-o hard for you in that book that you need a-a-all your genius concentration to follow it through properly?"

"Get out of the way, Meroka." Shirogane pushed her back, dropping the book down on the unit with a thump to emphasise his point. "And for the last time, don't call me that. This isn't the Main House and I'm not four years old any more. All you do is cause me a headache – and I don't need it."

"Aw. All this responsibility has made you sulky." Meroka's eyes twinkled with amusement. "But to me you'll always be Gin-chan – no matter how many centuries you live or how fearsome you become with that blade of yours."

Shirogane sighed, forcibly keeping a hold on his temper as he resisted the urge to grab her two long braids of hair and pull them as hard as he had done when they had been small children running around the Kuchiki estate. Though only first cousins, the chronic ill health of Shirogane's mother had meant they had grown up almost like siblings, and despite a year's gap between them, they had been enrolled at the Academy at the same time. Meroka had been charged with 'looking after' the budding pride of the Kuchiki, much to Shirogane's chagrin – and despite their close childhood proximity to one another, he had often felt over the years that the other side of Seireitei would not be far enough away from his mischievous cousin's playful attentions.

It wasn't that he hated her exactly. More that he liked her more when he knew she was miles and miles away.

The previous year he had all but escaped, for his Senior class position had separated them quite effectively. But now he had been held back, she had compounded the misery by being promoted at the end of her fourth year – and as a result she had resumed her normal behaviour, driving him almost to the brink of distraction even in the short few months they had been back.

Luck, he reflected bitterly, had definitely not been on his side.

"I had hoped that being promoted to Senior class meant I'd be rid of you." He muttered now.

"Well, you were out of luck." Meroka dimpled unrepentantly. "Since I missed being your classmate so-o-o-o much I worked re-e-eally hard last year to catch you up. And since you stayed on…"

She paused, eying him meaningfully, and Shirogane rubbed his temples.

"You said Sensei wanted me." He said pointedly. "So if that's true, shouldn't you be passing on the message instead of tormenting me like this?"

"Ah. Yes. I suppose so." Meroka sank down on the windowsill, nodding her head. "One of the first year scuttled here with it…he was looking for you, but he seemed scared stiff by the prospect so I said I'd take the memo since I was coming this way a-a-anyway…"

Shirogane arched an eyebrow, and Meroka grinned.

"Well, with the memo, I was." She amended. "Besides, Sensei simply wanted to see you in his office as soon as possible. So I suppose that means you ought to go and see him. Probably he's got some more Anideshi duties to throw on you – you shouldn't be dawdling around here with me when there's work to be done, should you?"

"Get out of my room, Meroka." Shirogane got languidly to his feet. "And don't come back into it, else I'll report you to Sensei myself. Cousins or otherwise, girls are not allowed in boys' rooms and vice versa. This is Anideshi's nest. It's not for you to come barging in at any time of the night and day."

"I don't do that." Meroka pouted. "When you lock the door, I can't get in. And you know, the others have been complaining about that. How they can never get to leave messages with you if your door is always fastened."

"Well, then try not coming in when I unlock the door, and then I won't have to lock it so much." Shirogane snapped. "Now get out and stay out. I'm going to see Sensei. Make yourself useful and tell anyone looking for me where I am and not to bother me – I'll see to whatever it is when I get back."

Without waiting for a response he swept her aside, stalking down the corridor and along the hall towards the stairs that connected the senior wing with the rest of the old manor estate.

As he walked, he forced himself to calm down, realising that if he stormed into the headmaster's study, no matter what the provocation, he would certainly live to regret it.

_And no doubt Guren-sama would hear about it, too. Ah, but this is partly his fault! If he'd only trust in me to do what he wants of me now, instead of making me wait it out! So I'm not twenty yet – so what? That's not the end of the world, surely? I'm close enough as makes no difference. And how can he compare leading in a squad to marshalling this gaggle of brats around? There's no comparison. I'm not a babysitter. I swear, much more of it and I'll start to lose my mind completely._

A group of first year students were gathered in one of the stairwells, but at his approach they scattered, exchanging looks of distress as they hurried for the safety of their dormitories. A look of disdain crossed Shirogane's proud features at their reaction, and inwardly he reflected on how each year's intake became more and more pathetic.

_District kids, most likely. Diluting the quality of our school, one unwashed miscreant at a time._

At that moment he reached the staff wing, walking briskly along it to the end door that marked the entrance to Genryuusai's own study. He paused for a moment, ensuring he was completely composed, and then lifted his hand, rapping three times smartly on the aging divide. Genryuusai called him in, and slowly he slid the door back, stepping inside the room and bowing towards the school's founder.

"You sent for me, Genryuusai-sensei?"

"Yes, I did. Close the door, Shirogane. And come to the desk."

"Yes, sir."

Shirogane did as he was bidden, coming to stand before his companion and Genryuusai eyed him for a moment before indicating that he should make himself more comfortable.

"I wonder, then, how you are enjoying your second year in Senior Class?"

The question was light and unexpected, and Shirogane started, staring at the old man in confusion.

"Sensei?"

"I know you were not in favour of returning to me this year. Have your feelings changed in the course of the last couple of months?"

"I…" Shirogane pursed his lips, then,

"No, sir." He admitted honestly. "There seems little point in me re-sitting a syllabus that I have already passed with high marks. I have, with respect, completed all of the requirements needed to graduate this Academy. Therefore, in truth, I feel as though I have become a spare part."

"Ah." Genryuusai's moustache twitched slightly, and Shirogane realised his companion's lips had shifted into the faintest of smiles. "Yes, perhaps you have completed all the _academic_ requirements. But you are also aware that there is one _other _requirement – something that, as yet, you have not managed to achieve."

Shirogane's eyes darkened, and he lowered his head.

"Yes, sir." He said quietly. "Supervision of others. Guren-sama has also said so – hence why I am still a pupil at this school."

"Guren-dono has asked me quite specifically that I am to ensure you understand what that entails. Without it, he will not have you where you are needed most by your Clan and your District." Genryuusai said softly. "Your skills are second to none in the Senior Class. Even last year, you scored third out of seven students in your overall grades and this with having skipped two years to get there. You are an exceptionally talented individual and a Shinigami of whom the Kuchiki-ke will no doubt be very proud. But Guren-dono is a shrewd man as well as a proud one. He wants to know you are everything he needs, not just half. And that is where the Academy comes in."

"Since term began I have done as you asked me, Sensei. I have been Anideshi. I have overseen things. I have done my duties as you ordered." Shirogane said flatly. "But if you expect me to enjoy them…then that is something I'm not sure I can manage."

Genryuusai chuckled, shaking his head.

"Yes, you are still young." He murmured, more to himself than to his indignant student. "But it doesn't matter. I haven't called you here for that purpose, after all. I have a specific assignment for you. A very important one that, if completed successfully, would no doubt convince Guren-dono that you were ready to take up office in the Sixth District's Shinigami division."

"Really?" Faint hope stirred in Shirogane's heart at this. "So I could…if I were to do this assignment…I would not have to finish this year? I mean, my academic grades being as they are…"

"You are only here until you prove to both Guren-dono and to myself that you are capable of being in command." Genryuusai said simply. "You have already graduated on all academic levels. There is no need for you to repeat what you already know."

"Then…you would let me…graduate? If I did this task…you would…"

Shirogane's mind was whirling, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Guren-dono will not have you before you reach twenty." He replied. "But that is not too far away, not now. If you were to complete a task of this nature, I think that he would consider accepting you – and I would have no qualms about letting you go."

"Then I…I suppose the task isn't an easy one?" Shirogane's brows knitted together.

"Perhaps not." Genryuusai admitted. "But even so, it is possibly the best and only chance you will get to prove yourself. Turning it down would be an indication that you have not reached that level of training maturity – so I think…you will have to accept it either way."

"Then will you tell me what it is, Sensei?"

"I will." Genryuusai nodded. "There is a student in the second year who has begun to communicate with his _zanpakutou_ spirit. I wish you to take him as your _deshi_ and train him until he reaches such a point that he can bring it under his control."

"Train a student? To release level?" Shirogane stared, then, "Wait…Sensei…did you say…a _second_ year?"

"I did." Genryuusai was quite calm.

"But…but surely…even I…was…"

"Yes. It's unusual, but without a doubt this is the situation." Genryuusai nodded. "As you awoke yours early, so he has awoken his. As someone else who understands that jump, I think you are the best person to train him. Besides, time is of the essence. He is very powerful, but also…potentially very weak. This development has most likely come early because of his other shortcomings. It took you a full year to master shifting your sword in and out of _shikai_ release, and it was only by the end of last year that you really had honed the techniques that release can produce. That, of course, is the shortest length of time any student should expect devote to such a thing. However, I don't think…this will take so long. In truth, I don't think it will take long at all. The first communication happened three years ago, after all – it is only now that the full implication of that event is making itself known. The truth is that the speed of it in itself may yet prove dangerous – because at present he is far from ready to receive such a sudden up-thrust in power."

Shirogane's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"May I ask, Sensei, who this prodigy might be?" He questioned softly, and Genryuusai smiled.

"Ukitake Juushirou." He said simply, and Shirogane's lips thinned.

"The District boy." He muttered, and Genryuusai nodded his head.

"As you say." He agreed. "But in this particular instance, I think that to be irrelevant. Don't you?"

Shirogane was silent for a long time. Then, at length, he nodded.

"Very well." He said quietly. "I understand your order, Sensei. I accept the task you've asked of me. If I can train a District boy to _shikai_, then Guren-dono must recognise that I am ready to serve in his squad as Vice Captain. Therefore for that reason, I will work with this Ukitake."

"He has a weak constitution, but even so, you must help him improve his endurance as best you can." Genryuusai warned. "There is a fine line between success and failure with most _zanpakutou_ – and I do not want this one to be a failure. But in his case, the stakes are much higher. You have a limited amount of time before the spirit power he has overwhelms him completely. That means an intensive course of training…are you willing to undertake that?"

"Yes sir. I will."

"Then so long as he can train, Shirogane, I want you to train him. I have faith in you to succeed – in both of you to succeed."

Shirogane paused for a moment. Then, slowly, he bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"Yes, Sensei." He murmured. "If he's trained by a Kuchiki – there's no likelihood of anything else."

* * *

_**Author's Note: Gin-chan.**_

_Meroka's nickname for Shirogane, 'Gin', is a play on the reading of his name kanji. The name Shirogane is usually written with one kanji, _銀 _,and carries the meaning of 'silver' (literally, I suppose, white-gold). When something is described as being 'silver' in Japanese, however, the word used is generally 'Gin'. The kanji is the same, the reading is just different. Meroka is playing on the dual reading of Shirogane's name, just because it's another way in which she can annoy him._

_Ichimaru Gin's name is not spelt with this kanji, but for some reason written just in phonetic katakana letters _ギ_& _ン_. (Even despite that, though, his name is also often linked with having the meaning of silver)_


	20. Frozen Justice

**Chapter Nineteen - Frozen Justice**

_He was by the sea again._

_  
As he walked slowly along the damp sands that flanked the receding tide, Juushirou glanced around him, but there was no one else for miles. Today the sky was clear, however, and the sound of birdsong over the gentle hush of the waves made him feel reassured rather than lonely._

_The storm had passed, then – for now at least._

"_Juushirou."_

_The word was a whisper on the wind, but even so, Juushirou knew that someone, somehow had called his name. He gazed at the sand, his eyes widening as he saw, pace by pace with his own, a row of more delicate footprints beginning to form alongside him in the sand. It was as though someone was walking with him, and instinctively he held out his fingers, hoping to discover whether or not his mind was teasing him. As he did so, something as light as a feather brushed across his palm, and he stopped dead, staring at his hand as, little by little fragments of light began to gather around it, forming first a haze, then, piece by piece he saw fingers…a wrist…a ghostly, ethereal arm. As he raised his eyes, he met the storm grey ones of a spectral woman standing beside him, her fingers intertwined in his outstretched ones._

_She was translucent and faint, yet even so he was not afraid._

_  
"Hahaue." He murmured. _

_There was silence, then the woman nodded._

_"I am." She agreed quietly. "And I am not."_

_"This is a dream." Juushirou whispered, reaching up to touch his face, then, slowly and gingerly stretching his fingers out to brush against her shoulder. "You...aren't really there – I can see the sea right through your body even now. You don't...really look like that. I never saw you - this is my...my imagination..."_

_"This is a dream." Raiko agreed. "But this is not your imagination. You see me as I am, Juushirou. As I was, the day I held you and wished for all my strength to keep you safe from harm. The day we met, and the day we said goodbye. This is the woman I was then. This is how you see me now."_

_"But...are you...a ghost? Haunting me?" Juushirou took a step back, his hand dropping to his side as he tried to process this information coherently. "Possessing me? Can you do that? After all this time...can you...?"_

_"I am not a ghost. Raiko is dead, and her spirit is gone." The woman shook her head. "I am all that remains of her. The mother's love that stirred inside of her, and which gave you life. The remaining, lingering flicker of spirit power that willed you to take your first breaths. The soul named Raiko no longer exists. I am her, and yet I am not."_

_Juushirou bit his lip._

_"Then…are you....__**In**__?" He whispered, and the woman smiled._

_"No. I am Raiko, not In." She said, shaking her head. "In is a part of your soul where I and my love for you are reflected. But she is a part of you, and I am something else. Something deeper. Something that has always been here, watching over you and waiting for the time when we'll speak."_

_Juushirou did not answer at first, then he frowned._

_"You gave me your strength, in order that I lived." He murmured. "Father said it, and so have other people. That's what you are, isn't it? The little piece of Hahaue that still exists - the part that gave me life. You're not her, because Hahaue died. But you still are inside of me...because I'm alive thanks to you. My strength - my reiatsu - is that all because of you? Because in the end Hahaue gave me her power - and now I have it too?"_

_"All your power was born into you." Raiko responded quietly, shaking her head. "It is all your own. In and You are yours, too. You must learn to use them and let them guide you, too. Little by little, I think, you are starting to realise –just how important they are to you."_

_"In'you...?"_

_"Yes." Raiko moved forward, placing her hand against Juushirou's cheek, and with a jolt he realised that her form was already becoming translucent._

_"I am simply the part of Raiko that wanted to see her son live." She murmured, spectral tears glittering on her lashes. "The part of Raiko who wanted Juushirou to grow...and to see him become a man of whom she would be proud."_

_"Hahaue had a lot of reiryoku." Juushirou murmured. "And because...because she did..."_

_"All of it went into saving you." Raiko smiled, a bittersweet expression on her face. "And she gave that power freely. I am her last regret, that's all. The one who sealed your storm that winter night – but did it knowing she would never see her son as a grown man."_

_She took a step back._

_"Now you're so strong, Juushirou." She added, her voice becoming blurry and indistinct. "You can now perceive the things that before you could not – and because of that, for the first time, you see me clearly and know what I am. But because of that, Raiko has no more reason to regret. And because of it, I have no reason to stay."_

_She sighed, reaching a tentative, regretful finger across to brush his hand again, then lowering it as the tip of the digit began to fray and scatter once more into particles of light._

"_Now In'you have reached out to you, I have nothing left to worry about. Trust them, Juushirou, and go where they lead. Understand the power that you have, because it surpasses Raiko's own. With In'you's help, you can protect the family you love so much - and many more besides."_

_"Wait!" Juushirou let out an exclamation, reaching out desperately to grab at the figure. "Wait! Don't go yet...I have questions! Things I want to know about Hahaue - her family, her past...how she was connected to the Kuchiki-ke! What kind of power she had...Wait! Please!"_

_"You are not her, and your power shouldn't be guided by what she was." As the woman faded into nothing, the words were a simple breath on the wind. "You are __**you**__, Juushirou. Follow your heart. Trust in your instincts. Let In'you be your guide and your support."_

_With that she was gone, and Juushirou realised he was alone on the beach once more._

_"Hahaue." Despite himself he swallowed hard. "Even if this is a dream...I...I want to believe...that was some part of Hahaue. Even if it wasn't...to even know what she looked like...even if that bit alone is true."_

_He closed his eyes, re-ordering his thoughts._

_"In'you?" He whispered, and the landscape shifted and changed until he was surrounded by swirling waves._

_"Juushirou." The woman's voice was quiet now, and Juushirou nodded._

_"Your voice and hers are the same." He murmured. "In...was that really...my mother who spoke to me? Or just a fancy of imagination?"_

_"Your mother is dead." In said gently, her white eyes soft with understanding. "But even the dead have last regrets. She left that one with you, Juushirou. Only now are you strong enough for her to reach you without hurting you. She used her power to suppress yours - now, for the first time, you're beginning to unseal those things and see for yourself the love with which she's protected you all these years."_

_"Then I...can speak to her again?"_

_"The regret is fulfilled. The piece of Raiko left behind is at rest." You said quietly. "I'm sorry, Juushirou. Your mother is long gone, and you cannot speak to the dead."_

_"Then that...really was…just…"_

_"Spirit particles left behind from when she saved your life." In agreed._

_"And now I'm strong enough to hear her message?" Juushirou bit his lip. "Even when she was dying, she reached out like that to me?"_

_"Your mother loved you more than her own life." You said evenly. "And you should follow her advice. Value your life. Focus your attention and resolve and work hard. Look to your own power - the past is the past, after all."_

_"My own power." Juushirou repeated. "Which is…the two of you. In'you. That's what she said - to trust in you. But I already made up my mind to do that, anyhow. She died to save my life – even if I wasn't resolved to fight to keep it before, now I would have no doubts at all."_

_  
"Then do as she says." You told him firmly. "Even if the path is hard, Juushirou...from here on in, walk it with us. In time you'll come to understand everything that we have to teach you - everything that you need to know."_

Juushirou's eyes opened, and for a moment he lay there in the darkened dormitory, gazing up pensively at the old, plaster ceiling. All around him his companions were still fast asleep, and only the faint flickers of moonlight dancing in at the window gave the chamber any life at all.

Yet for some reason, Juushirou felt at peace.

_I still want to know about you, Hahaue. More than I did before, but it can keep. For now, my focus has to be on me. On my training. On everything Sensei said and on what Nagoya-senpai will hopefully teach me. To unlock In'you's true power and secrets – that is the thing most important to me. To repay Hahaue for her belief in me – that's the only thing I can do now._

He smiled, feeling the dampness of tears on his lashes at this bittersweet thought.

_Even if she never really knows, I'll still get there. And not just for her, but for everyone who's supported me. For Otousama and Okaasama and everyone at home. For Kamikura-sensei who taught me so many things. For my friends, here at the Academy…_

His gaze flitted across the room to the slumbering shadows of his classmates.

_For Genryuusai-sensei, because he believes in me. And for myself…because I know, now. More than anything else, I know. I don't want to die. I don't want to be one of those Ukitake who let _haibyou_ beat them and take away their lives and their futures. Maybe I'll always have it – but that's fine, since I always have had anyway. But I'm going to follow what Unohana-sensei told me last summer. I'm not going to see it as a curse. I'm going to somehow break that hex by proving that even like this, I can make a difference._

_I will summon my sword._

_I will be a Shinigami._

_  
And most of all…__**I will live.**_

* * *

All around this place was the lingering scent of death.

Keitarou pressed close to the wall of the underground sewer, his keen senses picking out how many individuals were moving back and forth in the tunnels above him. They were weak signals, all of them, for none of Shouichi's guardsfolk were possessed with more than the barest flicker of reiatsu, yet still Keitarou could distinguish them one from each other.

He wrinkled his nose at the different, unsavoury sensations.

_Unwashed. Uneducated. Unimportant – and many more 'un' words besides. Shouichi's crack forces – each one of them dead as can be to the world of spiritual capacity. _

_Trained with swords you might be, but Shikiki is superior to all of you put together. You are bested by an eight year old girl…and yet don't even realise the shame of your own existences. _

Disdain glittered in his pale eyes.

_Worthless creatures. If you were mine to deal with, I would bind you and set those with spirit power to claw you to shreds instead. At least the gifted provide significant scientific potential, even if they have no greater purpose. I do dislike this District. As ever, it is full of slime._

But then, he wasn't here to belittle or kill ordinary men. He had come to find his friend.

It had, in the end, been a difficult decision. He knew that to reveal himself in the heart of Shouichi's lair may put both him and Shikiki in danger, and the success of his overall project depended on him retaining a certain amount of freedom. If his actions frightened Seimaru into giving him up, everything would be much more complicated to achieve – yet even so, out of all the people he had seen sacrificed, Daisuke was the one who he was most loath to abandon.

He did not form emotional bonds with anyone and had not done so since his father's execution – he had not even cried when his mother had passed away some ten years before. But Daisuke was like him enough to have forged a bond – a companionship and understanding that, without being spoken, told Keitarou they were operating on the same frequency.

They were united by hate, and had both pledged their loyalty and blood to that end. Daisuke would not betray him – he knew that. But he would equally not betray Daisuke, and forsake him in the stench of rotting corpses that pervaded every inch of this underground hell. Worse even than the cells he had used for his experiments had ever been, Keitarou's sensitive spiritual senses had to work hard not to be overwhelmed by the grotesqueness of the atmosphere surrounding him.

Death did not usually bother him, but this was death coloured by the familiar traits of Urahara kinsfolk, and that was different.

Daisuke's blood was among the morass of sensations, but Keitarou knew that his friend was still alive.

_And it's probably a trap, but even so, I can't ignore him. So I'll try, at the very least. I'll take the risk and hope that the luck of the devil that guides me is on my side tonight as well._

A wry, humourless smile touched his lips at this. It was Daisuke, after all, who had always claimed that Keitarou had the luck of the devil about him.

And now it was for Daisuke's sake that Keitarou was calling on that luck to help protect him again.

Or perhaps he was the devil, after all.

At last, the movement above seemed to fade to a bare minimum, and Keitarou knew that it he either acted now or not at all. The Endou patrols were so much like clockwise that it had been easy for one like him to work out the time when the least officials would be marching along the cold dungeon floors. There was only a gap of maybe six or seven minutes at most between the end of one patrol and the beginning of the next.

Keitarou hoped it would be enough.

Daisuke was hurt, after all. He knew that even without seeing his friend. Pain radiated from the prisoner's distinctive reiatsu, and Keitarou knew that his comrade had been tortured and beaten in an attempt to pry from him the information about his own whereabouts.

_Well, they chose the wrong man. Daisuke will sooner die…than betray anyone he has a bond to._

With the agility of a cat, Keitarou pushed back the wooden grille that divided the dungeon from the cramped, half-completed sewer tunnels that ran immediately beneath them, using broken bits of stone and other, unidentifiable matter as a lift to claw his way up through the tiny waste hole and into the floor above. Immediately the smell of decomposition hit him and he paused for a moment, getting his instincts under control.

Death and disease were rife here, but prisoners were only removed to make room for another – or to be burnt in the way the Urahara dead had been treated - in a blatant, defiant contradiction of Third District's own burial tradition. To actively destroy a body was to destroy its soul…so his mother had taught him, and so he had come to believe of his own free will. And Shouichi had also obviously learnt this tradition from his years involved in the persecuting Council, for as Keitsune and his fellows had been burnt all those years ago, the Urahara were still being burnt here today.

And Daisuke would be the next one, if Keitarou did not intervene.

There were no guards immediately in view, yet Keitarou did not take any chances. Pulling his hooded cloak up so that it more or less hid his face, he inched his way along the narrow passage that separated the cells on two sides, reaching out with his spiritual wits for his friend's reiatsu as he went. In the fourth cell along he found what he was looking for and he paused, resting his hands against the bars as he gazed into the dark, dank hollow beyond.

What he saw brought both anger and relief flaring through his twisted heart.

Daisuke was hunched up against the corner of the cell wall, a plate of untouched scraps beside him. He was dressed in blood-spattered prison _hakama,_ already brown and stiff with the dried stains from earlier that day. A worn, motheaten blanket was thrown around his shoulders, this too seeped in drying blood which, Keitarou knew, had made it cling to the wounds on his back as a sort of second skin. His eyes were closed, but as Keitarou approached they opened, as the two men met gazes through the thick iron bars.

For a moment, Daisuke did not seem to register who he was seeing, and from the faint flush to his cheeks, Keitarou realised that his friend was already beginning a fever. Perhaps it was the strain of his ordeal, or perhaps an infection in his multiple wounds…which, Keitarou was not sure, yet even so he found his resolve doubling.

_If I can get him out of here alive, it doesn't matter how broken his body is. What better time to test Shikiki's ability…than to see if she can work her magic on a living creature such as this._

Then, as if hit by a sudden flash of clarity, Daisuke's pale eyes widened.

"Why did you come here?" He hissed, forcing himself painfully into a crawling position as he hauled his damaged body to the barred wall of the cell. He was dragging his left arm, Keitarou realised, and a quick glance over the joint told him that it had been pulled right from its socket. The ligaments were probably ripped right in two – yet even so, Daisuke was determined to move.

"Because I don't betray my kind." He replied now, and Daisuke's expression became frustrated as he hurriedly shook his head.

"Shouichi will find you! I am only alive to draw you here – really, Keitarou, you should have stayed away!"

"Perhaps I should, but I didn't. This is my decision, Daisuke. Don't fight against me, else we'll take too much time."

"But it's a trap! Shouichi will…"

"I don't care about that fool of an old man." Keitarou pulled his _tantou _knife from his pocket, sliding the blade into the lock and as the weapon glittered with a silver light, there was the sound of a heavy, reluctant click as the old bolt gave way. "So don't you start to, either. We don't have the time for it, in any case. If I'm going to get you out of here…"

"I can't walk. I'll slow you down. He's done a number on me – I'm no use to you now." Daisuke shook his head again. "He knows me – and that I work with you, even now. He's come to me to find you – you can't let him have that victory."

"What victory?" Keitarou snorted. "I'm not afraid of him and nor should you be. I'm not going to be caught, and you should save your strength. I still have use for you – and so does Shikiki."

"Shikiki is…alive?"

"Yes. She survived the fire, thanks to the magic we've been cultivating inside of her."

"Then…her barriers…are…?"

"Starting to mature. If I take you with me, maybe we'll see how far they've come – so stop arguing with me. It won't take a moment to leave here…let me support you and let us go. There is somewhere, after all, which is safe."

"There is nowhere that is safe, Aizen Keitarou."

The voice came out of the darkness, seemingly from nowhere, and even as Keitarou's fingers touched his cousin's bloodsoaked body, he was aware suddenly of the dark predatorial reiatsu of the Endou-ke hunter. He sighed, turning around to see Shouichi watching him, sword half drawn from his scabbard and two or three lesser officers on his right and left hand sides. Though they were dressed informally, Keitarou could tell they were more distant Endou kinsmen and also members of Shouichi's recently founded Seventh Squad…and his eyes narrowed.

_Four of them, plus the old man. Daisuke was right. A trap with honey to lure me in. Well, they'll soon see that I can sting, too._

"I knew that you would come, Aizen." Shouichi spoke quietly, satisfaction crossing his battle-hardened features. "Those who rebel always make mistakes. They never fully forsake one another when they've sealed their bond in blood. I knew, if I took Kotetsu Daisuke, I'd flush out Aizen Keitarou. And I was right. Here you are."

He raised his hand.

"Arrest him."

As he spoke, he gestured towards Keitarou and immediately his companions pulled swords from their sheaths, launching forward to grab him. Daisuke flinched back at the sudden gust of chill air that blew around the chamber, and Keitarou grimaced, his grip tightening on his silver-hazed knife as he pulled it further out of sight beneath the long sleeves of his cloak.

"_Ore, Chudokuga_." He murmured, and from the blackened hiding place thin strands of silver shot out across the floor, piercing each shinigami officer through the chest and causing them to fall to the ground. Blood pooled around them as they squirmed and struggled, and a faint smile touched Keitarou's face as he twitched his fingers, recalling the threads back into the hilt of the blade.

_I won't waste my reiryoku on killing ants. That should at least keep them busy, while I deal with their leader's ego._

Even as his men writhed in pain on the hard floor around him, Shouichi did not show any distress or shock. Instead he nodded, pulling his own weapon fully free.

"I had my suspicions that you possessed such a skill." He said quietly. "When guardsmen charged with carrying out legitimately sanctioned executions should suddenly turn up dead with no reasonable explanation – I suspected you. Your knife has a cursed spell over it, Aizen – or should I dare to call it a '_zanpakutou_'?"

"I'm not a soldier and I do not fight with swords." Keitarou shook his head calmly, moving to stand so that he was blocking the injured Daisuke from Shouichi's line of sight. "And no Council of Elders has ratified its power. Therefore it is nothing more than a cursed spell, Shouichi-dono. I am not, after all, blessed with the education or training that your noble family are when it comes to such elevated matters."

His voice was edged with cold sarcasm, and Shouichi offered him an empty smile.

"Then let me see how your cursed spell works against mine, shall we?" He challenged, and once more Keitarou felt the chill wind whip around the chamber as the edges of Shouichi's weapon glowed with a frosty white light. "You've evaded my attention for far too long, and if I have to, I'll take you myself. I have questions for you, Aizen. Questions that I want answered."

His smile became more unpleasant.

"If you answer them, I may even spare the life of your pitiful friend. Providing he doesn't die of his own free will in the meantime."

"Keitarou, do not give yourself up to that man!" Daisuke exclaimed, another shiver wracking his wrenched form as he did so. "He will not keep that promise, so don't be fooled! My life is not important. You know the things that are!"

"I have no intention of making further deals with a man who has already betrayed our trust." Keitarou shook his head. "Don't you worry about me, Daisuke. I came to get you. I didn't come to treat with him. I have no interest in fighting you, Shouichi-dono. Therefore I will take my friend and I will go."

"_Rei ga ubatta emono o shimi."  
_  
As the old man spoke the words of his _zanpakutou_'s release incantation, the blade shimmered and rippled with light, becoming crystalised from the hilt to the tip as the edges sharpened until the tip resembled a sheer, smoothed icicle. The guard extended and curled up into talon-like claws, sharp enough to provide additional skewer injuries in close armed combat, and already Keitarou was sure he could see the swirl of frozen reiatsu trapped inside the icy metal.

_"Tsume o toge, Hijirobaya_! _Hyouzansen_!"

Shouichi swept his blade down sharply from right to left, cutting a diagonal line through the air that seemed to divide the heavy atmosphere firmly into two spheres. As he brought the weapon from left to right, a haze of energy engulfed the place where the slashes intersected, growing brighter and more powerful before shooting forward a thick beam of heavy, freezing spirit power that surged towards where Keitarou was standing. It was a high level attack, fuelled by years of experience and training, and for a moment the concentration of _reiryoku_ took Keitarou off-guard. He hesitated for the briefest of moments, and the attack was almost upon him when something burst forth from behind his body, throwing itself into the icy flare with a cry of,

"Go! Now! Before it's too late!"

_Daisuke._

Keitarou's heart clenched as Shouichi's frozen beam engulfed his cousin's battered body, stifling the life from it in a moment as it surrounded it in ice. Shouichi cursed, shaking his sword from left to right as if to break the contact, and as Daisuke's body fell heavily to the ground, Keitarou caught sight of the fear and desperation in the other man's eyes.

They were dead eyes, glassy and staring, yet in them Keitarou saw the message.

For the sake of their work, he had to leave.

Before Shouichi could use his weapon a second time, Keitarou slipped into shunpo, racing as fast as he could through the tracks and pathways of the intricate prison system and out into the heavy night air. As he fled, he felt anger and indignation creep once more through his soul, as well as another sensation – true and honest grief.

In the end he had gone to save his friend, but in the end his friend had once more saved him.

_As you have many times before, and now I will never thank you for it._

Hate flared in Keitarou's heart, and he gritted his teeth, hardening his resolve.

_Irie will raise children like us, in the end. Boys whose fathers were martyrs to a cause that will taint their lives forever._

He sighed, forcing himself to think more rationally.

_A body frozen by ice-based spirit energy will take time to thaw. They won't be able to burn his corpse till morning. I will not let them treat you like that, Daisuke. I will test Shikiki's spirit power, yet. Tomorrow, I will return for you. Tomorrow, I will try again. Tomorrow…I will see how far that child has come. And you will work with me again to test it – just as you always have._

He stopped in the middle of the charred village, clenching his fists as he brought his scattered reiatsu under control.

_Shouichi is not a match for me but he took me off guard with his sword's release. Next time, I will be better prepared. Next time he won't get the better of me. I should have killed his men, not just grounded them. At least then I would have wounded him somehow…the way he has now wounded me_.

* * *

_Damn._

Shouichi flicked the stray chips of ice from the end of his weapon, his eyes narrowing as he walked over to the fallen, frozen form of his unfortunate victim. Raising a heavily booted foot, he gave it a nudge, but there was no response, and already Shouichi could feel the dying flickers of the man's reiatsu dissipating into the ether.

_Another door shut._

Around him, the groans of his subordinates alerted him to the fact they were still alive, and he swung around, only just resisting the urge to fire his weapon a second time in his frustration.

These were Endou on the fringes of the family's accepted society, but they still were kin, and kin who he needed in order to continue his war against the Urahara exiles. He sighed, closing his eyes briefly to compose himself as he sealed his blade, returning it once more to its usual resting place.

"Shou...ichi-sama?" The nearest fallen officer pulled himself up into a sitting position, clutching a hand to his chest and Shouichi could tell by the amount of blood that though the wound was a painful one, it had never been intended as a fatal blow. Somehow this made the old man even angrier, as he realised that Keitarou had only used his weapon to toy with his men.

_Not his true power, then. He fled, rather than fight me. A coward...but a sensible one. He would not have stood a chance against Hijirobaya's other attacks if he could not find a way to defeat Hyouzansen._

"Get up, the lot of you." he barked out now, seeing that the other men were starting to steady themselves after the shock of the attack. "None of you are dead and death is the only excuse I'll accept for you to be on the ground! You're still on duty - don't tell me that you were seriously thrown back by the feeble attack of a man not even worthy of the term of 'shinigami'?"

"Our abject apologies, Shouichi-sama." The man scrambled into a standing position, his companions following suit although two of them were pale-faced and one was somewhat unsteady on his feet.

Shouichi sighed, then gestured with an armoured fist towards the frozen lump of soul and flesh that lay motionless on the ground.

"My ice will hold him thus for some hours yet. The blow killed him on impact, yet my _zanpakutou_'s thrust is a powerful one." He said quietly. "It seems that Aizen Keitarou cares greatly for this one, however. Our options are not yet exhausted."

He reached down to poke Daisuke's blood-caked corpse with a finger, then nodded.

"Take him to the usual place and leave him to thaw." He said at length. "The Urahara have a particular code against cremation, and if I am right, even in death I still hold Aizen's weakness in my hands. He may yet come back for his kinsman's remains in order to prevent him from such a humiliating traitor's immolation. Take him and leave him - but ensure a guard is posted night and day. Go to whatever lengths needed to ensnare our target - remove limbs and destroy body parts if you must but ensure that, at the very least, Aizen remains alive."

His eyes glittered angrily.

"I still have, after all, a score to settle with him."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Hijirobaya  
**Shouichi's sword spirit, in keeping with the swords of the Endou-ke, is a gyrfalcon. I actually saw a stuffed one (and I'm **not **a fan of stuffed animals and birds, personally, but it was in a museum I visited) in London this summer just gone, and when I saw it, I realised I'd picked exactly the right bird to represent Shouichi's sword. A gyrfalcon is shirohayabusa in Japanese, so I mangled the kanji a little and just used the character for 'falcon' as 'baya' instead of 'haya'. Hi is ice. So Ice White Falcon, or Ice Gyrfalcon is his zanpakutou's name. **  
**_

_**Kotetsu Daisuke.**__  
A couple of people have flagged this up and have wondered whether this is on purpose or accidental.  
It's entirely on purpose. Since Isane and Kiyone are sisters, and relatives don't often come out of Rukongai, I assume they are Seireitei born. Daisuke and his family are their ancestors. His wife and children have fled District Seven, and it is through them that the line will continue.  
_

_Originally I had a slightly different intention for these characters - at least, Daisuke's wife in particular, since she got created first. But Daisuke wound up being more significant so he took centre stage..._

_I don't know how many folk have noticed but there are quite a few 'ancestor' characters floating around my fic. Everyone picked up on Saku's connection to Soi Fon already, I think, and obviously Keitarou is connected to Aizen...but they're not the only ones xD. I won't spoil it by pointing the others out.... though anyone who wants to guess is welcome to!!_

**_And finally:_**

_I wrote this chapter a couple of months ago, although I write these notes usually just before I upload the story. This is entirely coincidental, therefore, but I just finished watching the Japanese drama series 'Maou' this week, with Ikita Toma and Oono Satoshi. If you haven't seen it, this may be lost on you (gomen) - but Maou means 'The Devil' in Japanese and...given this scene with Keitarou...I was just struck at the comparison between Keitarou and Naruse. Odd parallel ne. (Good drama, btw, but not for the faint of heart xD)  
_


	21. Mamorubeki Mono

**Chapter Twenty: Mamorubeki Mono**

It was already showing signs of being another scorching hot day in District One as Juushirou left the dining hall after breakfast, detouring via the gymnasium to collect a sheathed _asauchi_ before heading across the school grounds to the fenced off area of land given over especially to one on one sword training sessions. A faint flicker of anticipation and excitement welled up inside of him as he passed through the cluster of trees, and inwardly he wondered whether or not his new _shishou _was already there.

He had never been to the training grounds before, for they were generally the province of Senior students and only those lower level students who had begun studying the art of the _zanpakutou _were ever timetabled to meet there. Mostly those people were fourth year students or above, and he felt more than a little self conscious as he reached the gate, stretching out a tentative hand to touch the smoothed wood. Above his hand, a small, square plaque had been nailed with the words "_Zanpakutou Training Grounds._" scribed in clear, concise Kanji, and a second flutter began in his heart at this.

_Zanpakutou_.

He mouthed the word silently, almost sure he could hear the waves and feel the gentle touch of fishes' fins against the back of his thoughts.

_I never expected to be doing this so soon. In fact, I'm not sure if I expected to be doing it at all. But even so, here I am. Whatever happens from hereon in, I'll do my best not to let Sensei down_.

The old man's message had come as he and his dorm-mates had been heading down the corridors to breakfast, in the form of an out-of-breath, anxious first year student whose name Juushirou did not know. As they'd reached the door, he had felt a tug on his sleeve, and before he could properly respond the boy had gabbled out his message before haring back along the hall to rejoin his own kind.

Shunsui had found it amusing, commenting on the fact that Juushirou's reputation was obviously of a level that even the first years knew who he was without having to ask questions. But Juushirou had been too focused on the contents of that message to pay close attention to his friend's teasing. He had choked down his breakfast, hurrying to the allocated meeting place as quickly as he could, for he knew that Shirogane was not the kind of person who would tolerate latecomers.

As he pushed open the gate, he realised that his senior was already there, glittering sword drawn from its sheath as he swung a few lazy practice swings in the morning air. As Juushirou entered, he paused, turning and casting his companion a disdainful look.

"So you did decide to come then. I suppose that they do tell second year students how to find this place, even if it's not usual for them to be invited."

"Sensei sent a message, and I came as soon as breakfast was over." Juushirou bowed his head. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Nagoya-senpai."

Shirogane sighed, shaking his head.

"You're here, so it's enough for now." He said flatly, twitching his weapon in the direction of Juushirou's sheathed blade. "You're a second year, and worse, District, so I don't anticipate you know much about how to use that thing. But still, I'm sure you know you can't fight with it like that. Draw it. If I'm giving up my free time to tutor you, I'm not going to waste it on needless pleasantries."

"Yes, Senpai." Juushirou could see the irritation glittering in the older boy's grey eyes, and he nodded, obediently drawing the _asauchi _from its sheath and setting the empty scabbard down on the ground, gripping the weapon hilt tightly in his right hand. "I hadn't used a sword at all before I began this year, but I've worked with _bokutou_ and I'll do my best not to fall behind."

"Mm. District children don't get taught anything of any use." Shirogane rolled his eyes. "Yet Sensei seems certain that you're some kind of prodigy, Ukitake. I guess I'd better start to see a bit of that, else I'll be wasting my time training you."

He darted suddenly forward, swinging his weapon decisively down towards Juushirou's upper body and Juushirou faltered, only just managing to bring his own weapon up to block against his companion's attack. As the metal clashed together, Shirogane hopped back, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"Well, at least you have a sense of self-preservation. Perhaps even reflexes. All right. Then from now on I intend to do exactly as Sensei told me to. To push you to the limits of your endurance. Be aware, Ukitake, that I take no pleasure in training a District child and nor do I intend to go easy on you no matter how much you beg me to. You may have budding skills or you may not – I'll decide that later – but when I graduate this place I will be second officer in Sixth District's Shinigami patrol, hand-picked by Guren-sama himself as his second in command. You will have to work hard – very hard – to even lay your blade near me, let alone draw my blood."

He struck forward again, and Juushirou only just had time to ready his stance before the slender, elegant weapon was once more slashing towards him, genuine killing intent glittering across even its sealed form. He brought his _asauchi _up hurriedly, but despite Shirogane's slight form there was real force behind his attacks and he simply shifted the angle of his swing, cutting down in such a way that his blow forced the _asauchi_ from Juushirou's grip. It clattered across the ground, and Shirogane withdrew his blade, shaking his head slowly.

"Ten seconds and already you're disarmed." He said disparagingly. "Is that really the best you can do, or are you simply so overwhelmed by having stepped through those gates that you no longer remember which end of the sword is which?"

Despite himself, Juushirou felt his pride flaring inside of him at the dismissive nature of his companion's words, but he forced the retort from his lips, bending instead to retrieve his weapon.

"I'm sorry, Senpai." He said instead. "I'm not used to fighting against someone who's already brought their blade to release level."

"That's what's called an excuse." Shirogane's eyes narrowed, and he swept his weapon once more from right to left, knocking the _asauchi_ flying a second time before Juushirou could prepare himself for a second attack. "I don't accept those, so save your breath. Either you're going to show me why Sensei has so much blind faith in you, or I'm going to spend the whole of these sessions slashing into you just why I find District children an insult to this school."

Juushirou's indignation rose in him once more at this, and he retrieved his sword a second time, this time clasping his fingers firmly around the hilt in the way Minabe had instructed them in their first _kenjutsu_ lesson.

"I'm sorry that I'm not at your standard already, Senpai." He said coldly. "But you can't expect that from someone who's fought with a sword for only a couple of months. It's not an excuse, it's how things are. And if you really intend to teach me anything, you should surely first assess what your student can do before telling him everything he can't."

"I remember that you have an attitude about you." Shirogane nodded, tapping the tip of his blade against his leg absently as he gazed Juushirou up and down. "Glaring at me now with those bastardised eyes. Even though you might have distant Kuchiki blood – and even if Ryuu is willing to acknowledge it – those eyes tell me otherwise. They're a commoner's eyes, and I can't help that. If you can't do it, you shouldn't be here. This isn't a party. It's a training camp for potential war."

"I'm _not _a Kuchiki. I'm an _Ukitake_." Despite himself, Juushirou's reiatsu flared up at the implied insult to his beloved father. "And I'm far prouder of that than I ever would be to be part of any Clan. I'm not here for you to nanny me or pity me or give me special favours. I'm here to learn to summon my sword in whatever way I can. And the sooner I do that, Senpai, the sooner you and I won't have to have anything to do with one another at all. Sensei said neither of us had a choice in this, after all – so the sooner I succeed, the better it will be for the both of us!"

Shirogane eyed him for a moment, then he let out a low chuckle.

"Even though you're as lowborn as you are, you still give your opinions readily." He reflected. "All right. Since we're both agreed that you're no Kuchiki, you won't expect me to treat you as an equal, or even simply a junior student. You're a nuisance in my way at present – but you're also right. The sooner I beat sense into you, the sooner these sessions will end. And the sooner I can leave this Academy behind."

He tapped his blade against the fingers of his left hand, then,

"I don't know, yet, if I believe you capable of that." He admitted. "As a second year, and a District boy, to beat even my development speed…but still, Sensei believes it, so there's no helping it. I am quite serious about training you, Ukitake. Because training you is my ticket out of this place for good."

He readied his stance, twitching the index finger of his left hand lazily as he indicated for Juushirou to come at him and the District boy set his teeth, driving forward before his awareness of their difference in experience made him falter. He swung his blade fast and low, and Shirogane met it neatly, parrying the strike and shifting his weight from left to right as he prepared to bring another sweeping attack around to disarm his student once more.

But Juushirou had at least learnt from the first attack and he jumped back just before Shirogane's swing could render its full effect, doing his best to remember everything Minabe had drummed into them in the first few weeks of term.

_Balance should be light…shifting it should be easy…movement is important, as well as accuracy and precision._

He frowned, almost sure he could hear the stern Ouyoudou sensei repeating those strictures in the back of his mind.

_Panic and fear are your real enemies. You're not fighting unless you're fighting to win. One on one is a matter of strategy and wit even if there is a disparity in strength– and the one who loses focus first, loses the battle._

He darted forward, clattering his _asauchi_ against Shirogane's polished _zanpakutou_ again, this time with a more deliberate swing, and as the two made contact again he was aware for the first time of Shirogane's reiatsu flickering neatly at the edges of his weapon, helping him to become one with the blade that he now held.

In that brief instant, Juushirou envied him, for the sword he held in his hands today felt like what it was - heavy, lifeless metal. Though in past training he had felt some kind of connection to his weapon, in such close proximity to one who had summoned his sword he realised that it had been simply another illusion – and that he had a long long way to go before he reached the same level as the school's reluctant Anideshi.

_But that's why I'm here. It's no reason to give up. So I won't give up. I'll show him that even if I don't have skills yet, I have determination._

As Shirogane countered his attack once more, Juushirou's sharp eyes caught sight of the delicate shift in his companion's balance and the ease with which he transferred his weight from his defensive left to his attacking right whilst still moving forward into the clash itself. It was a smooth, flowing movement, borne of many years training with a weapon, Juushirou was sure. Yet even if that was the case, to see it was still to learn from it, and even as he struggled to push back Shirogane's ever more encroaching swings, he hurriedly tried to work out how he might apply the same technique to his own swordsmanship.

_The Kuchiki are renowned for their swordplay, and Nagoya-senpai said himself that he's been chosen for District Six, just as Sora told us when term began. Therefore, he must be one of the most skilled and if I watch him while we fight, I'll learn from that as much as I will from anything he yells at me. Just if I can keep a hold on my sword, I'll watch carefully what he does with his. After all, that's a _zanpakutou_, not an _asauchi_. And if that's where I'm heading – it can't hurt._

His feet skidded on the dry earth at that moment and he cursed, taking several steps to steady himself. Shirogane pounced, ready to take advantage of his junior's weakness without a moment of hesitation or mercy. The point of the shining sword drilled down towards him and somehow Juushirou managed to twist himself out of the way, reiatsu flaring once more as his body instinctively defended itself from the incoming attack.

As it prickled and danced against his skin, Juushirou was aware of Shirogane's sudden pause, then, with a sigh, the older boy stepped back.

"So that's it, after all." He said thoughtfully.

"S…Senpai?" Juushirou steadied himself, gazing at the older boy in surprise, and Shirogane poked his blade up against Juushirou's chest, the point grazing the surface of his junior's white _hakamashita_.

"Sensei said you had great power and potential." He said quietly. "But what you actually have is a serious leak."

"A…leak?" Juushirou was floored, and Shirogane nodded, a disdainful expression crossing his features.

"What I mean is that you may have power, but that's all it is." He said flatly. "Your body thought you were in danger, so it sought to counter me. Against an opponent of your level, that technique would probably cause them to fall back. But it is not something of which you should be proud. Poisoning the atmosphere around you with rampant spirit power is not a recognised Shinigami art, after all."

Despite himself, Juushirou's cheeks blazed red, and Shirogane sighed.

"This is what you give me to work with, Sensei." He muttered. "Very well. At least I see now why it was me you chose."

"Sensei said you were one of the best students of _shikai_ and _zanjutsu_." Juushirou reflected, and Shirogane glanced up, seemingly surprised by the remark. Then he snorted, shrugging his shoulders.

"That's obvious." He said derisively. "But not what I meant. What I meant was that any lesser member of Senior Class would not be able to train you, let alone teach you to summon your sword."

"But…why not?" Juushirou was taken aback, and Shirogane raised his weapon, tapping the younger boy on the shoulder.

"Your reiatsu is dangerous." He said quietly. "Toxic, possibly, to anyone not prepared to face it in full flow."

"To..xic?" Juushirou paled, the hilt of his weapon slipping forgotten through his fingers as he stared at his companion in dismay.

Shirogane nodded.

"Yes. At present its levels are tolerable, but if you were pressed into combat or if you dropped your guard, yes. I think that would be an adequate word."

"But…what…I don't…"

"Shut up, then, and listen." Shirogane bent to pick up the dropped _asauchi_, swinging it round and thrusting the hilt back in Juushirou's direction. "And take this, else you're no use to me. You understand, don't you, about reiatsu? You do study, I presume, since you managed to make it to second year without killing anyone?"

"Yes. I study. I rank second in second year overall." Now annoyance began to take over Juushirou's dismay, and Shirogane nodded again.

"Good. Then you know that spirit power is constituted of reiatsu and_ reiryoku_ and that both work in harmony to produce the powers used by Shinigami?"

"Yes."

"Right. Then that makes it simpler." Shirogane stood back, eying him carefully. "Sensei did say your power was strong and he's not wrong. You are strong, in an ugly, abnormal way. Your body is like a leaking barrel – reiatsu flows from you like water from the cracks between the wood. In itself, that's unsurprising. It's common among those who have been poorly trained or who have received little or no instruction in how to control it on account of their low birth. However…"

He jabbed at Juushirou's _hakamashita_ again, this time poking through the fabric and Juushirou winced as a faint pin-prick of blood began to seep through onto the white cloth.

"You have far too much of it to be safely left alone." Shirogane continued quietly. "That is why Sensei sent you to me to train. I have a high level of reiatsu control, and, being born Kuchiki, a high tolerance to other people's spirit power. Of all the Seniors, I'm probably the only one you couldn't poison easily if you let your barriers down and allowed that power to flow freely into the atmosphere. But it can't be allowed to stay that way. For one thing, as a Shinigami, you'd draw Hollows to you and endanger your companions. And for another, if you lowered your guard now you might already pose that kind of risk – to your classmates and to your family back home."

Juushirou lowered his gaze.

"My body is weaker than my spirit power and of late it's begun to be overwhelmed." He admitted softly. "I have always had…some control. But either my body is weaker or my power is growing greater. I don't know which – but I'm having to fight harder to keep it under wraps. Sensei said…"

"If I batter enough endurance into you that you can confine your _reiryoku_ somewhat into blade form, you will alleviate the problem." Shirogane cut across him. "_If,_ though. There's no guaranteeing you will be able to – especially if your reiatsu is as abnormally high as it seemed to be just from that little flicker I felt just now. But there really is no other choice for you. Left like this, it'll hurt someone. You, someone else, both. The leak has to be stopped, or at least, controlled…I guess that's what Sensei was trying to tell me when he assigned you to me."

Juushirou paused, then,

"Can you…teach me to do that?" He asked hesitantly, and Shirogane sighed.

"It's in my interests to do so, so I mean to try." He said resignedly. "Though I should have known that Sensei's task really would not be easy to complete."

He gestured to the _asauchi_.

"Come at me again. I saw you were at least watching me when you attacked, and even crude mimicry is a form of learning, so they say. I wouldn't say you have a style, but at least you're not afraid of your weapon. We'll keep working and see what happens."

"Yes, Senpai." Juushirou nodded, gathering his resolve once more as he launched a fresh attack on his companion, Shirogane neatly parrying the strokes as they came to him one at a time. He was not really putting much effort into his own reactions, Juushirou knew, and despite the gulf in their experience he found this somehow more demeaning than any of the comments Shirogane had made about his background or his family. Redoubling his determination he slid his left foot forward, defending the blow and then, somewhat rashly, shifting his weight across to his right as he flew forward into his opponent's fighting space, sword directed at his companion's midriff. Shirogane cursed, hopping back at the unexpectedly reckless move and as he knocked the weapon away, Juushirou felt a flare of something prickle through his body.

Fear struck him as he remembered the incident with the water bowl up by the spring, and he froze momentarily, giving Shirogane the opening to bring his weapon down once more towards Juushirou's chest. At the last minute Juushirou realised the danger, and struck out towards the glittering _zanpakutou_, reiatsu flaring once more as he stretched to push the senior's elegant weapon aside. Somehow he managed it, but Shirogane simply darted away and back again, his attacks coming from one side and then the other as Juushirou struggled to keep up with all of the older student's moves.

He had stepped it up a gauge, yet still did not appear to be breaking a sweat, and Juushirou gritted his teeth, determined that he was not going to be disarmed as easily this time as he had been at the start. He hopped back, copying what he had seen the older boy do before bringing his weapon across to parry the Senior's blade and then, before the two had broken contact he had a wild idea, memory of Shunsui's fighting style darting briefly through his thoughts.

_Left hand. Right hand. What do I have to lose?_

Before he could stop and think about it coherently, his body had already slipped into action, passing the hilt from his right hand across to his left and bringing it down with force. Shirogane's eyes widened as for the first time the student's _asauchi_ brushed down towards the sleeve of his own _hakamashita_, yet the grip was not as strong and the Senior soon gathered his wits, flinging his arm up to knock the weapon clean out of Juushirou's fingers.

This time it spun in the air a couple of times before embedding itself in the root of a nearby tree, and as he fought to catch his breath, Juushirou was aware of his companion bearing down on him.

"What the hell kind of move was that?" He demanded. "You're right handed, you fool – why did you suddenly pass it into your left?"

"Because…I thought…you wouldn't expect…it." Juushirou raised his hazel gaze to the angry grey one, dragging air into bruised, exhausted lungs. "And…I wanted…to see if…it would work."

"In a battle, you'd be killed." Shirogane said bluntly. "Throwing such amateur circus tricks into the ring. If you can't fight with both hands, you shouldn't try to use both hands. That just stands to reason."

_But I felt like I could use them, just for that moment. And even though I lost my grip…Senpai, I touched your sleeve with my blade_.

Juushirou frowned, taking in the consternation in the stormy grey eyes.

_And you know it too. That even if it was stupid and reckless…it very nearly worked._

He closed his eyes, feeling his chest tighten and spasm from the combination of exertion and flaring reiatsu and he coughed, putting his hand to his mouth as he prayed inwardly that he was not going to choke up blood.

"You are an odd kid." Shirogane paced across to retrieve the discarded weapon. "You break all the rules in society and now you want to break them in sword fighting too. But you're the one who'll end up hurting for it."

He turned back, fixing Juushirou with a piercing gaze.

"I can sense it in your reiatsu. You just pulled the stopper on the leak a little more, and you're paying the price for your lack of control."

Juushirou swallowed hard, but it was no good, and as the all-too familiar sensation of burning blood seared up through his vocal chords, he dropped to the ground, allowing the spasms to have their way.

As red spattered onto the ground below, Shirogane wrinkled up his nose in displeasure, dropping the _asauchi_ to the ground and kicking it across in his companion's direction.

"We're not done yet." He said quietly. "In a battle, you don't have time to stop and nanny yourself. You make a mistake, well, you fight on with it. So we're fighting on. Until you pass out or you die…we're not done."

Juushirou gazed up at him in bewilderment, taking in the steely resolution in his companion's gaze. Then, he nodded, dashing his hand across his mouth as he scrambled to his feet, picking up the sword. Despite the older boy's obvious disapproval, Juushirou felt his heart lighten slightly at the older boy's offhand reaction.

_He didn't tell me to go inside, or rest, or make a fuss. He just treated it like nothing, and pushed me on._

He tightened his grip, forcing himself to ignore the stinging in his chest.

_If _I_ make a mistake, _I_ fight on with it. If I do that, it's in my control and nobody else gets hurt. That's the message and I understand. I understand, Senpai. Thank you._

Out loud he said,

"I'm all right to continue now, Senpai. I'm sorry for the delay."

"Then don't waste more time apologising." Came the acerbic reply. "Speak with your sword, Ukitake. Let's go."

* * *

So it was done.

Keitarou stood back, wiping the sweat from his brow as he gazed down at the still, silent form of his ally and kinsman as it lay abandoned on the earth outside the Endou-ke's execution ground. As he had expected, Shouichi had laid on guards, but this time Keitarou had been ready for them and the only difference between Daisuke's cool corpse and their warm ones was that those wearing armour were the ones more saturated in fresh blood.

He had killed six men this time, simultaneously, with one release of his blade.

Keitarou pondered on that for a moment, even as he bent to carefully lift Daisuke's heavy body up onto his own slender shoulders.

It had happened almost as a reflex. As soon as he had seen the men in Endou armour he had felt the weapon release, stabbing through their hearts and burrowing deep inside of them before ripping out and taking their life force with them. He had failed against Shouichi and he had spared the Shinigami who had attempted to arrest him. But there would be no more sparing of lives now. He had had enough of holding back and hiding – from now on, he would look to one thing and one thing only.

_Revenge._

As he slipped into shunpo, moving swiftly from the scene to the dense forestland that he had concealed Shikiki that morning, he found himself dwelling on the childhood he and Daisuke had spent together. It had not been an easy or a happy one, but it had been a shared one, and that in itself had been enough. They had both seen the same hardships and understood the same discrimination and persecution as their families had fled under the cover of nomadic tribes-people and then further onwards, their mothers fearful that unless they reached the land of the warrior Clan who had not voted to kill them, they would be caught and dragged back before the Council.

Shouichi had been the one, then, who had welcomed them to shelter in his territory. Keitarou's eyes darkened at this recollection. His mother had called Shouichi a saviour and a man true to his distant Urahara kinsfolk, but even as a child he had always been somehow wary of their so-called protectors.

And now, he reasoned blackly, he knew why.

Soon he reached his destination, setting Daisuke's corpse down on the dry grass and pausing for a moment to view the battered features of his oldest and, probably, only friend. The sight of his stillness only caused rage to stir within Keitarou's body, rage he did not really know how to control, and he turned away, unwilling to see the bluish skin or the blank, unseeing eyes for a moment longer. Even so, they burnt into his thoughts…and once again he remembered Daisuke's desperate lunge to save him from Shouichi's sword.

_You'd made up your mind. I knew that when you sent Irie away, but I hoped it wouldn't happen so soon as this. Now I have to finish everything myself – but at least I have Shikiki and that, I trust, will be enough._

Almost as if she had heard his thoughts, the small girl emerged at that moment from the undergrowth, eyes big and fearful as she gazed from Daisuke's body to her self-appointed protector and guardian.

"Dai-nii?" She whispered, and Keitarou turned, holding out his hand to her. She came hesitantly, and Keitarou could feel the fear radiating from her aura as she approached the corpse cautiously.

"Shikiki, you understand, don't you?" Keitarou asked softly, and Shikiki nodded her head.

"The Shinigami killed him." She murmured. "They killed Dai-nii because he wouldn't tell them where I was."

"No, it's not your fault." As tears glittered in the small, bright eyes, Keitarou shook his head. "It was me they wanted, not you. You did nothing wrong…so don't cry. Daisuke wouldn't want that, after all. He protected you – and he protected me."

Shikiki knelt down beside the cold body, resting her hands tentatively against the torn and broken skin.

"They hurt him very much, didn't they." She said softly. "I don't like it that way, Kei-nii. Dai-nii shouldn't have been hurt by anyone. He was kind. And I…I didn't want him to die."

Keitarou bit his lip, then,

"Can you find him? Even a little bit? At all?" He asked slowly, and Shikiki stared at him in surprise.

"Find…him?"

"Find his reiatsu." Keitarou nodded. "And turn it back…can you fix this with your barriers, Shikiki? I remember you once helped a kitten in the village that had fallen down the well and stopped breathing – can you do the same thing now, for Daisuke?"

Shikiki gazed at Daisuke once more, then slowly, shook her head.

"Dai-nii isn't here any more." She said brokenly. "The kitten wasn't breathing, and her heart wasn't beating any more. But she was still there. I could still feel her aura, so I could help her. But this…this isn't Dai-nii now, Kei-nii. This is just rotting flesh an' spirit matter, now. I can't feel any of Dai-nii here at all. I can't find him if he's already gone away."

Keitarou's heart clenched, even though he had already known the answer.

"Then can you at least fix his body, so as he can be buried with more honour than this?" He murmured, and Shikiki swallowed hard.

"It's a very big body." She said doubtfully. "The kitten was very little and it took lots and lots of energy."

She sighed, touching a gentle finger to Daisuke's forehead.

"But I will try." She said at length. "Because I don't like Dai-nii being hurt, either. Even if I can't find him, I don't want him to look broken when he meets the spirit Gods."

_  
Spirit Gods. _

Keitarou frowned.

_The village superstitions are still things she clings to – foolish and unfounded stories peasants share among themselves. Though I can't even say it, right now, that there is no such thing. Rather that there was, Daisuke, and you had some freedom from this wretched world at last._

As Shikiki spread her hands across the broken body, closing her eyes tight in concentration, Keitarou clenched his own fists, making an inward vow to his old friend.

_I'll finish this. You know I will. And then, somehow, I will find Irie and tell her what you did. How her children's father is a hero and a martyr and that she and they should not forget. I promise you, Daisuke. We will win. For your sake, we will!_

* * *

He hadn't returned yet.

Shunsui gazed out of the window of the Kidou classroom, a pensive expression on his lazy features as he waited for the bell to ring for the start of the lesson.

It was six days since Juushirou had begun training with Shirogane, and in that time he had been late for five classes and three meals, although, well briefed by Genryuusai, none of the teachers had raised any objections and had simply waved him to his seat. Exams were on the horizon, with practical and theoretical tests in all subjects about to rear their ugly heads once more – yet Shunsui had the distinct impression that all staff had been told that Juushirou's sword training was to supersede any and all other studies for the considerable future.

It was not a thought process that Shunsui liked, if he was honest about it, for in the six days since training had begun, he had already seen clearly his friend's exhaustion at the end of a full day.

Still, he had held his tongue, for despite his tiredness Juushirou had soldiered on. The previous night he had been up late, writing his Sakusen assignment up in neat by candlelight, so that it would be handed in with everyone else's in their afternoon class. After that, Shunsui knew, the District boy would be haring off to the training grounds again, to be put through his paces until the bell rang for the evening meal.

_He's pretty tough and damn obstinate. I hope not too obstinate. Even though I realise this is important and he has to do it – I hope he's got the sense to see where his limits are and respect them all the same._

Shunsui sighed, resting his chin in his hands as the gong chimed through the halls. At the front of the room, Kazoe was already piling up dusty, uninteresting looking textbooks, tapping his cane on the top of his desk to get the students' attention.

_As it is, it's unheard of for me to get to class before the bell and you to not turn up till afterwards. I think I'm quite creeped out by it, to be honest. If nothing else, we must have words about that._

"Ukitake not here yet?" Kazoe's gaze ran across the class, his lips pursing slightly. "But I see everyone else is present."

"Ukitake is training, Sensei." Enishi got to his feet. "He said he'd be here as quick as he can, only Nagoya-senpai normally keeps him until the bell, and…"

"Sorry I'm late, Kazoe-sensei!"

At that moment the door slid back to reveal the missing student, breathless from his dash across the school grounds to the Kidou classroom, and Kazoe offered him a faint smile.

"I have not yet begun, so take your seat and we will not say any more." He said frankly, twitching his cane in the direction of the boy's empty seat. "Houjou, you too. We'll start now."

Juushirou bowed his head hurriedly, moving to sit down among his companions, and as Kazoe turned to the board, Shunsui cast a glance across at his District friend.

_Tired, out of breath, and sweating by the bucket-load. I'll at least make sure you get a bath this evening, or at some point between now and bedtime. You need to relax and unwind a little from time to time – and at this rate, your kimono and sandals are going to stink out the whole dormitory in this heat!_

A faint smile touched his lips at this observation, but he knew deep down he was only trying to find humour in what was a serious situation.

_You're hanging on in there and doing your best, Juu-kun. I know it – we all know it. That's why none of us have said anything. But please don't push it too far. No matter what Nagoya says…make sure you know when to stand up to him and say 'no'._

"Kyouraku, stand."

The sound of his name jerked him back to his senses and he cast Kazoe a startled look, getting slowly to his feet.

"Yes, sir?"

"Last theory lesson we looked at the diversion in the spell releases for _Shakkahou _and _Soukatsui_ in some detail." Kazoe peered at him over the rims of his spectacles, and Shunsui suspected that the Kidou master knew that his attention had been anywhere but on the lesson. "Obviously the similarity in spell releases indicates they are of the same family. However, three centuries ago a third technique was devised which combined elements of both but which was much more potent and destructive than either of the original two. Do you remember the name of that spell?"

Shunsui smiled wryly.

_  
Fortunately for me, I have a good memory and I can think quickly._

"_Souren Soukatsui_, sir." He said clearly, and Kazoe's eyes narrowed as he nodded his head.

"And it's classification?"

"_Hadou_, sir. _Rokujuu san_." Shunsui paused, then, "No. _**Nana**__juu-san_. It's the one which got re-classified after the introduction of _Raikouhou_."

Kazoe's eyes widened in surprise, and Shunsui felt faintly smug that he had overcome the teacher's trick question.

"Good." Was all Kazoe said now, however. "That's correct. Then can you remind me of the spell's diversion?"

"You want me to try and cast it in the middle of class?" Shunsui raised an eyebrow, and Kazoe snorted, shaking his head.

"Simple recitation of the second half of the spell will be adequate, thank you, Kyouraku." He said pointedly. "Unless you wish to rebuild parts of the school, and possibly parts of your own body into the bargain. _Souren Soukatsui_ is not a spell that second year students should be attempting – not even you. I'm simply asking to make sure you have absorbed it – since sometimes it's hard to know and it is something that will feature in your summer exams."

Shunsui offered the teacher a lazy smile.

"Yes, Sensei." He said casually. "The second half of the spell is enough, then? All right. I think it's something like… '_Souka no kabe ni, souren no kizamo. Taika no fuchi o enten ni tematsu_'. Something like that, anyway…pretty sure."

"You think it's something like." Kazoe sighed, shaking his head in resignation. "Very well. You are correct. Sit. Kuchiki?"

"Yes, Sensei?" Ryuu was immediately on his feet, and Shunsui sank gratefully back down into his seat, glad that the question had been such an easy one. As Ryuu began a long and tedious explanation on the many occasions when _Soukatsui_ and _Souren Soukatsui_ might be used in a battle situation, he found himself beginning to tune his classmate out as his focus returned to Juushirou's state of health.

He was concentrating on the class, Shunsui could see that – taking notes and listening intently. But there was a tiredness in his aura that had not been there before, and despite himself, Shunsui was worried by it.

_But he doesn't like me protecting him and I'm probably overreacting. Oh well. For the time being, all I can do is leave it to him._

Shunsui sighed, turning his attention with some difficulty back to the class as Kazoe began scribing characters on the board.

"As you've all become aware in your practical lessons, _Hadou_ spells even of a low classification require a certain amount of spiritual control to fire accurately." He said crisply. "Breaking down those incantations into their component parts is one of the best and most effective ways to achieve this. At your level, there should be no time when you fire a spell without the incantation, therefore I will be looking very hard to ensure you are all word perfect on all of the ones learnt so far when it comes to the summer examinations."

He paused to eye Enishi meaningfully.

"You included, Houjou. Your Kidou has made significant improvements since first beginning practical lessons, but it is still woefully inadequate in certain areas. Kidou is not a subject which you can afford to make mistakes in, so please take special care to revise your spell incantations thoroughly before the summer tests."

"Yes, Sensei." Enishi reddened, offering the teacher a rueful smile. "I'll do my best."

Kazoe nodded, then turned back to the board, scribing three additional kanji in chalk on the smooth surface.

"From tomorrow's practical class, we will be learning to fire a new spell." He said frankly. "This one you should all already recognise the name of if you've done your assigned reading. Ukitake?"

Juushirou's head shot up, and Kazoe smiled.

"I'm sure you at least are familiar with this spell." He said softly. "Would you like to remind everyone about it?"

"Y…yes, Sensei." Juushirou got hurriedly to his feet, nodding his head. "It's _Hadou no Juuichi_ – _Tsuzuri Raiden_."

"Quite so." Kazoe agreed. "Anything else?"

"It's an elemental spell, Sensei. It channels lightning energy into whatever object the caster t…touches."

Juushirou's slight hesitation was not lost on Shunsui, nor the deep breath he took into his lungs as he composed himself.

"So it is." Kazoe gestured for Juushirou to sit down. "Unlike _Byakurai_, which, as the name suggests takes the form of a white lightning bolt, Tsuzuri Raiden is generally used as a way of charging other objects with a purer form of what is known as 'electric' energy."

He tapped his stick against the kanji.

"However, it is still a storm-type elemental Kidou, as you can clearly see by the choice of kanji. Tsuzuri, indicating the binding nature of energy to object, and Raiden, indicated the type of energy used."

His gaze flitted across the classroom.

"Edogawa – give out the text books please…I want everyone to look over page sixty two."

Mitsuki immediately got to her feet to obey the instruction, though as she did so Shunsui caught her fleeting, anxious glance in Juushirou's direction. The white-haired boy was oblivious, but at the sight of it, Shunsui found his misgivings growing.

_Mitsuki feels it too, which means I'm not imagining it. Juu hasn't complained of feeling ill since he began training, but…for her to look at him like that…maybe I need to keep a closer watch on this than I thought._

His was the final desk Mitsuki reached and, as she set the last book down on the smooth wooden surface, she met his gaze, conveying her uncertainty without even saying a word. She hesitated for a moment, then, very discreetly, she slipped her fingers into the sleeve of her _hakamashita_, pulling out a small sachet and setting it down on the desk, hidden from view by the hefty tome.

"For Ukitake-kun." She murmured, as he looked at her in surprise. "He won't take it from me…but I think…he may need it."

"Mitsuki-chan…" Shunsui's eyes widened, and she offered him a faint smile.

"Just herbs, for fatigue." She assured him. "And if his chest is hurting, they'll soothe that too."

With that she was gone, and Shunsui bit his lip, eying the sachet and then the young healer in wonder.

_I see. So you've become stubborn too, Mitsuki-chan. You've made up your mind to keep looking out for him even as he's made up his mind to protect you from the worst._

A faint smile touched his lips.

_Seems to me like you two are a better match than even I realised you were. You're quite tough deep down too, after all – I'm glad to see it. I guess it just remains to be seen which of you is the more stubborn – and who breaks first._

He stretched his hand idly across the desk, flipping the book open with the fingers of his left while sliding the sachet away and under the wood surface with his right.

_He probably wouldn't take it from me either, especially since he'd know right away from where I'd got it. But that's all right. We don't have to discuss it - I'll see it gets into his tea this evening either way. He did say he wanted us to back him up – and there's no sense in creating arguments over it. What he doesn't know won't hurt him – and if it helps him to get through this, so much to the good!_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**  
**_**Souren Soukatsui.**_  
_For anyone who reads the manga and watches the anime, and is as much of a geek as me, you;ll know that Souren Soukatsui has two different numbers. In the manga it is labelled Rokujuu San (#63) which is the same number given to Raikouhou in another scene. The anime compensated for this by renumbering it Nanajuu-san (#73) hence Shunsui's talk about reclassification. I like to be relevant.  
The start of all three mentioned spells - Shakkahou, Soukatsui and Souren Soukatsui - is the same to the half-way point, after which the incantation for each one is different. Yep, Kidou geekness ftw._

_**Mamorubeki Mono.**  
The title of this chapter means, roughly "Those one should protect."  
_

_  
Also, __**Arigatou Gozaimasu**__ to Val-sensei for his help with Shirogane and Juu's swordishness._


	22. Breakdown

**Chapter Twenty One - Breakdown**

"So in conclusion, we are all now in agreement about this quarter's Council fiscal arrangements."

In the high-ceilinged Council Chamber in the heart of Inner Seireitei, the current chair of the Council of Elders, Kuchiki Guren, gazed around at his companions as general grunts and murmurs of assent passed around the room, and the stately figure nodded, bowing his head in acknowledgement of their wishes.

From her seat as representative of Second District, Shihouin Midori stifled a sigh. It had taken four and a half hours for the nit-picking nobility to finally come to an arrangement that suited them all, and for a while she had wondered whether or not a resolution would ever be brought. It had only been a year since she had taken over as Head of the Shihouin, and after her Uncle's execution, she had done her level best to bring her family onto an even keel. Yet sometimes, when surrounded by the pedantic whining of other peers, she felt it hard to hold her tongue and keep her blunt opinions to herself.

But, finally, it seemed as though proceedings were about to be closed, and she could finally get back to organising the more important –as she saw it – day to day running of her family's prosperous, if notoriously unsettled District.

Her gaze flitted around the chamber, taking in each individual member with a frown. On her one side sat the broad figure of Yamamoto Hashihiko, the appointed elder of the Yamamoto, although to most he was viewed as the second highest ranking person behind Genryuusai in District One's illustrious family. To her other side, Urahara Nagesu, polishing the lenses of his spectacles as he focused on every word spoken. Beyond that were Unohana Retsu and Shiba Kyouki – two women for whom Midori had the utmost respect – then the empty seat belonging to the Kuchiki-ke, for Guren, as current chair, had the honour of the Leader's seat. Beyond that was the hunched, lean form of the warrior Shouichi, shadowed as was becoming commonplace by the silent figure of his surviving son Misashi, and then, finally, the head of the Kyouraku-ke – Kyouraku Tokutarou.

Some of them she liked, some of them she did not. Some she was happy to work with and some made her long for the right to draw her sword and release its hell fury into their unsuspecting bodies. But overall, she did not like attending the Council. Not when there was still so much to be done in the rebuild of District Two.

"Are there any further matters anyone wants to address before I adjourn this session?"

At Guren's question, Tokutarou slowly raised his hand, and Midori bit back her impatience as Guren indicated for the Eighth District leader to speak.

"If I may, Guren-sama, I would like to ask whether or not the Council ought to take clear notice of events along the border between my land and that belonging to District Seven." Tokutarou said quietly, and despite her frustration, Midori was aware of the seriousness in the other's dark eyes. "I have raised it before, but in recent weeks it seems increasingly that more refugees are fleeing for District Eight, claiming they are in danger of their lives. Providing for all of these people is proving a burden on my family and my people, and the situation is getting to be untenable."

"Nobody has asked you to take in anyone, Tokutarou." Shouichi barked out, annoyance in his pale eyes. "And you would do well to keep out of what is not your business. Your continued opening of your borders is only aiding and abetting the escape of those that the Endou-ke have legitimate grievances against!"

"The Endou-ke cannot possibly have legitimate grievances with women and children, some of whom are not yet old enough to walk or speak." Tokutarou returned neatly. "It is my obligation as a member of the Council of Elders to help those who enter my land, regardless of their place of origin. Had they come from District One, my policy would be the same, although,"

He paused to smile ruefully at Hashihiko,

"I cannot imagine that ever taking place. The truth is that it has been at least a year since the first people trickled into District Eight claiming persecution. Since then the numbers have swelled...Guren-sama, don't you think that this is now a situation the Council must address?"

Guren frowned, his grey eyes thoughtful. Then he nodded.

"Shouichi-dono, perhaps you could explain for us all the reason for so many common individuals seeking to leave your land." He said softly, and Shouichi bristled.

"Such things are the business of the Endou, not the business of the Council!" He exclaimed, and Guren's eyes hardened.

"Yet as current chair of the Council of Elders, I am asking you." He said evenly. "Please answer, or be considered in contempt of this session."

"If you please, Guren-sama, my Father is not simply persecuting the people from the common lands indiscriminately." Before any response could form on Shouichi's lips, a voice from the shadows made everyone start, staring in surprise at the speaker. "As a member of the Endou administration, I know extremely well what measures have been put through and what aims are being followed. If I may speak to the Council, perhaps I may put matters at rest on his behalf."

There was a murmur of confusion from the seated nobles, and Midori found herself just as surprised. Although Misashi had attended several sessions since the reconciliation, this was the first time that he ever had exercised his right to speak, and even Shouichi cast his son a startled look.

Midori pursed her lips, eying the man thoughtfully as she did so.

_So are you really supporting your Father now, Misashi-sama? Things have changed a lot if you are…since the day you helped me escape my prison in District Seven and allowed me to move to help my Clan. Perhaps a reconciliation has taken place – but even so, remembering that day…I think such a thing unlikely._

"Shouichi-dono, do you object to your kinsman's request to speak?" Guren asked, and Shouichi frowned, then shook his head.

"There is no reason to object to my own son's words." He rumbled. "Let him tell you the truth, and then maybe you'll take my word more seriously."

There was a bitter note in his tones, and despite herself, Midori found she was amused by it.

_The Council might listen to you if they hear Misashi-sama speak? Then things truly have changed, if you trust him so much now to speak here in your favour. Or is that why you bring him? To back you up whenever questions arise? You canny old man…scheming as ever._

"In that case, Endou Misashi, please, explain yourself more lucidly." Guren requested, and Misashi nodded.

"In recent months, individuals associated with severe breaches of law have been apprehended and interrogated by the Endou administration." He said softly. "This was a final request by my late Mother, that these people be located and dealt with accordingly. My Father has put his energy into finding and dealing with these rebels who are not only outlaws within our District but whose actions could cause severe damage in other Districts, also."

"And you are saying that all of the hundreds of people fleeing to me for sanctuary are associated with outlaws and treason?" Tokutarou was incredulous. "With respect, Misashi-dono...that seems unlikely."

"Of course not." Misashi spoke patiently despite Tokutarou's sceptical tone, shaking his head. "But several of those suspected of complicity have forged strongholds within village communities where they have used their ill-acquired gains to secure loyalty and support among the residents. Extracting them has proven difficult - and has meant force has been used directly on more than one occasion. Sadly the knock-on effect has been as you've seen them. Such village people who have backed traitors over their true administrators then seek safe land to which to flee."

"Is this true, Shouichi-dono?" Midori looked startled, and Shouichi cast Misashi a glance before nodding his head.

"As Misashi has clearly outlined, such matters are the province of my administration to deal with, and we are dealing with them." He rumbled. "In comparison, a few dead or dispossessed peasants are nothing."

"These rebels pose a threat of that magnitude?" Urahara Nagesu's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "Pray tell us, Shouichi-sama - of what nature are such people, that they have excited such a flurry of action in your land?"

"Dispossessed Clan and foreigners to District Seven." Shouichi said bluntly, and Nagesu's eyes widened slightly at the implication in the old man's voice. "Those who should have been tracked down many, many years ago but who, by nefarious means have hidden themselves until now. On discovering they were acting outside the laws of this Council, I and my family have taken steps to prevent them."

He paused, meeting Nagesu's gaze with a cold one of his own.

"Perhaps you understand, then, the weight of the duty we have assumed."

"...These are _Urahara _exiles." Midori realised, and Guren eyed her sharply.

"No such thing has been said, Midori-dono. There is no need to make allegations of that nature."

"No. I think Midori-dono is correct." Nagesu's expression became thoughtful. "There are, after all, many disinherited members of my family who have disappeared into the ether. Though attempts were made to locate them long ago, most have not been found. If these people wish to cause a disturbance, I imagine them more than capable."

He eyed Shouichi, then,

"If you wish for me to send agents to Seventh District to aid you in your search, you have only to say the word." He said quietly, though Midori was sure for the briefest moment she saw genuine distress flash across the Urahara leader's usually rational pale eyes. "They are no kin of mine, and they sully the reputation of my Clan by continuing to vex those who try to work to rebuild our reputation."

A slight smile touched Shouichi's lips and he shook his head, bowing in Nagesu's direction.

"Whilst your consideration is appreciated, my warrior Clan are more than able to deal with the insurrection." He said frankly.

"But why now? After a century, why rear their heads now?" Tokutarou was confused, and Shouichi's eyes glittered darkly.

"It seems that recent events in District Two perhaps gave them some thought of reigniting old ideas." He said pointedly, and Midori bristled at this, anger in her golden eyes.

"The affairs of my Clan are no longer the Council's concern, since they ceased a year ago." She said stiffly. "The Council has inspected District Two on _two_ occasions since and has spoken in detail to my Father and my brother even since my Uncle's execution."

"But there are, undoubtedly, still Urahara in District Two as much as there are in other places." Shouichi retorted, and Midori shrugged.

"Perhaps. I do not know. I have never had interest in the science my Uncle favoured and I have never held out my hand in support to them or any other nefarious schemes they may have forged. If they live in District Two, now, they live there in peace. And if they do – _if_, Shouichi-sama – then I am not aware of it or any reason under which they should now be persecuted."

"So the Shihouin still protect Urahara outlaws, while we seek to hunt them down!" Shouichi's eyes glittered as he sought an opportunity to pass the blame, and Midori got to her feet, indignation blazing in her gaze.

"On the contrary, the Shihouin know better than any other Clan that flaws exist within all of us." She snapped back. "For this reason, I will not seek out and kill those who have not disturbed the peace! My District is rebuilding and we are working hard to renovate the reputation of the Shihouin Clan by setting out a new order of government and of operation. We don't have time to follow petty disputes or chase down imagined criminals. Those involved with my Uncle were arrested and dealt with at the time of the Council's investigation. The matter is since closed."

She turned her gaze to the Chair of the Council, who eyed her impassively.

"There is no guilt on our part in any of this, Guren-sama. And in the unlikely event of there being Urahara exiles acting from District Two, they are acting on their own. I do not support it, and if I come across it, I will, as you can be quite sure, deal with it immediately."

"Nobody suspects that the Shihouin-ke are involved." Retsu spoke up softly at that moment, her gentle tones calming the rising ire in the high-ceilinged chamber. "As you say, those unfortunate events are quite behind you now."

"More interesting is how the Endou only just learnt that these people were there at all." Hashihiko reflected.

"That is not your concern!" Shouichi glared across the chamber, and Misashi slowly raised his hand a second time.

"Misashi-dono?" Guren eyed him quizzically, and Misashi shot his father an apologetic look.

"I believe Midori-sama has explained our reasons as well as her own." He said softly. "That events of a century ago have no direct bearing on the present day, and should not dictate everything that we do now. As the Shihouin have found, those things were deemed over and our people treated them as over. But unlike in District Two, in our land things have changed. For this reason we have chosen to act. If we had acted sooner - then, perhaps, we would be guilty of what Tokutarou-sama suggested and of the crime Midori-sama is so keen to avoid committing. We too do not believe in the unfair persecution of individuals without any clear evidence."

Shouichi stared at his son, then nodded his head.

"Misashi is right." He agreed. "The Council rails against unnecessary action. We have been forced to take our current stance since the fall of Shihouin Kamuki and his administration a year ago. Things became worse since my wife's sad passing, and we have increased our action accordingly. In consequence, most of the ring-leaders have been located and confined...though one or two still evade us."

_Well. That was a nice turn in attitude, considering you were just attacking me for that policy a moment ago._

Midori eyed the old man in dislike.

_I wonder what you're really up to, Shouichi-sama. And why your son is so willing to back you up and even cover for you in this place of all places. Is it what I suspect it is? If so, then surely sooner or later the Council axe must fall on District Seven just as much as it did on District Two a year ago. I of everyone here know more of that matter – and if not for my promises to Hirata, the whole Council would know of it too._

"Of course, there is a complication in this policy."

Shouichi was still speaking, and Midori drew her attention back to the conversation as the old man cast Tokutarou an unpleasant look.

"I trust the people I seek are not sheltering in District Eight, since sheltering outlaws of this level is a breach of Council Law."

"To my knowledge, I do not shelter outlaws." Tokutarou said evenly. "Though I'm sure that, if I did, the agents you have sent into my land would be able to tell you more quickly than I."

"What allegation is this, now?" Shouichi demanded, and Guren held up his hand.

"Enough." He said firmly. "This serves no greater purpose. If the words of Shouichi-dono and his son are true, then it is a matter we must leave to the Endou to handle themselves. But, Shouichi-dono, if you do require the assistance of the Council to deal with these people, please do not hesitate to call on us. Nagesu-dono has already offered his help, and I am sure that other Clans will offer similar aid if it is to protect Soul Society from the kind of damage of which these individuals are known to be capable."

"Thank you, Guren-sama, but my Clan are able enough." Shouichi shook his head. "We are winning the battle. Their ringleader is on the run. When we track him down, it will be over and all will be easy once again."

"And the refugees can then return to their homes?" Tokutarou questioned. Shouichi shrugged.

"That will be up to them, and whether you choose to re-open your border to allow them back." He said carelessly.

"In the meantime, Tokutarou-sama, my Clan will happily send aid to help take care of these unfortunates." Retsu said softly. "Since it is a heavy burden, one Clan should not shoulder it alone."

"The Shihouin also." Midori made up her mind. "Since obviously some feel we have a responsibility for the situation, I will also offer Shihouin aid to support the refugees. I will speak to you of it afterwards, Tokutarou-sama - if you are so willing."

"Thank you, both of you." Tokutarou offered them both a rueful grin. "It will be appreciated. Kyouki-sama has already assisted in a number of ways, but the volume of people is great and if the burden was shared over many Clans, more of them would have a chance of maintaining some quality of life. Disease is already beginning to rear its head in some of the encampments - and so, Retsu-sama, your aid in particular would be most welcome."

"In that case, I shall send Madeki-kun and some of his team to see to treating the ailing." Retsu nodded. "It will be my pleasure."

She smiled.

"And, to be truthful, it will be good experience for him." She admitted. "I had hoped to find him a suitable first field assignment since he became my fifth ranked officer and a team leader within the Fourth Division last spring. He is a very good young healer, even for his age and I'm sure he and his companions will provide much comfort."

"Then the matter is shelved." Guren decided. "And, we trust, in the safe hands of the Endou-ke from this point on. This Council Session is now adjourned – thank you all."

He rose from his seat, signifying the end of the long session, and Midori let out her breath in a rush, relief flooding through her as she realised that it was done.

_But I still am not. I can't return home yet – even with Saku awaiting my assessment, Second Squad needing orders and the Shihouin council wanting decisions on land share, training and the organisation of the special forces. For the time being I must do two other things – I must arrange to aid the refugees in District Eight and – more pressingly now – I must speak to my one-time ally and discover whether or not he still feels as his son does as regards our family's partnerships._

"Your kindness is appreciated, Midori-dono."

As they left the room, Tokutarou bowed his head to her, and Midori returned his greeting with a grin.

"I feel a little like they are my refugees too, and I understand the situation quite well." She said frankly. "I have, after all, been dispossessed and alone. I will do what I can, Tokutarou-dono. I'm sure that the Yamamoto will not object to me sending aid through their land to assist in yours, after all."

"I trust not." Tokutarou agreed. "And if I can repay you…"

"One repayment you might make." Midori's eyes narrowed, and she dropped her tones, casting her gaze across to where Misashi and his Father were standing. "I realise you find the man distasteful, Tokutarou-dono, but if you could take a moment of the Lord Endou's time…I wish to speak to an ally of mine and I wish to do so alone."

"To Misashi-dono." Comprehension glittered in Tokutarou's expression and he slowly nodded his head. "Very well. In truth, I have questions too. I know, as you do, more things than what was said before the Council. If you discover anything of use, I would appreciate to know also. This affects my people, after all – and those who seek safety in my land."

"I will." Midori agreed, her golden eyes twinkling. "Though be careful, Tokutarou-sama. You become close to making a Shihouin your ally."

"I think there are probably worse alliances to make, these days." Tokutarou grinned ruefully. "And besides – I feel I brought you in for a battering today. It wasn't my intention to raise old skeletons for you – for that I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything." Midori shook her head. "And we'll live with that taint for as long or longer as the Urahara still live with theirs. If what Misashi-dono said is right…well, I suppose I shouldn't speculate and should try and ask him myself."

"Then I will go and attract the Lord Shouichi's attention for a little while." Tokutarou nodded. "I'm sure that while he's flinging abuses at me, he won't notice if Misashi-dono is there or if he is not."

He bowed his head to her once more, turning and crossing the complex and as he approached, Midori could already see Shouichi tensing up, bracing himself for yet another battle of words with his hated neighbour.

As he did so, Misashi happened to glance up, meeting Midori's gaze, and at her expression, his eyes first widened, then became thoughtful. He glanced at his father, but Shouichi was well engrossed in his grievances against the Kyouraku by now, and Midori slipped through the back of the room, hoping that the other man would have the perception to follow her.

At first she thought he had not, but just as she was preparing to give up and withdraw, she heard a soft voice come from behind her.

"Urahara Keitarou." The voice said, and she swung around, eying Misashi in surprise. "That's what you wanted to ask me, isn't it? The name of the one my Father seeks – Urahara Keitarou."

Midori got a grip on herself, casting him a rueful smile.

"You would almost rival a Shihouin, in being able to slip around like that." She told him frankly. "I didn't realise you were so stealthy, Misashi-dono. Though, being as it was you who taught Hirata how to use Kyakkou – I really shouldn't be so surprised."

"Survival sometimes requires discretion." Misashi offered a faint smile, but it did not reach his eyes. "And I cannot talk to you for long enough to explain everything I need to."

"Yet you give me that name anyway?" Midori was surprised, and Misashi nodded.

"I had hoped to, in any case." He agreed. "But talking to anyone here is difficult."

"That's why I sent Tokutarou-sama to deal with your Father." Midori's eyes twinkled, and Misashi smiled.

"Then he is your ally too. I hope…one day to call him mine, too. Or more specifically…Hirata's."

"I see." Midori's expression became thoughtful. "Then you haven't changed your stance after all."

"Mother's death has made things more difficult, but I am grateful beyond repayment for what you have done for my son." Misashi glanced around him, his gaze flitting anxiously to his father's animated form. "And I wish to ask you to keep doing so, at least, for now. He needs everything you and Genryuusai-sama can teach him, since he's so far out of my hands. Therefore I wish to trust you…as I trusted you before. Only this time I think it's only my Clan who remain in peril. Yours, I'm glad to say, are not."

Midori's lips thinned, then,

"Hirata is my ally. You are my ally. Your Clan's troubles are mine too, now." She said softly. "What can you tell me, Misashi-dono? Something that I can do from outside that you can't do from within?"

"Father is not the danger. Seimaru is." Misashi shook his head slightly. "Father has kept his word to Mother and is, indeed, hunting these people down. Urahara Keitarou was Seimaru's ally a year ago – the one who created the poison that he would have used to attack Genryuusai-sama. In the last year, I don't know…but it is my belief…"

"That they are still working together?"

"Possibly against Father. Definitely against me." Misashi nodded. "And…potentially…against Hirata. Father is protecting me, currently, by acknowledging me and I am doing nothing to cross that trust. But it is not him that worries me. He will keep his word, now he has given it so formally and in so many places. In the last week he apprehended and killed one of the leading members of this rebel group and he believes he can snare this Keitarou too. But…"

"If he's being protected by Seimaru…" Midori shook his head. "How I hate that man. All right."

She sighed, then,

"I understand, and I'll speak to my Father. He may know the name even though I do not. If there's anything I can do to help track him down, Misashi-dono – I'll do my best to assist."

"Thank you." Misashi's eyes glittered with relief. "One day I will repay you for all these things. Somehow."

"You gave me the chance to save my Clan. Only fair I should give you the same." Midori grinned at him, and Misashi nodded.

"I have to go. Father will look for me and I daren't voice any of this to him." He said quietly. "My thanks, Midori-sama. You've made me more at ease at least knowing someone outside of our District is aware of the danger."

With that he was gone, and Midori turned on her heel, heading thoughtfully towards the exit where she knew her family's carriage would most likely be awaiting her.

_I wonder what Father may know about this Urahara Keitarou, and if he does, whether he'll tell me now all the worst is behind us. Still, I'll ask him. Even though I dislike Shouichi-sama and distrust Seimaru, I believe Misashi and Hirata to be my allies and I will not forsake them. _

She sighed, rubbing her temples.

_Which means, I suppose, that I have even more work to do than I had before. But if not for them, I wouldn't have my Clan at all. Maybe there would now be no Shihouin Clan. In light of that…I have no choice. I'll keep faith with my allies and see what I can discover. And if this sparks a new alliance – a coveted alliance with District Eight beyond the occasional paperwork – then even better for my family. To ally with the Kyouraku would also imply alliance with the Shiba – which would leave us in a much happier position all round. _

She smiled ruefully to herself.

_Given that, a little more work is a small price to pay. When I get home, I'll ask Saku to make the arrangements for me to enter the fortified estate. It looks like I'll be going to speak to Father soon, after all._

* * *

It had been an impossibly long day.

As Juushirou put his _asauchi _back in the rack within the school gymnasium, he reached up to rub his temples, a dull ache settling in the base of his skull. It was now three weeks since he had begun training, and almost every waking moment that he could spare had been spent with Shirogane in the private training field, being drilled over and over again until he felt he would be practicing swordplay in his sleep. He was improving, though, he knew that – and although his body was battered and bruised, he had not given up, determined to prove that he could learn from his companion's sharp instructions and swift _zanpakutou _technique. Though it was true that they did not like one another any more than they had before, Juushirou was determined to persevere.

He paused for a minute, leaning up against the outside wall of the gymnasium as a wave of giddiness washed over his exhausted body. He closed his eyes, allowing the faintest of faint summer breezes to ruffle through his hair, bringing him scant comfort and coolness on what was one of the hottest days of the year so far. For the past two hours he had felt that burning sun belt down on his body, and though the gymnasium building cast little in the way of shade when the sun was so high, even so it was something of a relief to have finally stopped moving.

_But I still have to read the rest of the chapter from that book Genryuusai-sensei gave us, as well as write up my notes from the last Kidou theory lesson and double-check to make sure all my incantations are spelt out properly, so I can revise them for exams without any problem. Not to mention Uebashi's begun giving us the theory outline to using shunpo, and I wanted to re-read the notes he gave us too before I go to bed. I wonder what time it is – it must be almost dinner. That should give me at least…two hours I think, between then and bedtime. I think that ought to be enough, so long as I don't hang around here too long now._

He swallowed hard, feeling unusually queasy at the thought of food.

_The heat really doesn't do anything for my appetite. Maybe I'll skip dinner this time, and go straight to work. Once won't hurt and if I get done quickly, I can take an early night and sleep off my bruises. Then I'll at least wake up for class tomorrow without Ryuu-kun having to shake me_.

With some reluctance he stood upright once more, putting a hand against the wall to stay the dizzy swirl that suddenly assailed his vision. Bile rose in his throat and he swallowed hard, screwing up his eyes as he fought to regain his sense of balance. Dots danced before his gaze, but at length, he managed it, taking a deep breath into already raw lungs.

_Going back to the dorm is definitely the best idea. Perhaps I could at least stop for a drink of water, though – I'm probably dehydrated, thinking about it, since I coughed up enough times during that session. In this weather it's fluids, not food that you need most…so I'll do that and head upstairs. If I do that, maybe I can take a quick nap before getting down to work – and either way, it'll be better when I can sit down._

He made his way gingerly across the grass, aware that the throbbing at the back of his skull had begun to spread, protesting more insistently that he had continued to move despite his body's objections to the contrary. He grimaced, wiping the sweat from his brow as he realised he was probably running another fever.

_But then, that's nothing new. I deal with those all the time. And I'm releasing more and more of my spiritual energy when training with Nagoya-senpai. That's bound to carry some kind of after-effect, considering how unsteady it's been since term began. In some ways, I'd rather it was that way. I understand what's happening when my spirit power causes fever or coughing. It's better than the illusion of good health when I know that everything isn't as right as it seems._

"Juu-ku-u-u-un!"

Shunsui's call split through his aching head, sending shockwaves through his weary brain and with difficulty he glanced up, seeing his classmate sauntering across the grass towards them. Not far behind him were Ryuu and Hirata, with Kai and Enishi bringing up the rear and Juushirou bit his lip, realising they had come to meet him.

"We thought we'd come find you, since your training was running late again." Hirata explained, as the group of boys reached their missing member. "Was it a good session today, Ukitake-kun?"

"You look all in." Enishi said bluntly. "Obviously he's still working you hard."

"Well, he has to." Juushirou knew he was being snappish, but his tired brain could not cope with trying to soften his words. "Since this is _zanpakutou_ training, not swinging sticks in the park."

"Obviously you're hot and bothered too, then." Shunsui observed casually, and Juushirou grimaced at him.

"It's a hot day." He said pointedly. "Not all of us are born in District Eight. Some of us don't like the heat that much."

"I don't like it much either, to be honest." Hirata admitted. "And it is very hot today."

"Stupidly hot." Kai snorted. "Which is why we'd all be much better inside. Dinner gong is about to go, after all…if we hurry, we'll get to the hall before the rush."

"Kai-kun's hungry." Shunsui laughed, clapping a hand down on the Shihouin's shoulder. "So let's not keep him starving any longer, huh? Let's go."

"You go on ahead."Juushirou shook his head, immediately regretting the sudden movement as the world swam and rocked again before his gaze. "I have to do something…I'll meet you…after."

"You're not coming with us?" Hirata looked surprised.

"I'm not hungry."

"That's unusual." Shunsui pursed his lips. "I don't think I've ever known you not to be hungry."

"It's hot." Juushirou shot back. "I'm thirsty. I don't need food. Besides, like I said, I have things to do."

"Still?" Hirata eyed his friend in confusion. "We came to meet you – Ukitake-kun, isn't your training over?"

"It must be. He's put his sword away." Ryuu frowned. "Ukitake, whatever it is can wait, surely, for a little while? Even if you are not hungry, you can surely come and sit for a while? It is not good to run straight from one strenuous activity into another."

"I have a lot still to do tonight, since I've next to no free time at the moment." Juushirou shook his head. "If I don't keep up with things, I'll be behind and then I'll fail my summer exams. I _do_ have to pass second year as well as doing all this."

There was an edge to his words, and Shunsui sighed.

"You can work too hard, you know." He said quietly. "Ryuu's right, and if even he can see that, you should pay attention and see it too. Take an hour or so and have a proper meal – then you'll be refuelled to do your work and you'll manage it more swiftly."

"We'll help, if you like." Kai added. "Houjou mightn't be much good at doing anything except turning pages, but I have some notes still to go over too, and…"

"I can manage, thank you." Though he knew he was being unreasonable, suddenly Juushirou could not take it any more. He wanted them to go away, to leave him alone, to just stop talking to him and making his head throb so badly. He pushed past them, making his own way towards the school building, but every step felt heavier than the previous one and the distance had never before seemed so far. It was hot, it was stifling, and his whole body ached with lack of sleep and forced overwork. He just wanted to be left alone. He just wanted…

The world blurred and swayed again and he stumbled, almost falling headlong as he lost his bearings completely. From somewhere around him he heard an exclamation, then felt two strong arms grab hold of his body, steadying him and holding him firmly.

"Ukitake, are you all right?"

The voice was Enishi's, but Juushirou could not answer him, and from somewhere in the background he could hear Ryuu, too.

"This is what happened at camp. After the river incident, when he passed out." The Kuchiki boy's tones were anxious, but further and further away with every passing second. "He just went…didn't speak to anyone…just fell."

"At camp this happened?" Shunsui's voice was sharp, jolting through Juushirou's scrambled wits and as Enishi lowered him to the ground he almost wept with relief to feel the reassuring sensation of grass beneath him. "Like this?"

"He just fainted." Hirata sounded distressed. "Like Kuchiki-kun said – because he came to save me in the river and pushed himself too far."

"Juu, do you think you're going to faint now?" Shunsui was closer to him now, and Juushirou felt his friend's hand brush his brow. There was a muttered curse, then, "No wonder. He's running a fever and it's a proper one, too – not one of those niggly little things he sometimes insists on taking to class with him. Training for two hours in this heat – too much, Juu-kun. You're being unreasonable."

"Let me go." Juushirou managed, pushing both Enishi and Shunsui away from him as he began to feel the world closing in around him. "I'm not going to pass out. I'm all right. Just hot and de…dehydrated. I need a drink, that's all. It's nothing worse. I'm not g…going to faint."

"Are you sure?" Kai dropped down onto the ground now, eying him in concern. "You might be feverish, Ukitake, but all the colour's gone from your face and you're shaking like a leaf. At least let us help you get inside – otherwise you'll do yourself some damage, and Kyouraku is probably right."

"I…I…" Juushirou tried to form the sentence, but it was beyond him and, as his nausea overwhelmed him, he gripped at the grass, shudders racking through his body as he gave in to its demands. For a few moments all of his senses were consumed in the violence and panic of the unfamiliar sensations, then, as it calmed, he closed his eyes, dropping his head forward in relief and exhaustion.

By this point, he barely knew or cared that he was still outside or that he was surrounded by his friends. All he knew was that he wanted to sleep…and that his body had had enough.

As he did so, he realised someone was supporting him once more, and as his vomiting subsided, he gradually became aware of his friend's aura prickling close against his own scattered one.

_Enishi._

"Dammit, Juu, that's why I said you weren't all right." Shunsui was there too, and though Juushirou longed to pull free from his friend's protective grasp, he knew he no longer had the energy to even attempt it.

"We should take him to Unohana-sensei." Hirata sounded frightened now, yet Juushirou was too tired and shaken to care. "If he's sick like this…"

"We should. Hirata's correct." Ryuu agreed. "Can you lift him, Houjou? He obviously can't walk."

He tut-tutted under his breath, then,

"Pushing himself to this extreme was foolish…it's a good thing for him we came to meet him, in the end."

"No kidding." Kai murmured. "Here, Houjou, let me hold him still while you lift him. He's not that heavy, but the way he is right now…"

"Maybe we should bring Unohana-sensei to him." Enishi sounded doubtful. "I dunno, Shihouin. He looks to me like he might hurl again, and while it doesn't bother me if he does, it's probably better he does it out here than in the hallways."

"Juu? Are you going to be sick again?" Shunsui asked gently, and Juushirou swallowed hard, forcing the tattered shreds of his consciousness together as he slowly raised his gaze to Shunsui's concerned one.

"I…don't want…Unohana-sensei." He said feebly. "Just…too hot. Go…to dorm. Please."

"But in this condition…" Kai frowned, and Juushirou shook his head gingerly.

"Please." He repeated. "If…I go…there…I…will…be…made…to…s…stay."

He faltered, the bile rising in his throat again, and Enishi's grip tightened on his thin body as the sickness returned a second time. Finally, exhausted and empty, he fell back against his friend, closing his eyes in defeat.

"And that's why we want to take you, so that she makes you rest." Shunsui said bluntly. "Pick him up, Enishi. Whether he throws up again or not, let's risk it. He's no good out here, and the sun's probably making it worse. We'll get him inside at least."

"To…dorm." Juushirou reiterated faintly. "Please. Not…Healing…Bay."

"Well, we could take him to the dorm, if he wants to go there so badly. He could lie down and we could go get Unohana-sensei if need be, then." Enishi suggested. "Either way, he's just going to upset himself more if we argue with him. Let's at least do as he says right now…then we'll work out what to do, when we get him inside."

"Houjou's right." Kai nodded. "I think that's the best thing to do, for now. As Houjou said, he'll just fight and upset himself more."

"I suppose so." Shunsui sounded reluctant, but he sighed, and Juushirou could hear the sound of him getting to his feet. "All right. That's what we'll do. Ok, Juu? You win. We'll take you to the dorm and you can rest. But listen to me. You can't keep training like this, not if it's going to make you this sick. You need to rest properly, else it's going to hurt you – you understand me? You can't juggle everything and expect it not to affect you. You've worked far too hard already."

"I…have…to…train." Juushirou managed, followed by, "Not…your…business."

"I think it's all of our business."

"No." Juushirou shook his head slightly. "Just…tired. Tomorrow…I'll be fine."

"If you think we're going to let you anywhere near a sword tomorrow, you must think we're completely stupid." Kai said bluntly. "Kyouraku's right. You're exhausted and you need to take a day or two off. Probably off all classes, not just your training."

"I…have…to." Juushirou repeated stubbornly. "Nagoya-senpai…will…"

"You leave that stuck up _bocchan_ to me." Shunsui said grimly. "I said you're not training tomorrow, Juu, and so did Kai. Nobody's going to let you kill yourself, so make up your mind to it, okay? If we don't take you to the Healing Bay, that's what we expect from you in return."

Juushirou did not reply, but a mixture of obstinacy and indignation prickled at his senses as he was hoisted up into Enishi's strong arms, and borne away towards the school building. As they reached the door, Ryuu instructed Hirata to go get a mug of water to bring upstairs, and as the younger boy hurried off to obey the instruction, a loud shriek cut through Juushirou's already tender senses.

"Shuunsui! I've been looking for…what the hell happened to him?"

Sora came charging down the hall, stopping dead as she caught sight of Enishi and his burden. "Shunsui, what did you do to Juushirou? Is he okay? Did he have an attack?"

"Of sorts, but not the usual." Shunsui shook his head. "He collapsed outside – he's been working far too hard and it's caught up with him. So we're taking him upstairs."

"Do you want me to go get Unohana-sensei? Sora asked, and Juushirou roused himself at this, opening his eyes and meeting the Shiba girl's concerned green gaze with his own blurry hazel one.

"No." He said softly. "I just…want to sleep…that's all."

"We're taking him to the dorm." Kai explained. "And we'll see what happens from there."

"Ukitake-kun!" Before Juushirou could force out any more words, Mitsuki's voice cut across his wits like a knife, and he flinched, inwardly tensing as he saw her hurrying up behind Sora. "Houjou-kun…Ukitake-kun is…"

"Stupid." Shunsui interjected wryly. "But we'll sort him out. Don't look so frightened, Mitsuki-chan. We'll take care of him. It'll be fine."

"But…like this…with his spirit all over the place…" Mitsuki bit her lip, and Juushirou's heart clenched at the concern in her voice.

_So she still worries. Even though she's not supposed to, she still does. _

"It's not…your problem, Edogawa-san." He managed slowly. "So…please…don't interfere."

Mitsuki's eyes widened, and Sora glanced from Juushirou to her friend, confusion in her emerald eyes.

"What just happened there?" She demanded. "Juushirou doesn't want Mitsuki to help him?"

"Ukitake-kun doesn't consider us to be friends any more." Though Mitsuki's tones were even, Juushirou could see the tears glittering on the girl's lashes. He groaned inwardly, realising that he hadn't thought it possible, but now he felt even worse than he had done out in the blazing sun. He closed his eyes, but her expression still burnt into his thoughts, and the hurt confusion of her aura was suddenly clear against his raw senses.

"Doesn't consider you to be…?" Sora gaped, and Shunsui took a hand.

"We'll speak, Sora. Later." He said softly. "For now, we need to get this one upstairs and convince him that he shouldn't be training tomorrow if today's session made him like this."

"That should be a no-brainer." Sora said bluntly, and Juushirou heard Shunsui sigh.

"Well, when he's like this, Juu has no brain." He said categorically. "So once we've got him settled upstairs, I'm going to go at it from a different angle. If he continues not to listen to us, then I'll just have to find someone who will. I'll go and speak to Nagoya-senpai, and see if one of them at least has a bit of common sense."

"Kyouraku…" Enishi faltered, and Shunsui sighed again.

"If that's what it takes." He said frankly. "To keep Juu from training tomorrow…then that is what I will do."

* * *

_Well, here goes nothing._

Shunsui gazed up at the big wooden door, pursing his lips as he prepared himself for the confrontation that he felt sure was about to come.

It was two hours after Juushirou's collapse and, although he had not been sick a third time, his fever had continued to fluctuate and his breathing had become heavier, sparking a mild coughing fit and making his companions fearful that his earlier uncharacteristic sickness had begun to trigger a more typical round of _haibyou_ attacks. Despite this, he had still obstinately insisted that he was well enough to continue his training, and that he would not see Unohana-sensei no matter how much his friends had begged him to at least let her look him over. They had reached an impasse, and Shunsui had realised that it would take his earlier threat to actually resolve things – so, with a reluctant heart, he had traipsed up to the Senior corridor, hopeful that where he had failed with his obstinate friend, he might succeed with the proud, unyielding head student.

_Though it's the last thing I feel like doing, if it's the only way, then it's what I'll do._

Resolutely Shunsui lifted his hand, rapping sharply on the uneven surface.

_Hopefully I can negotiate better with a proud bocchan than I can with a fevered idiot – at least in this case I have a mode of attack that just might work._

At that moment the door slid back slightly, revealing the older student, and for the briefest of instants Shunsui had the impression that someone else was inside the room. However, he had no chance to focus on that fact, for the Senior was fixing him with a decidedly unpleasant glare. A faint flicker of amusement stirred inside Shunsui's heart as he registered the slightly agitated expression in the haughty grey eyes.

_Hrm. I wonder what I disturbed? He looks a little rattled already. Are you sneaking around and taking advantage of having your own room? I wonder what Sensei would say if he thought you were entertaining other students after hours – female other students, for you to be as rattled as all that._

"What do you want?" Shirogane demanded, and Shunsui twitched his lips into a smile, forcing the more entertaining thoughts back as he returned to the matter at hand.

"My name is Kyouraku Shunsui and I'm a second year." He said, keeping his tones light despite the oppressiveness of the atmosphere. "I had something I wanted to discuss."

Shirogane stepped out of his room, casting Shunsui a look of irritation as he slid the door firmly back behind him, effectively preventing the younger student from seeing into his private quarters. "It's late. I don't have business with you at any time, but particularly not after hours - go back to your dorm."

"I'm not going anywhere, Senpai." Shunsui spoke quietly, though anger flickered in his heart at the other's dismissive attitude. "I came to speak to you about something specific, and as Anideshi, I hoped you might listen."

"Anideshi." Shirogane snorted, leaning back against the closed door with a heavy sigh. "Do you really think that you can use that as a lever to pull me out of my room at all hours of the day or night?"

"Urahara Yunosuke-senpai always seemed to be available, no matter what the time of day." Shunsui said innocently, and Shirogane stiffened, displeasure clear in his slate grey eyes.

"Then write to District Three and summon him, if you find him so obliging." He snapped, turning as if to leave. "I have nothing to say to my juniors at this time of night...and as Anideshi, that prerogative is mine."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed, and he reached out a hand, grasping his companion by the arm and pulling him back. Though there was not much force in the grip, Shirogane reacted immediately, slapping the other boy's hand away and wheeling on him angrily.

"What are you doing?"

"Something that I hate to do - something I probably won't forgive myself for later." Shunsui said frankly. "But if it's the only language you understand, I'm game to try it. I want you to come to my dorm right now, please, Senpai. And I don't intend to leave until you agree."

"And what makes you think I'll pay a blind bit of notice?" Shirogane snapped. "I can go back into my room, and fasten the door. You can spend the night out here, for all I care - it's no problem of mine if you choose to catch a chill or get caught trespassing in areas you shouldn't be."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed, and a lazy smile touched his lips.

"It's not a request. I'm just polite." He said lightly. "It's an order."

"An..." Shirogane's eyes widened, and Shunsui could sense the indignation bristling in the other boy's aura. "What do you mean, you cheeky whelp! You think _you_ can give _me _an order?"

"Yes." Shunsui sighed, nodding his head. "Sad to say, I can. It's a disgusting way to deal with things, I know, and I'm heartily sorry for it. But if it works, I'll use it all the same. So I'm ordering you to come with me, Senpai. To my dorm. Now."

"And by what right do you give this so called 'order'?" Shirogane demanded.

Shunsui's smile became flinty.

"As the heir of District Eight's ruling Clan, and therefore a First Degree descendant of a Noble House." He said quietly. "You may be a Kuchiki, Nagoya-senpai, but by blood, only Second Degree. Therefore, I outrank you. And by common Clan etiquette, you are bound to defer to me - as your social superior."

Shirogane stared at Shunsui, his jaw dropping in utter disbelief, and Shunsui nodded his head.

"It's a low tactic to use." He said seriously. "And one I've never used before. But I'll use all the weapons at my disposal if it means the difference between Juu killing himself training with you tomorrow or not."

"Wait a minute." Shirogane recovered himself, holding up his hands. "This is about..._Ukitake_?"

"Yes." Shunsui's expression became grave. "He's not well, Senpai. Seriously not well. He's pushed himself and pushed himself and he refuses to listen to reason. But he could barely even stand up this evening, and he didn't even make it to the Dining Hall for the evening meal - a sure sign that he's pretty unwell, because even when he's in the midst of a _haibyou_ attack, he eats like a pig. He's been sick twice, and he burning up like crazy, but he refuses to listen to any of us when we tell him to go to the Healing Bay or at least take a day off training and rest. So I thought, if I came to get you...if you came and told him...then maybe he'd listen to you."

Shirogane's eyes narrowed.

"My orders are given me by Sensei." He said quietly. "He was quite explicit. So long as Ukitake is able to train, then train him. If the boy is determined to train, what am I to do about it? In the end, it is his decision. Not mine."

"Sensei is testing you too, Senpai." Shunsui said evenly. "To see whether you know when to obey his order or when too far is too far."

"You are really very cocky, do you know that?" Shirogane eyed Shunsui with dislike. "Using your title, telling me what to do - do you really think that in this environment, that kind of attitude will wash? Sensei would soon overrule you, if he heard you."

"And he would soon discipline _you_, if his favourite District student took serious harm because you couldn't make a simple judgement about what was best for your pupil's health." Shunsui said quietly. "I'm serious, Senpai. I've seen Juu sick before, and even though I've seen him hurt as hell, I've never seen him like this. It's as though the energy and fight is literally seeping out of him - as though his body's hollowed out and he's just going through the motions instead of being really there with all of us. Urgent this training might be, but he's beyond exhaustion, and his body can't take much more of it. If you keep pushing him, his spirit power won't need to overwhelm him. At this rate, just with your training level, he's seriously going to die."

"Don't you think that, in the end, that choice has to be Ukitake's?" Shirogane asked pointedly. "I wonder how he feels, having his friends running around making his choices for him."

"He will be cross with me. Probably he already is, and he may not speak to me when he finds out I've come here like this." Shunsui agreed. "But I'll take that risk, because having him mad for a couple of weeks is better than having him carried back to District Six in a sealed box."

Shirogane frowned, his brows knitting together.

"You have a strong enough bond with this District boy, then, that you'll risk your friendship to protect him from harm?" He murmured. "Even though you are First Degree Clan and therefore outrank even me on the social scale? And even though he is so far below the both of us that he should consider it an honour to simply walk through those gates?"

"Yes." Shunsui said simply. "I guess you could put it that way. Juu's a very dear friend to me - someone I admire and respect more than most people I've met in my life. You might not have realised it yet, Senpai - but Juu's pretty unique. Sensei knows it. And so do the people in our class. Even if he is, as you say, far beneath us socially - there are a lot of Clanfolk in Class Three who would be up in arms if anything happened to him. Including kin of yours."

"Ryuu." Shirogane sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. I'll come. If you think it will make a difference, and it will get you out of my face. But you might not have noticed, your friend is fairly stubborn. Me telling him to stop is just as likely to make him more determined to continue."

"But if you refuse to train him, he won't be able to train." Relief flickered in Shunsui's dark eyes as he watched the other student lock his door before falling into step with him as they made their way along the hallway to the main stairs. "And that right now is as good as anything else."

Shirogane's lips thinned.

"Nobody has ever spoken to me in the way you did this evening." He said softly. "You are a brave soul indeed, if you want to cross the Kuchiki-ke. Even given your attention to social degree – you are potentially playing with fire to displease my Clan by offending me."

"And _you_ were held back in Senior Class because you aren't fit to lead subordinates." Shunsui said lightly, his tone deceptively even as he shrugged his shoulders. "We all know that, even if we haven't been told it outright. You can't become a Vice Captain without dealing with those you have to command, Senpai. Juu is your first subordinate officer. If you killed him – even if he was a District child – do you suppose you'd ever graduate from this place? Even as a Kuchiki – Genryuusai-sensei is not a fool."

"You speak to me as though we were of an age and level." Shirogane shot him an annoyed look. "Outside of this school, perhaps, your social level is above mine. But here people are ranked according to skill. I am a Senior. Kindly remember that before you judge my capabilities."

"You mistake me." Shunsui offered his companion a faint smile, shaking his head. "I'm not the one doing the judging, after all. I'm as you say – just a second year student here and far beneath you in experience in all respects. But Sensei is fond of Juu. And so if I were you, I'd remember that – even if he's a District boy in your eyes, to Sensei he's much more important."

"And so you seek to advise me?" Shirogane's eyes narrowed. "Not to harm this boy because of harming my own prospects if I do so?"

"Something like that."

"I don't see why it concerns you."

"I don't really like having you as Anideshi." Shunsui said honestly. "So the sooner you graduate, the better it'll be for everyone – you included, since you don't really want to be here at all, either. Plus, if you stop trying to kill Juu, he won't be suffering as much as he is. It benefits all of us, if you listen to me. So I advise that you do."

He winked.

"As a First Degree heir to a Second Degree satellite, take it as a freebie." He said cheekily, and Shirogane sighed heavily.

"No wonder the Kyouraku have been in such disarray, if you are Tokutarou-sama's only heir." He muttered. "The whole concept seemed foolish to me in the first place. I didn't choose to train Ukitake, after all. I didn't see the point in working one on one with the boy from the start and only undertook it because Sensei decided on it as my final assignment in order to graduate this place properly. If it ends badly, it won't be my fault that it does."

"Why not train him?" Shunsui was surprised. "Isn't it normal, for a Senior student to train a student in preparation for them summoning their swords? From what Sora said…"

"Ukitake is a District boy, and a second year." Shirogane said curtly. "Even I did not summon my sword fully until the end of my third year – and I was well ahead of my peers in many respects. I was exceptional. Last year, Yunosuke and the others had completed five years and some of them had not reached my level of _shikai_ ability even by graduation. The very thought that a second year student might be able to do such a thing is preposterous. As for a District child – even one with dilute Kuchiki blood, and even given his insanely strong reiatsu levels - it makes the whole idea even more of a farce. From basic second year training to this is something of a leap – even you must realise that what you are studying and what I am expected to teach Ukitake are oceans apart in level."

Shunsui's expression became grave.

"I'm not happy about it, either." He admitted, as they reached the boys wing, pausing at the end of the hall. "It worries me too, that he's lacking in so much of the experience other people have. But the thing is, Senpai, this is Juu's lifeline too. His body and his spirit power are already delicately balanced because of his _haibyou_ – and his _reiryoku_ is fast reaching a level whereby he has no means to control it. That's why Sensei decided he should begin training with you now. I just don't think he should be hurrying to do it – that's all. He might do the same amount of damage if he pushes too hard as if he tries to suppress it completely. Like I said – it's a delicate balance."

"You are telling me what I already know."

"Then you should do something to take notice of it."

"And his welfare concerns you that much?" Shirogane gazed at him, and Shunsui nodded.

"Yes." He said simply.

He sighed, then,

"Besides, Juu first spoke to his sword's spirit when he was fifteen." He added quietly. "Even if he didn't know that's what it was – it doesn't change the fact. He's eighteen now, Senpai. We're not that much younger than you are – he'll be nineteen when the snows come this winter. I'm no expert in how long it takes someone on average to summon a sword after first hearing the spirit speak to them – but I wouldn't call three or four years a sudden leap."

"Genryuusai-sensei did intimate as much to me also, when he gave me the assignment." Shirogane sighed. "But such a thing seems impossible to me. For anyone to summon a sword with so little training – no, to even hear it with no training at all – that is not normal."

"Not much about Juu is normal." Shunsui admitted. "Sometimes you have to go with the flow."

"What about you? As a first degree Kyouraku, do you not envy his training in this way before you and your peers?" Shirogane asked curiously, and Shunsui shook his head.

"He works harder than me." He said honestly. "Why should I envy him because he has more commitment than I do?"

Without waiting for his companion to answer, he pushed back the dormitory door, stepping into the chamber and indicating for his companion to follow.

Hirata was still there, kneeling beside Juushirou's bunk, and his friend was hunched up against the wall, a blanket over his shoulders and a mutinous look on his tired, flushed features. Even from that distance, Shunsui was aware of Juushirou's fluctuating spirit power and he sighed, moving to allow Shirogane to enter the chamber properly.

At the sight of his sword _shishou_, Juushirou's eyes widened first in surprise and then in dismay.

"Nagoya-senpai." He whispered, his voice hoarse, and at the sound, the Senior's brows knitted together in irritation.

"If you can't say it with proper voice, Ukitake, don't say my name at all." He said frankly, striding across the chamber and pausing at the end of the bunk, glaring down at his student with a mixture of annoyance and censure. "If you're that weak and feeble a being that you can't even make a coherent sound to properly greet your Senpai, then you are not much use for anything at all."

"I…" Juushirou faltered, and Shirogane's eyes narrowed.

"I have no desire to run around after you or your friends. I am not Urahara Yunosuke and I do not suffer fools with the kind of tolerant attitude he did." He said plainly. "I do not expect to have to make this trip again. Do you understand?"

"Senpai, I…"

"If you are not a responsible enough student to know your own limits, there's no way you will ever wield a _zanpakutou_." Shirogane continued, cutting through Juushirou's feeble protestations with his own arched tones. "I thought I had already made it clear to you that flaring your spirit power would not do as an alternative for skill. Furthermore, if that is how things are, I don't see a point in wasting my time teaching you. Even if you are only a second year, you are old enough to know better."

He frowned, then,

"I do not wish to see you until you have come to that conclusion in your own mind. I have, after all, more interesting things to do than nanny my juniors and hold their hands."

Juushirou's expression became a mixture of obstinacy and anger, and he shot Shunsui a dark glance. Then,

"I'm sorry, Senpai. I did n…not ask Sh…Shunsui to trouble you."

"Now I see you, I realise that fact compounds your foolishness, it doesn't excuse it." Shirogane was having none of it. "His actions may have saved your life, for I am not in the habit of treating people with kid gloves."

He paused, then sighed.

"I have seen you cough blood during training, and stand up again afterwards." He said quietly. "For that endurance, I had thought you worth at least a little of my time. But there are reasonable limits to everybody's strength. Heal your body. Lower your fever. Take time and think about what I've told you. When you understand it, come to see me. Till then, you may consider our sessions adjourned."

With that he turned on his heel, sweeping out of the dormitory and banging the door shut behind him.

"Exit prima donna, stage right." Shunsui muttered, and Hirata frowned, shaking his head.

"He was very cross that you disturbed him, wasn't he?" He murmured. "What did you say to him, Kyouraku-kun? I didn't expect him to come all the way here himself."

"I pulled rank on him, and told him to come." Shunsui said frankly. "It's underhand, but he understands that way of thinking better than I do. My birth level outranks his. So I instructed him to come deal with it. And he was fed up about it, but he came."

His gaze flitted to Juushirou, who was eying him darkly, and he sighed.

"It's a good thing that looks don't kill, Juu-kun, else I'd be checking out of school early." He added, sinking down on the end of the other boy's bed. "You know as well as I do that what he said is right. In fact, what he said made more sense than I expected it to do – it seems like under all of that pride and arrogant frippery, our Anideshi does possess a commander's brain."

"You…had no right…to interfere." Juushirou's tones were barely more than a whisper, but that didn't prevent him from injecting his fury into every syllable. "I…never asked…you to. I don't…need…you…to make…my decisions…for me."

"I don't care." Shunsui's expression became serious, and he met Juushirou's gaze head on. "If you don't want people to protect you, make sensible decisions in the first place. You're the one who asked us to back you up, after all – well that's what this is. Backing you up."

"But…"

"You can hate me as much as you like. It's all right with me." Shunsui continued as if Juushirou had not tried to speak. "Because so long as you're hating me, it means you're still alive to do so. And even if _you_ don't understand this yet –_ we_ all know that what you've been trying to do of late is reckless and ridiculous. You'll kill yourself. I won't accept that. End of conversation."

"No, it's not the…"

"It's the end of the conversation, Juu." Shunsui cut across him, uncharacteristic firmness in his normally lazy tones. "I made this decision, and you can hate me for it. But that's the end of it. You're staying here, and resting, and recovering your strength. Tomorrow, we'll get Unohana-sensei to look at you, just to make sure you're not in worse shape than you already seem. And even if you never speak to me again, you won't make me change my mind."

"Kyouraku-kun." Hirata's eyes opened wide with surprise, and Juushirou bit his lip, clearly fighting between anger and frustration. Shunsui eyed him impassively for a moment, inwardly surprised himself as to how angry he felt at his friend's irresponsible behaviour. Then,

"Sensei gave you advice after our first adventure. You need to stop and think about how your actions affect other people." He said softly. "You've frightened everyone and pushed us away, even after I told you that you'd be a bigger burden if you did that than if you told us how you were really feeling. We can all see it, after all. We know you. But you're keeping us at arm's length even though you already acknowledged that you needed your friends."

He grimaced, then.

"You've got me using underhand methods to drag unpleasant people here to talk sense into you." He added. "Not only that, you made Mitsuki-chan cry and she's forced to worry about you from a distance because you think it's better to make her feel un-trusted and discarded while you 'protect' her in your silly, over-dramatic way. There are other people in this dorm – this class – this _world_ other than you. And even though you might think that it's entirely your business – when you suffer, so do other people. Whether you tell them about it or not, it's true. Stop and consider that for a minute. You can't control everything and you can't always be right. Like Senpai said…everyone has limits. Even you. And, dammit, even me."

He got to his feet, crossing the floor and pushing back the door of the dorm, stepping out into the corridor and shutting the divide carefully behind him.

He sighed, leaning back against the wood and closing his eyes for a brief moment as he fought to get his emotions under control.

_It's not like me to lose my temper. But sometimes I just want to shake him – and annoyingly, those times are usually the ones when I can't._

"Kyouraku?"

Enishi's voice made him start, and he turned, a rueful smile touching his lips as he registered the broad-shouldered Yamamoto making his way back down the corridor, towel tossed over his shoulder and Kai in his slipstream, hair damp from the bath-house.

"You look wound up." Kai observed. "Is Ukitake still being a pain?"

"I may have shouted at him a little." Shunsui admitted. "Where's Ryuu? I thought he was with you."

"Kuchiki and I sharing a bath?" Kai snorted, shaking his head. "No. He remembered suddenly that he'd left something in the library and he disappeared off to get it. We didn't see him after that, so I don't know where he ended up going - but I guess it was a thinly veiled excuse for avoiding my company."

"Or it's related to our latest Sakusen assignment." Enishi looked pensive. "He didn't get his usual high mark when Sensei gave us back our copies, and I think it bothered him, even though it just proves he's human and is worried about Ukitake, too. Screwed up assignments are pretty normal fare for me, but they're not his style - he's been a tad flustered ever since he realised what he'd done. Most likely he's still worrying about the impact on his grades - either way, he'll come back when he's ready."

"Enishi's probably right." Shunsui reflected. "When he gets engrossed in something like that, it's hard to pull him away."

He rubbed his temples.

"Besides, the dorm is one big sheet of tension at the moment." He admitted. "I went and spoke to Nagoya-senpai, and got him to come talk to Juu. He said some surprisingly sensible things, but Juu is now hopping mad with me. Obviously, looking as pitiful as that - it's hard to have a proper discussion on it. But I did lose my temper with him a little bit. He's just...sometimes he doesn't think. And when he doesn't..."

"Is he still actively sick?" Enishi asked quietly, and Shunsui shrugged.

"He was sitting up." He replied helplessly. "But he didn't look like he should be, and I wondered if he only was because it helped his breathing to be vertical. Hirata's with him, so I'm not worried about leaving him alone - if he's sick again, at least there's someone on hand, and he's less likely to bite Hirata than anyone in his current state of mind. But I needed to step away from it for a moment. Otherwise I think I'd have laid into him much worse than I did."

"Laying into someone isn't really your style." Kai looked concerned. Shunsui sighed, nodding his head.

"I know." He acknowledged. "And I'm not angry at him so much as angry he does this to himself. And that it was allowed to happen. He doesn't want people protecting him - but he won't protect himself. He just dances into a situation and goes at it full throttle until his body collapses under the strain. We all know what he's capable of - and we all know how clever he is. But his body doesn't meet up to the rest of the equation. It's brittle and delicate. And he doesn't want to take that into account."

"It's the only one he has." Enishi pointed out. He grinned ruefully. "Sometimes I'd like to be a little more delicate on my feet, especially when it comes to speed-work in Hohou. But you get what you're born with. Ukitake's just making the best of what he has."

"I guess that makes me the most cross." Shunsui sighed, rubbing his temples. "That he has to have a weakness like that in the first place."

"He's never been quite like this before, though. Not with us." Kai mused. "He's really working hard, isn't he?"

"Too hard." Shunsui nodded.

"But can he really release his sword when he's only in the second year?" Kai looked doubtful. "Neesama could release hers at sixteen, true enough. But Uncle trained her and trained her literally into the ground for a long time before Akekage spoke to her, and she did a lot of work to get control of all of the _zanpakutou'_s elements before that point. Ukitake, on the other hand, only did some basic kenjutsu before he came here."

"But he also first spoke to his sword before he came here." At that moment, Ryuu interrupted the conversation, emerging from the other end of the hall with a large book under his arm. "He told me as much himself. Ukitake is a special case, Shihouin. You should not compare him to your family...if anything, he is more Kuchiki than he is Shihouin."

"And how many Kuchiki release their swords without much training?" Kai demanded. "Even Nagoya didn't release his till third year, and he's known to be exceptional. He knows it himself, and doesn't fail to remind everyone at the earliest opportunity. You're fond of reminding us that Ukitake's diluted Kuchiki, but is diluted Kuchiki enough to do what Sensei's expecting?"

"That's up to Ukitake." Ryuu shrugged. "I'm sure I couldn't tell you."

He frowned, glancing at Shunsui.

"Is he any better?" He murmured, and Shunsui saw the genuine concern in his classmate's gaze. "I have never seen him so violently unwell before - should we perhaps summon someone from the Healing Bay after all?"

"I think he just needs to get some proper rest." Shunsui sighed heavily. "I said to him that tomorrow, we'd call Unohana-sensei to check him over, so for now we'll keep to that. He's tired…and that goes for the rest of us, too. Now you're all back, we ought to head inside. It is getting late...and we'll get unnecessary attention drawn this way if we're jabbering in the hall after curfew."

"Proof that Kyouraku's not himself, if he's worried about rules." Kai said wryly, clapping his hand down on his companion's shoulder. "Come on. Let's not leave the kid alone to deal with Ukitake. He's got more of a backbone now than he had before, but he's prone to worrying and Ukitake really wasn't good earlier on."

"Right." Shunsui sighed, but nodded, somewhat comforted by his friend's reassuring gesture. "You're right. Okay. I think I'm calm now."

"Then we're going in." Enishi pushed open the door, leading the way into the bedchamber, and Shunsui hesitated for a moment before re-crossing the threshold. He did not intend to meet his friend's gaze, but as he sat down on his bed, he heard the other boy call his name.

"Shunsui."

"I'm not discussing it any more, Juu. I mean it. That's the end of it, so go to sleep."

"But…"

"Kyouraku-kun told you that he didn't want to talk about it." Hirata interjected, surprising everyone by his sudden interruption. "Everything he's said is right and its true, Ukitake-kun, so you should do as he says. We all worry about you…so please…go to sleep."

There was a deathly hush, as everyone, Shunsui included, gaped at the youngest member of the group in astonishment. Then, at length, Juushirou drew a shaky breath into his beaten lungs.

"I just…wanted to…say sorry." He murmured. "And…thank you…too."

"Pardon me?" Shunsui stared at him, and Juushirou swallowed hard.

"I was forgetting…what Sensei told me…after you were cursed by Seimaru's fire." He whispered. "But I remember…and you're right. It isn't…just about me. I'm sorry. I've made people worry about me…I didn't….mean to do that."

"That's okay, you know." Enishi sat down on the end of the invalid's bed, reaching over to tap him reassuringly on the arm. "Tomorrow we'll get Unohana-sensei to look at you and I'm sure she'll put you to rights. Then when you start up training again, you'll know better and it'll all be all right. Nobody's really mad at you. Just worried, that's all."

"Houjou's right." Kai nodded. "If you've stopped being silly, we'll stop telling you what to do. Simple as that, really."

"How are you feeling, anyway?" Shunsui asked softly, and Juushirou laughed hollowly, slowly shaking his head.

"Worse than I've felt in a long time, which is probably why my judgement is so bad." He murmured. "I couldn't stand if you paid me, let alone take a sword and fight. I just didn't want to burden anyone by saying anything…but in the end I made it worse."

"Well, like I said before, you can rely on us." Shunsui shrugged. "So do it, okay? Even me, believe it or not."

"It's just...I know...I have to push myself." Juushirou toyed with the bedcovers idly. "I...have to...be able to handle more."

"But that doesn't include staying up till all hours to do assignments or study this or that on top of throwing your body into the ring and letting someone like Nagoya-senpai take swings at it." Shunsui reminded him. "You have limits. Like I said. You have to get to grips with those too, else you'll solve the problem of anyone killing you by killing yourself first."

"Blunt and to the point." Kai smiled wryly. "But true all the same."

"Of course." Shunsui nodded, slipping his hand into his _obi_. "And while we're at it, I'll give you this, too. Hirata brought water, and you ought to drink plenty even if you can't eat...this might help you if you're hurting as much as you look like you are."

Juushirou scooped up the sachet, his eyes widening as he stared at Shunsui in disbelief.

"But this is...?"

"The reason you've been able to get up and carry on, probably, since it's either that or fluke luck." Shunsui grinned. "Mitsuki's been giving me those since the first week you started training. Whenever she thought you'd had a particularly bad session, she'd give me one of those to slip into your drink. And it worked, because no matter how hoarse you were at bedtime, by the morning you were much more lively."

"Edogawa-san...has?" Juushirou was stunned, and Shunsui nodded.

"Mitsuki is in love with you." He said bluntly. "So stop pretending you can push her away so easily. It's an insult to her loyalty and to your common sense."

"But..."

"Hey...hang on a minute." Enishi's eyes widened. "Edogawa's in love with Ukitake? Since when?"

"Since a long time ago." Shunsui grimaced. "Open your eyes, Enishi-kun. It's been pretty obvious for a while."

"But..." Enishi faltered, and Ryuu sighed, nodding his head.

"She has also spoken to me of such things." He admitted reluctantly. "But to be truthful, I do not know...how to react. I am fond of Mitsuki and I understand her better than most. I am also fond of Ukitake. Yet...for my Clan..."

"This isn't a Clan issue. It's an Academy one." Shunsui shook his head. "Besides, it's not as simple as that. Mitsuki loves Juu, but that's all right because she's sensible enough to know it and deal with it accordingly. The problem is that Juu's a moron, and hasn't realised yet that he loves her too."

"Ukitake-kun!" Hirata's eyes became huge.

"Is that true?" Ryuu shot Juushirou a surprised look, and Juushirou coloured, shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't even know what those things really mean." He said helplessly. "And my head isn't clear enough to deal with them at all right now."

"Then take Mitsuki-chan's love potion at least, and get some rest." Shunsui tore open the sachet, reaching over to tip some of the remedy into the water mug. "All right? But don't forget about it. I think it's time you faced that head on, as well as everything else. She's not going to be put off that easily. You shouldn't keep making it worse for her by trying to make her."

Juushirou was silent for a long time, and Shunsui could see his friend's tired brain thinking this over. At length he reached out a trembling hand to take the water mug, sipping the contents tentatively as if afraid to bring on another bout of sickness. Then, he lowered it, offering Shunsui a rueful smile.

"You're all going to take care of me if I ask you to or not, aren't you?" He asked softly, and Shunsui nodded his head.

"You make your decisions…we make ours." He agreed cheerfully. "Sometimes you forget that factor – you might or might not want us involved, but in the end, if we want to be, we will be."

Juushirou took another sip, setting the mug down. He nodded.

"I'll think about it." He murmured. "But now…I really need to sleep."

"Then we'll talk in the morning." Ryuu suggested. "It is growing later now in any case and we should all think about sleeping. Though, Ukitake, if you feel particularly unwell in the night – wake somebody. Understood? It will not be any bother. What Kyouraku said is unusually pertinent and you should listen to him."

"Thanks, Ryuu-kun." Shunsui said dryly, and Ryuu inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement, completely missing the irony in his classmate's tones.

"I will." A faint smile touched Juushirou's lips. "I'm sorry. I guess sometimes I forget you're my friends, not my siblings. I have to protect them from things a lot more because they're younger and they need it – I'll try and remember that my classmates aren't the same."

"That's a good start." Enishi grinned. "And if that's the case, let's let it go and get some rest. Night everyone – see you in the morning."

* * *

**Author's Note**  
_Argh, I was mean to Juu…nobody kill me!!_

_**Hitsugaya Reiatsu Question:**  
Since that was an unsigned review, I can only answer it here. The answer is - no. Juu has absolutely nothing to do with Hitsugaya (actually, I'm not even sure that's a chapter I've read, since I don't have all of the manga on hand - importing from Japan is expensive and I'm not really a Hitsugaya fan in any case.). Juu's reiatsu leak/overpowered reiatsu concept comes simply from the idea that his spirit power is strong and his body is weak, so it's common sense that as a young man one would have overpowered the other. There's no other canon connection (sorry if that disappoints anyone) - just my way of seeing Ukitake._


	23. Pax

**Chapter Twenty Two - Pax**

"It seems like a long time, Father, since we've been able to talk like this."

In the uppermost chamber of the southern Shihouin manor, Midori gazed out at the grounds, a thoughtful, pensive look in her golden eyes as she surveyed the armed soldiers which even now kept their patrols regularly outside the walled estate. Among the black and gold of the Shihouin, she could also make out the distinctive white and silver of the Yamamoto as well as the black and dark green of the Urahara, and she sighed, turning back to face the inside of the chamber once more.

It was four days since the Council session and, after the usual long and tedious battle of paperwork and negotiations, she had finally managed to ride south to visit her father Chiaki in his enforced military confinement.

It had been this way for a year now, and Midori had been here only twice since his sentencing – both times flanked by advisors or retinue and always with the official approval of the Clans who helped keep Chiaki a prisoner of the Council of Elders. Although she loved her Father dearly, and regretted the long absences, she was shrewd enough to know that as new Head of the Shihouin she could not be seen to visit a disgraced Clan member on anything except the most urgent of occasions. This time, however, for the first time, she had chosen to make the trip without members of her family's government and, though her faithful aide Saku was waiting for her with the guards downstairs, she had elected to exercise her right to see her Father privately this time – a right that the guards had not seen any reason not to grant thanks to her constant and continued cooperation with their wishes and rules so far.

She eyed her companion now, taking in his appearance thoughtfully, then,

"Even so, you seem to be well. I'm glad to see that at least."

"I am quite well, thank you, Midori. You needn't worry yourself on my account."

The room's other occupant offered her a faint smile, spreading his hands in a gesture that told the young leader that he was fully resigned to his position as prisoner Lord of the Shihouin. "I have a lot of penance yet to do for the crimes of which the Council found me guilty – in truth, I'm fortunate that they've persisted in being so lenient in my sentence."

"Imprisoned here for life…for a Shihouin, that's a hard sentence either way." Midori reflected with a sigh, coming to kneel opposite on one of the ornately embroidered cushions that bore the faint seal of the Shihouin Clan. "But that was all I could do…Father, you know that my distance from you has not been by choice, I'm sure."

"I understand, my child, as well as you do or perhaps better…that there are politics that a Leader must observe." Chiaki spoke gently, and at his change in tone, Midori gazed at him, surprised. "You are the Shadow Cat, head of this Family and its saviour – everyone knows that. But to be seen coming here too often – that would raise questions even among your loyal following. Your Uncle sacrificed his life and assumed most of the blame – but everyone here knows that it is a crime of which I too am guilty. You are acting wisely. I am not slighted by your actions in the least."

Midori nodded slowly.

"I thought that you would understand." She said quietly. "I miss you and Nii-sama and not having you to advise me, sometimes. But I do what I feel is best and so far, all is well. I hope that those beginnings will grow and flourish – that the Shihouin can rise again and be the kind of Clan that Uncle hoped it would one day be. I think it can – Kai and I are both committed to making it so. When he finishes his training, he knows I will have him alongside me in every respect I can – I don't believe in making him a token heir. I'm doing my best, Father. But sometimes it would be nice to have a guiding hand."

"Mine is one the Council would not approve." Chiaki said frankly. "So on that note, you are wise not to ask."

He eyed her quizzically.

"But since you know that, I do wonder on what business you have come." He said thoughtfully, raising his black mug of tea to his lips and taking a lengthy sip. "While I am quite comfortable here, the days are often long and boring and since I received the message yesterday that you planned to make a visit, I have been thinking on that very much. It appeared to be an official visit, not one borne out of sympathy or blood ties…which makes me curious, my child. Why would you seek anything from me, given the state in which you find me?"

Midori smiled faintly.

"You have analysed me well." She admitted. "Yes, it is an official visit, as you have rightly supposed. Even as the Head of the Shihouin, I have submitted to both the Yamamoto and Urahara when it comes to your confinement, and so in order to speak to you, I must submit a request directly to their chief guardsmen here in order that my presence here can't be misconstrued. These things take longer than I usually like, so this time I sent Saku to negotiate with them directly. She succeeded quite quickly, even for her. But I confess, I did deceive them in one matter. I said that my visit was concerning records belonging to my Uncle over the taxation levels across District Two and that, as his second in command, you were the only one who knew their whereabouts and provenance."

"That isn't a deception." Chiaki looked confused. "I do know such information from at least the last two years of your Uncle's incumbency – probably without reading the records, if I'm truthful. But…I thought that all of those things…"

"They are in the archive at the main house, and I already have access to them." Midori nodded. "There is my deception. It is records I have come about – belonging to you and to Uncle, perhaps. But not those records. Records that they would not want us to speak of at all."

Chiaki's expression became grave and he shook his head.

"Reidoku almost destroyed this Clan." He said soberly. "I'm surprised that you'd even ask me about it."

"I don't intend to reopen any studies." Midori was quick to reassure him. "On the contrary, that chapter of our family's history is well over and I intend to keep it that way. No, it's not that. It's about something that occurred at the Council of Elders this past week."

"The Council…of Elders?" Chiaki was surprised, and Midori nodded.

"Apparently there are Urahara exiles running riot across District Seven." She said, her tones rich with irony. "I wonder how they got there."

Chiaki snorted.

"Yes, I wonder." He murmured. "But Shouichi-sama has mentioned such things openly, now?"

"Mm. It seems his people have had enough of the risk they pose and he's trying to eliminate them." Midori nodded. "Whilst I never really believe Shouichi-sama's words, these seem to be true accounts since I have also heard it from Misashi-dono. As you know, I do have faith in him to tell me the truth – and he also gave me the name of the chief individual Shouichi-sama is chasing down."

"But for the Endou to turn on these people…some of whom are distant blood kin…"

"The Urahara exiles have been betrayed by blood kin over and over, and are understandably put out by it." Midori reflected. "But from what Misashi-dono told me, Father, Shouichi-sama made a promise to his late wife not to risk the Endou-ke any longer with silly dabbling in research. So now it looks like he's going the whole mile and eradicating them, just in case."

"Yes, that does sound like something he would do." Chiaki nodded. "So? How does this concern me?"

"Misashi-dono believes that Shouichi-sama's brat of an heir is still plotting with the Urahara – at least one of them, maybe several." Midori said bleakly. "And given what I know about Seimaru – I'd believe it in a heartbeat."

"I see." Chiaki frowned. "You had a lucky escape too, my child, in that your engagement to him never came to any fruition."

"Yes. Without doubt I did, though at least it allowed me to see what was going on and stop it." Midori agreed. "In any case, Misashi-dono is worried and on balance, so am I. Even if Shouichi-sama is bringing his Clan into line in ruthless Endou style, these exiles know too much and even one of them could cause a difficult situation for District Seven's Clan. For that reason, even if he wanted to, Shouichi-sama won't ask for outside help. Meanwhile, if his own grandson and heir is plotting against him with the help of these bitter strays…"

"There may be all hell let loose in District Seven." Chiaki folded his hands in his lap. "While I realise Misashi-dono and his young son are allies of yours – and that you've appointed yourself the boy's unofficial guardian – I still don't see how this relates to me directly."

"Misashi-dono said the man who Shouichi-sama was particularly chasing was called Urahara Keitarou." Midori responded. "And I was wondering if that was a name you came across, in your time dealing with that Clan."

"Urahara…Keitarou." Chiaki slowly shook his head. "No. Midori-chan, no Urahara in District Seven would be fool enough to act even legitimately under their Clan name. They are that hated – they have been that hated for a century. Even as descendants or blood kin they are still reviled – and, probably, despise their mother Clan for rejecting them. There is no way any scientist working for the Endou would call himself Urahara."

"That's the only name that Misashi-dono gave me." Midori looked disappointed. "If he had another name…I suppose it would be much harder to know, something like that. If Misashi-dono knew – and I'm sure he must have – I wonder why he didn't give me that information too. Unless…"

"Misashi-dono is probably protecting his Clan somewhat also." Chiaki told her gently. "His wife and daughter are still in harm's way if things should go wrong, and angering Shouichi-sama is a foolish move with things as they are. He probably gave you a little so that you could find it out for yourself – that way he can't be accused of having leaked information to you in quite such a blatant way."

"I suppose that's true." Midori sighed. "But still…I suppose my trip here was wasted."

"Perhaps not." Chiaki shook his head. "I realise it is not an uncommon name, but I do think…once, when my team met with people from District Seven…there was a man then by the name of 'Keitarou'. I had not supposed him to be Urahara – he did not have blond hair and his eyes were darker than that Clan normally possess, so I suppose it may be another individual. But even so, I'm quite sure that there was a Keitarou. I don't recall the name he gave though it was certainly not Urahara. Him and his companion…a man who was called…Daisuke, I think. Perhaps…it was Kotetsu Daisuke. I seem to recall that more clearly since he and I spoke in some detail whilst this Keitarou…he seemed to just stand and watch everything from a distance."

His lips thinned.

"He had an unpleasantness about him – so I did not seek to speak with him." He added. "The other man was fanatical and intelligent, but he didn't have the same aura about him. An aura of…I'm not sure how to describe it. But there was something about him I did not like."

"Then it's probably that man that Shouichi-sama is seeking." Midori looked thoughtful. "And he probably has a lot of secrets that could do the Endou a lot of damage. Yet he's not using them to safeguard himself, which means he probably is still working for the family in some regard. That would imply Misashi-dono is right – and that it is Seimaru."

"Now I remember it, the man did speak to Seimaru at one point in proceedings." Chiaki nodded. "In hushed tones, and there was a smile on Keitarou's face at the time. I don't know what they were discussing, but I'm sure it was nothing good. He had extremely good manners – but even so, they didn't put me at all at ease. It was as though…he was not exactly everything he seemed."

"I'm starting to believe that's true of a lot of Clansfolk." Midori groaned. "Even just a year on the Council makes me understand why Uncle was so frightened for our Clan's future. It's hard, in that environment, to make your opinion known and understood. More, to get it accepted..."

"Yes." Chiaki agreed. "I went, sometimes, and I agree. But still, you persevere?"

"I will." Midori nodded. "And so will Kai. He's really grown up a lot, Father - since everything last year with Tomoyuki and Aitori and all of the danger he almost put himself in. He seemed to need a lot more protecting, then - but since he's taken over training Hirata, it's been different. I'm starting to see my brother becoming an adult - and he's going to be even more than that when he finishes at the Academy."

"He was overlooked for far too long, but now he has his chance to shine." Chiaki looked wistful. "I wish I could see it for myself, but at least I know it to be true."

Midori nodded.

"I appreciate what you've told me." She said softly. "And I'm sorry that my coming has made you sad for your family. It wasn't my intention - but I'm grateful nonetheless."

"As a Shihouin, it's my duty to be of use to my Clan leader, even incarcerated within this place." Chiaki assured her. "You know that, Midori. And to see my daughter is always a pleasure for a Father - remember that, too."

"I will." Midori smiled. "I don't consider you a traitor to our Clan, and I'm glad to have a reason to see you sometimes, too."

She got to her feet.

"To stay too long will make the guards suspicious." She added. "So I'll take my leave now. I have plenty to do, in any case."

"Midori, what do you intend to do with this information?" Chiaki called her back, and Midori turned, eying him pensively for a moment.

"Forge a new alliance." She said at length. "And strengthen an old one. I'm honour-bound to help Misashi-dono and Hirata because I gave them my word as their sworn ally and I won't renege on that. And Tokutarou-dono is also having problems with the Endou. By sending aid to his refugees and by passing information to him, I hope that the Shihouin can strengthen the tentative ties it has with the Eighth Clan. Tokutarou-dono is straight-talking and without ulterior motives - and besides, to ally with that Clan..."

"Would also be to reach out to the Shiba." Chiaki realised, and Midori nodded.

"Our Clan will never forge bonds with the Kuchiki, and we burnt bridges with the head of the Endou when I broke my engagement with Seimaru." She said softly. "The Unohana remain largely neutral, and our history with the Urahara is uncertain - Nagesu-sama is a difficult person to read. Still, I feel that the Yamamoto are no longer so suspicious of our motives, thanks to the fact Genryuusai-sama is training my heir with my support and approval. And if I can reach out and create ties with the Kyouraku and the Shiba...then this family may finally be politically secure."

"You always did have a wise head on your shoulders." Chiaki reflected, a rueful smile on his face. "And you are right, of course. Your thought process makes sense...in that case, I will say no more."

"Well, better that than start entertaining talk of marriage again, which a couple of my advisors have hinted at." Midori grimaced. "They heard a rumour that Tokutarou-dono is potentially entertaining a possible bride, and they reminded me that my marital status is still under question. Right now there is no time for any such thing - but at least if I'm forging alliances in other ways, it keeps them quiet and at bay."

"You should not dismiss the idea of marriage so easily." Chiaki cautioned. "That too can be a useful political tool."

"Yes, in this society filled by men." Midori snorted. "It's fine for a male leader to marry, Father, but a female one has to be more circumspect. If I marry within the Shihouin, fair enough – nobody within my own Clan would be fool enough to question my authority. But many of the other Clans still believe a male leader is better – and even individuals like Shiba Kyouki-sama and Unohana Retsu-sama are thought to be unusual rather than just examples of what we can achieve."

"This society has indeed many inequalities." Chiaki's eyes twinkled. "But I'm sure that either way you won't let yourself be beaten down by anyone. That's not the Shadow Cat that Kamuki-nii trained, after all. He'd be content, I think, with the way you'd handled everything. You were always his favourite student, after all."

"I was?" Midori was startled, and Chiaki nodded.

"He may not have shown it, but he often said to me how adept and talented you were." He agreed. "More so than most of the men he ever trained, and more so, he admitted to me once, than even his own daughter had been. That's why he accepted it, when your mother passed down the Shadow Cat technique to you. He knew it was the right decision – and so do I."

"Then I'll do my best to live up to that." Midori smiled faintly. "Thank you, Father. Good day."

She bowed her head towards him, then withdrew from the chamber, making her way briskly along the tight halls towards the downstairs parlour where she knew her companion would be waiting. Even before she had pushed back the door, Saku was on her feet, bowing her head and hurrying across the chamber to her leader's side.

"Midori-sama – I trust Chiaki-sama is well?"

"Yes, quite well." Midori agreed, casting the younger girl a grin. "Though there hasn't been much time to exchange pleasantries. We need to return to the main house – now he has advised me, I can complete my work more easily."

She acknowledged the surrounding guardsmen who bowed low before her.

"Thank you for accommodating my selfish request." She said softly. "I will no longer disturb you in your duties."

She gestured to Saku to follow her and as they headed outside, she was aware of her companion not far behind her.

Once in the sunshine, she paused, turning to offer her a grimace.

"Were you not successful, Midori-sama?" Saku asked softly, and Midori shrugged.

"Possibly. We'll see." She said with a sigh. "The next thing I must do is speak to your own former Lord of the Manor – and hope that he can offer some insight into this as well."

"Tokutarou-sama?" Saku's face went through a range of emotions, and Midori grinned, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.

"I shan't be going to District Eight. I will speak to him in Inner Seireitei, since it's less problematic than crossing District One." She said frankly. "So there'll be no chance for you to come with me – or to pay a visit to people at the Academy in the meantime."

Saku's eyes clouded, and she returned the smile with a sheepish one of her own.

"I did not hope for it." She admitted. "Your words just made me think of him…that's all. Shunsui and I said our goodbyes a long time ago – I don't need to see him again. Now or ever."

"Then fetch the horses and let us return home." Midori suggested. "Father gave me much to think about, and it may be we have a lot or very little in the way of time. The sooner I make sense of this the better – so there's no time for either of us to rest on sentiment. We have work to do, Saku – let's go and make sure that it's done."

* * *

"You really have been thorough with yourself, haven't you, Ukitake-kun."

Unohana Retsu sighed, settling herself beside the bed as she put a pensive hand to Juushirou's burning brow.

"You should be glad your friends are so concerned for your welfare – otherwise you could easily have put yourself in a very dangerous state."

"He's stubborn, but there are five of us and one of him, so in the end he didn't have a choice." Shunsui lounged in the doorway of the small sick-room, offering the head of the Unohana Clan a rueful smile. "We would've brought him here by force this morning if he'd liked it or not, Unohana-sensei – don't you worry about that."

"I trust you have no morning meetings or coaching classes that you should be attending now, Kyouraku-kun?" Retsu cast the student a quizzical look. "Houjou-kun was in something of a hurry – this extra class does not apply to you?"

"It's a Kidou class. I'm fine with Kidou." Shunsui grinned, shaking his head. "It's Enishi's weak subject, so Kazoe-sensei always hauls him in on our free day to try and drum some of the spells firmly into his head – that's all."

"I see." Retsu returned the grin with a smile, beckoning for him to come into the room proper. "Then you are quite welcome to come inside – lingering in the doorway makes it seem rather as though you don't know if you are coming or going."

"Ah. I suppose so. Sorry." Shunsui obediently slipped into the small chamber, pushing the door closed behind him. "I didn't know if it would be all right for me to stay a while – I thought you might want to prod and poke at Juu in private."

"I don't see any harm in him having a friend with him, for now." Retsu shook her head. "Well, Ukitake-kun? It seems you paid quite dearly for your hard work yesterday evening. Tell me, do you still feel nauseous, or are you able to stomach a mild breakfast if I should have one prepared?"

"I…really am not that hungry, Sensei. Even now." Juushirou pulled the blanket more firmly around his shoulders as he suppressed a shiver. "I feel…quite bad, to be truthful, though not as bad as I did last night. Even so, if I eat something…I may be sick again."

"Mm. I imagine that on top of your other ills, yesterday's exertions put you at risk of heat exhaustion." Retsu reflected. "With a body as demanding as yours, my only surprise is that it has taken this long to fully topple you. Whilst your immediate symptoms yesterday seem to be in line with overheating, it is clear to me that your spirit is ragged and exhausted. If you feel ill now, it is probably a knock-on effect of all these things combined."

She adjusted the pillows behind him, then ushered him to lie back on them.

"Unpleasant as it probably was to be so suddenly sick, I think probably you should count it as a good thing, since actual heatstroke is far more dangerous." She decided. "Especially since you have clearly overworked yourself – now you will get a chance to rest."

"Will you keep him here, Sensei?" Shunsui asked, and Retsu nodded.

"For a day or two." She agreed. "Perhaps three or four, depending on his progress."

"Three or four?" Juushirou's eyes widened. "But Sensei…my classes…I have exams coming up soon!"

"If you are not well enough, Ukitake-kun, you will not sit them when they do." Retsu said firmly, and at the steeliness in her eyes, Juushirou quailed, his objections dying on his lips. "Your health is of prime concern – both I and Genryuusai-sama are agreed on this matter. If you find yourself unranked this semester, it will be on account of your own irresponsibility. Perhaps it will then teach you that your body can only go so far."

"Thank you, Unohana-sensei." Shunsui said fervently. "We've tried – all of us – but he hasn't listened to anything we've said. But if a teacher says it…"

"Yes." Retsu agreed. "I have assumed responsibility for his recovery now, Kyouraku-kun. You and your friends may rest assured that I will ensure he gets the rest and recuperation he needs."

"But…what if Nagoya-senpai refuses to train me again after I recover?" Juushirou whispered. "I can't not train – Unohana-sensei…"

"If Nagoya-kun takes that attitude, then advise him to come speak to me." Retsu said thoughtfully. "I will give him some advice about overworking a student of frail constitution and no doubt we will reach an understanding."

"Poor Nagoya-senpai." Despite himself, Shunsui grinned. "It's okay, Juu. I don't think he'll raise any objections. Not if you have Unohana-sensei on your side."

"Retsu-sama, I've brought the things you requested." At that moment, a fresh voice broke through the conversation, preventing Juushirou from finding an effective response. "The supply people said there should be more, but there was only one casket of bandages and I…"

The words petered out, as Mitsuki stopped dead under the arch that led from the back of the healing bay into the little sick room itself, and as her gaze met Juushirou's, colour drained from her features. Shunsui glanced from one to the other, interpreting the sudden tension that had filled the chamber, and he pursed his lips thoughtfully.

_Mitsuki-chan. So you have made up your mind, then. This is where you've been lately, when we haven't seen you around. It hasn't all been about avoiding Juu after all._

"I'm sorry." She whispered now, breaking the awkward silence as she took a half-step back. "I didn't realise…I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Come on through, Mitsuki-san." Retsu offered her a gentle smile, gesturing for her to enter. "Thank you for running that errand for me. I will speak to the supply people myself later on – but for now, no doubt, what you have brought me will suffice."

"Edogawa-san." Juushirou bit his lip, clearly distressed at the sight of her, and slowly, Mitsuki bowed her head.

"Good morning, Ukitake-kun." She murmured. "I hope…you're feeling a little better this morning."

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then he frowned, his hazel eyes clouding.

"Thanks to your help, probably I am." He said at length. "And not just last night, but since I began my training, too."

Mitsuki looked stricken, and Shunsui held up his hands.

"My bad. I told him." He said casually. "Since I was laying into him about a few things, I added that to the list. But I figure it's okay to do so now, right? After all, since you're here like this…obviously you've taken Unohana-sensei up on her offer of specialist training, so obviously it's all good practice for you in one way or another."

"Yes…well…I have…but…" Mitsuki hesitated, even as Shunsui saw Juushirou's eyes widen at this unexpected titbit of information. "Kyouraku-kun…"

Retsu cast the young girl a glance.

"Have you been making herbal remedies to ease Ukitake-kun's symptoms?" She asked softly, and Mitsuki nodded slowly.

"Y…yes." She admitted. "Only v…very mild ones, Retsu-sama. Ones I kn…know I can do – exactly like the ones I've g…given him before. But I didn't mean…to cause anyone any problems. After all, I…"

"Your herbal compounds are quite innocuous, and I am not scolding you." Retsu assured her. "Only in future, Mitsuki-san, I would like to know when you are acting in that way. Although…"

She glanced at Juushirou, then,

"This maybe explains why it is your body has held out this long, Ukitake-kun. If you were taking Mitsuki-san's herbs, then the edge would probably have been taken off the damage."

"I didn't know I was." Juushirou admitted, still looking troubled. Retsu frowned, her gaze flitting back across to Shunsui.

"Kyouraku-kun?"

"My bad again." Shunsui nodded. "And I know it's not the best thing to do – to drug someone without their knowledge, Sensei. But he was obviously suffering and he was too stupid to ask for help. If you want to punish me then it's all right – I just wanted to make sure he didn't kill himself, and he wouldn't have taken it if I'd have told him the truth."

"I see. So idiocy on all sides, it seems." Retsu sighed, shaking her head. "Very well."

"It was my fault first of all." Mitsuki looked guilty. "Only I could feel it…he was hurting so badly, and…I just…I couldn't just let him. Even though he doesn't want me to, I just…I can't…not do anything at all."

"Part of being a healer is to understand the wishes of the patient too, Mitsuki-san." Retsu said lightly. "However, in this case…the patient appears to have been somewhat foolish. Therefore…providing the circumstance does not repeat…we will simply say no more about it. After all, in the end, no harm has been done."

"Yes, Retsu-sama." Mitsuki bowed her head. "I'm sorry. Next time I'll be sure to tell you everything first."

"That is another part of being a healer – to learn from mistakes and accept them quickly." Retsu reached across to put a reassuring hand on Mitsuki's arm. "Don't let yourself be discouraged. Your instincts are, after all, still very raw."

"If you're treating Ukitake-kun, maybe…I should leave you alone." Mitsuki murmured, and Shunsui noticed that she was avoiding the District boy's eye. "I didn't mean to burst in on you. Please. Excuse me."

"Wait…Edogawa-san…please."

As she turned to go, Juushirou called her back, his tones somewhat hoarse yet determined, and Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he took in the tension in his friend's frame. Mitsuki turned, looking apprehensive, and for a moment silence fell once more over the sick room. Then Juushirou sighed.

"I'm the intruder here. Not you." He said softly. "You don't need to leave."

"But I…" Mitsuki looked startled.

"If you're Unohana-sensei's apprentice now, then…you belong here." Juushirou said gravely, and Mitsuki's expression became troubled.

"I am." She said simply. "I decided at camp that it was the best thing for me to do. And I spoke to Sensei, who agreed with me."

"But…your family are all right with that now, Mitsuki-chan?" Shunsui asked gently, and Mitsuki shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not really about them." She admitted. "So I hope they're going to accept it, but even if they don't, I won't change my mind. Retsu-sama is going to speak to the Clan directly, and try to make Father and Guren-sama understand that this is part of me and it isn't going to go away. Naoko-chan thinks that they will accept it, if they know Retsu-sama has chosen to train me herself. So…I hope…maybe it will be okay."

"And if it isn't?" Juushirou's voice was little more than a murmur, but Mitsuki heard it, turning to face him with a flicker of defiance that Shunsui had not seen in her expression before.

"I've made my decision." She said firmly. "I've made a _lot _of decisions. If they don't like them, then they don't. But I won't change my mind. I can't be useful to Seireitei in any other respect – but I _can_ help people heal and I _will_ learn how to do it properly. Just like you decided to come here and be a Shinigami, Ukitake-kun. I can choose for myself, too."

"Woooh, Mitsuki-chan. Remember he's the not-so-walking wounded at the moment." Shunsui tapped her gently on the shoulder. "Surely healers don't yell at their patients, either."

"I wasn't yelling." Mitsuki responded simply. "I was just answering Ukitake-kun's question. That's all."

Retsu's gaze flitted from Mitsuki to Juushirou, then she nodded, getting to her feet.

"Kyouraku-kun, I think it best that you leave Ukitake-kun to our care now." She said evenly. "You may come and visit him again this evening, but please go and tell your classmates what I have said about his condition. I will not let further harm come to him, you may be sure of that."

"Yes, Sensei." Startled, Shunsui nodded his head. "If that's what you want…I'll go tell everyone. Hirata will be bouncing for information anyway – so the sooner I tell him, the better."

"And me, Retsu-sama?" Mitsuki looked surprised, and a sweet smile touched Retsu's lips.

"I will go and speak to the people downstairs about the supply of bandages I instructed to have delivered here this week." She said airily. "When I return, I will have another task for you to do – but for now, please, keep Ukitake-kun company. And most of all – ensure that he does not attempt to leave. Given his attitude towards his studies and his training, I think…it is best not to leave him on his own."

"But…" Mitsuki's eyes became huge, and an amused smile touched Shunsui's lips.

_So Unohana-sensei sees it too – the tension between the two of them. She's a sly one, that one. I swear nobody even has half an idea of how clever or devious she is – or how much trouble she could cause if she turned her attentions to anything other than healing the sick. Really, everyone is very lucky that she's an Unohana, else they might find themselves at a serious military disadvantage._

"I'll come see you later then, Juu." He said aloud, moving towards the door. "So try and sleep some in the meantime. You're in safe hands here – let them do to you whatever they see fit, all right?"

He winked, then withdrew from the Healing Bay, pulling the door shut behind him.

_Maybe it won't be enough for Mitsuki and Juu to make up their quarrel, but at least it's worth a try. Everything's been funny since camp and I don't really like it – perhaps if they both have to speak to one another, they'll at least manage to clear the air!_

* * *

"I suppose I should…thank you."

As they were left alone, Juushirou shifted his heavy body into a more comfortable position, shooting his companion with an awkward look. "For the herbs…since they seem to have helped."

"No, you shouldn't." Mitsuki shook her head, moving across to open the window. "You didn't ask for my help, after all."

"Yes, but…" Juushirou faltered, then sighed, shaking his head.

"Either way, I suppose…I'm grateful."

"You don't have to be anything. Or say anything." Mitsuki shook her head, turning to lean against the sill as the cool breeze ruffled through her dark hair and around the stuffy chamber. "I told you. I made a lot of decisions after camp. That was simply one of them. I didn't intend for you to know, so in the end, you don't have to thank me."

"Lots of decisions." Juushirou murmured, then, "Even though I asked you not to get involved?"

"You didn't ask me. You _decided_ I wouldn't get involved and that's different." Mitsuki fixed him with a serious look. "It upset me a lot, but it didn't change anything. The thing is, Ukitake-kun, whether I'm around you or not, I can feel when you're in pain. And whether you let me in or not, I'll worry about you. Even if you hate it or don't want me involved – it's not possible. I'm a healer. You really don't understand what that means."

"I understand you might put yourself in danger on my account." Juushirou said quietly, and Mitsuki snorted, shaking her head.

"Who do you think I am?" She demanded, startling her companion by the uncharacteristic derision in her normally soft tones. "You have your pride, Ukitake-kun, and I respect that. But I have mine too. And I don't know anything about your mother or what happened when you were born – nor do I know how much spirit power she used to save you. But I'm not her. I'm not going to act recklessly. And I'm not weak and feeble. Not even if you think I am."

"I never said that…"

"Yes, you did." Mitsuki cut across him, coming to stand beside the bed. "You pushed me away to protect me, which means you don't think I'm strong enough to bear your burdens alongside you. You trust in Ryuu-kun and the other boys, but you think me frail and easily damaged. You don't understand even the first thing about being a healer, if you really think that that's the case."

"But…"

"I feel _everyone's_ pain, Ukitake-kun." Mitsuki was not to be gainsaid, as her pent up emotions came tumbling out one after another. "_Everyone's_. I always have done. My family have more or less isolated me because of it – and I've known that they feel that way, because my senses are that sharp. I felt my mother dying, but I couldn't do anything to save her. I see you struggle and there's nothing I can do there, either. When people are injured, I know. When they're ill, I know. When that District girl was murdered, it was me that she connected with – it was me who felt it, her last moments of pain and terror ripping through me. I've borne those things all my life. Even now, I don't have to ask how you are. I know without even looking at you – your head aches, your chest aches, your throat is raw and you're exhausted. But you only have to be aware of _your_ illness. I have to be aware of everyone else's, too. I'm not as fragile as you think I am, and I don't need as much protection as all of that."

"Edogawa…san..." Juushirou faltered, and Mitsuki sighed, sinking down beside the bed as tears glittered in her grey eyes.

"I feel everyone's suffering." She whispered. "But I don't feel drawn to everyone like I feel drawn to you. It isn't pity or anything like that that connects me to you. I want to help you because I don't like to see you in pain. But I hate it so much because I love you – it's not the other way around."

Juushirou took a deep breath, rubbing his temples as he fought to get his own emotions under control.

"I've made you pretty angry, haven't I?" He said at length, and Mitsuki shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe." She admitted. "I don't know. To be truthful, I don't think I've ever been really angry before. Or hurt. Or…well…as determined about things as I am right now."

"It surprised me." Juushirou admitted ruefully. "That you can be like Ryuu-kun or Nagoya-senpai and that you have that Kuchiki-ke pride inside of you just as much as they have it inside of them. I suppose I've realised for the first time that you _are_ a Kuchiki _hime_…even though I never really did before."

"My family aren't like your family, so if they disown me it won't be the end of the world." Mitsuki said quietly. "Retsu-sama will sponsor me and when I finish my training, I'll be a part of her squad. Even if that does happen, Ukitake-kun, I've made up my mind. All those things I feel and can't do anything about – it's no different from your feelings about your father's death. You wanted to be a Shinigami because you wanted to protect your family the way you couldn't protect him. Right? I want to be a healer so I can do something to help people like my mother – instead of just feeling them slip away, a fragment at a time."

She glanced at her hands.

"I've hidden behind the Kuchiki shield for a long time. I'm not self-confident and I've always doubted my own judgement." She added. "But when you spoke to me how you did at the campsite, I guess, something snapped inside of me. I've had enough. I can't keep running. If you think that I'm so weak that I need pushing away…then I have to prove that I'm not weak. And, most of all, follow my own convictions instead of adapting to everyone else's."

She raised her head, eying him questioningly.

"If I did that, Ukitake-kun, I thought maybe you wouldn't feel you needed to protect me quite as much."

Juushirou chewed on his lip.

"Shunsui thinks…he says…that you…about me, too." He said awkwardly, red touching his cheeks as he tried to find the right words. "He's said it before, but I never listened. And to be honest…I didn't…really know how to handle it. Maybe I...chose not to...to listen. It wasn't something I ever thought of happening to me. Maybe…I panicked. Maybe…I jumped to conclusions. But…"

"I've never asked anything of you except to be friends." Mitsuki interrupted him softly. "And if you feel that way, then I never will."

"You still want to be my friend, even though I made you mad enough to yell at me?" Juushirou stared, and Mitsuki offered him a rueful smile.

"I'm in love with you." She said resignedly. "It skews all judgement to the contrary. Besides…I know that you don't really want to push me away. You're a bad liar, and I can see through it. You were doing it because you thought it was best for me – not because you really wanted me to leave you alone. And…and the other thing…about your curse…"

She sighed.

"It made me want even more to follow my vocation and train properly." She admitted. "Even though you intended it to have the opposite effect. Because I don't think you should give up that easily. And I won't let you any more than Kyouraku-kun or the others will."

She spread her hands, running her fingers idly along the top of the bedcovers.

"I'm a poor swordswoman and in a fight I'm weak. My Kidou is really average, compared to most of you and I never rank in the top five of the class, no matter how hard I work." She said softly. "But that's only because the skills they test me on are not the skills I really have. Retsu-sama's said to me that my talent is unusually potent – even among her people, it's a rare thing to have. And I…I believe her, because…sometimes I've done things that I shouldn't be able to do. Like when Onoe-kun was drifting – I managed to find him even though he was starting to fragment. Madeki-senpai could not – but I could, even without any training. And the dreams I have…Retsu-sama says they're all signs of a great healer whose skills will be a huge loss to Soul Society if wasted now."

She shrugged, raising tear-damp eyes to meet his once more.

"Maybe I'll never be as good as she is, but I can aspire to it." She added. "And if I can do that, I can learn the techniques she uses to help you, too. Since that's what friends do, in the end, isn't it? Help each other."

"Then I suppose…if all that is true…I owe you an apology. Probably…more than one." Juushirou held a shaking hand out to her, and tentatively she took it, squeezing his pale fingers in hers. "I'm lucky that you're such a good friend, Edogawa-san. Most people wouldn't forgive me – even if they do…feel that way."

"Sometimes you give me nightmares." Mitsuki admitted, a rueful smile touching her lips. "But its worse not being around you than being a part of whatever you're doing. Okaasama used to say that sometimes people are just connected, without any real reason why. I think that you and I are, Ukitake-kun. You've helped me to see what I need to be doing. And I…"

"You're always there to help pick up the pieces when I fall apart." Juushirou said dryly. "Or maybe Shunsui's right about the other thing, too. About…the…well, about how…I…"

He faltered, reddening furiously, then,

"After we argued, I felt like someone had sat on my chest and stifled me completely." He said awkwardly. "And Shunsui called me on it and told me that it wasn't just about you and how you'd felt about everything. I didn't get it at first, but last night he said…and now I think I do. What he means is that it wasn't just you having those kinds of feelings. I've been feeling that way too. Only...I don't know how to process them. And now I am...they're starting to make me on edge."

"_Your_...feelings?" Mitsuki stared at him, and Juushirou reddened, nodding his head.

"I don't know what the best way is to tell a girl I'm in love with her." He said ruefully. "I always imagined that if it came to it she'd run screaming for the hills, so I never really thought about the conversation that'd come next. I'm sickly and stubborn and not exactly anyone's prize catch - I never thought anyone could fall properly in love with me and not have ulterior motives in mind. But...you aren't someone who has ulterior motives. And when you look at me like that...I know that what Shunsui said – and what you've said - is the truth. And if that's the truth…then maybe…even I…too…"

Mitsuki snorted, an uncharacteristic look entering her grey eyes.

"You are the only person in this Academy who doesn't realise how amazing a person you really are." She whispered. "You're the only one who doesn't know that you're going to walk out of here and make a huge difference to the lives of so many people. You don't know it - you don't see it. But we do. The Clans do. Some are worried about it. Some are welcoming it. But they all know it's true."

She sighed.

"Sensei knows it too - that's why he chose you. You're _not_ going to succumb to this curse and you're _not_ going to die of_ haibyou_, because nobody here is going to let you give up so easily. I'm not. Kyouraku-kun isn't. The teachers aren't, and nor are any of the rest of our class. You might think I'm crazy and you might think I'm biased. But I know it's true nonetheless. Regardless of who's top of the class or how we all finish our education here - you're not like everyone else. You're a catalyst. Someone who makes changes and brings people together. Because of that, you attract people to you. And because of that, I fell in love with you. Is that so crazy to believe?"

"Edogawa-san, I..."

"I'm serious." Mitsuki pinkened, raising her hand and putting a gentle finger to his lips. "You have an illness, and it burns the inside of your body. But it doesn't scar your soul, even so. You still look at me with strong hazel eyes. You can still smile and laugh even when its tearing through you and causing you pain. And you still believe in things wholeheartedly and passionately, no matter how much you're thrust back. Even if you do have some crazy ideas and you do start jumping to conclusions – you still act with others' best interests in mind. Why you'd ever think otherwise is a mystery to me...you're Ukitake Juushirou and there's only one of you anywhere in Soul Society. But one of you is going to be enough to turn the balance. I really believe it. That's why you're here."

"You have way too much faith in a boy who's still struggling to keep hold of his _asauchi _in training." Juushirou said pragmatically, carefully pushing her hand away. "And even if you feel that way, it doesn't change anything. Even if you love me, your Father wouldn't accept that. They might accept you as a healer, but they wouldn't accept me and so the subject is ended before it's even begun. Even if by some fluke I gained the _haori _- which is unlikely - he still wouldn't. Like Etsuo-san and Shunsui - it's doomed from the start."

"Ukitake-kun, answer me truthfully. _Do_ you have feelings for me, or are you speculating?" Mitsuki asked quietly, and Juushirou hesitated for the briefest of moments. Then he nodded.

"Yes." He murmured. "Regardless of how complicated that might be, I think I do."

"And do you believe that you're beneath me? That Clan and District can't ever stand and face each other, eye to eye?"

"No, but..."

"This isn't about Father or the Kuchiki-ke. It's not about the Ukitake-ke, either." Mitsuki said evenly, surprising conviction in her soft tones. "I've learnt that since I've been here - that people aren't the family they come from but individuals who make their own choices. If there are consequences, then individuals face those too. I don't want to be shackled to my Clan. I don't want to be told how to live my life by them. I'm a healer. I'm for District Four. And I love you. So I'm not going to back down until you accept that fact - that it's _Mitsuki_ who's talking. Not a Kuchiki _hime_, but just Mitsuki. Just Edogawa Mitsuki, your classmate and your friend."

"The irony being that you've never looked or sounded more Kuchiki in the whole of the time we've known one another." Despite himself, Juushirou smiled. "But I…I think I understand. At least, a little bit. And I am sorry…that I misunderstood. You do have a right to make your own decisions. And you do have a right to be involved in something, if you care that much about it. I'm used to shielding people, but I guess I need to stop doing it quite so much. I'm really sorry, Edogawa-san. And I'd like us to be friends again – if you're sure you can put up with me."

"We'll be friends as long as we know each other, no matter what." Mitsuki said simply. "Even if we can't be anything other than that, we'll always be friends. Even if Clan and District can't ever come to an accord – you and I can. Can't we? Even if it's just to be there to help each other through – we can do that, can't we? From now on?"

"Yes. We can." Juushirou clasped her hand firmly in his, relief in his hazel eyes. "I won't take you for granted again. And I certainly won't shut you out."

He grinned, shrugging his shoulders sheepishly.

"In fact, if you're going to be a healer, you may as well use me as a guinea pig." He said lightly. "Since I seem to come here a lot, I'm sure I could teach you plenty of things."

Mitsuki laughed, and Juushirou could feel the tension seep out of her aura.

"I'm glad." She admitted. "I don't like yelling and arguing and all of those things. But I wanted you to understand, Ukitake-kun. More than anyone, I wanted _you_ to understand why I've made the decisions I have."

"I think I do. Now." Juushirou nodded. "And if that's truly how you feel – then I'm on your side, too. I didn't realise before, that's all. Now I do. So it's fine."

"It's fine." Mitsuki echoed, then, "In that case, if we're friends again…will you…call me Mitsuki?"

"Mitsuki?" Juushirou looked surprised, and Mitsuki pinkened, nodding her head.

"You already call Sora by her first name, and nobody thinks that's strange." She murmured. "So I'd like it if you'd apply the same rule to me. Just Mitsuki. From you, it's fine. After all, Kyouraku-kun already does it a whole lot. And if he can, I want you to know you can too. Because he's being cheeky, but I'd like to hear it from you."

"People might talk."

"Let them. It's not their business, so they can."

"Well, if it's what you want." Juushirou shrugged. "But if that's the case, Sora also calls me Juushirou. So you'd better do the same too – otherwise it really will seem odd. Unless, of course, you think it's that bad a name you don't want to use it."

""I don't think it's horrible at all." Mitsuki dimpled. "And I was hoping you'd say that - I never liked to ask, in case you thought...but I was always a little jealous of Sora for being able to do it without anyone batting an eyelid. So now you've said it, it's decided. I'll call you Juushirou from now on, and you call me Mitsuki. That way we leave our families out of it."

Juushirou sighed.

"That's probably the best place for them to be." He admitted, shuffling back on his pillows slightly and closing his eyes. "My brain is already whirling, so theirs would probably explode."

"You're still feeling ill." Mitsuki bit her lip, sounding guilty. "I've laid this all on you while you're in this state – I'm sorry."

"No…it's okay. I feel a bit better, now." Juushirou's eyes flickered open and he shook his head slightly. "Don't look like that. I'm glad we cleared the air."

He sighed again.

"This morning, Shunsui said that I might as well add lovesickness to my list of ailments." He added softly. "On account of the fact it's so unusual for me to lose my appetite. And you know…maybe he's right."

"Are you starting to feel hungry, then?" Mitsuki looked anxious, and Juushirou smiled.

"Not sure. But I feel less queasy, which has to be a good thing." He reflected. "I guess the conversation distracted me from it – or your company is healing on its own."

"I don't think it's that." Mitsuki pinkened, but there was pleasure in her grey eyes. "But I'm glad if you're feeling a bit better. And…and when Retsu-sama comes back, maybe she'll let me help treat you. That is…if you don't mind."

"I don't mind." Juushirou assured her. "It's the least I can do, for doubting your loyalty."

"Then it's decided." Mitsuki nodded her head firmly. "From this point on, Juushirou-kun, I'll always be there to back you up."

"Likewise." Despite himself, Juushirou felt a glow of warmth stir inside of him at hearing her call him by his first name. "Even if your family don't want you to be a healer, I won't make that mistake again. I'll stay on your side, Mitsuki…no matter what."


	24. Ab Irato

**Chapter Twenty Three: Ab Irato  
**

"You know, all in all I didn't expect us to be having this conversation quite as soon as this."

Tokutarou sank down in the big chair in the corner of the study, gesturing for Midori to make herself comfortable in the simple yet well appointed surroundings of the Kyouraku Inner Seireitei working office. It was late in the afternoon now, he mused, with the Council Session having only just concluded, yet he had been surprised when the young leader of the Shihouin had approached him, asking if there was somewhere they could go and speak. She had mentioned the provision of aid to refugees as her reason, but Tokutarou was sharp of wits and he had already surmised that Midori's true purpose was on quite another matter. For that reason, he had acquiesced, and a short time later they were both safely within the Kyouraku apartments, Tokutarou having dismissed all of his retainers except for the trusty Yasuhiro. Even now, Tokutarou knew, the hardened warrior would be stationed outside the door, ready to act should anything untoward occur. Yet, although he was now alone with the legendary Shadow Cat of the Shihouin, Tokutarou was not afraid.

Even though she was a stronger fighter than he was when it came to _zanpakutou_ magic, he knew that she had no designs on his life.

"Well, it seemed prudent not to waste time." The girl responded now with a sigh, settling herself beside the window and shrugging her shoulders. "Especially since I had the excuse of aid to use as a discussion point. I am quite serious on those grounds and have already sent papers to the Yamamoto asking them permission to send a convoy from District Two via their land to your borders - so with any luck, they will soon be on their way. And since that is the case..."

"You decided it would be as good a cover as any for the other subject we discussed recently." Tokutarou nodded. "I had already reasoned that much out."

"Of course." Midori's golden eyes lit up with amusement and she nodded her head. "That's a Kyouraku for you. I know my Uncle used to say that he'd scarcely met anyone more perceptive and quick-witted than your late father - I suppose it really does run in the family, given that both you and your young brother seem to have inherited it."

"Yes, well, I'm sure Kamuki-sama was being polite." Tokutarou pursed his lips. "My father's intelligence is what ultimately destroyed him, so you should probably not make too many comparisons between him and me. I'm not his kind of fighter, after all - whether I did or didn't inherit anything from him, I'm certainly not much my Father's son in most respects."

"I meant no offence." Midori said lightly, and Tokutarou shook his head.

"On the contrary, I consider it a compliment." He admitted. "Whatever people thought of my Father, I thought a lot of him. And still do, despite his vices and his tragic demise. You needn't concern yourself, Midori-dono. You've caused me no discomfort with your observation."

He eyed her keenly.

"And your Lord Father? How does he, in his confinement?"

"Well, if bored." Midori sighed. "But alive, thank goodness. Even if I can't often see him, knowing that he and Nii-sama live is enough. Nii-sama's sentence may be commuted in time, and he might yet become one of my advisors...but even if Father spends the remainder of his life locked away, he's still not in any pain or discomfort. The dark times are over, little by little. The Shihouin are entering a new era...and honestly, that's a big part of why I want to act like this. Misashi-dono is partly responsible for the saving of the Shihouin. I believe in repaying my debts wholeheartedly, and protecting Hirata is really a small price to pay to keep a potential Endou alliance alive. So..."

"I have no love for Endou Shouichi or his grandson." Tokutarou shook his head. "That's no secret, considering the trouble they've caused me. I still remember how Seimaru's father backed my Uncle in our own civil upheaval, when I tried to take control of my family's land in the first place. And as for Seimaru - with him, it's more personal. Past it may be, but I can't forgive his having hurt Shunsui with his sword last summer. My brother may be unique, but he means everything to me. And even if he's willing to forget, I'm not."

"Some might say to hold a grudge is a negative character trait." Midori said pensively, and Tokutarou smiled.

"It is. It's a Shiba trait, in fact." He agreed. "Shunsui is not so inclined, and he is much more like my Father than I will ever be. But I know, when I was young, Kyouki-sama used to say it. That when someone crossed a line with me, it was difficult for them to cross back. That was my Shiba blood - and I should be careful of digging out grievances against people for that exact reason."

"Well, to be truthful, I bear a grudge still where Seimaru is concerned." Midori looked rueful. "So on that at least, we share an opinion."

"Yes." Tokutarou nodded his head. "It seems we do."

He pursed his lips.

"Can you tell me, then, what Chiaki-sama told you? Or is it difficult to do so, considering that he's in the position he is?"

"I can tell you." Midori shook her head. "He and I both hope that to trust you and ask for your help may in time help us forge a closer alliance with your Clan. Kai is great friends with your brother these days, and in truth, it's an alliance I always hoped to forge myself. At one point, I might have married you - in different circumstances, of course, but still valid ones. The Kyouraku are a level headed military Clan and one with whom its easy to place trust. The Shihouin, in contrast, are not - not with recent events. But...even so..."

"Even so." Tokutarou looked thoughtful. "I don't think such a thing is out of the question. Whilst I never had much time to speak to your Uncle, I know that you are a different kind of leader. Although you slipped through my land illegally to return to District Two, in the circumstances, I bear you no ill will. And what you said is also true. Shunsui has forged a good friendship with your brother - besides,"

He smiled.

"The Endou boy that Misashi-dono thinks so much of is one who you've protected more than once." He said softly. "To your own risk, in fact, to uphold a barely flickering alliance forged more from actions than paperwork. I like that way of thinking. It fits well with my own. So I am not averse to the idea in theory. Although...I would have to discuss such things with my own people back in District Eight. They are wary, in some ways, of outside alliances. Some of them still even fear the Shiba connection that I have by my birthright."

"I understand." Midori nodded. "And in the meantime, I'll do my best to make the Shihouin appear an attractive alliance prospect. We are working hard, Tokutarou-dono. A little more won't hurt."

She paused, then,

"As for my Father's testimony, he could not tell me much." She admitted. "He seems sure that none of the Endou's scientific helpers were operating under their Clan name, so this Urahara Keitarou must have been acting under a different appelation during his time in Shouichi and Seimaru's service. He did recall a Keitarou, though not his other name. He also said that the man did not resemble an Urahara, yet maybe he was one. Father wasn't sure. Just that he had an ill atmosphere about him and that he seemed to be somewhat affiliated with Seimaru. Closely affiliated."

She frowned.

"What I know about the Endou's scientific research remains unproven, as does what you've surmised about them." She added. "Please, treat this with the utmost discretion. For Hirata's sake and Misashi-dono's sake, everything must be done carefully. I have no evidence at all that they continue to act in this fashion. Only that Misashi-dono suspects that Seimaru is. The trouble it would cause so many people if accusations were made carelessly..."

"I promise. I will be discreet." Tokutarou nodded. "Hirata is also a friend of my brother's, you forget. And to be honest, those friends have done Shunsui so much good, it's not in my interests to unsettle any of them unduly."

He got to his feet, moving to the window.

"I'm glad you spoke to me here, rather than coming to District Eight." He reflected. "That may have raised unwelcome speculation."

"I had heard a story about your forthcoming betrothal." Midori's eyes twinkled, and Tokutarou eyed her ruefully.

"It's not quite that, yet." He cautioned. "And I've not yet discussed it with Shunsui, so I'd be glad if you would keep whatever you've heard to yourself, also. It's true that Yoshiko-sama has persuaded me to speak to her brother about entertaining a possible match with his daughter. Yoshiko-sama's family are very well thought of by the Kyouraku administration, hence why they're so fond of favouring Shunsui for the _haori_ - and even though they're third degree, the bloodline between them and myself is quite distant on account of my Shiba mother. In any case, she is due to arrive at the main house in the next few days - and yes, to be visited by the female leader of another Clan in that time may cause confusion."

Midori chuckled.

"Council law prohibits it, sadly." She said regretfully. "That ship has long since sailed. But you're right. Your family will probably remember that my people tried to broker an arrangement with Kyouki-sama when you and I were underage. Probably it's better I don't visit District Eight, if it might be seen as competition for your lady suitor...whatever her name may be."

"Rae-hime. Ashouji Rae-hime." Tokutarou replied. "She's nineteen this summer, so about Shunsui's age."

He sighed.

"Another reason I haven't discussed it with him yet." He owned. "Brothers we may be, and only six or seven years apart, but sometimes I feel more like I'm his father watching over him in the absence of anyone else to do so. I'd like him to approve the match before I sign any papers, so I'm going to bring him back to meet her after his exams."

"He may steal her away from you." Midori teased. "From all I've heard about your young brother, he's quite the ladies man."

Tokutarou grimaced.

"My brother's reputation seems to travel far afield indeed." He said with a resigned sigh. "But he has steadied this last year. No, Midori-dono. I don't believe he will behave inappropriately towards her. Besides, he is her first cousin, even if I am not. And judging by how he treats Sora - I think we can safely rule that option out."

He glanced out of the window at the gathered guardsmen outside, then,

"I wish to speak to him about the Endou also." He said seriously. "Because as my heir, he understands as well as I do the politics that exist between us and our neighbours. No...to be truthful, I think he possibly knows more than I do. But for Hirata's sake, he's not spoken to me about it. Even so, if there are still people focused on _reidoku _and if there is a risk of something further occurring...I would sooner speak to him about it in person. Letters are risky, especially in this climate."

"You'd trust him with so much information?"

"I would." Tokutarou agreed. "Why? Would you not trust Kai-dono with it?"

"Kai knows far more about the Endou than I'd like." Midori sighed. "But I suppose you're right. I wouldn't leave him out of it, either. It's a burden, but one they must both bear as heirs to their respective Clans. Although if you marry, that burden may be taken from Shunsui-dono's shoulders."

"No. He will still bear it." Tokutarou rested his hand on the sill for a moment. "He'll wear the _haori_, after all, one day. And when he does, he'll not be able to escape the politics he hates so much. Better he's ready for that. He's my Father's son, Midori-dono, and I won't let him end up the same way Father did. So there's no other option for it. When he comes home, I'll have a lot to tell him. And, perhaps, show him, since I don't suppose I can keep him from the refugee camps any longer."

"You think there are Endou people there?"

"Possibly, or those who know things about the Urahara." Tokutarou nodded. "I haven't investigated closely, but I may do, now. So long as they cooperate with me, and aren't involved in anything illicit, I won't persecute them. But if any of them have information on this Keitarou person - then I am best placed to track them down. And Shunsui has a way of making people talk to him - he takes them off guard and they don't realise how much he really understands. In that instance, he might be invaluable to us both."

"Clan politics once again." Midori reflected, and Tokutarou grimaced.

"Which he'll hate, but I won't deceive him." he responded. "If I let him go, I'll explain to him why."

"Then there is one other name I should tell you. Kotetsu Daisuke." Midori said frankly. "Father mentioned it, and wasn't totally sure it was accurate...but he seems to remember that it was. That man was in some kind of close contact with the Keitarou he remembered...but more than that he didn't really know. Fanatical and intelligent, that's how Father described him. And definitely Urahara."

Tokutarou's eyes narrowed.

"I see."

"Misashi-dono said that one of the ringleaders had been captured and killed quite recently." Midori continued. "I wondered if it might be him, though of course, it may not."

"Maybe, maybe not. I suppose that's another avenue to investigate." Tokutarou nodded. "I'm grateful, Midori-dono, that you've brought all this to my attention. If there is anything I can do, you have my word I will."

"I know that." Midori grinned. "The head of the Kyouraku-ke always keeps his word. That's one thing I've learnt for certain in the past year or so...I have absolutely no fear about leaving the rest of this in your hands."

With that she withdrew, and for a moment Tokutarou stood at the window, turning over the conversation in his brain.

_Certainly, there have been more refugees coming. Some have, indeed, been blond haired and pale eyed, and perhaps I need to pay attention to that fact. Not that I will kill anyone whose guilt is only to share a bloodline with those considered traitors...but some of them may have information on this Keitarou individual. And that will be a good place to start. Shunsui, I need your help in this, for certain. Between us, maybe we can get to the bottom of what's going on in Seventh District before it reaches a critical point!_

* * *

"Are you really sure that you're all right to be moving around?"

As Juushirou gathered together his study books, it was Shunsui who asked the question, dropping down on the end of his friend's bed with a quizzical look on his lazy features. "I know Unohana-sensei's let you out, but even so, Juu, you still look pale."

"I'm all right. I was getting claustrophobic and it's not good for me to be stuck in bed." Juushirou paused, casting his companion a rueful grin. "Unohana-sensei's said I mustn't try to train till the end of the week at the earliest, or fire live Kidou or do anything else extreme in the meantime. But I can come back to my dorm and I can attend my theory classes. I can catch up, basically, with the stuff I've missed...believe me, without the physical exertion, I won't be pushing my limits at all."

He patted the books absently, then,

"Even when I was ill at home, I read a lot. Studied, too." He added. "So since it's still warm out, I thought I'd take my Kidou and Hohou texts out into the shade of the trees and read over the sections I should have read up for the classes I missed."

"I'm glad you said in the shade." Shunsui's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Considering your last encounter with the sun seemed to end on irreconcileable differences."

"Mm. It was hot that day." Juushirou sighed. "And I guess in the end, it was just a step too far. But it's behind me now. I feel much better. I'll soon be fine."

"I wonder how much your special nurse had to do with that, huh?" Shunsui scooped up his own Kidou text book, clapping his friend on the back with an amused grin. "Since you suddenly found your appetite after she began treating you - I guess she has some unknown special technique that healed you right away."

"Shunsui." Juushirou reddened, hugging his books defensively to his chest. "It wasn't like that. Mitsuki and I made up our fight - that's all. I mean, we had some misunderstandings...but...in the end, we worked it all out."

"And now you call her Mitsuki, and she calls you Juushirou. I agree. It couldn't be more innocent." Shunsui said lightly.

"Shunsui!" Juushirou was exasperated, and Shunsui chuckled.

"Come on. I'll make an exception for once and come study with you." He said playfully, tapping his friend lightly on the head. "I did actually attend the said class - if I really think about it, maybe I'll remember what Kazoe said."

"All right." Juushirou eyed him warily. "So long as it's Kidou you want to talk about, and not female classmates."

"Female classmates are a perfectly natural topic of conversation for boys our age." Shunsui was unconcerned. "You're just a slow starter, which is why you're getting so flustered. It's really quite a good thing, to be honest - every guy has to cross that threshold sometime."

"I haven't crossed any thresholds. We just talked, that's all." Juushirou muttered darkly, pulling open the door of the dorm with more force than was necessary. "Well? Are you coming with me or are you just going to stand there and smirk?"

"I can walk and smirk, so I'm coming." Shunsui assured him casually. "I'm following you. Lead the way."

The forestland was already busy that afternoon, since the sun was still high in the sky and many students had chosen to swap the stuffy cloying atmosphere of the classrooms for the promise of a cool breeze in the shade of the thick-leaved trees. There was still plenty of room, however, and as the two boys settled themselves on the grass, Juushirou sighed, glancing from one book to the other.

"I hate catching up." He murmured. "It's proof that I'm not the same as everyone else, when I have to take sick days and do the work out of class."

"But at least you can do it." Shunsui reminded him. "Considering how seriously ill you can be, Juu, you bounce back amazingly fast. I know I was teasing you about Mitsuki - but really, there must be some strong healing Kidou in the Healing Bay."

"Yeah." Juushirou leant up against the trunk of the biggest tree, nodding his head. "Unohana-sensei has a technique that's effective on my _haibyou_. It hurts but it works. And really, the worst of it this time was borderline heat stroke or something of that nature. I just wore myself out - it wasn't really my typical kind of _haibyou_ attack."

"But...you are all right?" Shunsui asked softly. "I know you'll say I'm fussing, but given the last conversation we had about your health, back at the camp..."

"Yes. I'm all right." Juushirou nodded. "And I'm not just saying that - I'm sure it's true. Even if I did go too far, I can feel myself getting stronger when I fight and train with Nagoya-senpai. So eventually I will get there. Don't worry about it, all right? Sensei is watching me, too. I'm not going to just disappear...I'm far too stubborn for that."

"Hm." Shunsui was silent for a moment, then he nodded. "Then if that's the case, why are you keeping Mitsuki at arm's length, even now?"

"Shunsui." Juushirou glared at him, colour rising in his pale cheeks once more. "I've told you the subject is off limits, so leave it alone, all right?"

"Well, since you were sick, I doubt you seduced her. And even though you're jumpy, I don't suppose you even kissed her." Shunsui folded his arms across his chest. "So I don't know why you're being so coy about it. She told you her feelings. You told her yours - at least, I assume that's what you talked about? And then you made peace and whatever, yada, yada. Am I close?"

"It's not your business."

"I'm your friend, and I'm hers. Like a good friend, I'm caring about both of your welfare." Shunsui smiled sweetly, and Juushirou groaned.

"You're really not going to let me study until you pry everything out of me, are you?" He said helplessly, and Shunsui shook his head.

"Nope." He agreed cheerfully. "I'm glad you've realised it quickly - so tell me and then I'll help you study what you missed."

Juushirou grimaced.

"There's nothing to tell. You already know what we said to one another." He said quietly. "And as for anything else, unlike you, I'm not Clan. Unlike you, I can't hope to forge that kind of alliance with a Kuchiki-ke _hime_. And even though...even though Mitsuki is strong and more so than I realised...I still...won't cause problems for her. Right now, with things the way they are, friends and allies is all we can do. But it's all right like that, Shunsui. We'll be close friends. Good allies. I'm okay with it this way."

"Disappointing." Shunsui sighed. "Oh, I see your logic - more than anyone I know the annoyance of crossing that particular social divide. But dammit, you could at least kiss her. Once wouldn't hurt and I'm sure Mitsuki would understand if she knew that it was in the name of experience. After all, you do have time and ground to make up. I was fourteen when I first kissed Saku - that's not that early, either. Tokutarou-nii said he was twelve when Sora's brother first dared him to kiss one of the junior housemaids at the Shiba estate. You need to be a bit more adventurous. I can see how the Kuchiki would object if you ravished her and all of that - but even they wouldn't flinch, surely, at one kiss?"

Juushirou raised an eyebrow, and Shunsui grinned.

"Oh, wait, it's the Kuchiki." He said ruefully. "Okay. Scratch that then. But...even so...I still think you should do it."

"It's not the same for me as it might be for you." Juushirou said pointedly. "Besides..."

He faltered, and then he sighed.

"I don't really want to kiss her." He admitted.

"Why not?" Shunsui stared, and Juushirou glanced down, uncomfortable.

"Because...I...suppose..."

He hesitated, then shrugged his shoulders.

"In the archives of our family there are a lot of records. Old diaries. Papers. Letters. Things like that." He said softly. "When I got better, after Father died, I read through a lot of them. I suppose I was trying to find out whether I could be his heir or whether it would be a bad idea. I wanted reassurance, but all I found was negativity. The curse. And the way...the way people like me were seen to be."

"So?" Shunsui pursed his lips. "That's then, this is now. That's them, this is you. What of it?"

"One woman kept a diary for six or seven years." Juushirou murmured. "Until the death of her husband, she wrote in it two or three times a week. He was...like me. Cursed. And he...was only twenty nine when he died of complications. She wrote about her life with him. What she hoped it would be...what it actually was. And the things...that happened. The way...things were."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed, then he nodded.

"So because this woman wrote a bunch of stuff about being married to someone with _haibyou_, you've taken it all to heart and assumed every woman is that woman and every _haibyou_ sufferer is that man?" He asked bluntly, and Juushirou bit his lip.

"No." He admitted. "But there are bits of it. Yes. Things...Shunsui, at the moment...my spirit power is unsettled. It's fluctuating based on my tiredness or my emotion or whatever else is going on. I'm not done training yet. And even so...if my attacks can be brought on by uneven emotions...well...what if..."

He trailed off, his cheeks scarlet, and despite himself Shunsui laughed.

"You know, I expected you to have all kinds of reasons why you wouldn't cross that line." He owned. "Status. Responsibility. Honour. Pride. But potential embarrassment? I hadn't seen that one."

"Shunsui."

Juushirou eyed him reproachfully, and Shunsui held up his hands in mock-surrender.

"Okay! I'm sorry. But it sounds funny."

"It isn't funny!" Juushirou snapped back, his cheeks still blazing. "You wouldn't get it, since you don't get sick and you're fine in dealing with girls and things like that."

"Which is why I'm constantly insulted by Naoko-chan and nagged by Sora." Shunsui said dryly. "You're mistaking a lot of alcohol induced soul searching with knowing about women. But that aside...Juu, you're being ridiculous. If you stop and think about it, you'll know that you are."

"How am I?" Juushirou's pride was roused at this, and Shunsui sighed.

"Firstly, because you have absolutely no reason to suppose you would have an attack or cough or choke if you were to do something as simple and innocent as just kiss a girl you like." He said sensibly. "And even if the worst happened and you did...Juu, where did you just spend the last few days?"

"The Healing Bay, but..."

"Who nursed you there?"

"Well..."

"Don't you think she's well enough acquainted with that side of you to be able to move past it if the worst came to the worst?"

"Well, maybe, but..."

"Juu..." Shunsui grasped his friend by the shoulders, giving him a gentle shake. "Stop it. The truth is you're finding excuses. And you're doing it because really you're just scared."

"I never said..."

"I know, but I can read you." Shunsui shook his head. "You're scared because you didn't think this could happen and you're not prepared for it. You like to be in control, and you're not this time around. But regardless of whether you're ready or not, it has happened. You should face it properly. Maybe friends is all right, or maybe it isn't. That's between the two of you. But life is too short for regrets. You're the one who said you wanted to live it - so don't run away from it. She's very pretty. She has a decent personality and she's not stuck up or frilly. And she likes you a lot. And even if it is the Kuchiki-ke, right now both of you are simply students here at the Academy. If you don't take chances while they're there, they'll slip away forever."

His eyes clouded.

"I let Saku slip away, and I regret it, even now." He admitted. "There wasn't any other option, but it's still how I feel. Don't do the same, all right?"

Juushirou let out a heavy sigh.

"I guess we'll see." Was all he responded, however, then, "Can we maybe study now? We have exams first and foremost - for now, please, let's focus on that."

"Fine." Shunsui released his grip, sitting back on the grass. "Where do you want to begin? Hohou or Kidou?"

"Well, if it isn't the Second Year's District prodigy." Before Juushirou could answer, a sharp voice cut through their conversation and both boys turned to see an older student watching them, two or three others in his slipstream. At their surprise, the older boy grimaced, curling his lip in derision.

"Look at it. Basic level Hohou and Kidou." He said disparagingly, reaching acoss to kick the Hohou volume from Shunsui's hands. "We read that so long ago I don't even remember it."

"Imagine not being able to do Shunpo." A second student snorted, bending to pick up the volume and flicking through the pages. "That's the level of student we're dealing with, Matsuo. They can still only just about walk from one place to the next."

"Who are you?" Juushirou's brows knitted in annoyance, and he snatched back the book. "You're obviously not second years, so why would you care what we were or weren't studying?"

"Ugh! It touched me!" As Juushirou's hand touched brushed against his sleeve, the second boy let out a yelp, pulling his arm back in an exaggerated movement and hurriedly brushing the white fabric as if trying to remove an invisible stain.

Shunsui pursed his lips.

"Perhaps they're not upperclassmen after all, Juu-kun." He observed casually, his gaze flitting across the group as he spoke. "Jumping around and screaming like small children over nothing."

"You can shut up." The leader, Matsuo cast Shunsui a glare. "We didn't come to speak to you, anyway. We came to speak to _that_."

He gestured at Juushirou, who bristled at the dismissive treatment.

"_That_ happens to be my close friend, however." Shunsui spoke before the District boy could snap back a retort. "Therefore obviously an insult given to him concerns me too. Besides, he's right. What we study is no business of complete strangers. If you don't know that, I suggest you go away and read up your own text books. Otherwise you might get kept down - exams are soon, after all."

"You're a cocky brat." A third, well built individual strode forward, pulling the sheathed blade from his waistband and prodding Shunsui in the chest with the tip of the scabbard. "What's your name?"

"Kyouraku Shunsui." Shunsui said frankly. "And yours?"

"Kyouraku?" Despite himself, Matsuo was somewhat disturbed by this, and he held out a hand to pull his big friend back.

"Let him alone, Nakao. Whatever he might look like, that one's the heir to District Eight's Clan. And our business isn't with him."

"The heir to District Eight's Clan." Shunsui murmured softly, slowly shaking his head. "Really, and you're upperclassmen? By the _asauchi_, I'm guessing you're fourth years. Yet even so haven't realised that Academy status is based on what we do, not what bloodline we were born into?"

"Bloodline matters." The second boy said stiffly. "Especially when it comes to something like this."

"What kind of an insult do you suppose it is to the Clans that a boy like this is already claiming to have heard his _zanpakutou_ spirit?" Nakao demanded angrily, nonetheless sliding his weapon back into his _obi_. "We've worked to a specific level to get to where we are, and yet here's this brat from outside who thinks he can skip the proper way of doing things and start training already? It's stupid. And its insulting, too. To all of us who've done things the proper way."

"No District kid will ever wield a_ zanpakutou_." Matsuo said softly, casting Juushirou an unpleasant look, and Juushirou snorted.

"If I train hard, then I'll do whatever I'm capable of." He said flatly, meeting the older boy's gaze with a steely one of his own. "I don't care where I was born, since it's something I can't change. It's also none of your business. What I do has no bearing on you - unless my hard work shows up your laziness and complacency."

"How dare you?" Even as Shunsui chuckled, Matsuo was beside himself at this clinical appraisal. "You're just a boy from the Districts! Do you _know_ how many members of my Clan have held high positions? How many of them have been gifted? How many..."

"I don't even know to which Clan you belong." Juushirou said quietly. "As you said, I'm District, so those things don't matter to me. But if you _do_ come from a family with that kind of reputation, surely the best thing is to uphold it by achieving the same things yourself? What I do isn't going to change what you do. And attacking me isn't going to help you summon your_ zanpakutou _any quicker. We're entirely disconnected...if you have a problem, maybe you should look for the answer to it inside yourself."

"Juu's right." Shunsui nodded. "If you have a problem with what he's doing, it means what you're doing isn't enough. Only a strong person isn't intimidated by another strong one, after all."

"As if any of us believe you've really heard your _zanpakutou _spirit." Ignoring Shunsui, Matsuo rounded on Juushirou once more. "As if any of us believe it's anything more than a sham or a scheme to make it look like District children can achieve the impossible. We all know, after all, that Clan reiatsu far outstrips District. You're just another common born child, in the end. You won't succeed. It's a waste of time...you ought to give up now."

"Do you believe, then, Kazaki Matsuo, that I waste my time on hopeless endeavours?"

Shirogane's tones broke through the increasingly heated debate, and Juushirou started, unaware that his sword _shishou_ had been so close by. As though he had tipped cold water over the whole group, there was utter silence as the Senior stepped in between them, glancing first at the three fourth year students, and then down to Juushirou and Shunsui on the ground.

"Well?" He said softly. "I asked a question, Kazaki Matsuo. Do you think that I waste my time on hopeless endeavours?"

"Shirogane-senpai." Matsuo whispered, and Shirogane's slate eyes hardened.

"_Anideshi_." He said pointedly. "Out of school, you may or may not call me by my first name. But here, you will respect true protocol and address me with the respect that Genryuusai-sensei expects."

"A...Anideshi." Nakao bit his lip, then bowed his head. "Of course we don't. It's just..."

"Yet I find you here harassing the boy that I have taken as my _deshi_. That implies you believe me either to be the foolish or the fooled." Shirogane was cutting. "And I do not appreciate either slur."

He glanced at Juushirou, who stared at him in disbelief, then turned away, facing the older students properly.

"But Anideshi...that boy is..." The second boy murmured, and Shirogane nodded.

"A lowborn ingrate from the murky depths of my family's governing District. Yes. I know. He has neither breeding nor bloodline to recommend him, and he is, to all intents and purposes, just another member of the common classes." He said quietly.

"Then...why...?"

"Even diamonds, before you polish them, look like nothing more than ugly rocks." Shirogane said cryptically. "Besides, since I have taken him as my _deshi,_ an insult to him is an insult to me as well. As a Kuchiki, such an insult is also an insult to my family. Is that your intention?"

His fingers hovered over the hilt of his blade.

"If so, I must defend my Clan's name, and will draw my sword. School or otherwise, such things are not to be overlooked or forgiven."

"We meant no insult, A...Anideshi." Matsuo hurriedly bowed his head, and after a moment, his two companions followed suit. A cold smile twitched at Shirogane's lips, and he nodded, lowering his right hand.

"Then go and study your own swordcraft." He said softly. "Before I change my mind and decide to act."

This was enough for the fourth years, and with one accord they were gone, disappearing through the trees back towards the school. As they did so, Shirogane sighed, shaking his head.

"Senpai..." Shunsui was the first to speak, confusion in his tones. "Did you just...defend Juu?"

"Defend him?" Shirogane swung around, fixing both boys with a piercing look. "Why would I do that? The insult was clearly against me and my family - not to mention my own skills as a _shishou_. What has it to do with Ukitake?"

"I see." A faint, amused smile touched Shunsui's lips, and Juushirou slowly bowed his head.

"I'm sorry to have caused such a thing to happen, Senpai." He said softly, though inwardly he knew that, whatever he said, the older boy had indeed come to his defence. "I didn't mean to create any trouble."

Shirogane pursed his lips, eying Juushirou pensively.

"You are a foolish boy." He said quietly. "You run into a fight, yet don't understand that you can only fight for so long. In this, Kazaki and his friends are right. If you tackle this with such a naive, reckless air, you will never summon your sword. You will clearly die first. A _zanpakutou_ does not fight for a master who doesn't know both his limits and his control levels. You still have to learn both things."

"Y..yes, Senpai." Juushirou nodded, then, "But...does that mean...you really will train me again?"

"I am your _shishou_." Shirogane's expression became haughty. "Kuchiki do not give up once they have undertaken a task. However unpleasant that task may prove to be - I have laid my name against yours, now. You will therefore summon your sword and fight with it. I will not tolerate anything else - and you will not escape my attention until we reach that point."

"Unohana-sensei says he can't do any physical training till next week, Senpai." Shunsui said quietly, and Shirogane shrugged carelessly.

"Then we will begin at the start of next week." He said thoughtfully. "We'll go back to the very basics, since you clearly do not know even those things. Do you understand, Ukitake? I will expect you bright and early, since we have much still to do."

Juushirou stared at the older boy for a moment, then he nodded his head, a smile touching his lips.

"Yes, Senpai. I understand." He said clearly. "I'll be there. Don't you worry. I'll come."

"Good. Then it's settled." Shirogane tossed his head, thick tail of dark wavy hair falling over his shoulder as he did so. "And don't waste my time, District boy. I won't tolerate it, even if you do cough blood."

With that he was gone, and Shunsui let out a low whistle.

"Well, that was unexpected." He said unecessarily, and Juushirou nodded.

"No kidding." He murmured. "I didn't think he'd even speak to me, let alone come and defend me like that."

"Well, he is a proud, arrogant jerk." Shunsui said thoughtfully. "But I think...just maybe...he also respects you a little bit."

"You think so?" Juushirou looked doubtful. "I think he just didn't like the slight to his family's pride."

"That too." Shunsui nodded. "But he said it, didn't he? That an unpolished diamond can be mistaken for just another rock. Cryptic, maybe, but you do realise what he was saying? He was saying that they shouldn't judge you based on your appearance. Twisted it might have been - but in his own way, Nagoya was paying you a compliment. He was talking about the power you have, even as a member of the District class."

"Maybe you're right." Juushirou sighed, sinking back against the tree. "Either way, he's going to carry on training me, and so that's all right. I don't need to worry about that any more."

He patted the Hohou textbook.

"Meanwhile, I can't let these classes slip either, else I'll be one-sided." He added. "Will you still help me catch up?"

"Well, I might as well." Shunsui winked, nodding his head. "Since I'm helping the second year's District prodigy."

"Shut up." Despite himself, a smile touched Juushirou's lips, and he thwapped his friend's arm playfully. "Don't say things like that, or I'll start calling you a genius again."

"Genius and prodigy." Shunsui snorted. "Somehow, I don't think it fits us, does it? Team Stupid seems much more appropriate."

Juushirou chuckled, nodding his head.

"No kidding." He agreed warmly. "We should stick with that."

He paused, then,

"Shunsui?"

"Mm?"

"Thank you for defending me too."

"Heh, goes without saying, that." Shunsui grinned. "Especially with you being convalescent - I couldn't let you do it all on your own!"

* * *

Keitarou had been in a black mood for days.

Shikiki pulled her thin cloak more tightly around her stocky frame, stifling a shiver as a chill breeze blew through the old dungeons that lay deep beneath the Endou estate. Above her, she knew, the men who had killed Daisuke roamed, and for the first few days she had barely had the courage even to whisper, let alone explore the bleak dwellings that had become her shelter since the destruction of her village. But despite their proximity, nobody had come. And little by little, Shikiki had realised nobody would come. That here, encased in thick stone and blocked off from all sides, was the most secret and secure location in all of District Seven.

She did not know that the outer walls of the former dungeon were lined with Sekkiseki, a form of stone known for its ability to absorb and repel spiritual power. Only the one area of the outer wall remained uncovered by the aura of this powerful shell - the section where Shouichi had had the dungeon blocked off a year before. It was through this gap that Keitarou slipped in and out of his forbidden home, and since the time the experiments had begun, he had modified the inner sections so that the full effect of the Sekkiseki was damped to a level whereby his scientific endeavours were possible.

This was indeed a 'safe place'...and though it was dark and smelt of death, Shikiki had begun to feel secure there.

At least it was not smothered beneath the dying embers of her former home.

She closed her eyes, tears glittering on her lashes as she remembered Daisuke's battered and beaten body. She had failed, she knew, although Keitarou had not criticised her for it once in the time since they had returned to this place. He had buried his kinsman with reverence and care, even murmuring a soft and unfamiliar prayer rite over the dark earth mound as he had said farewell to his one true ally, and Shikiki had known then that things would never be the same for either of them. She had lost someone she had considered a protector and a guardian...but even her childish awareness understood that Keitarou had lost a friend.

She had watched the ritual from behind a tree, wanting to say goodbye but not wanting to intrude on the scientist's grief. It was the first and only time she had ever seen Keitarou shed tears, and even though they had been few in number, she knew she would probably never see it again. She had not mentioned it and nor had he - but Shikiki had learnt that even her guardian had weaknesses and, this time, he had been truly hurt.

Since they had returned to the dungeon, however, Keitarou had not spoken Daisuke's name once. Instead he had settled down to his work with a new and ferocious intensity, checking formulae and scribbling notes by day, and relentlessly drilling Shikiki herself in her own magic in the evenings. He had made sure she was fed, though he had seemed to eat little himself, and Shikiki had found him somehow distant and strange - as though, for the first time in their acquaintance, she understood that Keitarou was a dangerous man.

Yet she trusted that dangerous man, because she had nobody else now in whom she could. And so she did as she was told when he wanted her - and the rest of the time, she kept out of his way.

He was away from the dungeon now, however. He had headed outside a short while earlier, in search of a particular mineral without which he could not progress his experiment, and Shikiki had been left alone in the cold darkness to await his return. He had left one feeble Kidou lamp burning, and despite her barrier magic, Shikiki did not know any of the complicated spells that Keitarou knew to raise fire or lightning, so its dim glow cast frightening shadows across the chamber, reminding her that this had been a place of torture and death long before it had been turned over to the Urahara.

Daisuke had been hurt in a place like this, and that thought made her shiver again. She hoped he was safe now, with the spirits that guarded this world. She was sure he must be...but in the darkness, it was easy to doubt even the ingrained convictions of her village infancy.

Before she could dwell too much on this, however, she heard the sound of footfalls, and she started, turning towards the centre of the lab as she expected to see Keitarou reappear before her using his magic that she didn't understand.

But it wasn't Keitarou. It was a different man. And as her gaze met his, fear pierced through the young girl's soul.

He was a stranger, tall and young with a warrior's tail of black hair yanked back from his face in an ornamented clasp and an air of impatient dissatisfaction in his odd blue eyes. He was thin faced, yet he was lean, not skinny, and from the glittering scabbard that hung at his side, he was a trained swordsman, too. His clothes were expensive - fine fabrics in deep reds and browns, and around his shoulders was a dark, wine-coloured cape, edged with the faintest trimmings of gold.

Shikiki did not know that the colours of the Endou family were brown and red, but even without knowing this, she knew that the man who stood before her was a member of the Clan who lived upstairs.

The Clan who had killed Daisuke, and who had hunted her village to extinction.

There was a long, protracted silence, then the man spoke.

"Who are you, child?" He demanded, his tones sharp and imperious as he glared down at her. "How did you come to be here?"

"I...I was...Kei-nii said..." Shikiki stammered, too terrified to manage any coherence, and the man's brows knitted together as he crossed the room in swift steps, grabbing her by the collar of her thin kimono and hauling her up so that she was face to face with him, legs dangling helplessly below her.

"Answer me." He said blackly. "I am in no temper to play with children. Who are you and how did you come to be here?"

"She belongs to me, Seimaru-sama. My apologies for not explaining her presence here sooner."

Keitarou's voice sounded like pure gold to the terrified Shikiki, and at the sound of it, Seimaru's grip on her loosened, sending her tumbling to the hard floor with a bump and a thud.

"Yours?" The noble demanded. "In what manner, belongs to you?"

"She is a peasant girl from a local village. An orphan." Keitarou stepped into view at that moment, grey cloak billowing out around him as he dusted off the stray specks of mineral from his thin, pale fingers. "I chose to save her when your Lord Grandfather decided to destroy those around her - and have trained her since then. She has a unique gift, you see...one which I believe will be of use to you and I both as time progresses."

"A gift?" Seimaru wheeled back towards Shikiki, peering at her once more and the young girl shrank back, terrified of those pale blue eyes.

"She uses barrier magic to a level I've never seen before." Keitarou agreed. "In an unusual way, too. Though it is an immature talent yet - she can reverse the flow of time within her barrier, as well as prevent objects outside getting inside."

"Reverse the flow of...?" Seimaru's eyes widened, and Keitarou smiled faintly.

"You might see it as the fixing of a torn cloth, or the sealing of a deep sword-gash." He said softly. "When she is fully trained, Seimaru-sama, you will have a healer whose talent surpasses even that of the Unohana. This child is young yet, but even so she has already managed to heal a kitten practically dead from drowning back to perfect health. With time, do you not see her potential? What she offers is..."

"Potential invincibility." Seimaru's eyes became slits, and Keitarou nodded.

"This miserable brat is truly capable of such things?"

"I realise, it is hard to know it from her appearance." Keitarou acknowledged. "Shikiki, stop skulking on the floor and stand - bow your head before a Lord of the Endou-ke. You do remember that that's how you behave when your superior crosses your path, don't you? Such disrespect is unforgivable - you're fortunate that Seimaru-sama is not of the mind to slice your head from your body."

Shikiki swallowed hard, scrambling hastily to her feet and bowing low before the newcomer.

"I'm very sorry, S...S...Seimaru-s..s...sama." She managed. "I d...didn't m...mean to b...be rude."

Seimaru stared at her a while longer, then,

"Shikiki. Is that what you called her?" He asked, turning back to Keitarou, who nodded.

"An odd name." Seimaru pursed his lips. "Ugly and malformed...but it rather suits her."

He smirked, clearly amused by his own cruel humour, then,

"If she is an apprentice of yours, I suppose that I will not act against her. For now." He said at length. "If you believe her magic to be of use to me, I will trust that judgement. But remember, Aizen...I have many tasks for you and molly-coddling a peasant girl is not among them."

"Yes, sir." Keitarou bowed his head slightly. "And I have made good progress in all of those. I have worked intensively of late - my newest _reidoku_ formula is almost at the point where it can be used on a live subject."

"I was under the impression you were already using live subjects." Seimaru said frankly, and Keitarou nodded.

"Yes, but I meant a Shinigami." He said patiently. "One who has some command of their spirit power, rather than just overflowing levels of it."

"Then take my Grandfather and use him as you see fit." Seimaru muttered, and Shikiki saw Keitarou's eyes become thoughtful.

"Shouichi-sama continues to vex you?" He asked softly, and Seimaru snorted.

"Everything vexes me at present." He snapped. "And I don't know why you are calm. Was it not your ally he beat, tortured and slew not so many days ago? I heard of it, you know - his trying to lure you out with your kinsman as bait - and that, fool as you are, you fell for it and almost became snared by him?"

Keitarou was silent, and Shikiki knew that Seimaru was talking about Daisuke. Then, at length, the scientist nodded.

"I will find it hard to forgive that act." He admitted. "But even so, experimental _reidoku_ is not suitable for one of Shouichi-sama's level. I need someone on whom I can experiment more than once, and I think...that would not be acceptable for the Head of the Endou Clan."

"I want him dead." Seimaru said quietly. "I am fed up of pandering to my Uncle and tripping around my Grandfather's foolishness. This Clan will be in pieces by the time I inherit it at this rate."

Keitarou's eyes narrowed.

"He was my enemy when he became your enemy, Seimaru-sama." He said softly. "Since I am your servant in all things, and my interests therefore follow your own. Now he has simply become my enemy on my own account, too. You need not worry. Shouichi-sama will not live forever. You will have a Clan to inherit. I promise you that."

"You have it in hand, then?" Seimaru gazed at him, and Shikiki saw Keitarou nod.

"Yes. I do." He said simply. "But you must not ask me any more about it. I will promise you, Seimaru-sama, that your Grandfather will leave this world in such a way that nobody will ever point the finger at your door - yours or anyone else's. He will simply slip away...and then you will have free reign to act as you see fit. As head of the Endou Clan, you will rule this District...and I...I will avenge the death of my close kinsman."

"Then you were close to that man. I thought so." Seimaru's lips thinned. "Very well. You are probably right. But don't fail, Aizen. I'm trusting you with a lot, here. If Grandfather is to die, I must be completely above suspicion. You understand? Absolutely and completely."

A cold smile touched Keitarou's lips, chilling Shikiki to the bone.

"I understand." He said softly. "Have no fear. When the time is right, it will be done...just leave it to me."


	25. Clan Scars

**Chapter Twenty Four: Clan Scars  
**

So, after so many years in hiding, they had begun to show their faces.

Urahara Nagesu stepped over the uneven bumps in the grassland, following the invisible pathway almost by instinct towards the old wooden structure that stood at the furthermost reaches of his family's estate. It was more or less abandoned, now, and overgrown with sixteen different species of vine and moss that Nagesu knew the names of without having to resort to his family's huge and extensive library to identify, yet beneath the greenery were marks and scars that he knew even more clearly than anything he had studied as part of the Urahara-ke's rigorous scientific training.

He pushed back the low-hanging tendrils of the living curtain, bending his head to avoid catching spider webs in his hair as he entered the small, dilapidated structure for the first time in many, many years. He would not be disturbed, he knew, since he had told his manservant that he expected to be away from the estate until lunchtime, and he had not even confided his plans in his wife or his son and heir. Unlike them, who bore no connection to the past, Nagesu knew he would always remember. And no matter what other judgements he made – the Urahara traitors and rebels were also family he recalled quite vividly – family who, in one fell swoop, had been cut away by his Father's ruthless decisions.

Nagesu bore his predecessor Rikaya no ill will for those acts. They had been necessary – he knew that better than any, for he had been the one to inherit the Clan and therefore the only member of the Urahara who had seen all of his Father's letters and minutes from meetings. The old Lord had had no choice but to cast his brother from him, in the end. It had been a sacrifice made for the greater good of the Urahara, in order that they could keep District Three and not collapse into ignominy and regret. It was the same kind of sacrifice the Shihouin had recently made, he acknowledged, even as his thin fingers brushed away the stubborn moss and fern that grew over the stone ledges and notches of what had once been his childhood summerhouse. The only difference had been that while Shihouin Kamuki had recognised his duty and submitted to his fate willingly, Urahara Keitsune had not.

Nagesu had read his uncle's begging, pleading letters many times. For the most part they had dealt with provision for his wife and child, but once or twice, in short, cryptic paragraphs, Nagesu had detected the man's own fear of dying.

But then, he reflected with a sigh, Keitsune had not been a soldier. He had not been briefed, as Kamuki had, on the ways of life and death that warriors faced when they trained to hold a sword in their hands. He had exchanged weaponry for pen and ink, and therefore had not understood the things that Nagesu himself had come to know only too well.

He was an Urahara, and as such, a scientist. But he was also a swordsman and a member of the Gotei. And for his Clan, on those grounds, no sacrifice would ever be too high.

At last he stopped in his work, gazing down through the lenses of his glasses at the bared stone with pensive, near colourless eyes. There still, scratched in white against the grey surface were clumsy characters – first the kanji of his own name, written in the rounded scrawl of a young child. And then beneath it, barely legible, were three more kanji – the three kanji that Nagesu had taught his cousin to write only a month before the world had come crashing down around them both.

Even now he could read them as clearly as if they had been printed by an expert scribe. The three characters that had made up the young boy's name.

_Kei. Ta. Rou._

Nagesu sat back on his heels, for once paying his fine robes no attention as he remembered his young cousin. He had only been four, he recalled, and Nagesu himself had been no more than eight in the days before his uncle's sudden and unexpected arrest. They had played here that day too – as they had played most of the summer. It had been as if they were the only two boys of their generation, for his other boy cousin – had his name been Daisuke? Nagesu could not quite recall, for he had surely perished with other kin in one of the Council raids - had been little more than a babe in arms then, and his own brother – an afterthought – had not yet drawn his first breath.

In those days, Keitarou and Nagesu – who had largely ignored his younger sisters since at that time he had not cared for girls - had been as close as brothers could have been. While their fathers had met and discussed science and politics, Nagesu and Keitarou had run through the grounds, Keitarou always wanting to explore something new, and Nagesu always cautiously following behind, warning his junior of the dangers and making sure the young boy stayed safe. Even now, he could not forget Keitarou's mud-slurried tail of wild, wavy hair and his dark eyes, full of curiosity and excitement. It was only when Keitarou came to stay that Nagesu was released from the tedium of his own intensive studies as heir to the Clan, and so he had looked forward to the visits quite as much as the eager, inquisitive four year old who delighted in visiting the library even though then he had not been able to read the books held there.

He got slowly to his feet, dusting himself down.

In almost a century, nobody had mentioned the young boy's name. Yet even though the Council meeting had not revealed the identity of the Urahara rebels being pursued in District Seven, somehow Nagesu was certain that his young cousin was among them.

_You disappeared, and for years, nobody even knew if you survived. You and my aunt, into the mist, to become nothing more than stories forgotten by most of those around you. Wiped from the records, erased from history. The son of a man who pushed the boundaries too far…an innocent cast down by his father's guilt._

Nagesu took off his glasses, wiping them absently against his sleeve before replacing them on his nose.

_Yet even though your name was not spoken, Keitarou – somehow I know that Shouichi-sama meant you. Somehow I've always known it – that somewhere in this world, you lived. And that somehow…you would not forget as easily as others have forgotten you._

His eyes narrowed.

_Even as a small boy, both Father and Uncle recognised your genius – even then they wanted you to learn to be as useful to me as Uncle was to Father throughout his life. Have you finally used that potential, after all? _

He stepped back out into the sunlight, suddenly no longer wanting to be in a place so shrouded by memories. After Keitsune's death, he had never come here – it was not the same without Keitarou, and his own children had never played there, for he had commissioned a new place for them to play their childhood games. In an unspoken, unofficial way it had become both a shrine and a memorial in Nagesu's mind – to the innocence of that childhood that had ended when he had been eight years old.

_I loved my Uncle too, in the end. Just as I loved my cousin and my Aunt. And I cried for them, just as I cried for you, Keitarou. You may not believe it – but even now, it's true._

His eyes narrowed.

_But as head of the Urahara, I must stand firm. If you are behind it – even if it is you behind it – I will not be swayed. I will do what I must to uphold my family's law – and the law of the Council to whom my Clan's loyalty is sworn!_

* * *

"We all seem to have been super-busy of late."

Thus Enishi as he dropped down onto his messy bunk with a sigh, gazing around him at the random piles of clothes and belongings that scattered the covers. Across the chamber, Shunsui was idly flicking through his own belongings, and at the chaos, Juushirou grinned, shrugging his shoulders in resignation.

It was ten days since his return to training, and in that time he had managed to keep much more within his limits, little by little feeling he was making the slowest of progressions towards full control. Shirogane had not stopped being demanding or strict, and Juushirou could not say that the Senior had been nice to him - yet somehow he felt they had a better working relationship now than they had had before, and consequently he felt far more confident that he would manage to reach his final goal.

Perhaps because of that, he reasoned now, settling himself down on his bedcovers to watch his friends, his health had been more settled of late, too. Exams had come and gone, and whilst he had scraped a mark of joint second this time with the elated Ryuu, he had not disgraced himself and could now look forward to the short summer break with a clear heart.

Not that, he knew, for him it would really be a break. District Six was too far and too expensive for him to travel back to his seaside family, and in any case he had already been instructed by his aloof _shishou_ to remain within easy reach so that their training could continue even when classes did not.

The next day would see those students who were going home leaving by carriage - yet Juushirou would not be going with them.

Shunsui sighed, flopping back onto his blankets.

"Nii-sama is so inconvenient." He said now, breaking the silence. "Last year he didn't want me home for Summer break. Now he's summoned me there on one of his whims. I don't want to get up at the crack of dawn on a day without classes just to ride across the border...I wish he'd decided to let me alone."

"Don't you want to see your family, Kyouraku-kun?" Hirata put in from his corner, surprise in his pale blue eyes. "But you and your brother get along well - don't you?"

"Yes, we do." Shunsui nodded. "Only...well, I could've done without this trip, I suppose."

He cast Juushirou a rueful grin.

"I wanted to stay and make sure Nagoya-senpai didn't batter you to death over the break." He admitted. "But now I guess I won't be able to. I'm sorry about that."

"I'll be fine." Juushirou assured him. "And I'm not the only one not going home. None of the Kuchiki-ke seem to be, and Hirata's said he's staying too, even though Kai-kun is going home."

"News will come here more quickly than it will to District Two, and I have to hope and wait for any information relating to my Clan." Hirata nodded. "Besides, if you're staying, Ukitake-kun, I don't mind being here to keep you company. And Kuchiki-kun will be here too, so it will be fine, Kyouraku-kun. He won't be on his own."

"Ryuu-kun and Mitsuki-chan." Shunsui rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hirata, I'm going to rely on you to be Mitsuki and Juu's chaperon if need be - understand? Since I won't be here to defend Mitsuki's honour, and Ryuu's probably too hot-tempered to do it properly."

"We don't need chaperoning!" Juushirou objected. "It's not like that and you know it. We'll do fine, whether you're here or not, Shunsui!"

"And none of the Kuchiki are going back because Guren-sama issued an order that none of them were to travel." Enishi added at this moment, glancing up from his pile of rumpled _hakama_. "I heard it from my cousin in the fourth year. Apparently he doesn't want any of his family travelling through District Seven."

"Is there trouble, then?" Juushirou looked anxious. "Enishi-kun, Hirata's family...?"

"No, not like that." Enishi shook his head. "I don't know all the details, but I think there are some outlaw individuals running amok in Seventh and the Endou are trying to track them down. Guren-sama is worried that Kuchiki in Seventh District might provide those rebels with an opportunity to take a hostage - and he doesn't want the headache of dealing with it."

"Rebels who are strong enough to take Kuchiki children prisoner?" Shunsui was startled. "Are you sure, Enishi-kun?"

"Positive." Enishi nodded, and Hirata sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Kai-kun's said the same to me, too." He admitted slowly. "Midori-sama mentioned it to him in passing in a letter - that none of the Clans want their children in District Seven whilst there may be dangerous outlaws on the loose. I don't know much more than that, since obviously Midori-sama didn't tell him everything, either. But I think...Guren-sama has probably done the right thing."

"They must be special outlaws, then." Juushirou frowned. "Because even though Ryuu-kun and the rest aren't fully trained, surely against ordinary criminals..."

"Well, I don't know anything for sure. I only know what my cousin said." Enishi shrugged. "But he thought they might be _Urahara_ rebels. And so if they are...they'd probably be tough competition. Even, maybe, for Nagoya to deal with - even with his _zanpakutou_ release."

"Urahara?" Juushirou frowned, fleeting memory of the campfire conversation flitting through his thoughts. "You mean...descendants of the people who were put to death for _reidoku_ a century ago?"

"There are still supposedly a lot of them about, in the shadows." Shunsui looked grave. "A bunch of them did escape, after all, when everything kicked off. Probably most of them have disappeared and changed their names so they can live their lives without persecution among the various districts. But...not necessarily all of them. It's not impossible, Juu-kun. Even after so long, that some of them might still bear a grudge. Besides..."

"Urahara scientists are nothing new in District Seven." Hirata said bitterly. "And if Grandfather _is_ hunting them down, it's because he knows where they are and what they might reveal. It's a personal vendetta, most likely, to protect the Endou-ke name. I doubt any other Clan would be in danger - it's between the Endou and the rebels."

"Hirata..." Juushirou took in his friend's expression, then he sighed. "But either way, I suppose it makes sense that Guren-sama doesn't want to take the risk. After all...he has the safety of his family to worry about."

"Maybe I'll find something out about it from Nii-sama, then, when I go home." Shunsui decided. "Bordering District Seven, he must know something about it. Especially with all the refugees flowing into our land. It more or less stopped for a while, but then after Yayoi-sama died it started up again, and I know it's something that concerns him. Perhaps he's heard something - and I might make use of my home-going after all."

"Maybe that's why he's called you home." Juushirou suggested, and Shunsui shook his head, a wry smile touching his lips.

"No. He has another motivation." He said ruefully. "He wants me to meet his potential fiancee...he wants my blessing, I think, since if he marries her, she'll be a part of our household for keeps."

"Tokutarou-sama is getting married?" Enishi blinked, and Shunsui nodded.

"So it seems. Probably." He agreed. "Though don't tell Sora, since I haven't discussed it with her yet."

"Why would Sora care?" Juushirou looked puzzled, and Shunsui sighed.

"Sometimes, Juu, I worry about your powers of observation." He said heavily. "But anyway, the Clan have been badgering Nii-sama over it for ages now. Finally he's letting them have their way - or so he said in his letter."

"Is she a Kyouraku?" Hirata asked softly, and Shunsui nodded.

"My cousin, actually, although she's someone I've not met for one reason or another." He agreed. "Mother is her aunt, so this was all done on her advice and manipulation, I think. Nii-sama respects Mother's judgement more than he lets on, so he probably let himself be talked into it. Still, I don't know any more about her yet than that. So I guess we'll see. I might need to escape into politics and stuff if she's really Clannish and annoying."

Juushirou grinned.

"You mean, if she's the kind of sister-in-law who'll nag you and try to keep you in order." He translated, amusement in his hazel eyes, and Shunsui laughed, nodding his head.

"Something like that." He agreed good-naturedly. "I'm already surrounded, with Nii-sama on one side and Okaasama on the other. Another one on their team would just be blatantly unfair. Besides, this girl is our age. She was born two months before I was, so she's only nineteen. That'd be pretty weird, if she tried to pull the sister-in-law thing on me...so I suppose we'll see what happens. If I come crawling back to school in a state, you'll know it didn't go well."

"She might be pretty." Enishi suggested, and Shunsui shrugged.

"That would make it worse." He owned. "Since as my cousin she's already borderline off limits, but as my brother's potential wife...no, Enishi. That's not making it seem any better. Besides..."

He sighed, shaking his head.

"The last thing I want is for Nii-sama to start thinking it's time _I_ thought about marriage again." He said heavily. "I don't think Rae-hime has any sisters...and our relationship is closer by blood than our Clan usually like, thank goodness - but you never know...apparently heirs to Clans are quite desirable commodities, in some circles."

"It's all right, Shunsui. They'd soon change their mind once they'd met you." Juushirou said lightly, and Shunsui snorted, tossing a pair of white socks in his friend's direction.

"Thank you." He said wryly. "That makes me feel much better."

He sighed.

"I'm just going to have to resign myself to a week and a half of being a Kyouraku Clansman instead of just lounging around the place like I usually do." He said heavily. "Since Tokutarou-nii will want me to make a good impression on the girl…at least until she's agreed to marry him and can't back out of the arrangement. It's going to be a boring trip home – I wish I could smuggle a couple of you with me, but sadly even that's off limits, too. Nii-sama was very specific. No silliness, no delays, no guests. And Yasuhiro would be coming personally with a carriage to collect me tomorrow at dawn."

"Yasuhiro…?" Juushirou frowned. "Is he a kinsman too? I don't know that name."

"No." Shunsui shook his head. "He's a member of the Sasakibe clan – they're a lower level family with close ties to the Shiba, but he's been my brother's chief manservant for a long time. Possibly since Tokutarou-nii was a boy, actually – I'm not quite sure. But either way, Nii-sama trusts him over everyone else he employs and he's not the kind of person who you'd try and go up against if you knew what was good for you."

He grimaced.

"Nii-sama knows that Yasuhiro won't be afraid to man-handle me if necessary, so long as he's been given his orders." He added. "He's respectful enough to me at the main house, but it's really only Tokutarou-nii that he obeys, not anyone else. As I said, his links are originally with District Five – so if he wants to drag me home by force, he'll probably do so. That's why I intend to be up and ready tomorrow – otherwise I could quite see the guy coming into the dorm and hauling me out of bed himself."

"I can see why Tokutarou-sama keeps him around, then." Enishi was amused. "The Sasakibe are a quite well known lower level warrior family – and supposedly very loyal, too. Our Clan employ several of them as guardsmen for important duties and places. But they don't take any nonsense and they obey their masters to the letter, no matter what."

"Yeah. Tell me about it." Shunsui rubbed his chin ruefully. "The number of times Yasuhiro came and hauled me out of a tavern or some other place at just past dawn…well, lets just say that he doesn't stand on any ceremony with me, and has no qualms about doing whatever he has to in order to follow Nii-sama's instructions."

"Then we'd better help make sure you're up and around early tomorrow." Juushirou decided, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "So that you don't upset your brother's messenger and don't offend your future sister-in-law."

Shunsui groaned again, flopping down onto his bed face down, and Juushirou laughed.

"It won't be as bad as that." He scolded. "And you'll get to see your family – your Mother as well as Tokutarou-sama. Think of those of us whose families are far away, Shunsui-kun – you don't realise how lucky you are."

"I suppose that's true." Shunsui rolled onto his back, nodding his head slowly. "Only my family and your family are completely different, Juu…still, I take the point. Okay. I'll stop complaining."

He grinned.

"I suppose if I'm at home, too, nobody's going to make me do any kind of revision study over the break." He added more brightly. "Nii-sama doesn't expect me to touch any kind of book when I'm at home – so that's all right."

"Since you held on to your top of the class position in the exams, he probably thinks you bother to work when you're here, instead." Juushirou reflected, and Shunsui shrugged.

"He knows me pretty well by now, so I'm not sure he does." He admitted. "But so long as I keep getting those marks, he tends to leave my education alone. Maybe it will be something of a holiday, after all – perhaps he'll even let me sleep in once or twice."

"You haven't even left yet, and already you're talking about sleeping in?"

At that moment the door slid back to reveal Kai, hair damp from the baths, and at his words, Shunsui cast him a rueful grin.

"Something like it." He agreed good-naturedly. "What about you, Kai-kun? What treats await you on your trip East?"

"Treats?" Kai snorted. "I'm worked harder at home than I am at school, Kyouraku. Hirata'll tell you. I'm no token heir – besides, Nee-sama is a harder taskmistress even than Minabe if she wants to be. I'll be coming back here for a break, not going home for one. There's far too much to be done within the Shihouin – even now."

"Another good reason why I'm staying here this time." Hirata nodded. "The Shihouin-ke have been kinder to me already than I can repay – I don't need to get under their feet more than is necessary."

"You'd be fine to come, though. I told you already – neither Nee-sama nor I consider you an imposition." Kai sent him a concerned look, but Hirata shook his head.

"It's fine. This time I'll stay." He said in his soft voice. "If you don't have me to look after, you'll be able to help Midori-sama far more. And it isn't as though she'll have you for very long this time, so I think it's better this way."

"Where's Kuchiki?" Enishi asked at this moment. "Since he's not going home, I'm surprised he's not up here."

"The library, most probably." Kai rolled his eyes. "He didn't come to the bath-house with me – well, big surprise there – and that's usually where you can find him. He's a creature of habit, after all…he'll probably spend the whole summer locked up inside there with all the books he can get his hands on."

"Not if we can help it." Juushirou shook his head. "If Hirata's here to help make sure I don't overwork myself this break, he and I can also make sure Ryuu-kun doesn't spend all of the time with his head in a book. While the weather's nice, we can walk up into the town and the girls are staying, I think, so they can come too. I have to balance my training, in any case, so it'll be a good excuse to clear my head."

"And there are no illicit chemicals or shady characters lurking in that town these days." Kai said dryly. "So in that respect, you should be safe enough."

"Juu's already planning on taking Mitsuki on a summer walking date." Shunsui teased, and Juushirou snorted.

"I don't remember saying anything like that." He retorted neatly. "I suggested we could _all _go. I'm sorry to disappoint you, Shunsui – but I've no secret plans to do anything inappropriate with Mitsuki while you people are away. Like I told you before – a hundred times – we're _just friends_. That's all. Nothing else."

"Which was said so emphatically, it's obviously a lie." Kai chuckled, and Juushirou swung around, a look of dismay on his pale features.

"Kai-kun? You too?"

"Well, it's not as though it isn't obvious that you both like one another." Kai shrugged, sinking down onto his own bed. "And it'd probably be a lot better for the two of you if you stopped tiptoeing and got it out of your system. It isn't healthy, after all…bottling things up."

Shunsui let out an appreciative chuckle, and Juushirou sighed.

"I don't know whether Shunsui's been a bad influence on you or if this is ingrained Shihouin coming out." He said resignedly. "For the last time, though, let it go. Okay? Mitsuki's a Kuchiki. I'm District. Whatever either of us might or might not think about it – there's no changing those two things."

"Sounds like you've given it some thought." Enishi finally got to the bottom of his pile of clothes, dumping them down on the floor with a satisfied grin. "Maybe Shihouin's right, in the end. Perhaps bottling it up is a bad thing."

"Enishi-kun!" Juushirou looked scandalised, and Shunsui got to his feet, coming to rest a reassuring hand down on his friend's shoulder.

"The thing is, Juu, we all see you as one of us. We don't see Clan or District and we don't make those kinds of divisions." He said seriously. "And I do know the complications of it – but the thing is, Saku and I were different in one way at least. Saku was never…reaching for the sky. And I…never knew a way to encourage her to. But Mitsuki is going to be her own kind of Shinigami – she's going to make her own choices as a healer, not as a Kuchiki _hime_. And you're going to be a Gotei Shinigami, with a _zanpakutou_ and, quite probably, a rank of note in Genryuusai-sensei's new vision of Seireitei. Things are changing. _You're_ the one who keeps advocating that change. So stop falling into the traps of the past, okay? You don't have to obey rules set down by Clansfolk if you're not Clansfolk. Didn't you tell those upperclassmen something like that just the other day? You'll only help make those divisions stronger if you help to support them."

"Kyouraku makes it sound like it's your duty to pursue Edogawa." Kai was amused, and Juushirou sighed, rubbing his temples.

"I know." He admitted unwillingly. "But it doesn't help – you encouraging me is as bad as if you were telling me it's wrong. It's not about right or wrong. It just makes me uncomfortable if everyone is looking and pointing and adding their opinion to the mix."

"Ukitake-kun is right. You should stop teasing him." Hirata said softly, and Juushirou shot his young friend a grateful look. "It's up to Ukitake-kun and Edogawa-san if they like each other or if they just want to be friends. Everyone else is just going to make it awkward and that's not fair. Stop talking about it now…let's talk about something else."

"You really have come on since last year, you know, kid." Enishi cast Hirata a warm smile. "And you're right, so we'll lay off. All right, Kyouraku? Shihouin? No more teasing Ukitake about Edogawa. It's not our business to interfere…end of subject."

"Spoilsport." Shunsui pulled a face, but Juushirou nodded.

"Thank you Hirata. Enishi-kun." He said, relief in his hazel eyes. "Instead, maybe Hirata and I can help you three to pack your belongings for tomorrow – since they're not going to pack themselves."

"Seems like he's eager to get rid of us, now." Kai observed dryly. "All right, Ukitake. You win. And someone ought to help Houjou with that mountain of stuff, else he'll pack all _hakama_ and nothing else."

"I'm no good at domestic things." Enishi shrugged good-naturedly. "But help would be appreciated, Ukitake – thank you. My mother's given up on expecting me to understand anything about it, but my sister will probably have plenty to say if I turn up with half the wrong clothes. Not to mention I'm taller than her husband, so I'll have nothing to wear if I don't pack the right belongings from the start."

"You're not going home, then?" Kai looked surprised, and Enishi shook his head.

"It's only a short break, and my older sister claimed me this time." He said with a grin. "I haven't seen her since the winter, so she insisted I came to stop with her this break. She and I have always been quite close – and my brother in law is one of the few Clansmen who doesn't look on me as a clumsy nuisance about the house – so when she wrote and asked me, I was all for it. She lives only twenty_ ri _from the school – so it's a shorter journey, too."

"I guess in-laws aren't always bad, then." Shunsui said pensively. "I hope I have as much luck with my potential ones as you have with yours."

He stretched, letting out a heavy sigh.

"And I suppose I ought to pack, too." He added resignedly. "Or Yasuhiro's going to be taking me home without any clothes, either!"

* * *

Shunsui would arrive soon.

Tokutarou set down his brush, glancing briefly over the document he had just signed, then nodded, getting to his feet and moving to the door to summon one of his messengers. It was more convenient, he knew, when Yasuhiro was on duty, for the broad warrior was also adept at carrying out other instructions, still Tokutarou had decided that for the time being it was better to send his most trusted advisor to collect his young brother and hope to manage in his absence.

_I don't think Shunsui is in danger, particularly not coming from District One home. But you can never be too careful – and at least this way I know he won't dally on the way._

Once the document was safely in the hands of his swift-footed messenger boy, Tokutarou sighed, shutting the study door and leaning up against the wood with a pensive expression on his face. He was looking forward to seeing his brother, yet he was also apprehensive, since there were so many things to discuss – many things and yet, so little time.

"Tokutarou-sama?"

A soft voice from the landing above made him start and he glanced up, offering the speaker a rueful smile.

_Time, or opportunity._

"I'm sorry, am I disturbing your work?" The young woman looked concerned, faltering at the rail, and Tokutarou shook his head.

"Not at all." He assured her. "I've finished the documentation I needed to have signed this morning – I was simply thinking about Shunsui's trip home, and that he'd be arriving quite soon."

"Ah." The young woman's pretty face cleared and she nodded, moving gracefully down the steps to join him. "I am anxious to meet Shunsui-sama, of course…since he and I will be brother and sister as well as cousins if our arrangement goes to plan."

"Yes." Tokutarou was silent for a long while, then he sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Shunsui is…a very clever boy." He added eventually. "I hope…you will understand that, Rae-hime. Or that he…will let you understand that."

"Why would I not?" Rae was genuinely confused. "Yoshiko-basama has said the same, and I know she adores her son. Why would I find him anything other? Is he not the Clan's favourite to wear the _haori_ of District Eight when he has completed his training?"

"Ye-e-es…" Tokutarou faltered, then he offered her a wry smile. "Ah, well. You'll see, I think, when you meet. To understand…is to meet him in full, not listen to me attempt to explain or excuse him. I only hope he will make a good first impression – truthfully, with my brother, it's often hard to know what he will say or do next."

Rae stared for a moment, then she laughed, an amused peal of tinkling laughter as she slowly nodded her head.

"Yoshiko-basama has also told me that he likes mischief." She said lightly. "Although I confess she did not give me any real detail. I am curious, however. I have heard so much about Shunsui-sama from many many sources – and I am eager to meet him at long last. It seems wrong that we are first cousins, yet have had no chance to even exchange greetings."

"Well, Shunsui's childhood was complicated." Tokutarou said quietly, and Rae frowned, her features becoming serious as she nodded her head.

"Yes." She said gravely. "This too I have heard from my lady Aunt."

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"You needn't have any fear of me being frightened away by anything my cousin has to say, Tokutarou-sama." She said at length. "I am quite resolved, you see, to make a good impression on him and on all of those who surround you. I intend to fulfil the Clan's wishes, after all. If you will accept me, I intend to become your wife – and undertake willingly all that that entails."

Tokutarou gazed at her for a moment, taking in the resolution that glittered now in her mahogany dark eyes.

She was both petite and delicate in appearance, her pale complexion and deep coloured eyes in direct enough contrast to give her the striking, distinctive appearance often associated with the northern Kyouraku nobles. Her thick chestnutty brown waves of hair were wisped back from her face in a neat yet elegant braid, and some maidservant had obviously spent a good deal of time with her that morning, for it was threaded with delicate, tiny beads of silver and rose. Her kimono was of the most expensive fabric in soft, pastel green, patterned faintly with a floral design that wove its way across the cloth as though each stitch had been placed there with purpose, one thread at a time. The silk had been imported and most likely styled with all the intention of enhancing her simple beauty.

Yet there was nothing superficial or weak in this girl's demeanour or her attitude, and even though at first glance she might be mistaken for fragile, in the five days since they had met, Tokutarou had already realised that his potential fiancée bore a brain as sharp as Yoshiko's own. At first he had feared discussing politics with her, not sure whether her sheltered life in the North would have precluded her from taking part in such debates. He had soon discovered that fear to be groundless, however, for Rae was as acquainted with the Clans and their rivalries as any man of the Kyouraku he had ever had the fortune to meet.

She was like Yoshiko in many ways, he reflected, even vaguely bearing her aunt's likeness in her face. Yet she was also different from Yoshiko, too – and on one or two occasions Tokutarou had got the impression that she would never let her son be taken from her in the way Shunsui had been forcibly taken from Yoshiko, so many years ago.

In truth, even in such a short space of time, Tokutarou liked her. For a Clan leader to like his or her arranged partner was a rare luxury indeed, he knew – yet he would not commit until he had consulted his brother and heir, and elicited his acceptance for the match as well.

"Then the sooner you two meet the better." He said now, offering her his arm as he heard the sound of the main doors from the floor immediately below. "I think that Yasuhiro may have returned, and that means Shunsui will be here, too. You are of an age, so may have things in common, after all."

"It matters a good deal to you, doesn't it, that I should form a good opinion of your brother?" Rae asked softly, and Tokutarou nodded his head.

"It does." He agreed. "I will not have my heir and my future wife creating rivalries and misunderstandings…this family has had enough bloodshed and misery in the past without building more for its future. Besides, Shunsui is important to me – beyond the politics of this family, he's my blood brother, and that matters above all things. So yes, I want things to go smoothly."

"Well, if he's going to drag me up so early, he could at least bother to come meet me."

As they reached the end of the main hallway, Tokutarou could clearly hear his brother's voice, followed by the calm tones of his own servant.

"Tokutarou-sama has much work to do, Shunsui-sama. I will go and announce to him your arrival – if you wish to take a moment's ease, I will return forthwith."

"No need for that, Yasuhiro." Before Shunsui had an opportunity to answer, Tokutarou strode forward into the entrance hall proper, casting the tall Sasakibe a rueful smile. "Thank you for the quick carrying out of your duty. You may go now and catch up to your own affairs – I will send for you when I need you again."

"Yes, sir." Yasuhiro bowed his head slightly, withdrawing from the chamber without even the slightest hesitation, and the two brothers were left facing each other in the hall. Rae had waited behind in the corridor beyond, Tokutarou realised, and a faint smile touched his lips as he realised she had allowed him that moment to greet his brother properly before she complicated the equation.

_Yes, Yoshiko-dono. She really is a smart girl, your niece._

"So you _are_ here, then." Shunsui cast Tokutarou a lazy grin. "I was beginning to wonder."

"Cheeky brat." Tokutarou told him good-naturedly. "You rode quickly, however – so obviously someone managed to get you up on time this morning."

"A joint effort by Ryuu-kun and Juu." Shunsui agreed. "Since I knew Yasuhiro wouldn't delay any, I decided it was better to get dressed and come quietly rather than be dragged across the school and the District in my nightclothes."

"Yes, thank you for that." Tokutarou said wryly. "I'm glad you do occasionally consider the reputation of this family when making decisions."

"Sometimes." Shunsui said casually. "Besides, I didn't think that'd be the right way to greet your lady friend. Is she here too, by the way? Yasuhiro's such a pain – all he said was that Rae-hime arrived at the main house five days ago and that it was not his place to comment any further."

"She's waiting to meet you." Tokutarou nodded his head. "Though that isn't the only reason I called you home this summer break."

Shunsui's expression became thoughtful.

"I wondered if it might not be." He admitted. "Since you have a nasty habit of cloaking one motive with another that seems more innocent."

"Yes. But we'll talk on it later." Tokutarou agreed. "Because I won't keep Rae-hime waiting any longer than I have to."

He turned towards the entrance, where his female guest was hovering in the doorway, hesitant and uncertain as she glanced between her potential fiancé and the young Lord's heir.

"I'm sorry to have taken so long, Rae-hime." He said now. "Please, I'd like you to meet my younger brother Shunsui – your cousin and the heir to the Kyouraku _haori_ and Clan."


	26. Hatsukoi

**Chapter Twenty Five: Hatsukoi**

"So, Oniisama, are you going to tell me or do I have to guess? The real reason why you called me home this time."

Shunsui pushed open the door of Tokutarou's study, slipping inside and the older man turned from his position at the window, offering his companion a rueful grin.

"You must be curious. I said after dinner, admittedly, but I didn't expect you so soon after." He said pensively. "Has it been troubling you that badly, then, my ulterior motives for dragging you home?"

"No, but I figured if we must talk politics, best to get it out of the way at once." Shunsui said simply. "Since this is supposed to be my summer break, after all."

"I might have known." Tokutarou let out an amused chuckle. "All right. That's also probably fair enough. It's too soon to ask your opinion on your cousin – so instead I think we'll begin with the Endou-ke."

"Do we have to?" Shunsui pursed his lips. "Rae-hime is a lot prettier than Seimaru and his horde of idiot followers."

"Shunsui." Tokutarou arched an eyebrow at him. "You are talking about your potential sister-in-law, you know."

"Yes, I know." Shunsui shrugged unrepentantly. "But that doesn't make it any less true."

His expression became playful.

"Besides, Mother likes her and you obviously do, judging by the way you spent dinner looking at her more than the food you were eating." He observed casually, coming to sink down onto one of the wide, smooth-surfaced cushions that decorated the study. "She eats nicely, her manners are okay and she's not an idiot, which helps. If you're sensible, you'll not dally over the opinion of a wastrel flirt like me and you'll close with the deal before she changes her mind. After all, she seems a pretty good catch to me."

"Shunsui!" Tokutarou glared at him, and Shunsui's eyes became serious.

"I mean it." He said calmly. "Listen. You need to marry. We both know that. I'm not much good as your heir and more, if I get to a point where Yama-jii trusts me out in the world on my own, I'll still have enough to do without worrying about all the business here. I don't really want to inherit your title or any of the boring stuff you do all of the time. The _haori_ is a bad enough prospect – but if it's with Juu and the others, at least I won't be on my own and that might make it bearable. Stuck away here entertaining arranged marriage propositions and dealing with tenants isn't my thing and I don't really want it to be. So you need to marry. And have children. And so on."

"Yes, perhaps, but…"

"The Clan like Mother's line. That's why they still look at me as a serious member of the Clan, because I'm descended from a family they approve of as well as the last Lord." Shunsui said pragmatically. "They mistrust your Shiba blood, because they're stupid idiots and they don't realise how much better you are at leading this family than Father or Uncle were or than I would be. But if you actively married someone from Mother's line, then they'd have to stop bleating about whether or not you were really Kyouraku at heart. And you could do worse. You don't need my approval, but I'll give it anyway. It's the common sense thing to do – so do it and stop prevaricating like some nervous bridegroom with pre-wedding jitters."

"You always have such a way of putting things." Tokutarou said dryly, and Shunsui shrugged.

"One of us has to marry and produce children to keep this stupid wreck of a Clan afloat." He said dismissively. "I don't imagine that'll be me, so it had better be you. And I can tell that you approve of Mother's choice, too. Plus, she seems to like you as well. And me…"

He spread his hands.

"I'm fairly sure I'll offend her more than she will me, if she comes to live here." He said matter-of-factly. "Half the year I'm away, true enough – but you'd do best to marry her before she realises what a pain in the butt your younger brother really is to live with."

Tokutarou chuckled, nodding his head.

"All right. All your points are duly noted, and thank you." He said frankly. "Flippant as it might be, Shunsui, I know you gave it some thought and I'm grateful for it. Like it or not, you've grown up a lot in the last eighteen months. You never know – one day you might find yourself betrothed."

"Yeah…let's not even think about it." Shunsui responded emphatically. "In the meantime, the less pleasant bedfellows? What of the Endou – what have they done to upset you now?"

"Perhaps the Endou. Perhaps not." Tokutarou pursed his lips, moving over towards his desk and leaning against it as he eyed his brother keenly. "Shunsui, while we're just between ourselves, how is your young friend Hirata at present?"

"Fine, I think." Shunsui looked surprised. "Why? Has this to do with his people?"

"A little, but you needn't worry. They're not in harm's way." Tokutarou shook his head. "Only the source of this information was his father, Misashi-dono. It came to me via Midori-dono of the Shihouin, who's bartering it before me in the hopes of securing a firm alliance with our Clan. She's made no secret of that fact, for which I respect her, to be honest. And she's asked nothing of me of yet except to take the information and see what I can discover. She worries it might have implications further afield."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed.

"Urahara rebels." He murmured, and Tokutarou stared at him in dismay.

"How did you know that?" He demanded, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Enishi mentioned it last night. Urahara rebels causing trouble in Seventh." He replied. "It was only a rumour, but Hirata thought it was true. Though he said it was most likely between his people and the Urahara – is he wrong?"

"It's mostly supposition, really." Tokutarou sighed. "Shouichi-sama is using these rebels as a reason for the flow of refugees crossing into our land. At least, it seemed like an excuse, and the Council seemed to buy into it. But after the meeting, Misashi-dono spoke to Midori-sama in private."

"Misashi-sama was at this meeting, too?" Shunsui asked, and Tokutarou nodded.

"Shouichi-sama often brings him, as a show of Clan solidarity." He agreed. "It was the first time he spoke to the room – but what he said to Midori-dono was something more private than that. He was asking her help as her ally, although he was cryptic and brief. Still, he told her of the rebels causing Shouichi-sama such trouble. Former scientists…probable employees of their own illicit research program, though of course that's a strictly unofficial allegation. Midori-dono consulted her own people who were involved in similar matters, and they think the same. The name of the ringleader – the one Shouichi-sama is so definitely hunting down is "Urahara Keitarou." At least, that's what Misashi-dono told Midori-dono. It seems that he may have an alias, since Chiaki-dono remembered a Keitarou, but none under the Clan name. However…"

"It's easy to change your name, when you're in exile." Shunsui murmured. "And you don't officially exist."

"Precisely."

Tokutarou sighed.

"If it was just a matter of random outlaws near the border, that would be one thing. But...ones with Clan connections...potentially more than just your average hooligan..."

Shunsui was silent for a moment, then,

"Nii-sama, if these were people who were involved with Seimaru before...people who were involved in the_ reidoku_ before...they're not ordinary hooligans." He said quietly, consternation in his dark eyes. "It bothered me a bit when Enishi and Hirata were talking, but now you've said it too, it bothers me all the more. Even if the Endou have shut down their experiments..."

"I think they have. Misashi-dono gave Midori-dono that impression." Tokutarou sighed. "And I'm inclined to believe she's been truthful with me. As for Misashi-dono, I've not yet had cause to fully doubt his integrity even while I do view his Clan in such a dim light. So..."

"Seimaru's working on his own, then?"

"Probably."

"To do what? Take over the Clan?"

"Perhaps." Tokutarou looked grim. "And maybe then declare war on people like us who he dislikes. If we add his grievances to the ones the Urahara people probably have, and consider the kind of weaponry at their disposal..."

"Reidoku is not nice." Shunsui said blackly. "Megumi died because she was addicted to it. Kyouko was tainted by it. Aitori died because of greed relating to it. The Shihouin almost collapsed because of it. Even though it's meant to have been outlawed a century ago, it's still here and still a danger. And if the Urahara keep working on it, it will stay that way. Seimaru must have it in mind to use it - either to poison someone or to enhance his own strength."

"You think as I do." Tokutarou said wryly. "Yes. Those are the only motives I can see too. But without evidence...and Shouichi-sama does not bring his heir to the Council. I find it interesting and odd, but also frustrating that it's not possible to hear and analyse Seimaru's words."

"Probably because he has poor relations with you and with Midori-sama." Shunsui said astutely. "Shouichi-sama isn't as foolish as all that. Bringing Misashi-dono is safer and makes it look like they're all friends now in District Seven."

"And keeps Misashi-dono always where he can see him. Yes." Tokutarou agreed.

"So what can we do? What are you wanting to do?" Shunsui eyed his brother quizzically. "You bring me home to tell me this - what do you want me to do?"

"In the last holiday, I forbade you from visiting the refugee camps." Tokutarou said categorically. "And the idea still worries me, to be truthful, since I don't know how safe such a gamble would be. But if_ I_ go there, it will look very much like I'm gathering information. It will make a much bigger thing out of it, if I was to leave my other duties specifically to travel to the borders. And if Yoshiko-dono goes...well, they already know her, but none have so far trusted her with any vital information."

"But if I go, and play the foolish, simple, wastrel heir, someone might think me idiot enough to let down their guard." Shunsui said frankly, and Tokutarou chuckled, nodding his head.

"You have that reputation in outside circles." He said simply. "And I think, sometimes, it's not a bad thing. Your brain is as sharp as anyone's, Shunsui, and you also have a natural way with people - with putting them off their guard and enticing them to talk to you. Kyouko is a good example - she and Megumi both looked to you for help above all their local acquaintances because they had faith in you. It may be dangerous, but even so..."

"I'll go in the morning then." Shunsui cut across his brother's words, offering him a smile. "You've asked me, and there's no need to say any more. I want to go, anyhow. I want to see for myself what's been happening down near the borderlands. This is a chance to. And...if this involves trouble for the Endou, as well as trouble for us - I want to go. Hirata's family are in the middle of this, and we're right next door. I'm not about to let a bunch more people suffer on account of greedy nobility."

"Thank you." Tokutarou looked relieved. "I'm glad you feel that way about it, since I don't see any other way to do it. I will send men with you, of course, but when it comes to it..."

"I'll be okay." Shunsui grinned. "Don't forget, even if I haven't got a _zanpakutou_ yet, I'm a better sword wielder than you are. More now, probably, since Minabe's been putting me through my paces since term began. And my Kidou is not so rusty, either. If necessary, I can defend myself. I'll be okay."

Tokutarou was silent for a moment, then,

"Don't take that for granted. Remember what happened against Seimaru." He warned, and Shunsui nodded.

"I will." He promised. "I don't intend on acting stupidly. It's not really my style to jump into a fight that can be avoided. I leave that to Juu - and if he's not here to do it, I won't need to go haul him out. I'll be fine, Nii-sama. I used to spend a lot of time among the ordinary folk, after all, in late night locations and without any protection. You'll see. I'll be fine."

Tokutarou eyed his companion for a moment, and Shunsui sighed.

"I promise." He said emphatically. "I won't get hurt, killed, seduced or anything else. Okay? I'll be fine. And if I can find out what you want to know, I will. Then you can see what needs to be done about it, and _I_ can have a proper summer break!"

* * *

"That's enough for today."

As Shirogane lowered his sword, Juushirou dragged a gulp of air into ragged lungs, casting his _shishou_ a rueful smile. They had been training for almost three hours this time, for little by little the District boy's endurance had begun to improve, yet he had to acknowledge that he was reaching his limit for the day and the hot sun that beat down over them was enough of a distraction at the best of times.

Shirogane had clearly sensed it to, from the expression on his face, and Juushirou sheathed his own weapon, bowing his head towards his companion in the formal manner that categorised the end of their training sessions.

"Thank you for this morning, Senpai." He said softly.

"Well, it would be better, ideally, if you could go for longer than a few hours without needing to stop." Shirogane sighed, returning his own weapon to its resting place and shrugging his shoulders. "But at least you understand now that you have limits and you need to work with those to get stronger. You are improving – perhaps you are not as hopeless a case as I first thought."

"Senpai?" Juushirou cast his companion an uncertain glance, and Shirogane snorted.

"Don't look at me like that. Such words are hardly praise." He said scornfully. "A real Shinigami may be called to fight from dawn to dusk, and I have not yet got to the point of releasing my weapon fully when fighting you. You have a way still to go, Ukitake. Do not rest on your laurels just yet."

"I don't intend to." Juushirou assured him, wiping the sweat from his brow as he straightened himself up. "But I'm glad you think I am improving. I am trying to remember everything you and Sensei have told me – if nothing else, I think I can hold and wield a sword much better now than I could before."

"Yes…I should hope so, considering how much training you have done so far." Was Shirogane's flat response. "Though in this session I have noticed two things, Ukitake – two things which mean that next session I will not be quite as gentle as I have been up to this point."

Juushirou stared at him.

"Gentle?" He whispered, and Shirogane let out a derisive chuckle.

"Have you never seen a _zanpakutou_ in full release?" He demanded. "I am far beyond your level, only there's no benefit to me in killing you because you lack the ability to defend. I was waiting – I have been waiting – until I felt you could stand so much reiatsu. Now, perhaps, you're reaching that point."

He tapped the hilt of his sword, then,

"Do you want to know what the two things are?" He asked lightly. "Or can you guess them for yourself?"

Juushirou frowned, thinking carefully.

"I suppose…I haven't lost my grip on my weapon today." He said slowly. "Or the last couple of times. Even when you've been coming at me quite quickly, I've not had it knocked out of my hands."

"Yes. That is one." Shirogane nodded. "And the other?"

"I…I don't know." Juushirou admitted. "I'm sorry, Senpai – will you tell me, please, what it is?"

Shirogane eyed him in resignation, then, slowly, shrugged his shoulders.

"You have not coughed blood today." He said softly, and Juushirou's eyes widened, realising his companion was right. Raw and sore as he felt inside, for the first time since they had begun training he had not had to beg a pause in the session to allow his battered lungs a moment of respite, and as the look of disbelief glittered in his gaze, Shirogane snorted.

"You hadn't noticed?"

"I suppose…I try not to think too much on it. So no…I suppose I hadn't."

"Well, from the little I know – or want to know – about the disgusting thing that ails you, I believe it to be a good sign." Shirogane nodded his head. "If you are in a long and hard fight, after all, you cannot simply stop whenever you feel the need to cough. Your life might be lost in such times. Others might also be hurt or killed. You can't afford that hesitation in your fighting – whatever happens after the battle ends. You must be able to control that impulse during your fight – otherwise you will be a flawed soldier, no matter how much raw reiatsu you have."

Juushirou's expression became sombre.

"I understand, Senpai." He said quietly. "And I know you're right. I hadn't really perceived it today, but I don't feel quite as ragged as I did when we first began – nor do I feel like I'm about to cough. Perhaps I am getting better control of my reiatsu – and if that's the case, it's not antagonising my _haibyou_ quite as much as sometimes it can."

"Well, for now you've pushed far enough." Shirogane said frankly. "Take some time to recover your energy and focus, and make sure you make a good meal. Later this afternoon, I will see you again – and I mean to test you even further, so I want you to be alert. You've begun to show faint promise – don't disappoint that fragile expectation."

With that he turned on his heel, disappearing across the grass, and Juushirou sighed, rubbing his temples.

_He's still as hostile as ever. But at least he bothers to give me information about my training. He may not like me, but he is doing it properly. I do feel I'm getting stronger. And I didn't cough today. So that must be a good sign…I'm sure it must._

"Juushirou-kun?"

A voice from the fringes of the training ground startled him, and he turned, casting the speaker a look of surprise.

"Mitsuki." He murmured. "How long have you been there for? I didn't even feel your reiatsu…have you been waiting for me?"

"I came up to see whether or not you'd finished here." Mitsuki's cheeks pinkened. "I thought while you were fighting, I should suppress my reiatsu – I didn't want you to be distracted. But if you've finished…"

"I have." Juushirou nodded, casting her a grin. "So you were watching me?"

"Do you mind?" Mitsuki looked anxious, and Juushirou shook his head.

"You're playing the guardian angel, I suppose." He said playfully. "But the truth is, today I don't feel too bad. I haven't really coughed and I didn't choke up blood. I'm feeling stronger, even though I'm tired right at the moment. So you needn't worry about me today."

"Mm. I know." Mitsuki's grey eyes lit up at his words. "I didn't come because I was worried you'd collapse. I came because I wanted to see you and Shirogane-senpai training together. Because Shirogane-senpai is strong, but today you seemed to be strong too. So I wanted to see it – you really don't mind?"

"Not at all." Juushirou assured her.

"I also thought you might be thirsty in the heat."

Mitsuki held out the small gourd she had been carrying.

"I didn't want you to overheat like last time, so I brought this with me. It's only water, I promise."

"Believe me, it's welcome." Juushirou took the gourd ruefully, unfastening it and putting it to his lips as he drank thirstily, draining the vessel dry. He lowered it, drying his lips and slipping its strap over his arm with a grin.

"Thank you, Mitsuki. As you guessed – I needed it."

"I thought you would." Mitsuki dimpled. "And it was no trouble. You're working hard, after all…and well, as a healer in training, I have to know that dehydration is a bad thing."

"I suppose you do." Juushirou acknowledged. "Well? What do you want to do now? It's a little while before lunch, and I'm not really sure I've the energy to go walking very far. You've come all the way down here, but I'm not going to be exciting company, not after a workout like that."

"I don't mind." Mitsuki responded simply. "Ryuu-kun is in the library and Sora and Naoko went to town because Sora was bored and made Naoko go with her. I was with Retsu-sama this morning, but she had a Clan matter to see to, so I have nothing else planned."

"Hirata said he was going to speak to Sensei, to see if there'd been any news from his family at all that might have slipped through the blockade." Juushirou remembered. "So in that case, it's just you and me, is it? The school is pretty quiet, don't you think, when everyone else is away?"

"You miss Kyouraku-kun, don't you?" Mitsuki asked gently, as they walked slowly between the trees towards the students' favoured shady spots. Juushirou grinned, nodding his head ruefully.

"I do. Enishi-kun and Kai-kun as well." He agreed. "But I suppose…Shunsui especially. Even though he can drive me crazy a lot of the time."

Mitsuki giggled.

"I feel like that about Sora-chan, too." She said, amused. "There's nobody I trust more here, Juushirou-kun – but sometimes she makes me a little crazy as well."

"I wonder how Shunsui's getting along with his potential new sister in law." As they sank down beneath the trees, Juushirou pursed his lips thoughtfully. "He wasn't sure if it would be all right or not – but I expect it will be. Tokutarou-sama isn't a foolish person and wouldn't choose anything recklessly. I'm sure they'll get along fine, once they've had a chance to speak properly."

"So that's the reason Kyouraku-kun went home this time." Mitsuki's expression became one of comprehension. "I wondered about that."

"He lives pretty close by, in comparison to us." Juushirou reminded her, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I suppose so. Maybe half a day's ride with fast horses or the best carriage." She reflected.

Juushirou looked rueful.

"Horses and carriages…another part of this world I really don't know much about." He admitted. "The only carriages I'm familiar with are public carriages that you can buy a seat aboard but not expect to be anything other than rattled around while it drags across the longest routes possible. As for riding…I don't think I've ever ridden a horse. I'd probably fall right off."

Mitsuki burst out laughing, shaking her head.

"You wouldn't! Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't." She assured him. "Riding is easy. Though I haven't done it many times, we all learn quite small, in the Kuchiki – and I've never fallen off a horse. Kuchiki-hime are meant to travel in carriages, but when we're young children, we're all taught how to ride just in case the circumstance demands it."

She settled herself more comfortably on the grass, then,

"Mother rode a white horse to her wedding with Father." She said pensively. "She told me, many times, that in her branch of the Clan, that was traditional. That a bride would ride a white horse to the location, surrounded by her ladies – because white is purity and innocence, and that's how Kuchiki brides are meant to be when they wed."

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then,

"I don't know what happened, when Hahaue married Otousama." He admitted. "She's still a blank hole in my knowledge, to be honest. I know…she was probably a good person. And that…she had some Kuchiki blood. But I still know very little about her. Except that she died to protect me and seal my _reiryoku_ – I don't know what kind of a bride she was."

"I don't know anything, either." Mitsuki looked apologetic. "I've never been in the Clan archives more than three times, and I wouldn't know where something like that might be written. It may not be written at all, if she was outside the four degrees. I wish I could tell you something, Juushirou-kun…but I can't."

"It's all right." Juushirou assured her. "I've not known for this long. It won't kill me not to know for a little bit longer."

He sighed, stretching his arms over his head.

"Besides, Okaasama is my mother, really." He added. "She's raised me and she's always been the one there, loving me and supporting me in everything I've done. Hahaue is a ghost on the edge of my awareness. I know she loved me – enough to give up her life – but otherwise, she's a little bit like a fantasy. A fleeting shadow or a character from a legend. Not a real person at all."

"It's sad that you don't have memories of her." Mitsuki observed, and Juushirou nodded.

"I know." He admitted. "But I have dreamed about her – once or twice. And…my fish…my _zanpakutou_ fish…they say that my dreams of how she looked are true ones. So…I suppose that I at least know what she looked like. What she looked like and that she loved me – perhaps, in the end, that's enough."

"But even if you don't remember them, their loss can still hurt." Mitsuki murmured, and Juushirou cast her a grin.

"Yes, true." He agreed. "But it's all right, really. I'm not worrying about it – it's not an insurmountable problem."

"Mm." Mitsuki offered him a smile in return. "I'm sorry. Mothers are important, that's all. I still miss mine a lot, even though I know she wanted to stop suffering. So…I suppose…"

"Yeah." Juushirou's expression became sombre. "Losing Otousama was the worst thing I've ever faced, so I can imagine that it was the same for you when she died. In that respect, grieving for Hahaue pales into comparison. But…I think Father would be proud of me. And I'm sure, Mitsuki, that your mother would be proud of you for making the choices you have."

"I think so, too." Mitsuki admitted. "She always told me that I should be who I really was, not who Guren-sama or the Clan told me to be. And I'm trying to be, I think, now. I like learning from Retsu-sama. I feel like finally I know where I'm going and what I want."

"Have you heard anything from your Father about it, yet?" Juushirou asked gently, and Mitsuki frowned.

"Not directly, but Retsu-sama did travel to District Six recently and spoke to him and to Guren-sama both about me." She said gravely. "Neither of them like it, but since she's asked personally to train me, neither have refused her. It is an honour, after all, to be singled out by the head of another Clan. And since they both know I won't be of any material use to the Kuchiki, they've accepted my choice. I don't know whether Father really wants me to be involved – he knows better than many how badly it affects me when I'm around people in pain. But I'm glad he's given Retsu-sama his agreement to let her train me. I don't know what she said to him – but whatever it was must have worked."

"Then your Clan won't reject you." Juushirou pointed out. "They've accepted you as a healer, and so you won't be on your own after all."

"Perhaps that's true…in some ways." Mitsuki sighed, glancing at her hands. "But in reality most of my Clan have never and will never properly accept me because I am so different. Ryuu-kun is perhaps the only Kuchiki who's done so entirely, to be honest – but at least having his support is something."

She smiled faintly.

"Ryuu-kun isn't popular within the Clan either, because he's so rigidly blunt." She said softly. "But the truth is, that bluntness reassures me. I know he'd never lie to me, you see…and so if he says something, I can have faith in it. He's been my ally for a long time – and more so since we became students here."

"Ryuu-kun is just someone you have to come to understand, I think." Juushirou reflected. "He is inflexible, sometimes – but he is honest and trustworthy. And he's reliable, too."

He frowned.

"I don't really understand the Kuchiki-ke, you know, if people like you or Ryuu-kun aren't looked at in a positive light."

"Ryuu-kun has four sisters." Mitsuki said knowledgeably. "Three older, one younger. They're all quite strong in their opinions and the oldest two in particular are considered to be great beauties among the Clan – both were betrothed by agreement when they were five or six and married when they were eighteen. The other two are also arranged in matches. The older one will be married this autumn, most likely – her wedding was delayed by her fiance's involvement in Guren-sama's new squad. And the younger will too, when she gets to the right age. For the most part, that is what Kuchiki women do. They marry and become powerful matriarchs and ladies of estates. Some do learn to carry swords and fight with them, but many do not. Certainly none are like me. Consequently Ryuu-kun's sisters have always been unkind to him about his friendship with me – and unkind to me about wasting my time on befriending him. They joke about us becoming betrothed, since nobody else will want either one of us…and that makes Ryuu-kun cross."

She sighed.

"He's more like my brother, and he's said he'd rather have me as a sister than any of them." She added heavily. "But at home, such social expectations are heaped on him far more than they are on me. This is the first place he's been able to let go of that a little bit. Ryuu-kun is a proper Kuchiki in terms of his abilities. He just doesn't find it easy to slip into society."

"I can understand, a little, what you mean I think." Juushirou looked thoughtful. "That he's begun, bit by bit, to see things in different ways. I didn't know his sisters were so overbearing, though. That must be difficult, especially as he's the only boy."

Mitsuki pursed her lips, then,

"Ryuu-kun won't have told you." She said softly. "And probably he never will. But he was betrothed by arrangement too, when he was four, to a _hime_ from a third degree Kuchiki family. She was six at the time – and I know this because her father was brother to my own."

"Ryuu-kun is engaged?" Juushirou stared, and Mitsuki shook her head.

"No. Not now." She said soberly, and Juushirou frowned.

"She broke it off? Or her family did?"

"No." Mitsuki shook her head again. "The truth is they never met – Ryuu and my cousin – not even once. He only knew her by name and probably doesn't give her even a moment's thought. But…as a second degree son, it would have been strange if it hadn't happened."

"Then why…?" Juushirou hesitated, and Mitsuki looked sad.

"She died." She said simply. "Of fever, when she was ten. Her mother died a year later – her heart broke and she couldn't keep going. Her daughter was her only child, you see. And my Uncle was left alone."

"But…" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Mitsuki nodded.

"That's why Father clings to me so. And why I don't want to abandon him if I can help it." She agreed. "I don't want him to go through what my Uncle has."

"But you're not betrothed to anyone…are you?" Juushirou remembered. "You've said before that you aren't…haven't you?"

"I'm not." Mitsuki agreed. "I'm only a third degree _hime_ – I'm not important enough for my peculiarities to be overlooked by a potential suitor. Perhaps Ryuu-kun's father would try and marry us – but it won't happen, Juushirou. Ryuu-kun is my brother. I am his sister. That is as far as it will ever go."

She smiled faintly.

"I don't think he intends to marry." She added. "And…perhaps…nor do I."

Juushirou sighed, shaking his head.

"Clan is so complicated." He murmured. "You shouldn't be made to marry anyone…it should be who you _want_ to marry. Even if there is an advantage for the family."

He shrugged.

"When he's old enough, my brother Hiro will probably marry Kira-kun's sister Hikari." He added. "They've known each other since childhood and they're more fond of each other now than even they were then. It will be a good match for both families – but more importantly, Okaasama wants him to make a choice to be happy. She won't let my sister be bound away in a match simply out of necessity, either. She doesn't believe in it and nor do I."

"That's why you feel so strongly, then, about not marrying someone who's looking to benefit or to pity you?" Mitsuki questioned, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"I suppose. Though there's an element of personal pride involved, too." He admitted.

Mitsuki smiled, uncharacteristic mischief in her grey eyes.

"_I_ might marry you, then." She suggested flippantly. "That would be all right, wouldn't it? Then you'd know it was someone who cared about you, and not just one of the other two."

"_Mitsuki?!_" Taken completely off guard, Juushirou could only stare at his companion, and she giggled, shaking her head in amusement.

"I was teasing you." She said softly. "Although in all truth I wish I wasn't."

"But…" Juushirou was still unable to put together a coherent sentence, and Mitsuki laughed.

"I'm sorry. I embarrassed you." She said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to do that. But I like your philosophy. My Clan don't really believe in falling in love and they don't mind if couples hate each other, so long as they are together long enough to keep the family alive. My parents were lucky. Ryuu-kun's parents barely speak to one another more than is necessary. Such is the way in the Kuchiki family. We're like that."

She reached out a finger to tuck a stray wisp of Juushirou's straggly white hair behind his ear.

"You are sort of a Kuchiki, though." She reflected, sitting back to look at him critically. "Your eyes are different, but you do have Kuchiki in your features, all the same. If your hair was black…"

"It was. Once." Juushirou reached up to touch it, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I know." She agreed. "Retsu-sama told me. She said that it was because of the_ haibyou_ that it went white."

"Yes." Juushirou nodded. "I cut it in the first year because I thought it might grow back black but…since it hasn't…I guess I'm stuck with it."

He grimaced.

"Okaasama had Anika trim it when I was home, but it's really starting to get longer again now…it's almost to the point I'll have to tie it back."

"I like it." Mitsuki dimpled. "It's as though you've broken free of the Kuchiki shackles, or something. You're you. You're not Kuchiki. But you still have it in your blood. I like that. It proves being Kuchiki doesn't stop you making your own decisions."

She tilted her head on one side for a moment, considering, then,

"I would marry you, Juushirou, if you ever asked me." She said matter-of-factly. "Because I know you would never hurt me. But I know too that you won't ask me – not even if you did love me enough to want to. You'd not ask me because you loved me – because you'd be worried about my upsetting my family. So it's all right. I won't expect you to. I just wanted you to know it – since Kuchiki _hime_ usually know and discuss marriage contracts and their future long before they reach the age I am now. They form resolutions and take husbands. This is my resolution."

She touched his cheek, then lowered her hand.

"Even if it has no purpose, I'm decided now." She added. "I won't marry anyone that isn't you. So I won't marry anyone."

"I don't understand at all." Juushirou admitted. "Marriage…talking about things like that…when we're neither of us even adults, both of us still students…"

"That's the difference between Clan and District, really." Mitsuki nodded. "District children can still be children. Clan children seldom are."

She looked melancholy for a moment, and Juushirou sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Here, we're all the same. Here, those things don't matter." He said gently, and Mitsuki raised soft grey eyes to his as suddenly he felt fiercely protective of her against the cold, soulless world she was trying to escape.

For a moment he hesitated, then, heart pounding in his chest he bent awkwardly forward, driven by some sleeping instinct as he gently touched his lips to hers. She did not resist him, and for a moment they kissed, then suddenly realisation kicked in and Juushirou jerked back from her, staring at her in horror and in guilt.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean…I don't know why…I…"

"There's nobody here." Mitsuki touched her fingers to her lips, a soft pink colour rising in her pale cheeks. "It's all right, Juushirou. I'm not cross…and there's nobody here to see us."

"But…I…you…"

"I don't mind." Mitsuki assured him.

Juushirou swallowed hard, suddenly feeling strange and giddy inside.

"Even if you don't, it's still something forbidden." He whispered. "What you said…about Kuchiki _hime_ and your mother…on the white horse…innocence and purity, and…"

"And you said too that here we were all the same." Mitsuki finished the sentence for him gently, getting to her feet and reaching out to pull him to his. "I like that thought. I'm not afraid of anything when I'm with you, after all."

"But in the end…"

"The end is a long way away." Mitsuki said dismissively. "I told you. Kuchiki _hime_ make their own resolutions and I'd made mine. I love my Father and I don't want to estrange myself from him. But I don't care for the Kuchiki way and I've made up my own mind to train as a healer, not to be a Kuchiki warrior or a bride."

She eyed him curiously.

"You do understand that, still? That I'm making my decisions, just like you do. And if I don't mind you kissing me…and if you want to do it…how can it then be considered wrong? If you and I aren't offended by it – who else does it concern? It's not as though you've damaged me or tainted me or put into question my honour."

Juushirou looked rueful.

"You're using logic against me…my own rhetoric, even." He pointed out, and Mitsuki grinned, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

"Is that bad? I agree with it, after all." She said lightly, and Juushirou shook his head.

"No. I suppose not. I just…don't want it to become something more complicated."

"It won't." Mitsuki shook her head. "We both know, in the end, where we stand. And like I said, nobody's here. Nobody need ever know."

She stretched up on tip-toes, kissing him gently on the cheek, then,

"It can be our secret, after all."

"I suppose so." Juushirou held her at arm's length, meeting her soft grey eyes with his pensive hazel ones. "If that's what you think, probably you're right. But Mitsuki…"

He paused, then sighed, shaking his head.

"This world is not ready." He said honestly. "For you and I to even be close friends, let alone anything other than that. It's not just your family. There's my family, too. We're talking about District Six…we're talking about potential ramifications on both sides if we let things get out of hand. It's not me deciding that way – or you. But even if it isn't their right to decide…it still may come to that. And…at the moment…I can't defend my family or you. I'm just a student. I'm nothing to the Kuchiki. I don't even have a _zanpakutou_. So…"

"So we'll be friends." Mitsuki nodded. "From now till we die, like I said before. That's all right with me. I don't want to hurt your family either because my Clan are small-minded and don't understand."

She paused, then,

"But I meant everything I said, still." She added matter-of-factly. "And…if I'm honest…I half hoped my Clan _would_ reject me. Because though I don't want to abandon Father…I don't care at all about the rest of it. Ryuu-kun has said he'd stand by me, and nobody else really matters to me there at all. If they had rejected me, then I could have been more honest with my feelings – both of us, maybe, could. But…for now…it's all right. To just be friends. Maybe the world will change or maybe it won't, after all."

"You think so far ahead." Juushirou said heavily. "And about so many things. I hadn't even begun to…that you'd want to discard your family…that you…would place me…over them…"

"They're not a family. Not like yours. I've had seventeen years to know that much." Mitsuki said flatly. "I envy you a lot of things - that they support you how they do, and how much you love them all. I'd be much more useful if I'd grown up in your world – I know that much. So it doesn't seem that odd to me."

"I guess we do come from different worlds, after all."

"We do." Mitsuki acknowledged sadly. "But I think…those worlds are changing. Colliding. Bit by bit they're coming together. And…one day…it won't be strange for Clan and District to stand alongside each other. To fight. To wed. To live. In the future…Genryuusai-sensei believes in it and…little by little…I think I do too."

Juushirou was silent for a long while, then he nodded.

"I hope so, too." He agreed. "Though there's a long way to go."

"I can wait." Mitsuki told him softly, slipping her fingers properly into his. "I…doubt in a lot of things, sometimes. Myself especially. But…now I'm trying not to. I'm trying to believe. And I do. Juushirou…"

She faltered, then,

"Your feelings are real to me now because you showed them to me." She said, a pink blush touching her cheeks. "And I know beyond any level of doubt that they are true. Knowing that makes me happy. Knowing it makes me feel stronger. So I'll work hard and you work hard. Like we agreed. And in the meantime…this can stay a secret. Until the world changes…we'll just stay friends."

* * *

Despite the warmth of the sunlight, Shunsui felt a distinct chill in the air as he dismounted his horse, passing the reins to one of his accompanying retainers as he paused to gaze around what had become both a haven and a hell for the scores of dispossessed travellers who had fled from the persecution in the West. He frowned, his brows knitting together as he surveyed the scene.

He had never liked the place, but now it was as though ugliness and despair had begun to take it over, fighting a fierce battle of its own against Tokutarou's men and the aid representatives from other Clans who had come to try and help ease the squalor and suffering. There were simply too many of them, Shunsui realised – yet each day more poured into District Eight, and the young Clansman could see how bit by bit they were beginning to have a serious impact on both the local area and the Kyouraku's resources. Disease and hunger were rife despite the best efforts of the Clan retainers to act, and Shunsui bit his lip, half-wondering if the abandoned plague village in which Saku's father had died had now also become full to bursting with desperate, hopeless refugees.

But as much as he hated it, Shunsui knew his reason for coming was more than simply to see the state of the Endou's fleeing peasant classes. Though it made him even more angry at Seimaru and his Grandfather for allowing so many people to end up this way, his promise to Tokutarou weighed more heavily on his mind and he sighed, pushing his other preoccupations aside as he hardened his resolve.

For once, today, he was here as a Clansman. Even if other members of the Kyouraku stalled and procrastinated over helping the wretched settlers, Shunsui had already shaken off that mentality. Lazy as he could be, he would not tolerate other people's suffering. Fleetingly he remembered the murdered Megumi, and he sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"Will you wait here for me?" He turned to the surrounding soldiers, who exchanged looks, surprise in their gazes.

"But Shunsui-sama, Tokutarou-sama said…"

"I know, you're here to protect me." Shunsui grinned. "But I want to see and speak to the people myself. There's no point my coming, otherwise – if you stay here, I'll not be long. Besides, I spent my childhood here. Like as not I know the pathways as well as anyone else."

"But…" One soldier frowned, but a second held up his hand.

"Shunsui-sama has given us an order." He said softly. "He is the heir to this Clan and Tokutarou-sama has made it clear that in his absence, all of Shunsui-sama's orders are to be immediately obeyed."

_Really?_

Shunsui's eyes widened slightly at this.

_I didn't know he'd given that instruction. I'll have to remember it…it might come in handy some time in the future._

"Yes, sir, but Tokutarou-sama ordered us to protect his Lord Brother from harm." The first soldier was uneasy, and the second nodded.

"True." He agreed. "But we are not here to question Shunsui-sama's commands or ability to defend himself. He too carries a sword. If he summons us, it will be our failing if we cannot protect him – not his."

"Thank you." Shunsui was faintly scared by the warrior's harsh logic, but inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Then I'll do my best not to keep you waiting long…I don't want to get anyone into trouble, after all."

He turned on his heel, making his way slowly along the all-too familiar tracks that he had once used to escape his Uncle's attention during his oft-misspent youth at the border estate. Once this area had been thick with foliage in which he had loved to hide, and for a while he simply walked, imagining in his mind's eye the way it had once been.

There was barely anything now but bare patched earth, so worn was the land from the constant tread of weary travellers. Yet even so Shunsui stood for a moment, watching two small boys as they kicked about the empty shell of some long since eaten fruit. Despite their skinny frames and ragged, ripped clothing, they were still laughing as they darted around in the dust, and a faint smile touched Shunsui's lips. He too had appreciated more the simple things when he had been their age – and he was glad that, even in this harsh environment, they had managed to find something positive to do. Yet his sharp eyes noticed that the taller of the two bore bruises on his upper arms, and his companion had his hair and brow swathed in fabric, as though concealing something from prying eyes.

A head wound, Shunsui wondered. Or something else? Was that the faintest hint of blond hair teasing loose from beneath the worn folds, or was he becoming paranoid now, looking for Urahara ghosts here that simply were not there?

"...Shunsui-sama?"

At the sound of the woman's voice, Shunsui turned, gravity and concern in his dark eyes as he took in the speaker's thin frame. She had once been beautiful, he realised, with poise and elegance in her bearing, yet now she was robed in the most basic of peasant clothing, her reddish gold hair dragged back from her face in a dusty tail and her features worn and full of the burden of life. On her bare arms were wounds that had healed yet scarred, and Shunsui was sharp enough to notice that she was missing two of the fingers on her left hand.

As she caught his gaze, the woman stepped forward, then she paused, bowing her head low before him before she spoke.

"Forgive my forwardness and rudeness in attempting to speak with you, Shunsui-sama." She said softly. "I know you are the heir to this Clan and therefore a person far removed from my state - yet, even so..."

"No formality is needed." Shunsui interrupted her, reaching out a hand to touch her arm, and at this her head shot up, surprise and the faintest glimmer of hope in her gaze. Shunsui's eyes became grave, and he shook his head.

"My family cares about you. All of you. And that includes me." He said frankly. "This is no place for people to survive - even though we try our best to give you the things you need to stay alive. This estate is overrun and those who shelter here still suffer. Because of that, you needn't bow to me. I don't understand, after all, the hardships you suffered to come here."

At this, the woman offered a faint smile.

"Yes, I had heard you were kind." She said softly. "And truly, we none of us have complaints about the life we live here. We have our lives, and Tokutarou-sama and Yoshiko-sama have already done many things to help us and protect us against those who want to hunt us down."

She sighed, then,

"For that reason, I want to speak to you." She admitted. "Because, in return, there are things I want your people to know about the enemy across that border."

"I'm sure there's little we don't know about the Endou-ke." Shunsui said wryly.

"No..." The woman hesitated for a moment, twisting her fingers together.

"It is a difficult decision and one I took a long time to make." She said at length, raising her gaze once more to his. "In a sense to do so is betrayal, and maybe by saying this I will make things worse. But even so...I think...that people who have acted as our saviours should be trusted. And more...I have heard, Shunsui-sama, that you showed interest in finding justice for a murdered District girl. More, that you number among your close friends those who were born outside the Clan. So I think...maybe you will understand. If you will indulge me...and allow me to speak."

Shunsui eyed her for a moment, then he nodded his head.

"I would like to hear whatever you think you should tell me." He said softly, and the woman's eyes glittered with relief.

"Then let us go somewhere more private?" She asked, her tones still low. "I do not wish…for my sons to hear me."

She cast a glance towards the playing boys at this juncture, and Shunsui realised with a jolt that the two muddy urchins he had been watching belonged to this miserably clad individual. The taller boy did have reddish hair, now he came to notice it, in a messy tail of dusty curls swinging over his shoulder.

"Ketsui. Tenichi. Stay close to this place." The woman called to them now. "Tenichi, take care of your brother. No more fighting – if there is trouble, then go into the shelter and hide until I come back. Find the men with the Kyouraku emblem on their uniform – they're soldiers and they will protect you. Understand?"

"Yes, Kaa-san." The older boy nodded, casting her a grin then sending her companion a curious look. "Are you going away long?"

"Just for a little walk." The woman shook her head. "This man is Shunsui-sama, the heir to the Kyouraku estate, and I want to tell him about our situation here. Perhaps he will help us – so long as he doesn't think you two are hooligans ready to raise fists at the least excuse."

The older boy looked a little chastened at this, but he said no more, instead bowing his head in a half-hearted, clumsy way. The younger boy managed an odd bob of his own, and the woman sighed, shaking her head.

"He defends his brother, as Ketsui is too small to defend himself yet." She said softly, her tones somewhat apologetic. "And I'm afraid…I have yet to teach them both the way in which to properly greet nobility."

"You needn't worry. I don't stand much on ceremony myself." Shunsui assured her. "I told you already – it's not necessary. I didn't come here to be bowed to, after all. And as for protecting his sibling…"

He paused, casting the older boy a wry grin.

"I think that's one of the duties older brothers have. My brother certainly thinks so – he's always done his part in defending me. Tenichi-kun is just doing his duty, in the end."

"Perhaps that's true." The woman's eyes became troubled. "Thank you for understanding."

"Children should be children, if they can." Shunsui said pragmatically, taking her gently by the thin, bony arm and guiding her towards the lakeside where once he and Saku had played in such innocence. It was muddy and almost drained dry now, thanks to the needs of the refugees, but he forced back any feeling of nostalgia, instead gesturing for his companion to take a seat on one of the old tree stumps. She did so, and he followed suit, eying her expectantly.

"I'm listening." He said softly. "What is it you think that we should know?"

The woman was silent for a moment, then, at length, she nodded her head.

"My name is Kotetsu Irie." She said quietly. "My two sons and I fled here not so long ago as some - we were sent here by my husband, who feared our lives would be in danger if we did not. I didn't really wish to leave him in District Seven - but in the end, there was no choice."

She closed her eyes briefly for a moment.

"The Endou-ke persecute those in the District who have spiritual power, which I and my sons all have." She said unsteadily. "Them…more so than me. I am not a woman of any consequence by myself - simply an ordinary farmer's daughter who grew up without understanding any of these things and even now I suppose there's much I don't know. But my husband Daisuke...he is...he was...different to that."

"Different?" Shunsui's brows knitted together, and Irie nodded.

"My younger son bears his resemblance very strongly, which is why he felt us at risk." She agreed, her voice becoming uneven as she continued to speak. "And why Tenichi is no doubt so quick to raise his fists to defend him. Shunsui-sama, I feel I'm betraying my promises to people by saying this, but...my husband was not born in District Seven. More, he is not - was not - should not be considered District. But for a cruel twist of fate, he would have lived an entirely different life."

"Can you tell me in what way?" Shunsui asked gently. Irie sighed.

"There is no easy way to say it." She admitted, resignation in her gaze. "My husband's name was Kotetsu, as mine is - but he was a genetic descendent of the Urahara and a blood relation of Urahara Keitsune, who was executed for treason against Soul Society a century ago."

A sudden cold sensation washed over Shunsui's heart at this, and he stared at her in consternation, remembering his brother's words and then, with crystal clarity, Enishi's comments the night before he had left for home.

"_Well, I don't know anything for sure. I only know what my cousin said. But he thought they might be _Urahara_ rebels. And so if they are...they'd probably be tough competition."_

"Urahara?" He murmured. "And this...has something to do with...the _reidoku_ poison that got that Clan into a lot of trouble all that time back?"

"Mm. My husband's father was also among those who were arrested and put to death for involvement in that study." Irie nodded. "There were many in District Seven - exiles like him, trying to make a new life after the curtain came down over their family's work. Daisuke was only a tiny baby when he was brought across borders by his mother in the same way I've fled with my children now. The Endou-ke once supported exiles like him, since they too have Urahara in their ancestry - but then, Endou Shouichi turned against them and started interrogating and executing them in secret. For that reason, Daisuke sent us here. He said he didn't want us involved in the bloodbath that would follow."

"I see." Shunsui bit his lip. "So he sought to protect you from harm by sending you to us?"

"Yes." Irie whispered.

"But why would the Endou turn on your people now? If they've supported them this long..."

"The old woman's death brought it about." Irie looked uneasy. "I am betraying them now, I know, but before, they made their livelihood by working in research for Endou Shouichi and his heirs. In that time, Daisuke and I met and married - but in the last few months, things changed completely. We had to flee, and many of Daisuke's kin and my friends were taken and slain. Now...although I can't confirm it, the reports of other refugees suggest my husband too was finally caught and…and probably executed. The Endou-ke want to remove all trace of the Urahara and their work from District Seven - and will not stop until they kill every last person they can find."

Shunsui sighed, running his fingers through his unruly wavy hair.

_So the younger boy did have blond hair. The scarf was meant to hide that, after all – his Urahara appearance. When did the world become so twisted, then, that a young boy of no more than six or seven should have to live in shame of his appearance based on his ancestors' sins?_

"The Urahara who were doing research were still involved in the study of _reidoku_, weren't they?" He asked softly. "Your husband among them, even to this point."

"Mm." Irie nodded. "To make any kind of livelihood, they had to work. And besides...it was more than that. For some of them, there was an element of justice and of revenge."

"Your husband felt that way too?"

"He did." Tears glittered in Irie's eyes. "He hated the Urahara for what they'd done, and he did not consider himself in any way a blood relation to that Clan. He had a lot of bitterness, I suppose, which even marrying me and having two sons could not properly erase. He was still haunted by the need to redress the balance - and that is why he didn't come with us when we fled. Even though he could have, he stayed. He wanted to help Keitarou-san...because he believed in it as a just cause and I could not sway him."

"Keitarou...san?" Shunsui repeated, recalling the name Tokutarou had given him, and Irie nodded.

"The leader of the underground Urahara in District Seven." She whispered. "And Daisuke's cousin. They grew up together in exile. Shared resentments together. And bonded - a pact of blood, you might call it - as time went on. Daisuke considered Keitarou-san his most true friend and relation - the one he trusted above all others. And he would follow wherever Keitarou-san led. But then, most Urahara exiles did. Keitarou-san was...is...different."

"Is, not was." Shunsui's eyes narrowed, knowing that his brother had been right to send him to speak to the refugees. "So this Keitarou is still alive in District Seven? Even despite Shouichi-sama's crusade?"

"Yes. Most probably. I doubt they could catch him, even if they tried." Irie agreed. "To me and to my sons, Shunsui-sama, he was always kind, courteous and unselfish. But there was a coldness and a resolution in him - one that I think would keep him from getting caught before he had completed his objective. Daisuke didn't tell me that much, but it seemed to me he somehow had the ear of one of the Endou-ke, and for that reason, he had managed to evade capture. Though I know Shouichi-sama was looking for him - I very much doubt that he had luck in doing so."

She shrugged.

"Keitarou-san was the son of Keitsune-sama, after all." She said frankly. "His only son, and his heir. For that reason, he's viewed more highly than anyone in the Urahara hierarchy. And because of that - well, Daisuke had spiritual power, as I do and as my sons both do as well. But in comparison to Keitarou-san, we have nothing. My senses are enough to tell me that, even though I have never seen him use even an iota of it in front of me or the children. Probably for that reason, Shouichi-sama wanted to take his head. And probably, if he succeeded, it would be the end of the Urahara in District Seven."

"But even so, you don't think it will happen?"

"No." Irie shook her head. "I don't know what they were planning to do, but I know that before the Urahara had to flee their work positions, Keitarou-san and Daisuke and a group of others were working on a form of the chemical that was very, very strong. I don't know the purpose of it," As Shunsui's eyes widened. "And I believe it was destroyed - in any case, nothing seemed to come of it. But for a while we were all anxious...and Daisuke told me then that if things backfired, he would send the boys and I to safety before the backlash could hit us. Then all of this happened...perhaps the two things are not connected, but I think they probably were. And that Daisuke...and Keitarou-san...even exiled from favour, I think...they were still working on _reidoku_."

"Which means that even without Shouichi-sama's blessing, this Keitarou probably still is." Shunsui said darkly, and Irie nodded.

"I have betrayed my kin and my sons' father to tell you that." She said guiltily. "But I am frightened, Shunsui-sama. I don't want my boys to grow up in a world where they are always afraid for their lives. This District is known to be safe and I want them to be able to grow up here in peace and security, just like ordinary children should. It is not your people who torment my younger son for his looks, but fellow refugees who blame the Urahara for their current predicament. And perhaps they are right, in some ways. My husband...I know he was involved in those things. And...because of it..."

"Your husband isn't here to answer for himself why he did what you say he did." Shunsui thought fast, offering her a slight smile. "But you are, and you've decided to talk to me about something that's obviously not only important but dangerous information for you to bring here. Even knowing there may be spies in the refugee camp - you still chose to come and air your thoughts to me and I'm glad of it. I don't know, yet, what it all means in terms of the bigger picture. But I do know...when you mentioned a strong form of _reidoku_...I do somewhat know about that and the circumstances surrounding it. What you've told me fills in a gap in the puzzle - which is why and how the Endou-ke managed to produce something like that in the first place."

He eyed her thoughtfully.

"Irie-san, tell me...this Keitarou-san...would he forgive you for telling me this?"

"Probably not." Irie shook her head, fear briefly flitting across her gaze. "He was kind to me and fond of my boys, but he did not tolerate betrayal. He saw it as such a young boy that it impacted on him completely and irreversibly. And he is a very powerful, intelligent, driven individual. Knowing what he's thinking is impossible. If he seeks something, he will obtain it. He can be kind and charismatic, attracting people to him and lulling them into a false sense of security. But he can also be ruthless, and I have seen him with blood on his hands. He has become...the complete opposite of the man who sired him, whose name he has always held in the ultimate regard. Revenge has made him this way, Shunsui-sama. Revenge and hatred for the Clan that took from him his father and his home."

She reached up to touch her hair.

"But he can slip the net more easily than Daisuke could." She added sadly. "His mother had foreign blood - distant, but enough to influence Keitarou-san's appearance. His hair is not blond, but a pale, sandy brown - and his eyes are, too. He looks...an anomaly to his family, and he is very adept at hiding in plain sight. I think...he is very dangerous, Shunsui-sama. And if...if Daisuke truly is dead..."

"Your husband was able to stop him from extreme measures?" Shunsui asked sharply, and Irie shook her head again.

"No. Not like that. I didn't mean in that way." She whispered. "But Daisuke...was the only one with whom I could see a genuine rapport. That although I could not make him out, Keitarou-san truly loved and respected Daisuke and saw him as a brother more than as a cousin. What you said yourself about brothers protecting brothers…it also makes me think of their relationship. If Daisuke was killed, I'm sure...Keitarou-san would not forgive it. And his desire for vengeance...will only have been refuelled. For this reason, I am talking to you. Because I am afraid of what may happen next...truthfully, Shunsui-sama - I am afraid it will cause a war."

"A war between Clans - across our borders as well?" Shunsui asked, and Irie nodded.

"Yes." She agreed miserably. "I...I only know it as rumour, but it is said that...Daisuke once said that...Keitarou-san had the ear of Endou Seimaru, and...and that they were working together...and..."

She trailed off, and Shunsui's eyes narrowed.

"Yes. Somehow that does seem to fit." He said darkly. "I suspect you are exactly right in what you say. The Endou dislike my family and Seimaru is mad enough to declare war on our borders even knowing we have Shiba allies to back up what Nii-sama has already crafted into a strong retainer army. But he is greedy and irrational, as I've seen first hand for myself. If someone as dangerous as this Keitarou you describe is working covertly still with someone as unbalanced and power-mad as Seimaru..."

He paused, getting to his feet and bowing his head towards his companion solemnly.

"Thank you for telling me, even at risk to yourself." He said softly. "Whatever is done about it, I promise not to reveal you as my source."

"Thank you." Irie looked relieved. "I hoped you would understand that, but I didn't like to ask."

"Also, I know Nii-sama wants any refugees who wish to settle here to be able to do so." Shunsui added. "It is taking time, because of the huge influx of people who've fled across the border, and he still hopes that somehow things can be resolved with the Endou and families can go back home. But many probably won't want to...especially if they have connections of the nature you do."

"I'm not an Urahara by blood. Only by marriage." Irie agreed. "Probably for that reason I can put my sons' lives and safety first and speak about things that are meant to be unspoken. But I didn't really speak to you to ask you for aid...your family have already done much for us and though conditions here are rough, they are mostly safe. If what I've told you can save lives - then I'm glad of it. But even if District Seven becomes peaceful...I do not think I want to go back. Even though it is my homeland...I will not go back."

"You lost other family there too?" Shunsui asked gently, and Irie nodded.

"Many." She agreed wistfully. "Many relatives through the policy of purging. There are few happy memories there and those that are happy are ones spent with a man that probably no longer lives. He sent me here knowing that we probably wouldn't meet again. He didn't conceal that from me, although I hoped it was an overreaction. Now I have to raise his children on my own in a world that doesn't want them to even exist. Do you think...such children...could be raised in District Eight without persecution for their heritage or past?"

Shunsui smiled.

"The Kyouraku have no grudge against the Urahara." He said simply. "Past or present, that matter has been closed. Nii-sama has no political relations at all, really, with the Endou-ke...but he's allowed refugees to come here, which means he supports the same ideals you do in that you all have a right to keep your life. If you want to settle here, then settle. If you want to make a home in District Eight, then do so. Nii-sama will not stop you. He doesn't, after all, believe in waging war on women and children - no matter what their heritage or their history."

Irie sighed.

"Then probably, we will leave this camp." She said pensively. "My children and I...for pastures new. We will try and do as you say - find a place in District Eight where we can support ourselves using the skills I learnt as a child, instead of being dependent on the kindness of your people. We'll scrape by and survive - and become a part of this place instead. Even if we're poor and it's difficult to begin with - I think that it's what we must do. Make a new start here, and walk away from the past. Even if it breaks my heart - Daisuke wanted it and for my children I must do it."

She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

"No. One more thing I must tell you." She murmured. "Though it is something I must…please…ask you to keep to yourself unless you have to reveal it."

"I will try." Shunsui looked surprised. "But if it's of that nature, should it be trusted to a stranger at all?"

"Perhaps not, but you are a kind stranger, and my family are already in your debt." Irie said wearily. "So I will. I must."

She bit her lip.

"Keitarou-san's true name is Urahara, by dint of being the son of Keitsune-sama." She said softly. "But he has never used that name within District Seven. His mother's name was Shiori – Aizen Shiori. And he went by her name from his childhood through to now. He's known to most in District Seven under the name Aizen Keitarou. Certainly…at least…while he was working for the Endou-ke."

"Aizen?" Shunsui's eyes widened. "But…that's…surely that's…"

He faltered, then,

"I see. So he lived under his mother's maiden name?"

"Yes. And still does, though most people around him these days refer to him only by his given name."

"Then that explains why his hair isn't blond." Shunsui murmured, almost half to himself. He offered Irie a smile. "You needn't worry. That information I will…most definitely…try and keep to myself if I can."

"Thank you." Irie returned the smile with a faint one of her own.

She got to her feet, bowing her head to Shunsui once more.

"Now I've unburdened myself to you, I can do so with less guilt in my heart." She said softly. "Thank you, Shunsui-sama. For my sons' sake and for my own - thank you."

With that she was gone back into the trees, and Shunsui watched her, a thoughtful look in his dark eyes.

_A victim yet she's strong. Determined. Fighting on for the sake of her children. Seimaru is foolish indeed, then, if he can't see the strength in a woman's heart as much as in a man's sword._

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

_But she has taken a risk to speak to me, and I have to work out what to do with this information. Particularly the last piece of it. It troubles me –all of it troubles me – but that name in particular._

He frowned, turning his mind back to his unhappy childhood under his Uncle's guardianship.

_I never thought all those lessons on Clan heraldry would matter a jot to me, but right now they're blazing clearly through my thoughts like a beacon over the sea. Aizen is a Kyouraku name – I'm almost certain of it. A western Kyouraku name - a third or fourth degree family connection between this Clan and the scientists that destroyed the hopes of a generation. Did Keitsune-sama marry a Kyouraku? Was this Shiori from District Eight? If so, my family have even more reason to be involved. Hell, even if the bloodline is a dilute one and he simply carries the name…_

He swallowed hard, then,

_These people are my kinsfolk. In some way or form, they are blood to me. Which means…that I must think very carefully about Irie-san's words to me. If this is so connected to so many things…our family will have to do something. If people are suffering because of it…we don't have a choice._

He turned, making his way back slowly towards the waiting guardsmen and horses at the top of the hill.

_So do I believe her?_

He considered this for a moment, then,

_Yes. I think I do. And obviously if she is telling me the truth, this Keitarou person is the one who worked with Seimaru to devise the reidoku that was meant to poison Yama-jii - the one that Hirata destroyed. If Shouichi-sama has been persecuting Urahara, he's probably no longer doing experiments. But from what Irie-san just said, the Urahara were and are still working for the Endou. Which means...Seimaru. And this Urahara Keitarou..._Aizen_ Keitarou…_

He sighed.

_Maybe it's about time I found out a little bit more about him and the history of his father's execution a hundred years ago. I wonder if the records from the Council meeting are somewhere in Nii-sama's study. He does like keeping dusty old things like that, and it's worth a try, at the very least. And if not that, then surely, a Kyouraku family tree. I want to find out who Aizen Shiori was before she married someone as important as Urahara Keitsune._

His brows knitted together.

_The plot grows thicker. This is why I hate Clan. In the end, we all have blood on our hands._

_

* * *

_

**_Author's Note: Rae-hime_**

_Oookay. xD I've obviously been writing conspiratorially for too long because everyone seems to think that Rae-hime is some kind of devil in disguise ;)  
I'm not sure if this will relieve or disappoint people BUT she's no such thing. In fact, her role in the story is simply as a plot facilitator - because she's there, Tokutarou can get married and Tokutarou's wedding is important to moving the plot into its final stages. The reason she's inoffensive is just so that she DOESN'T clash with characters/bring trouble into an already complicated plot._

_I guess nobody trusts any character based on appearances since reading my story. I feel responsible...;)  
_


	27. Holy Rose

**Chapter Twenty Six – Holy Rose**

Shunsui set the large black-bound volume down on his brother's desk, letting out a heavy sigh as he reluctantly began to flip through the aging pages of tightly scripted kanji.

It was the next day - a beautiful day made for sleeping in and then lounging in the gardens under the shade of one of the big trees, watching the world go by. It was only an hour or two after dawn, yet already he was dressed, his straggling curls even brushed into some semblance of their roughly neat waviness. He had so far resisted the Clan fashion of tying it back with an ornate clasp, but even so, he had made more effort that morning to look like a Clan successor than he had done in a long time. At his throat, the dusty pendant of the Kyouraku Clan hung heavily beneath the fine fabric of his dark grey kimono and pale pink _kataginu_, and though he had felt compelled to wear it for this purpose, he was still conscious of its weight around his neck.

Tokutarou had ridden from the estate before dawn, for the Council had called and he had gone to attend one of their long and invariably dull meetings. For this reason, Shunsui had worn his pendant, for it had been given to him by his brother in the first place and signified his position as heir of the Clan. With it, in Tokutarou's absence, he remembered, he had apparently gained the right to give instructions - and with grim resolution he had decided to put that theory to the test right away.

As a result, he had easily gained access to Tokutarou's locked study, and Yasuhiro had made absolutely no complaint at all when he had asked the tall, broadly built retainer to help lift heavy volumes down from one of the higher shelves. Now Shunsui was alone, and for the past two hours he had gone through them carefully one by one, searching for any record that might mention Aizen Shiori.

So far he had not had any success.

The volume that now lay before him was one of the oldest Tokutarou still kept in the study that had once belonged to his father. All Clans had tomes like this - pages and pages of dull as dishwater genealogy in order that, should they ever need to prove their blood lineage, it would all be easily there and available for anyone to see. The Kyouraku had once been a far bigger Clan, Shunsui knew, for he had been forced to listen to lectures on the subject when he had been a boy of ten or eleven, yearning to escape his classroom for the fields and lake beyond. Yet he had not found any reference to 'Aizen' anywhere in the more recent volumes and, even so far back as the _reidoku_ controversy, the name had not appeared anywhere in the text.

Shunsui was on the verge of giving up.

He sighed again, turning the pages once more and skimming over the paragraph as he stifled a yawn.

"Kyouraku Matsuhiko; eldest son of Kyouraku Shintarou espoused Kyouraku Aimi, begot Kyouraku Junichi, son and heir espoused Noraya Keiko deceased without issue..."

He muttered, rubbing his temples as the words blurred slightly before his gaze.

"For heaven's sake, you'd think they'd at least attempt to make this interesting. A few murders, a couple of scandalous affairs...even a tea party at the cousins' house would be a welcome change. But all these long lists of names and relationships. You'd think that..Ah!"

He paused, his finger stopping alongside a column of kanji as he caught sight of something.

_Aizen Genjurou, eldest son of Aizen Shinichirou espoused Kyouraku Yuuko, begot Aizen Massuke, son and heir, plus female issue...Aizen Massuke deceased as child, no further issue._

"Female issue."

Shunsui tapped the page pensively.

_Fourth degree, western territories...and an Aizen at long last. It fits with what I remember from those boring lectures as a boy. The Aizen were one of the Western Kyouraku families, but it looks like their line died out when this Massuke kid died. Two hundred years ago, then. That's a long time. Too long to be significant? Maybe. And maybe it's not even the same family. But I need to know for sure..._

He shut the book, getting to his feet once more and crossing the study to where a smaller shelf of books flanked the wall. As he approached them, his gaze fell on the sword that still hung decoratively above them, and he frowned, gazing at the sheathed blade for a moment.

_Tensonshin. Father's blade. _

Tokutarou had kept it there as a symbol, Shunsui knew. It not only indicated Tokutarou's position as Matsuhara's heir and therefore his right to rule the Clan, but it also served as a reminder that the family was Gotei, even though at present no member wore the Kyouraku _haori._ Shunsui half suspected that Tokutarou had kept it there for a third reason, too - as an icon of Matsuhara's betrayal at the hands of his own kin. Tokutarou had known their father far better than Shunsui ever had, and had grieved for him all the more deeply as a result. For this reason, he had chosen to honour the man who, in the end, had retreated from his duties in search of placating his troubled conscience. It was a way for Tokutarou to prove to his Clan that he was Kyouraku, even if his mother had been Shiba.

He ran his finger along the row of books now, pausing at one and pulling it out from its resting place.

Each of these detailed more specifically the families of the Clan by date and region, and as he searched through, Shunsui was aware of several vague references to the Aizen family. Then, at last, he reached the final references - the family of Aizen Genjurou and his ill-fated son.

"Aizen Genjurou, of fourth degree kinship, recognised heir of Aizen Shinichirou late of the western provinces as granted by the Lord of the Kyouraku Shunsuke-sama to serve within the council of the Clan and be as such recognised as blood of the Clan even through marriage and through his heirs. And of his wife, Kyouraku Yuuko, born of third degree kinship yet youngest child with three brothers that she be formally recognised hereon in as belonging to the family of Aizen Genjurou and to consider this her true connection and society from the point of matrimony onwards. And of their issue, should they beget any, that they be considered heirs, if sons, and if they be daughters to be accepted that as Clan they may move in the same society."

He read the antiquated text out loud, absorbing each word of the entry carefully as he did so.

"Aizen Massuke, son of Aizen Genjurou and late heir of the western estates having died before reaching his majority, and having been put at peace by the lawful blade of his Clan it shall be recorded here that the estate of Aizen Genjurou should pass not through his two daughters but through his legitimate cousin yet of half Urahara blood and that on the death of Aizen Genjurou such matters should be put in place in order to provide for the daughters of the aforesaid Aizen Genjurou, namely the _hime_ known by the names of Fuyumi and Shiori. And that at this point the Council will ratify the claim of his successor through the usual channels."

_Aizen Shiori._

A smile touched Shunsui's lips.

_  
Well well. Have I found you?_

He turned the page over, reading down the columns with a sudden second wind.

"And be it arranged in all formality here that Aizen Shiori, youngest and only surviving child of Aizen Genjurou, of two years tragically deceased by lawful blade of his own Clan to prevent the sickness be hereby adjudged clear of the taint of disease. And it with all honour that her guardian as given in the last will and testament of the late lord Genjurou should accept the proposal of her guardian and cousin to become Lady of the westlands as though born of that line by right and to consolidate the claim of her lord cousin Atsuhiko by all peers here accepted as lord of the western province, though he be of half Urahara blood and therefore his claim was ajudged before the Clan council and found to be right and proper. Let it be thus recorded that of that match have been with success three daughters who by common fame are known as Masako, Shiori and Sanao, to be betrothed at their Father's pleasure to any of good blood."

Shunsui shut the volume with a snap, sending up a small cloud of dust as he did so.

_The Aizen family died out - because of disease or because it was a disease the Clan didn't want to spread, and so they slaughtered them instead of letting them fester and die a natural death. The one daughter survived, though, married her father's cousin and had a daughter of her own by the same name. And at that point...the story stops. There's no more reference to Aizen so I guess that Atsuhiko didn't have a son and heir and that his lands were divided among other relatives. Meanwhile, his daughter...the second Shiori...would be of the right age to have married an Urahara. And if the guardian - the cousin that poor girl had to marry - was already half Urahara, then I suppose he had the connections to get his daughter married off to someone high up in their heirarchy, too. Urahara Keitsune, perhaps. It would fit. It would all fit. This second Shiori married Urahara Keitsune, they had a son...then all hell broke loose. And since the Kyouraku were as messed up as any Clan by the reidoku, Shiori-dono didn't reach out to our kinsfolk for help.  
_

He slid the book back into the bookcase with a sigh.

_But one thing is for sure, thank goodness. We're dealing with an ancient and distant connection. Kin they may be - but all of this would take the family outside of the four degrees of our Clan, even if that's not true for the Urahara side of it. Which means...this can't fall on Nii-sama's head. Since no Clan leader is responsible for the actions of a blood relative born outside the four degrees of Clan._

A rueful smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.

_Damn, now I'm starting to think like a nobleman. If I'm not careful, I might actually begin to care about these things. _

He fingered the pendant around his neck, running his touch over the carved surface that marked out the emblem of the Kyouraku.

_Or more likely, I care about Nii-sama and that Seimaru doesn't find a way to warp this in order to get his revenge on District Eight for all the recent hostility._

As he stood there, contemplating, he was suddenly aware of the faintest prickle of energy from the area around him. He frowned, his senses immediately on the alert as he wondered if one of his brother's many loyal retainers had come to find him, but as he caught a clearer hold of the unexpected sensation he realised that, while it was vaguely familiar to him, he could not match it with any of the men who ran Tokutarou's estate on a daily basis. He turned, glancing around him, but there was no sign of anyone and, as he listened, no sound of footfalls on the stairs or in the corridor leading up to the study door.

He was quite alone, yet somehow he knew he wasn't, and the hairs pricked up on the back of his neck as he tried to make sense of the odd feeling.

_As though I'm being watched._

_  
As though something here is watching me...even though I can't see anyone at all._

He bit his lip, shaking his head as if to clear it, but although the signal remained low and indistinct, he could still feel it prickling across his senses and stealing its way through his natural defences to his core.

Whatever it was knew what it was doing, and, probably, precisely what it was looking for as it sneaked more deeply through his wits, burrowing itself inside of him as though examining him from the inside out.

At that moment Shunsui turned his head, his heart almost stilling in his chest as, out of the corner of his eye he became aware of a faint, ethereal glow in the area of the room where he had just been standing. He swung around, his eyes widening in disbelief as he registered the iridescent opal sheen that now bathed the wall in a haze of light...and within the haze, just clear enough for Shunsui to make it out was the sheathed weapon that, for eight years, had hung silent and dead as a symbol of nothing more than his brother's right to power.

_  
Tensonshin._

Despite himself, Shunsui was frightened.

Although he did not consider himself an expert on _zanpakutou_, he knew that they were partners and servants of the men and women who wielded them and, as such, died when their masters died, their spiritual power evaporating into dust and merging with the ether that charged the air around them with light and sound. Some did not even leave blades, he remembered, their souls being so connected to the wielder that they too disintegrated into ethereal dust, leaving behind nothing more than a legend of their past exploits.

Yet Matsuhara's sword had not disappeared. Shunsui still remembered vividly the day his father had died...and that, when the weapon had clattered to the ground, it had simply lain there as Matsuhara's grief and pain had flooded out into the chamber, paralysing his son's sensitive wits and changing the course of the family for ever.

Matsuhara had died, but Tensonshin had remained. Still, though, in eight years the sword had remained here...and in eight years, it had been nothing more than a dead, empty shell of a blade. Since he had returned here, Shunsui had not once felt even the faintest of spiritual pulses emanating from the sealed weapon, and had had absolutely no reason to suspect that any such power still resided inside of it. And yet, in that moment, there was no mistaking it.

The light that shone forth in the sunshiny study now, brighter than the light of the sun itself...that light came from Tensonshin.

Tensonshin...was not a dead blade after all.

For a moment Shunsui simply stared at it, unsure what to do.

Part of him was pierced with terror, memories of his Father's murder all too readily flooding his mind as for an instant he was six years old again. But the other part of him - the part who had grown up and learnt to cope with the pressures of his Clan - prevented him from fleeing the study altogether. He was afraid, yet he was also curious. Impossible though it might be, it was not his imagination.

_  
And whatever the reason, I ought to do something about it. Before Nii-sama comes home and I have to explain why he has a new Kidou lamp installed over this shelf instead of a dead man's sword._

Steeling himself, Shunsui took a hesitant step towards it, then another, and then another, stopping a foot or so away from the glittering blade. Now he was this close, he could see that the buzz of light was being forced from within the sheath, creating the unnatural haze effect, and almost without thinking about it he reached up his hand, moving his fingers to brush against the hilt of the weapon.

As he did so, he almost thought he could hear crying, and he jerked back, swallowing hard as he tried to make sense of the equation. For a brief instant, he had felt a connection to the weapon. And then, in the next, it had been gone.

_But this is not my sword. I can't wield this sword. I can't even communicate with it. It belongs to Father. It's nothing to do with me. _

After repeating this to himself a couple more times, he gathered his courage once more, gripping the hilt firmly in his right hand and pulling the blade cleanly free of the mounted sheath that fixed it to the wall. As he drew the weapon out, he almost dropped it in surprise for, instead of the slightly rusty, fading metal he remembered from the reluctant duel against his Uncle, the blade of the weapon glittered and glistened with pure white light, its edges suddenly smooth and sharp, and its surface more beautiful than any metal Shunsui had ever seen in his life before. A spiritual swordsmith had crafted this blade, he reflected absently, turning the weapon so that the sunlight from outside caught against its glimmering surface. It truly was a weapon from heaven...was that why, even now, it glowed after its master's death?

Gingerly, as though it were made of delicate glass, Shunsui brushed the index finger of his left hand against the beautiful blade, feeling the soft humming of the spirit deep within. Yet now he knew it was not the hum of a free _zanpakutou_ spirit, prepared to rush into battle on the whim of its master's choosing. Matsuhara was dead, and so, therefore, was Tensonshin. This was no longer a battle weapon. It had not awoken to fight a second time. It was instead simply trapped...rejected and sealed by the man who had summoned it and therefore severed from him, even in death.

_A useless weapon made so by a man who didn't want to fight._

Despite himself, Shunsui felt tears pricking at the back of his eyes as he understood the heavy, lingering sadness that throbbed deep within the weapon's savaged consciousness.

_You're not alive, and I can't speak to you. But yet you call out to me, because you can't move on. I've never heard it before - or seen you glitter like this. But maybe I've never tried to. Perhaps I've just assumed you were dead, too - just like everyone else._

He closed his eyes, feeling the blade's grief against his own raw memories of his father.

_You and I both, Tensonshin. In the end, he abandoned us both. Perhaps that's why you reached out to me like this. After all, I don't suppose I've ever been inside this room alone before now. Perhaps it is only me...that you wanted to make understand._

The books forgotten for the time being, Shunsui settled himself down beside the window, setting the weapon down on the ledge beside him as he gazed out at the grounds beyond. As a very small boy he had run riot here, yet he had never truly understood the depth of his father's neglect until the day he had seen Matsuhara die.

The day he had chosen to die, rather than fight and kill his brother.

He pursed his lips, suddenly angry.

"The day he chose to run away and leave Tokutarou-nii and I to struggle on, somehow - not to mention Okaasama." He said slowly, speaking out loud even though he knew the shimmering weapon could not reply to him. "I've never seen it that way before, Tensonshin. I've always felt that it's better to run away or to die than it is to fight your own people. And I still feel that...that Clan should not kill Clan. That that's wrong, to spill the blood of your own. But...but in the end...Father was weak, wasn't he? He was smart and capable and gifted...but in the end...he was weak."

He ran his fingers through his thick hair, as flashes of another encounter suddenly filled his mind. The image of a black demon, red eyes glowing out of skeletal features as it made demand after demand dashed across his senses and he bit his lip, his gaze falling once more on Tensonshin's blade.

"That's what he was trying to tell me, too. That demon. In that fever-induced dream." He murmured, reaching across to brush the weapon once more as though by touching it he could somehow soothe its lingering pain. "That I was going to end up like my Father. Maybe it was me, after all, warning myself of that fact. Or maybe it wasn't. I suppose I'll never know. But...since then...I suppose I have changed my outlook. And now...I've never before felt so strongly about protecting my Clan. I've never felt so resolute about it - or so relieved to find out that someone I thought might be a blood relative is actually too distant a one to count. Is that why you reached out to me, Tensonshin? Because for the first time I actually felt my Clan pride stir inside of me?"

"Shunsui-dono?"

A voice from the doorway made him start, half-convinced for a moment that it had been the sword that had spoken, but as he caught sight of Rae in the entrance of the study, he sighed, offering her a rueful smile as he took in the confusion in her expression.

"I'm sorry. I thought Tokutarou-sama might have returned, since I heard voices." Rae bit her lip. "Who...were you talking to?"

Shunsui glanced down at the sword beside him, seeing that the weapon had ceased to glimmer, its surface becoming once more dulled and old. He smiled, shaking his head.

"Myself, I suppose." He said sheepishly, getting to his feet and picking up his father's sword. "Or Father. One or the other."

"That's....Matsuhara-sama's _zanpakutou_, isn't it?" Rae's gaze flitted to the weapon, and Shunsui nodded.

"Tensonshin. Yes." He agreed. "But it's just a sword now. Father is gone. Just...I don't have many memories of him, really. So it's a memento, if you like. Of someone I never quite knew properly."

"I see." As Shunsui returned the weapon to its sheath, Rae's expression became thoughtful and she slipped into the study proper, sliding the door shut behind her. "Tokutarou-sama has told me about your Father - about what a brilliant Shinigami he was, and how it destroyed him in the end. But you must have been young...when he died. I barely remember the news arriving - and you and I are of an age."

"I was six." Shunsui agreed. "And though he was never properly a Father to me, I suppose I still wish he hadn't died. Well, you do, don't you? When it's someone you don't feel you know as well as you should."

He gazed up at Tensonshin, then,

"Father stopped fighting because he didn't want to hurt the souls of the tortured creatures he was sent to kill." He murmured. "He didn't want to take down the Hollows, because he knew they felt pain and he empathised with them. Everyone one he slew, he felt more and more grief for. In the end, he couldn't handle it any longer. He ran from it and buried his emotions in other things. He cared too much in the end about the duty his family had made him do."

"Like that it sounds like a tragedy." Rae murmured, and Shunsui nodded.

"I've always thought so. A tragedy that ended with him being murdered by my Uncle." He agreed soberly. "And even now I don't forgive that - I've never forgiven my Uncle for turning on his own brother like that. But...till recently, I always supported my Father's way of seeing things. That he didn't want to make the Hollows suffer. That he didn't want to have to hurt anyone. That...he shouldn't have had to do that in the first place."

"And now?" Rae asked gently. Shunsui grimaced.

"Yesterday at the refugee camp, I saw real suffering." He said evenly. "I've never been very good at acting...I've always kind of let things flow by for the most part. But seeing those people...hearing their stories...made me realise that Father wasn't always right. Little by little I'm realising that...well...sometimes you have to fight. Sometimes there are battles...even if you don't want to...that you'll regret not fighting. Battles Father should have fought with Tensonshin...and yet never did, and now never will."

"Battles against Hollows?" Rae looked surprised, and Shunsui shook his head.

"Battles against other people." He said simply. "Battles against the elements of this world that allow families to flee in terror and pain in search of sanctuary whilst those who persecute them are left to do as they place. Battles against people who kill other people and never face retribution. The world's an unfair place and the older I get, the more I dislike it."

He looked at her, taking in the thoughtful expression in her eyes, and he offered her a rueful smile.

"I've always felt like that." He admitted. "And I had begun to think it was time I started to act...so I stopped cutting my classes and began to learn how to be a Shinigami. But...I think...for the first time now it's something more than that. Today...yesterday...recently. I've begun to realise that if Father had fought some of those battles, a lot less people might have suffered. I don't condone killing - especially not a member of your own Clan. But..."

"If such a deed must be done, let it be done by a Clan leader." Rae murmured softly. "So as he can take the blame and guilt from his people and yet let them live."

"I beg your pardon?" Shunsui stared at her, and Rae grinned, spreading her hands.

"It's in an old book my Father has." She said with a shrug. "It was one of the many volumes I used to have to write passages from in order to perfect writing kanji neatly and precisely. So I remember it...learnt it by heart, I suppose. The way of leadership...at least, something like that."

She looked sheepish.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to comment, was it?"

"No. I prefer it if you do." Shunsui assured her. "And that's it. That's it exactly."

He sighed.

"I'd never be a good Clan leader." He admitted. "Because I still run away from things a little. I could end up like Father, in the end, so it's a job I really don't want. But I will take the _haori._ And I will do that job, even if I can't do what Nii-sama does."

He grinned at her.

"So I told him to marry you. That way, you can give him sons and I'll be off the hook." He said casually. "Seems a fair deal to me - don't you think?"

"Then you accept me?" Rae looked surprised, and Shunsui nodded.

"No reason not to." He agreed cheerfully. "Nii-sama likes you, and you're my cousin, so I should too. Besides, it's more likely you that needs to accept me. I'm the troublemaker, after all - the one who doesn't follow convention."

"Perhaps not." Rae said cautiously. "But even so, Tokutarou-sama thinks highly of you. And I do not think he gives such opinions lightly."

"Maybe." Shunsui acknowledged. "But he's also a little biased. Mother too. My record is at the very least somewhat blemished...so don't make up your mind too soon that I'm safe to be around."

He offered her a rakish grin, and Rae gave him a smile in return.

"I'm not worried." She assured him. "A _hime_ has to marry, and I could do far worse than to marry my Clan's leader. And besides, Shunsui-dono...I think I'm going to like spending time in your company, too. You have a refreshing view of things and I admire that...I hope that we'll talk again, and many, many more times into the future."

"You'll probably regret that idea." Shunsui warned her, then he relented, shrugging his shoulders. "But if it's what you want, I won't object. I'm as determined as you are to make this work out - if for no other reason than Nii-sama needs to stop dallying and get married before all the pretty girls are gone."

Rae laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

"You're really not very formal at all, are you?" She reflected, and Shunsui shook his head.

"Nope. In fact, at school, a couple of my classmates like to call me on it." He said with a rueful grin. "I've never really been fond of stuck up manners and things like that. If it wasn't for the fact that you were here to marry my brother, in fact...and that Mother and he both told me to be on my best behaviour or else...I'd have made Rae-chan of you already."

"Rae-chan, huh." Rae was silent for a moment, then she shrugged.

"When I marry Tokutarou-sama, you can call me Rae-chan." She suggested. "And I'll call you Shunsui-kun, too. Because then we'll be brother and sister as well as cousins and, well...here's a long way from my home and my family. I might not see them very often, so I want to know that this can be a family place too."

"It's a deal." Shunsui's eyes twinkled and he nodded. "After all, we're the same age. So it makes sense...I don't really want to call you "Oneesama" if I can help it."

"Two months isn't enough for you to do that!" Rae looked horrified. "I think I'd hate that...being called Oneesama by someone who's one day going to wear the _haori_ of this Clan! So you're never allowed to call me that - all right? You can call me Rae-chan - and that's that."

Shunsui looked amused.

"You've dropped your careful formality." He observed casually, moving to the desk to collect together the old volumes Yasuhiro had lifted down. "When you speak to Tokutarou-nii - and to me, too, till now - your language has been very careful and precise. But that way you don't get to know anything about anyone. Now you're talking to me normally - I like it much better."

Rae looked taken aback for a moment, then she laughed, shrugging her shoulders.

"You really are as smart as your brother says." She reflected. "Even though you knock people off guard with your mode of address - I see it now. The way you see through people and know what to expect. It's almost a frightening talent, Shunsui-dono...except that I don't think you're a frightening person. On the contrary, I think you're the opposite - so perhaps that's why the Clan expect you to take the _haori_ after all."

"We'll see." Shunsui pursed his lips. "In any case, you can talk to me as you like. I won't be offended - I'd prefer it that way. My other sister calls me an idiot and a moron and several other things besides, after all...I'm used to it by now."

"Your...other sister?" Rae looked blank. "But you...don't have any sisters. Do you?"

"No. Not really." Shunsui chuckled. "But you'll have heard Nii-sama talk about Sora-chan, I'm sure. He was raised with her family, after all. Sora's a Shiba, and my classmate at the Academy. She and I share no blood at all - but because she grew up with him, she calls Tokutarou-nii Oniisama as well. So I say she's like my sister, too. She doesn't stand on ceremony either...she says exactly what she thinks."

"Oh, I see." Rae's face cleared. "Yes, I _have_ heard him mention the Shiba _hime_...and her brothers, too. I hadn't realised you were so close, though - as you said, you're not blood relatives. But then, when you say it like that, it does make sense. I look forward to meeting her, then."

"Yes." Shunsui hesitated for a moment, then, "When you do, take my advice. Speak to her as she speaks to you. Don't hide anything in pretty manners and fine robes...Sora won't accept you if you act like that. And I think...Sora needs to accept you...maybe even make you another honorary sibling for this to go well. She's very fond of Nii-sama, you see - he was with her family since before she was born, and she's a touch protective over him even now. So if you're yourself from the start, and honest and open, I think...she'll accept you. If you're not..."

"Even though the Shiba are so much stronger a Clan than our own?" Rae looked doubtful, and Shunsui nodded.

"Even so." He agreed. "The bond between our people and theirs is formed of familial affection, not politics. You'll do best if you follow that lead - trust me."

"Then I'll take your advice." Rae dimpled. "And probably I'll ask much more of it too, since you know far more about Tokutarou-sama than I do and there are things I don't like to ask an adult like Yoshiko-basama about. If we're to be brother and sister, then I can trust you, can't I? To tell me the things I need to know."

"Depending on what they are, I can try." Shunsui agreed. "I'm done here now, in any case, and I can't reach to put the books back, so I'll have to ask Yasuhiro to do it for me. Once I've done that, we could walk out across the grounds and down to the flower garden? It's not quite as nice as the lake I used to play by at my Uncle's house...but it's pretty enough and a lot of the flowers in bloom there don't flower well in northern climes. Not even in this District, so I've been told."

"All right." Rae nodded. "We'll walk and talk and you can tell me about your brother."

"If you trust my opinion so easily." Shunsui pushed aside the encounter with Tensonshin for the time being, casting the girl a playful smile. "Seeing as we're strangers too just yet."

"Yes, in a way." Rae agreed. "But...I don't think so, not that much."

She shrugged.

"You see, you told me some things just now about your Father. True things about him that you said with all honesty and without any embellishment." She added softly. "You could have shouted at me for intruding, or simply told me it was not my business to ask questions about the previous Lord of this Clan. But you didn't reply like that. You answered my question as though I was already part of your family...and I liked that, Shunsui-dono. I liked it a lot."

"Well, we're cousins, so you already are." Shunsui said simply. "Besides..."

He grinned ruefully, shrugging his shoulders.

"A friend of mine is good at that...at easily telling people things without hesitation." He said pensively. "I haven't always talked openly about Father at all - but now I do, and I'm glad I do. So really, it's probably that friend's influence that I can. Not any great social gift of my own."

He laughed.

"Most girls think I'm a pervert, an idiot, or both." He added lightly. "You don't think I'm either of the above?"

"I've seen no evidence of either so far." Rae's gaze became teasing, and Shunsui grinned.

"Well, if we're brother and sister, that counts out the first." He said pragmatically. "And as for the second...I suppose you're not easily misled by things either, in the end. Like Mother...you're no fool either. But that's a good thing. Nii-sama shouldn't marry a fool. So in the end, it's all well, isn't it?"

"I suppose it is." Rae laughed, holding out her arm for Shunsui to take. "Then if that's decided, let's walk out where you suggested. After all, I'll probably be staying here for good now that I've come here. And before any arrangements become official, I want to know and see everything about this estate so that I can truly call it my home!"

* * *

The pathway was long and winding, stretching out into the distance to a place further than the eyes could see. Somewhere in the hazy atmosphere ahead, Shunsui thought that he could see mountains, but they were uneven and indistinct, cloaked in rippling shadow and somehow like illusions that no matter how far he walked, he never seemed to draw near. The stones beneath his feet crunched with every step, and as he glanced down, for the briefest of moments he thought that he was stepping on fragments of bone - tiny, charred chips of peoples lives cast down to the ground for the nobility to walk over.

At this horrifying thought, he stopped dead, hesitating for a moment as the fragments seemed to prick through the base of his sandals to his feet below. Were his socks really reddening with the colour of his blood, or was that simply the dying embers of the summer sun as it set slowly over the landscape?

But he had decided now, that he was not simply going to run away.

Slowly, very slowly, Shunsui gathered his courage, bending down and reaching out a tentative hand to touch the small white and black pieces that coated the stones of the path in a thin yet constant layer. His fingers brushed against them then, gritting his teeth, he gathered a handful, lifting them and tilting his palm towards the fading light as he tried to make out what they were. As the sun set and the darkness spread, tongues of blackness lapped over the hills and valleys. They drew closer and closer to his crouched form, yet as they pulled near to him they parted, circling around him as though something in his aura was keeping them at bay.

As he hesitated, trying to work out what he was seeing, the fragments that he had touched began to glitter and shimmer with strange opal light. From the darkening sky something above him seemed to shine out of the blackness, as one by one the stars over his head began to twinkle and the moon, bright and bold in its velvet backdrop bathed him in its comforting night time glow.

It had been the gentle brush of the moonlight that had touched the fragments, he decided, and then the next minute he was not so sure, as the light surrounding them grew brighter and each one began to change slightly, first shifting from white to the most pastel of yellow, blue or pink and then, before his disbelieving gaze, each one unfurled, producing delicate crystal-like petals like nothing he had ever seen before. In the unreal glimmer of the moonlight, Shunsui watched the once-dead pieces spread out into colourful blooms, each one unique and shining, and each one as perfectly formed as the one before.

"And so, you see, Shunsui, what happens when you act."

The voice was gentle and teasing, soft-spoken and like the tinkle of wind-chimes blowing gently in a summer breeze. Shunsui swung around, hunting for the speaker, but she was nowhere to be seen and all around him suddenly he was aware of the moving earth, as one by one fresh green shoots burst through the ash-blackened ground, shaking the dirt from their leaves as they raised determined heads of blossom to the welcoming evening sky. Shunsui bit his lip, his grip on the flowers in his hand tightening slightly as he tried to work out where he was and what was happening.

Was it even ash? Or was it something else that had engulfed this surreal landscape? Had it truly burned, or was it just an illusion of the light - land cast in shadow because the light of the moon could not reach?

He stared at the blooms in his hand, then out at the ones sprouting through the darkness, and his eyes widened. One by one, they were moving - shifting from between his fingers to root in the ground far beyond his reach. It was as though he had put them there, and yet he knew he had not moved from this spot where the moonlight shone brightly down around him. Yet even so, there was no mistaking it. The same flowers that had bloomed between his touch were now blooming across the way - each one delicate and perfect as it raised its head towards the sky.

_Like some kind of illusion. Witchcraft...magic I don't understand._

"You're confused. You shouldn't be. This is your doing, after all - you make the flowers bloom here."

Now the voice was louder, and Shunsui turned back, this time making out the tiny, ethereal form of a young girl skipping daintily along the pathway towards him. It had seemed as though she had come from nowhere - or perhaps she too had been born from the shadow, starting in one place and yet somehow emerging in another.

As she got closer, Shunsui realised that she was not a child at all, but a young woman, yet elfin in build and appearance so that, had he been standing fully upright, she would probably not reach even as far as his waist. She wore flowing robes of white, each interwoven with the most delicate sprays of pink and grey blossom. Her hair, silver and glinting in the moon's light was wound back from her face in an ornate style, threads of gold and tiny pink flowers woven in a crown across the top. Her eyes were violet in hue, deep and full of both emotion and mischief, and her skin was almost as pale as the moon's as she let out a rippling peal of laughter, reaching out her tiny fingers to brush them against Shunsui's own.

In the moment that they touched, Shunsui felt a mix of sensations and memories flood through him, and then, just as soon as they had begun, the images stopped.

He stared at her, completely confused by this point, and the girl put her head on one side, reaching out to pluck one of the flowers from his curled grip. She held it up to him, eying him with resignation.

"Don't you understand, yet, what these things are? Really, you are far too slow-witted sometimes. I expected more of you, considering that you heard Tensonshin's tears."

"Ten...sonshin?" Shunsui gathered his wits, staring at the girl as if seeing her for the first time. "This has something...are you...am I dreaming? Dreaming about Father's blade? Dreaming about...what happened this afternoon? When I took Rae-hime into the gardens, and before, when I...when I touched...Father's _zanpakutou_ blade?"

"Tensonshin has waited for a long time for you to hear its voice." The girl looked sad, true grief in the purple eyes. "But you weren't ready to understand yet, and so it waited. And we waited too, Shunsui. Me especially. I'd made up my mind, you see, that I wouldn't speak to you until the time was right. Until Tensonshin reached you...I'd stay back and not say a word. Even if it meant you died in the meantime, or descended into madness and failure. I needed you to understand everything properly - to understand what was right and wrong and make up your mind without my interference. But for a while I thought you wouldn't...that maybe you never would at all."

She smiled, an in an instant the melancholy was replaced by dazzling joy.

"But it didn't happen like that!" She said happily, setting the flower back down and wrapping her doll-like digits around his index fingers as she met his confounded look with a grin of triumph. "And now I'm here, and we can talk at last. I'm so glad we can, Shunsui. We've not been able to yet...but I wanted you to see this place. And understand it, too. Though you have been here before...the last time you came it was dead and dying and we didn't know whether you'd survive the flames."

"Flames?"

As fragments of memory began to slot themselves together, Shunsui realised with a jolt that he had indeed been in this place before. A place where, pursued by the fires of Seimaru's curse he had hidden in the hopes of sanctuary, and yet had met a demon, a black, bat-winged, skeletal demon, who had wilted the flowers and who had, his red eyes piercing Shunsui's very soul, threatened to send him down to Hell himself.

Shunsui frowned at this, and as though she could read his thoughts, the girl nodded.

"Yes. You met Amaki, then." She agreed. "You remember it now, I think? Good. That makes it easier. I wasn't sure how much you did know - but I thought that the flowers at least...they'd help you. And it seems I was right."

"Amaki." Shunsui said the name softly, a chill running through him as he spoke the creature's name, then, as another thought struck him, "Wait! In that case...are you..._Seibara_?"

"You know my name?!" The girl seemed delighted by this, her grip on his hands tightening as she made a little skipping movement. "Even though Amaki only said it the once, even though you never saw my face before...you still know my name? You still remember...even after all this time! You know that I'm Seibara - does that mean that you know who I am?"

Despite himself, Shunsui smiled at her sudden excitement. He settled himself more comfortably on the pathway, shaking his head.

"No. I don't." He admitted. "My memories of your friend are hazy, too, so you'll have to explain. Preferably without inviting him here - the last time we spoke, we didn't exactly see eye to eye."

"That's because you were different, then. You'd given up and were running away." Seibara eyed him reproachfully, settling down on the ground opposite and folding her hands in her lap. "You made the flowers die, and that made Amaki angry. It made me angry too, Shunsui. You'd killed all your hope and were just hiding, waiting for death. And that's...how Tensonshin died, you know. Died but didn't die...trapped by a master just waiting for death."

And then, with a sudden, blazing flare of understanding, Shunsui realised what she meant.

"Tensonshin was Father's sword. Father's _zanpakutou_ that he summoned then abandoned." He murmured. "And you know about it...and about the way it feels. Even though I'm the only living person who could know...since it's never done what it did today before. But you know...don't you? You know even more than I do. And Amaki...he knew too? You both know...about Tensonshin?"

"Of course we do." Seibara said matter-of-factly. "We're his children, after all."

"His...children?" Shunsui whispered, then, "No, that's not what you mean. You're not the children of Tensonshin...that's not what you're telling me, is it? You're telling me you're Matsuhara's children - Father's children. That Tensonshin was part of Father and that you...both of you...are part of me? That you...are...my..._zanpakutou_?"

The last words were little more than a whisper, but Seibara let out a shriek of joy, bounding to her feet and flinging her tiny arms around Shunsui's neck as she hugged him tightly.

"You do understand!" She exclaimed. "Amaki said you wouldn't, but you do! You haven't pushed us away, and you do want to talk to us..."

She hesitated, then held him at arm's length, gazing at him in sudden hesitation.

"You...will talk to us?" She murmured, and for a moment, Shunsui saw fear in her eyes. "I couldn't be sure about it, before. Not before today. But your spirit to protect rose up and Tensonshin reached you...so I thought perhaps you were starting to be ready. That instead of shutting us away again, now you might be ready to learn the things we have to teach you?"

Shunsui sighed, raising a hand to brush away the faintest of iridescent tear drops that glittered suddenly against Seibara's ghostly lashes.

"I've hurt you." He murmured. "Like Father hurt Tensonshin. So Amaki was angry with me. And so you're worried, too. That I'll do the same thing, and leave you in pain the way Father left Tensonshin."

Seibara lowered her gaze, brushing her toes absently against the charred pathway.

"Nobody likes to be abandoned." She said softly. "You know that, and so do we. You've felt it, so so do we. But we were afraid you'd abandon us...yes. That you wouldn't find us at all."

"So this...is not a dream?"

"It is a dream." Seibara nodded. "But it's also a message. In sleep, you drop your barriers further than when you're awake. It's easier to make contact with you then. You're strong-willed and stubborn, and you like to keep us at bay by doing the minimum you need to to keep up. Because of it...well...there's already enough work to do."

She released her hold on him, bending to pick up another fragment and holding it out.

"I can see your thoughts, so I know when you first looked, you thought it was bone." She said quietly. "That's because you automatically think the worst. And more, you blame yourself for things that can't have been your fault. So you see nightmares and they become nightmares inside of you. Your self-doubt and self-loathing takes over and guides you...and so then these are bone, because that's what you see them as being."

She closed her hand around the fragment, then,

"But they can just as easily be seeds." She whispered, opening her fist again to reveal the tiny, crystal blossom. "The starts of new life, not the ends of old ones. Which way it is is up to you, in the end, Shunsui. How you play the game decides whether you win or lose."

"Life isn't exactly a game. Not everything works out as neatly and precisely as that." Shunsui murmured, and Seibara dimpled, shrugging her shoulders.

"It's no different. It has ups and downs, wins and losses, just like any other." She said flippantly. "You should remember that. Winning the game depends on your strength of will. Whether you want to fill this place with decay and death or growth and life is up to you. You're the only one playing, after all."

Shunsui eyed her for a moment, digesting this carefully. Then,

"So is Amaki the decay, and you the growth?" He asked softly.

At this Seibara laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

"He'd be angry, if he heard that." She chided him gently. "In truth, Amaki's the easier of the two of us to work with. His lessons are easier to learn than mine - mine carry far harder challenges and may cause you much more difficulty, in the end. Amaki simply wants you to hold up your head - to not run away, and to face the demons that you like to hide from. Utilise them, if you can. Make them bend to your will instead of being victim to their negative whims. He's been wrapped in your depression for along time, and has absorbed it since you were small - so his appearance became warped and fearsome as a result. He took that sacrifice for you - from your Father's death to the agonies of that boy's fire curse, Amaki has always been the one to take the brunt of your pain. He's angry and he's bitter and he has many lessons he'd like to lash into you. Perhaps he is dark where I am light - he is shadow where I shine. Yet even so...he is not decay."

"He...was warped by...my depression?" Shunsui swallowed hard, then, "I made him...like that?"

"Of course." Seibara said impatiently. "We're within you. This place is within you. Both of us are extensions of you, so of course it was you who did. Who else would it have been?"

"But I...didn't mean to..."

"No, but that's how it is, so there's no need to make it worse for him by sinking back into self-despair." Seibara said with a shrug.

"But...and you? What...about you? Did I hurt you too?"

"You didn't warp me." Seibara looked sad. "But you didn't let me grow, either. I'm as old as you, but I'm still only the size of a child. I represent light, I told you - and the positive traits that lurk within you. Things like your resolve, Shunsui. And now you've stopped growing, I too won't grow any taller. Because you never had resolve until today...this is how I am and, as an independent spirit, how I'll always be."

"So I warped one of you and stunted the other." Shunsui sighed. "I really am Father's son, aren't I?"

"Not yet." Seibara assured him. "And truly, if you listen to us, we won't let you be. We may have been physically affected, Shunsui, but the power is still there. Even as we are, we're no weaker. We can get stronger, too, if you let us play along with you, rather than shut us away and pretend we don't exist. You have a lot of strength you can still use - just as much as you ever did. For that reason, Amaki absorbed your negativity and prevented you from losing your wits. For that reason I waited, even though it meant waiting for such a long time. We both did what we had to do...until the time came that you were ready."

She smiled.

"To really start playing the game you all like calling 'life'."

"I still don't think it's quite as much fun as you seem to." Shunsui said ruefully. "But all right. Since I've caused you so much trouble already, I suppose the least I can do is shut up and at least try and work this out properly, isn't it? After all, if what you say is true..."

"There is one more thing." Seibara hopped daintily from one foot to the other, reaching out to touch him on the nose. "Tensonshin was one spirit. He could not cope with Matsuhara's grief alone. So when you were born, we divided our spirit into two. Amaki and Seibara, two spirits to stand guard over you until you were ready to call us out. We are quite separate, now. We operate on our own and we back each other up."

Mischief sparkled in her eyes.

"It's easier for us that way, but harder for you." She said teasingly. "Since we take it in turns to watch over you, and you can't possibly harness our true power without both of us being present at the same time. Darkness and light always work together - without the sun or moon there can be no shadow, after all. But bringing us back together how we were before...is your greatest challenge of all."

She shrugged.

"You'll come to understand, I think, why that's something you should hold carefully in your heart." She whispered. "And why you'll have to work to bring us both together in the end."

"I'm quite happy just talking to you." Shunsui said wryly, and Seibara tut-tutted, shaking her head.

"My lessons will be harder. I told you already." She warned him. "Your resolve, after all, is still not totally finalised. Light can eradicate shadow, but it also creates shadow. In the good there are also bad things - demons and doubts lurking, and you must harness those if you are going to succeed. Whether you can find the resolve to act as you should...as you need to...that will be the real test. I will make you face difficult things and test that resolve. Whereas Amaki might only haul you back from the brink of death, I won't do that."

She smiled, yet Shunsui saw a steeliness in her violet gaze.

"Amaki can exist here when the flowers are all dead, since he can exist in shadow and despair." She said simply. "But I'm different. I can't work in that environment. Like the flowers, I need there to be light, even if it's the light of the moon. I need you to be looking forwards. I won't answer you unless you show me that you can create hope, not just destroy it. It's easier to break something than it is to build it from new."

She gestured around them.

"These flowers are born of your resolution and hope." She added. "Right now, you're happier than I've known you to be - since you joined the Academy, little by little you've begun to mend and the scars you had are starting to fade away. The flowers bloom for longer before they wilt and die and as time goes on, they'll bloom earlier, too. You're on the right path, now. Keep on it. That's all I wanted to say to you."

She turned, as if making to leave, but Shunsui called her back, reaching out to brush his fingers against the fragile fabric of her fluttering cape.

"Wait a minute. Don't disappear just yet!"

"I've said all I can say for now." Seibara dimpled, shrugging her shoulders. "That's enough for a first meeting, Shunsui - I'm not one of those ladies you can charm with your flirting, you know."

Shunsui smiled, shaking his head.

"Amaki meant Heaven's Demon. I remember that now." He said lightly. "Tensonshin means Heaven's Reverence, doesn't it? Is that why, then? Is that where his name came from?"

"Very perceptive." Seibara let out a tinkling peal of playful laughter.

"And you...you're Seibara." Shunsui frowned. "Bara...as in Rose, perhaps?"

"That's right." Seibara nodded her head. "But not just any roses. Sainted roses. Holy roses. Special roses that only grow in one place."

She tapped him lightly on the head.

"Inside here, when you and I fight together." She whispered. "But you'll understand that, I think. Because one day we will, Shunsui. I'm sure about that now. One day we will fight together...to change this world just like you hope."

With that she was gone in a haze of glittering light droplets, and as the world faded and blurred, Shunsui opened his eyes, drawing a deep breath into his lungs.

He was back in his chamber, and it had been a dream, and yet, deep down, he knew it had been more.

_Tensonshin called to me to wake Seibara. Seibara wanted to speak to me, but I wasn't ready. But seeing the refugees, talking to Nii-sama and to Irie-san...thinking this whole thing over...now am I ready? And the question is, ready for what?_

He sighed, rolling over onto his side and closing his eyes.

_I'll think on it more in the morning. And maybe I'll talk to Juu about it, when I get back to school. Of all people, he's the one who might understand. Because if they are parts of me...parts of my zanpakutou...there won't be anywhere to hide from them. So I want to be prepared the next time that fire-eyed bat-demon invades my consciousness._

A faint smile touched his lips.

_But I'm not afraid, now. Not like I was before. I only saw the one side of it, then. Now I've seen both. I can destroy things or I can create them. It all depends on me. And if that's the case, then I really can't not act any longer. I really do have to find some resolve - because I won't leave them all alone. I won't do to them what Father did to his sword. Juu's said that his fish are always with him - that they told him they'd never leave him on his own. Well, I hate being alone and abandoned. I hate it, and so do they. So I guess...I won't do that any more. I'll just have to work a little bit harder, I suppose...on the path to becoming a proper kind of Kyouraku Shinigami._

_

* * *

_

_**Author's Note: Shunsui's historical research.**_

_Okay, my lexis is probably not perfect and certainly I'm writing it out of context. But believe me there are historical documents relating to all kinds of things written in that grammatical style. If anyone thinks it's hard to follow, imagine how much fun it was to study such things in statutes, acts and eyre court rolls when I was doing my degree...O.O_


	28. Justice Of The Twin Fish

**Chapter Twenty Seven: Justice of the Twin Fish**

A month had passed, and still there was no further progress.

Clenching his fists to control his frustration, Keitarou paced across the dingy dungeon workspace, pausing only to glance at the sleeping form of his adoptive charge curled up in a corner of the room. She had little more than rags and a blanket to make her comfortable, yet she preferred to sleep near where he was working, and Keitarou had not objected, knowing that at least she was within easy reach of him should he for any reason need her.

Besides, she was afraid of Seimaru, he knew that as well. Seimaru was both Endou and Shinigami - the two groups who had persecuted Shikiki's family and village.

And, of course, who had killed Daisuke.

Keitarou's eyes narrowed at this memory, and he muttered a curse, forcing the surge of rage back.

It would not do to act irresponsibly, simply for want of patience.

But a month had passed and still nothing more had happened.

He leant up against the cool stone of the wall, folding his arms across his chest as he contemplated his recent studies. In the month since Seimaru had last come to him, he had carried out many experiments. Several local peasants, given up by their families in hope of protection from the Endou blade had been tested on and discarded as their mutated bodies twisted and warped out of shape, their skin bubbling and spitting like boiling white magma as it had slipped and coated their mangled forms in patchy sections of hardened shell. But they had all died quickly, and they had none of them manifested the kind of reaction Keitarou had hoped for.

They were all too raw and untrained. They had no control to begin with, therefore experimentation was futile. They would rage out of control the moment the solution meshed with their system - for they were men and women without spells or blades, and had no idea what they were wielding.

Keitarou sighed.

For that, he needed a Shinigami.

But there, again, his work stalled.

Despite Seimaru's off-handed remark about his Grandfather, both of them knew only too well that Shinigami were Clansfolk, and Clansfolk were protected by their families. To abduct an existing Shinigami would be tantamount to an act of war - to even take one of Shouichi's own would make the already far too alert old man suspicious. Perhaps he would become suspicious enough to turn on his grandson and cut off Keitarou's source of influence in the Seventh District court - and even more, maybe he would finally discover Keitarou himself.

This was unthinkable, Keitarou knew. He could not be touched by Shouichi yet. Not until he had everything else straight in his mind. When the time was right, he would go to the Endou Lord and he would not leave the man alive. But that still had to be planned with painstaking precision. He had to protect Seimaru, after all, for Seimaru was still useful to him for now.

And so he was back to his initial conundrum. He needed a Shinigami, and yet there were no Shinigami he could pluck from the world without inciting the wrath and hatred of the Noble Houses. He knew, for Seimaru had told him, that the Council had discussed him and his people and their underground, outlaw way of life. Things were too dangerous, and so he waited - but would he wait forever?

He grimaced, his gaze falling once more on Shikiki's slumbering form.

At least he still had her. At least, day by day his training with her was yielding slow but positive results. She had not saved Daisuke, but even so, he could see the improvement in both her resolve and her ability since the death of his kinsman. She would become yet stronger too, he knew that.

He turned back to his work notes, glancing over the pages of spidery, almost unintelligible scrawl.

For the time being, he would focus his energy on her, and he would wait. An opportunity would come, after all. A chance would beckon him, just as it always did. All he had to do was be patient. It would come.

He clenched his fists once again.

And when it did, he would be ready.

* * *

It was a cloudy day, the skies heavy and overcast as a fine spitting sheen of rain began to fall over the school grounds.

Juushirou's grip on his _asauchi_ tightened as he raised his gaze to the heavens. He could see next to no blue now, in a sky that had been up till two days earlier clear and blemish free while the sun blazed down merrily. But summer was moving towards autumn now, and the first storms had begun to creep into District One as a result, cooling the stifling atmosphere and breaking up the heavy air with gentle, refreshing breezes.

Despite himself, Juushirou was glad. The heat had been difficult to train in, but in the time since the summer break had ended three weeks earlier, he had found himself much more easily conserving energy, able to keep moving for longer and at better speed than he had done so during the unrelenting heatwave.

He was a winter baby, after all, and at times like this it showed.

He and Mitsuki had spent much of the break together, although they had seldom been alone and they had not discussed again the things they had talked about beneath the tree. They had remained friends on the outside, though Juushirou knew that deep down his emotions were still cluttered and confused where his gentle classmate was concerned. As a result he had doubled his focus on his sword training, determined to work off the uncertainty through his sessions with the demanding Shirogane. Consequently his skills had continued to improve at a startling rate, and Shirogane had even begun releasing his weapon during the sessions, a fact which Juushirou had taken as an unspoken compliment to his own dedication.

He had not spoken to Shunsui about the kiss, nor did he intend to, but to his surprise and relief Shunsui had not asked him any questions nor teased him about the time spent while he had been at home in District Eight. Instead he had returned with news about his brother and his new potential sister in law, and Juushirou had allowed the conversation to flow that way, knowing it was easier not to have the questions asked of him at all.

And it was not only that. Shunsui had returned to the school with the same grins and greetings as ever, yet Juushirou knew him best of everyone and Juushirou had picked up something new and different in his classmate's aura. He had pondered on it for a while, but had decided not to press the issue - waiting for the time when Shunsui chose to speak of it himself. That something significant had happened in District Eight, Juushirou was sure - yet in the time since his return, Shunsui had mentioned neither Urahara nor anything else of any consequence about his visit to his home.

Still, Juushirou did not feel uneasy. On the contrary, he knew he trusted Shunsui, and that, if it was something he could talk about, at some time he invariably would. And so things had slipped back into normal routine with the minimum amount of fuss. It was, Juushirou reflected, as though the summer break had never happened at all, and in some ways, he knew this was for the best.

"Well?"

Shirogane lowered his weapon, gazing at his student in irritation. "Are you so bothered by a little rain that you want to stop and run for shelter?"

"No, Senpai." Juushirou shook his head, hurriedly bringing himself back to the matter at hand as he met the older boy's gaze. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking that we might have a storm - and I suppose I got distracted for a moment."

"If you let the weather distract you that easily, you'll never spot the enemy until he kills you." Shirogane said cuttingly, his left hand already hovering over the guard of his weapon as he prepared to release it. "So I'll give you something to think about, and see how much attention you're paying. If you don't concentrate, you'll wind up getting hurt - and I won't warn you again."

His fingers glittered with silver light, then,

"_Saite, Ginkyoujiki_." He commanded, as his weapon fragmented into shards of light, spinning across the air towards his student like the razor-sharp petals of a deadly yet beautiful silver flower. They moved at speed, guided by the silver energy that still coated Shirogane's fingertips, yet by this time Juushirou was used to the technique, and his eyes had adjusted to the quick movement his companion's _zanpakutou_ relied on to do its worst damage. The first time, he reflected, even as he swung his blade up, casting _Seki _across it to act as a shield before darting across the ground towards his companion, he had simply stared at the shards in fright, knowing that dodging them would be almost impossible without the use of shunpo. But as time had gone by, he had become accustomed to Shirogane's style - the brief pause before his release, the angle at which the shards span and, most significantly, that only one side of the blade was sharp enough to cut his skin. As soon as he had realised this, Juushirou had been able to avoid the thrust of the attack, and by getting behind the weapon's main threat he had been able to counter attack, forcing his companion to reform his blade in order to defend himself.

That Shirogane was not using the full level of his ability, Juushirou knew only too well. Had he wanted to, the boy was sure his _shishou_ would be quite capable of slicing him to ribbons with the ruthless nature of his key technique. Yet even so, Juushirou felt he had learnt a lot from facing Ginkyoujiki.

_Because it's about how you fight, not the strength of your opponent, of course._

In had told him gently, when he had spoken to his fish after a previous training session.

_The strategy you use is as important as your ability - you can't win the battle based on force alone._

Juushirou had remembered this, for Minabe had also taught them something similar, and now, at last, he was beginning to put those things to good use.

The rain was shearing down now, as the heavens opened to pour their contents unrelentingly down on the two training students. Shirogane's normally neat tail of dark hair was slick, stray wisps plastered to his face as he raised his weapon for a fresh attack, but despite the soaking, the older student did not see even the tiniest bit phased by the change in weather conditions. Visibility would suit him now, Juushirou realised, for in the driving rain it would be far more difficult to see the fragments of Ginkyoujiki's dangerous blade. He would have to use all of his wits and his reiatsu to counter them, and he tensed instinctively, preparing himself for the onslaught that he felt sure would come. So deep was his concentration that he too soon forgot about being cold or wet, and even though rainwater ran off his arms and caused his _hakama_ to cling to his legs, his only thought was on his _shishou_'s next decisive move.

Overhead, the clouds grumbled together, a faint rumble of thunder echoing out across the valley and over the land beyond. All the other students would probably be inside, now, yet Shirogane and Juushirou remained where they were, neither one of them caring that an autumn storm was on the horizon.

And then, through the haze, Juushirou saw the faintest flicker of a smile twitch at Shirogane's lips.

"_Magare, Ginkyoujiki_." He whispered, and at once, instead of spinning out as tiny razor blades, his weapon stretched and twisted, curling itself around into a conical spiral as it continued to hum and glitter with silver light. Juushirou stared at it for a moment, unsure what to make of this new and unknown ability, but Shirogane did not give his student any time to analyse it. Thrusting the palm of his hand against the hilt of his weapon, he exclaimed.

"_Hadou no Juuichi! Tsuzuri Raiden!_"

And then Juushirou understood. As the electric energy made contact with the weapon's reiatsu it spun out around the coiled metal, creating a field of live energy. Though it had begun as gold, the dense magnetic aura of Shirogane's blade turned the light to silver, and at that moment the older boy flung his left hand out in Juushirou's direction, a look of triumph and expectation in his clever grey eyes.

At his gesture, the condensed energy shot out in a blaze of silver, a flare made stronger and denser by the electric field Shirogane had used as a net to snare and condense the spell with his own distinct reiatsu. Instead of using _Tsuzuri Raiden_ to simply charge his weapon, he had corrupted and manipulated the spell to suit his own_ zanpakutou_'s strengths, and for a moment Juushirou was stunned, struggling to understand what his senior had done. To him, _Tsuzuri Raiden_ was still a relatively new spell, and he had never seen it used in that manner before. Yet Shirogane had had no hesitation, and as the flare burned towards him, Juushirou realised with sudden fear that it was heading straight for him - and more, in this soaking, merciless rain, its effects would be amplified the moment it drew close to him.

And then, overhead, the sky split with a burst of golden lightning.

Caught between the blast from Shirogane's sword and nature's own answering battle cry, Juushirou felt his grasp slipping against the hilt of his _asauchi_, his _reiryoku_ instinctively flaring up inside of him as fear and panic threatened to take control of his body. He was trapped, confused, disorientated, frightened...the two sudden blasts had sent him into a spin and though he tried to move, he found that he could not make a coherent instruction pass from his mind to his shaking, freezing legs.

_If you panic, Juu-kun, you'll lose the fight. _

It was You's voice that spoke to him, soft and yet firm as it broke though the haze of Juushirou's rising hysteria.

_The storm belongs to you. The air belongs to you. Everything belongs to you, if you only find your nerve and hold it there._

Juushirou took a shaky breath into his lungs, struggling to understand. Time seemed to have stopped still, or at least be moving very slowly, for it appeared as though several minutes had passed since Shirogane had fired his attack. Yet it had only been a matter of seconds, and as the lightning hit across it, it flared and danced, blazing towards Juushirou's body with a new ferocity and drive.

_Don't try to run from it. You can't run from it. Take it instead, and use it as your own._

He could hear You's voice again, even as the heavens rumbled their displeasure and the heat of the blast brushed against the edges of Juushirou's aura.

"It's going to kill me." He whispered, and then he was aware of the swish of waves, the distinctive and comforting presence of both his fish hovering just beyond his line of sight.

_Believe in yourself. And in us, Juushirou._

That was In.

_We told you we wouldn't let you die. If you trust us, then leave it in our hands._

This time You, and as the fish spoke, Juushirou felt something else rise up inside of him - a resolve and determination unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was his power, he knew it, yet it was also foreign and different, for it did not burn or sear against his senses the way it had in the past and he did not feel the urge to choke on fire and blood as it surged its way through his system. Instead, even as the lightning kidou flare hit him, it seemed to pale in comparison to whatever was growing within him. As his whole world became a blaze of white light and glittering shadows, he heard three words whispered almost inaudible against the noise of the storm.

Yet he did hear them, and in the moment that he did, he understood what they were. Giddy with this knowledge, he clung to them greedily, forcing apart his lips as he struggled to make them known to the world.

"Sougyo..."

He faltered, as pain began to jar at his senses. It was too much, his body told him. There was too much electricity, too much energy...how could he ever hope to deflect such a huge amount of power and live? Yet still he felt the gentle touch of In and You at his side, and he forced the panic away, again focusing on what they had tried to tell him.

_Speak our name, and we will protect you. Do it now, before its too late._

The words resounded like thunder through his adrenalin charged mind, and he gathered his resolve, forcing his will through the cloud of energy and reiatsu that currently engulfed him.

"_Sougyo...no...Kotowari_!"

He gasped out, and in an instant, the pain and confusion began to dissipate as instead a sense of calm and of strength washed over his fragile body. For the first time he found he was able to move and instinctively he swung the _asauchi_ up through the middle of the engulfing electricity to try to sweep it into two, a sharp, juddering sensation racing through it and into the core of his body as he did so. Rain still poured down as the _asauchi_ blade sizzled and glowed, splitting into cracks as from deep within it burst the glitter of eerie spectral flames. Yet although it was growing hotter all around him, engulfed by invisible waves of reiatsu and the sound of the swirling sea Juushirou was no longer afraid.

Within a split-second a bright, dazzling flare shot back out across the ground as though he had somehow deflected the combined lightning blast, engulfing two small storage sheds nearby and destroying them to rubble in an instant simply by the force of the uncontrolled energy. For a moment Juushirou revelled in the feeling of invincibility and then, as exhaustion crashed in, he stumbled, falling to his knees on the muddy, light-scorched ground.

Something fell from his grip as he did so, a trailing glitter of light surrounding it as it split itself free from within the dead _asauchi's _hollow blade. The _asauchi_ itself had been destroyed, warped, scorched and rent apart into mangled pieces by the heat of the electricity outside and the surge of power that had flooded through from within. Yet, despite the destruction that had been wreaked upon his original weapon, the object that fell at Juushirou's side was unblemished, the rain running across its perfect, silver-smooth surface and onto the ground below.

It was as though, in that instant, and in the clash of lightning and rain something new had been born – something with its own buzzing awareness and consciousness even from the dark depths of the shallow, soulless training tool.

But for now, Juushirou was too dazed to properly grasp this fact. All he knew was that the lightning had hit him and, thanks to the protection of his fish spirits, he had lived. The glimmering object seemed to call for him, almost like a newborn baby uttering its first infant cry, and as its immature, shifting reiatsu brushed against Juushirou's ragged own, he felt the bond between them reforming and growing once more. It was a part of him – it had poured from within him and flared its energy out into the storm-soaked training arena. And somehow Juushirou felt comforted, knowing almost by instinct that it would remain with him now for the rest of his life. The bond was, after all, an unbreakable one. In those few chaotic moments, it had burnt into him, tattooing its mark even into his blood.

The intensity of it had taken his breath away, and yet, as before, he did not feel as though he was about to cough. His heart, rattling and haphazard from the jolting current still beat like thunder inside his skull, every pounding blow resounding through the whole of his body until he wondered whether others might be able to hear it even from a distance away. Yet even beyond it, he could still hear the gentle rise and swell of ghostly waves – and somewhere, see the shimmering flashes of two fish as they dived beneath its depths. His inner world had replaced the real world in clarity and focus for the briefest of instants…and then, just as suddenly as it had come, it was fading away, leaving him once more in the rain-battered training ground.

"_Ukitake!_"

From somewhere around him, Juushirou was aware of Shirogane's voice, sounding uncharacteristically concerned as a blur of white and blue shifted through the haze towards him. The senior was at his side in a moment, pausing to pick up the mangled remains of the _asauchi_, then,

"Dammit, you idiot, what were you thinking? Standing still like a fool while my attack flares at you and the lightning surges from above? What were you trying to play at? People have been killed by less!"

He was worried, Juushirou realised absently. The proud, selfish, austere Shirogane was actually worried about him, and somehow, despite the magnitude of the occasion, this struck the District boy as funny.

"Senpai?" He managed, putting his hands out against the ground to steady his shaking body as he gazed up at the other boy's tense form. His own uniform was in tatters, he noticed, charred and destroyed by the blast so as the ragged fabric only just covered his body, and now the ice cold rain was running against his bare skin.

Shirogane tossed the broken weapon pieces away, crouching down in front of his student as he did so.

"We're done for today." He said abruptly. "If you can't dodge an attack like that, Ukitake, we've still got a long way to go. How you even survived it is a miracle...I never meant my blast to merge with a lightning bolt, but I did at least expect you to try and avoid it."

Juushirou swallowed hard, his consciousness hazy and indistinct, then at length he said,

"It wasn't...for me...to dodge."

"Then you intended it to hit you?" Shirogane was incredulous. "What in hell were you playing at? You could have been killed!"

Juushirou shook his head slowly and painfully.

"My fish...protected me." He whispered, stretching out his hand gingerly to brush against the object that had fallen at his side. It was still calling to him, he knew, and although he was still dazed and disorientated, his impulse was still to make contact with it, reassuring both it and himself that they had come through the battle and survived.

"They told me...they wouldn't let me die...if I...trusted them. And..."

He faltered, and as Shirogane's gaze followed his student's movement, he let out a curse, reaching out to grab up the shining weapon and staring at it in disbelief.

"But...this...when did you...how did you..."

"Sougyo...no...Kotowari." Juushirou managed faintly. "That's...what my fish...are called."

And with that his vision swayed for the last time, engulfing him in blackness. As he fell forward onto the rain-soaked earth, he was sure that he could still feel the warm gazes of his two fish spirits watching over him. Though he was too ragged to really understand what he had done, a sense of security still washed over him.

_So long as they're with me, I won't die. So long as I trust in them, I won't die. So long as I remember...and I'll always remember. The most important thing of all._

_  
That my fish have a name. A special name that they told me._

_  
Sougyo no Kotowari._

_From now on, that name belongs with me. From now on..._

And as the sea reached him, taking him down deeper and deeper into his own consciousness, Juushirou let go of any attempts at coherent thought, allowing himself to sink to the bottom.

For now, the battle was over. He could rest, and should rest. When he woke, after all...the fight would no doubt begin all over again.

The next thing he knew he was surrounded by white, and as he opened his eyes, blinking hazily to bring everything into clear focus, he realised that he was once more within the school's Healing Bay. Yet, instead of it being the familiar shape of Retsu or her more recent apprentice at his side, he saw the aging form of his headmaster, wizened hand resting on the wooden staff of Ryuujinjakka as he quietly waited for his student to return to full consciousness.

At last, when the silence seemed to be going on forever, the old man spoke.

"Well, Juushirou."

Just those two words, but they were enough to tell the boy that he had made Genryuusai pleased, and he managed a faint smile of his own. He did not attempt to move from his pillows, for his body felt heavy as lead and he knew that even if he had wanted to, he would not currently be able to lift himself even into a sitting position. He wanted to sleep – needed to sleep – but yet he forced his eyes to stay open as Genryuusai rested his free hand on Juushirou's shoulder.

"You have worked very hard." He said now, his tones muted so as not to jar the boy's head too much, and Juushirou realised belatedly that he had probably been through this situation with many of his students in the past. "Very hard indeed, and I am proud of you. You understand, don't you, what you've done? You remember, I think, the storm?"

At this, thunder once more crashed through Juushirou's mind, and slowly he nodded his head.

"Sougyo no…Kotowari." He whispered, and Genryuusai's lips twitched into a smile beneath his heavy moustache. He released his grip on Juushirou's shoulder, reaching across to lift something off the unit beside the bed, and carefully he set it down across the bedcovers so that Juushirou could see it without having to move.

"As you say." He murmured. "A sword of balance and of righteousness. A fitting blade, I think, for one that has so much to give this world."

"S…sensei?"

Juushirou stared at his mentor, more aware now even as his fingers were automatically drawn towards the weapon's exposed silver blade. It still hummed and called to him, even in its sealed state, and though Juushirou was a little afraid of it, he also knew he did not want to be parted from the weapon ever again. It was a part of him – not just a sword to wield but a weapon that extended from within his own self. It had been crafted by his fish to help him in his battles – and he knew that just as they had given him their true name, he had given them his trust.

Genryuusai's smile widened.

"It is abnormal, you know, for a student to achieve this in his second year." He observed casually, making himself more comfortable beside the bed. "More so, even, that you have only trained for it so intensely for a matter of mere months. You have a very natural talent, Juushirou. A very keen instinct and a desire to work hard. Nagoya has also said the same to me – that your work ethic has been unquestionable from the start of your training till your exploits in the field two days ago. You have managed to do your family proud – your late Father would be happy indeed, I think."

"Two days?" Juushirou wet his lips, looking startled, and Genryuusai nodded.

"You've slept since then." He said matter-of-factly. "It's not uncommon, since you used a tremendous amount of your strength to summon your sword and to protect yourself from the storm. Most students do, after they summon their weapon – one or two for almost a week together, you know, so in comparison you've roused up fairly swiftly. You'll remain here, though, till your full strength returns. I won't take chances with your physical weaknesses – and the best thing you can do is rebuild your energy by eating well and sleeping deeply."

"There was a storm. The lightning…and…it hit me…and…"

Juushirou faltered, for the electrified haze of memories were too confusing and too vivid for him to piece together into the right order.

"Nagoya thought you somehow deflected it – but from the way he described it, I'm not so sure." Genryuusai replied. "But for the time being, that can wait. You lack control yet, and that is an important factor, too. What I do know for certain is that your training is not yet completed. In truth, it has barely begun."

He let out a low chuckle, then,

"If I let you loose now with no further guidance, you may manage to break apart more than just a couple of disused storage shacks – and that would be somewhat troublesome for your fellow students, as well as for me when facing my family and explaining the damages."

"I…damaged something?" Juushirou looked stricken, and Genryuusai shook his head.

"Nothing you could have helped." He said simply. "Why do you suppose the training ground is so far from the school building? Many, many students release their swords and cause damage to their immediate surroundings. It's so normal an occurrence that we expect it and take it into account when choosing students to mentor others."

"Nagoya-senpai said you chose him to teach me because none of the others would be able to stand up to my t…toxic reiatsu." Juushirou remembered, and Genryuusai smiled.

"Yes. He's probably correct in that." He reflected. "He is the best Senior student in this area and so he should be, considering the promise that he has and the expectations heaped on him. He has not let either you or I down, and I am pleased with it. But…"

He paused, then tapped Ryuujinjakka's cane.

"When you rise from here, Juushirou, you will report to my office directly." He said quietly. "You are a second year, and your power is dangerous even now. I will, therefore, teach you to control that power a little more successfully – to steady your thoughts and instincts before you reach out to the weapon you now hold. A _zanpakutou_ is not like an _asauchi_, after all. It will react to you – your emotions, your strengths and eventually your commands. As time goes on, the bond between you will grow stronger and more intuitive – but for now, simply learning how to release the weapon without causing damage is the first step. We will work on that together, since…I don't believe you yet know, do you, the words to release your blade?"

"The…release?" Juushirou looked nonplussed. "But…its name…is not…enough?"

"No." Genryuusai shook his head. "In the heat of battle, your instincts surged and your sword was born in order to protect you. But it was just that. Instinct. You've not had the occasion to see many _zanpakutou_ yet – so there are undoubtedly many things you haven't learnt. But cast your mind over the ones you _have_ seen, Juushirou…what do all of them have, as well as a name, before they unleash their attack? Nagoya's, for example. What of his?"

Juushirou frowned, forcing his tired brain to cooperate, then,

"_Saite_." He murmured. "Before he called its name, that's what he said, to split Ginkyoujiki into shards. And he also had…something else, but I don't remember what."

"And perhaps, the weapon of your Kidou master? Do you remember then, how he commanded his blade to rescue you all at the campsite?" Genryuusai questioned.

"Something to do with air." Juushirou dug deep into his memories, then, "_Sui…konde_? I think?"

"Quite correct." Genryuusai seemed pleased. "Even in such a tired and dazed state these things have made an impression on you."

He sat back, eying the boy pensively.

"People like to look for patterns in _zanpakutou_, but it is not always possible to build patterns out of things crafted by individual souls." He said at length. "Every sword has things in common, but they are all also different. Nagoya's blade releases in two distinct ways even in Shikai – it blooms or it curves, depending on his command. That he has such flexibility even at this level indicates he will probably get stronger – and develop higher levels along the way. Kazoe's is different again – it has the command 'inhale', and as a healing weapon it is not designed to do material damage. In order to use it in combat, Kazoe augmented his kidou proficiency to a superior level and learnt to combine it with the non-hostile releases to create attacks."

"And…Sensei…your _zanpakutou_?" Juushirou was becoming more alert now, despite his tiredness, as his natural desire to learn overtook his drowsiness.

Genryuusai smiled.

"If I was to release my sword here, the whole of this wing would likely burn down." He said softly. "Perhaps the whole school, if I was careless. Ryuujinjakka is not the kind of weapon to be drawn out and released in front of students – not even ones of the highest level. To protect everyone from its reiatsu, therefore, it lives sealed within this cane."

"That…is your _zanpakutou_?" Juushirou's eyes almost fell out of his head, and Genryuusai nodded.

"It is, and that you had not realised it proves that my shield is doing its job." He said lightly. "My reiatsu is old, after all – long trained and far in excess of most other Shinigami. Ryuujinjakka is a fire sword, and one of some vintage – one with the potential to turn the whole world to ash if I should so wish it."

"The whole world…to…ash?" Fleeting memories of Seimaru's Yojinmozu flickered into Juushirou's mind and he stared at his companion, aghast.

"Yes." Genryuusai agreed evenly. "And in that is the biggest lesson. If I so wished it, I could destroy everything around me and leave the ashes smouldering for years after the battle was over. But I do not wish it. I do not use my strength in such ways as that. My weapon is not a weapon for ambition or destruction. It is a tool for defending Soul Society and my trusted partner in battle. You must make your sword the same for you – else you will still cause danger to those around you. You are not of the temperament that would wish harm, and I do not worry that you will be corrupted by greed or power. But you have strength regardless, and you will need control. Do you understand, Juushirou? The most powerful swords are the ones who sleep the longest and only strike when the time is right."

"I think…I understand." Juushirou murmured, and Genryuusai sighed.

"All these things I teach the fourth year students." He said resignedly. "But for you, that will be far too late. Your studies are not of an all round enough level to consider you as one of them – your education is still inferior to theirs, even though you have broken through this barrier and called your sword forth. So I must teach you independently – and I will try to do so, as best I can."

He patted the blade, and although he had not touched Juushirou directly, the boy felt a flicker of awareness shoot through him as though his sword was telling him of the old man's presence.

"We'll find the key to unlock this properly." He said quietly. "And until then, you are forbidden from trying to do so. Until we know how to control your release, you cannot – _will_ not – unleash that power on anybody. Even though this is yours and I will not try and take it from you – even so, you must understand that until we have found that key, you must continue to train in class with an _asauchi _and not with Sougyo no Kotowari. Do you understand?"

A faint flicker of disappointment, followed by resignation washed over Juushirou's soul and he nodded his head.

"Yes, sir." He said softly. "But…then I'm to keep training? But…"

"You'll return to Ouyoudou with your year group and work hard at your technique, since Nagoya says you show promise but lack finesse." Genryuusai said quietly. "In the evenings, I will see you in my office immediately following dinner and until it is time for you to sleep. For the duration of that time, Sougyo no Kotowari should be with you – to strain a bond so fragile and newly formed would be a terrible mistake, after all. But second years are not permitted to carry even _asauchi_ on campus as a matter of course, let alone _zanpakutou_. Therefore during the day your sword must rest in your dormitory – and only in the evening, when you come to see me, may you bring it out."

Another pause, then,

"Yes, sir. I understand."

"I know you do." Genryuusai got to his feet. "In which case, I will leave you to rest. When Retsu-dono sees fit to release you, come to see me. We will work out the best schedule then for you to fully reach out and understand your blade."

* * *

_**Author's Note: Shirogane's zanpakutou**_

**  
Ginkyoujiki **銀強磁気**  
Silver Strength Magnetic Spirit.**

_Yes, Shirogane's power, unlike Byakuya's, is control of metal and specifically magnetism and magnetic fields. He therefore uses electricity and his weapon together to create the kind of blast he fired at JUU!!(!!! -_-) But because Shirogane also has that Kuchiki elegance, and that blood link to Byakuya, I wanted him to have a fragmented sword, too. Unlike Byakuya's petals, which are controlled psychically, Shirogane's are controlled by magnetic reiatsu in the form of silver light emanating from his non-sword hand (left). Saite (Bloom) and Magare (Bend or Curve) are his two known shikai commands. Whether he has any more...who knows...?_

_As mentioned before, the silver comes from his name, Shirogane, which uses the same kanji._

_  
__**Sougyo no Kotowari**__  
For anyone who doesn't know, this Chapter's title is the translation of Juushirou's sword's name._


	29. The Spirit In The Sword

**Chapter Twenty Eight: The Spirit in the Sword**

"And so he decided it, just like that?"

Shunsui cast Juushirou a quizzical look as the two boys left the Hohou classroom, making their way along the hallways towards the dining room to meet up with their classmates for the midday meal. The gong had already sounded, but Uebashi had called Juushirou back after class to collect the notes he had missed during his six day absence, and Shunsui had elected to wait for him, saying with a grin that being late was nothing new for him and that nobody would even blink at it.

In truth, though, it was the older boy's first opportunity to speak to Juushirou alone since the day that the school had been rocked by rainstorms, and though the subject of Sougyo no Kotowari had come up between the curious second years many times, Shunsui had more or less held his tongue, knowing that the questions he wanted to ask were ones he did not want to voice in front of his fellow students.

Juushirou was different now, after all, and Shunsui felt a connection to that difference. Juushirou's_ zanpakutou_ fascinated him most of all for, though it was connected irrevocably to his friend's spirit, even he could trace the spiritual threads of energy that ran through it, giving it its developing, raw power. Each of them had reacted to it differently – for Kai it had simply been a matter of course, for he was so used to being in the constant presence of his sister's _zanpakutou_ that to him the budding strength of Juushirou's was simply just another powerful sword beginning to be honed into its true shape. Hirata had treated it warily at first, his own experiences with _zanpakutou_ making him more cautious, though Shunsui knew that the young boy trusted Juushirou's motives and that, in the end, he had accepted the blade as part of his friend's evolving power. Ryuu had tried to pretend he was not impressed, though Shunsui had seen him glancing at it when he thought he was not being watched, and something in the Kuchiki's furtiveness had amused his indolent classmate. As for Enishi, he had thumped Juushirou on the back and congratulated him warmly, but Shunsui did not think that the tall boy had discerned more than the vaguest overview of the weapon's power even now.

And for Shunsui, it was entirely the opposite. For Shunsui, for whom the concept of _zanpakutou_ had become suddenly so vivid over the summer holiday, Juushirou's sword seemed alive with energy and promise, every tiny little flicker and flare of _reiryoku_ proof that this was a living weapon and a part of Juushirou's own self.

Yes, Shunsui was fascinated by Sougyo no Kotowari. Yet he had kept his thoughts and feelings to himself, longing to know more but unsure about asking the questions and revealing the reasons behind them until he and his District friend were alone.

Juushirou nodded now, oblivious to his classmate's train of thought.

"He reiterated it yesterday, too. From dinner till bed I'm to take Sougyo to his study and he'll train me himself." He agreed. "It sounds a bit funny to me too – his study isn't that big and if my weapon can cause flares that bring down storage huts…surely we shouldn't be inside at all? But that's what he said, so that's what I'll do. Genryuusai-sensei isn't exactly someone you argue with, after all."

"Mm. I s'pose not." Shunsui pursed his lips, eying his companion keenly. He paused for a moment, then,

"I've noticed it though, you know."

"Noticed? Noticed what?" Juushirou was startled, and Shunsui grinned.

"The way your reiatsu was wavering before – like it was going in and out of focus and like it might explode at any time…it isn't like that, now. It's actually quite steady – for you. I guess that in the end Yama-jii was right to make you train like he did."

"I'm sick and tired of the Healing Bay." Juushirou admitted. "But other than that, I guess so. Unohana-sensei said that my body was under less strain now that the blade's power was confined in its own form…so I suppose that's a part of it. I feel…all right. Not as up and down as I have felt, nor as tired or worn as I was when I collapsed. I'm all right. And with me, all right is fine."

"All right, but not perfect?" Shunsui's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Ah, so you can call on the services of Nurse Edogawa, then?"

"Shunsui." Juushirou sent him a weary look, though Shunsui could see flickers of consternation in the hazel eyes and he nodded to himself, his unspoken suspicions confirmed. "I thought you'd let that drop – don't begin with it again, please?"

"I won't. It's up to you in the end." Shunsui assured him. "Besides, I think…you took my advice. And if that's the case, there's nothing more for me to say. You might not be able to do anything about it now, but if you've acted…and followed your gut…then that means you don't take it lightly. So maybe not now – but that's all right. We're going to change this world so as it doesn't matter who's seen with who…and then you and she can ride off into the sunset together on Kuchiki-ke white horses."

"White horses?" Juushirou stared, and Shunsui nodded.

"When Nii-sama was talking about plans for the wedding, he joked about the Kuchiki and how they like to send their brides on white horses to the ceremony." He agreed. "Apparently it's some tradition of purity or something like that…and Juu, you've gone a very funny colour. Don't tell me that you followed more of my advice than I gave you?"

For Juushirou's cheeks had flushed scarlet, and he shook his head hurriedly, grabbing Shunsui by the arm and pulling him firmly into the nearby empty classroom before wheeling on him and fixing him with a dark glare.

"Don't say things like that! I'm me, not you. Of course I haven't!" He protested hotly, and Shunsui held up his hands in mock surrender.

"All right! I'm sorry. You only kissed her."

"Yes! I mean, _no_! I mean…ack, you did that on purpose." Juushirou suddenly realised the trap, burying his face in his hands. "You took me off guard…Shunsui, you fight dirty sometimes, you know that?"

"Yes, but it's fine. I know, now, and I won't pursue it any more." Shunsui said matter-of-factly. "You're not me, like you said. You wouldn't kiss a girl you weren't in love with. And I know she loves you, so the barrier between you is simply the matter of social level. Which we're here to change, aren't we? So it's not really that much of a barrier at all. Not if you wear a _haori _and stand in Inner Seireitei alongside her kinsfolk."

"You're being crazy. What are you talking about?" Juushirou demanded. "I've barely raised my sword, let alone done anything of note with it! And _haori…haori_ belong to Clansfolk! There's never been any Gotei leaders who haven't been Clan – and I'll be happy if I only become a Shinigami who can make a difference to those around me! You've said it, and Mitsuki's said it, but you're both biased. The reality is that we're a long way from that yet. A long, long way. And you might inherit your _haori _when you graduate – but I'm going to have to work as hard as I can from the start. I'm not taking it for granted that I'll get there – I'm simply going to work as hard as I can and see where it takes me!"

"You're a little bitter about this, I see." Shunsui rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then he sighed. "To be honest, Juu, I don't really want to inherit the _haori_. But…I have made up my mind to do it, now. So I'm going to be working hard alongside you – and I'd like us both to get there together. District or not, what you've done recently already outstrips the rest of us. And that should be an indication at least – that you're at least the same level as we are. If not, maybe, higher."

"No…I'm not higher. Especially not higher than you." Juushirou shot him a cool look. "If you worked, you'd be well ahead. You'd probably have your sword in hand already, Shunsui. You don't need to work, after all. Whether you do or you don't, things still piece together and you still do well. You're a natural Shinigami – in all ways. You will deserve the _haori _when you wear it – but you'll wear it far sooner than any of the rest of us will, if any of us ever do at all."

"Well, I think you're wrong." Shunsui said pensively. "But if it comes to that, I'll make sure you don't get overlooked because of Clan snobbery. If the Gotei are too fool to know what to do with you, I'll have you with me. In Eighth. Without a moment of hesitation."

"I appreciate it." Despite himself, Juushirou shot his friend a smile. "But that would be as bad as anyone else being picked on grounds of favour. I mean to earn my place, Shunsui. So earn it I will, no matter how hard it is. It's the only way they will accept me - if I work hard and show them that I can do it too, after all."

Shunsui was silent for a moment, and then he nodded.

"Do you mind if we're very late for lunch? Or, in fact, if we skip it completely?" He asked hopefully. "I have some food in the dorm that I snuck out at breakfast, and we might make a picnic of it by ourselves since everyone else will be in the Dining Hall."

"Why would you want to do that?" Juushirou looked confused, and Shunsui sighed.

"I wanted to talk to you. Alone. About _zanpakutou_." He said heavily, running his fingers through his tousled brown hair. "In a way that I can't talk before the others – or even, yet, to Yama-jii. I haven't told anyone any of it – but I think you're the person who'll understand the most and maybe, give me the right answer. If there is an answer – I'm not sure about that, yet."

"You've lost me." Juushirou shook his head. "My _zanpakutou_? _Zanpakutou_ in general? What do you mean?"

"If you come upstairs with me, I'll tell you." Shunsui responded simply. "Well? Will you?"

Juushirou sighed.

"All right." He said at length. "Since it's obviously important to you and from the way you asked, quite serious, too. But if it's about _zanpakutou_, well, I'm not an expert on it. I barely know anything, really, except what Nagoya-senpai has taught me and the bits and pieces Sensei and others have said. True, I have Sougyo now, but…"

"That's why." Shunsui interrupted. "Because you have Sougyo now…I think you'll understand."

"Well, if you say so." Juushirou agreed. "I'm coming. But if we get into trouble…"

"I'll say you had a coughing fit and I stopped to help you. Nobody will question that since you're beyond all suspicion." Shunsui said airily, relief coursing through him as he pushed back the classroom door, leading his companion across the winding building to the landing that housed the boy's dormitory. "It's useful, sometimes, you know – having a best friend who does obey rules. That way, if it's just me, I might get punished – but if it's the both of us, well, they won't think of you cutting meals without good cause."

"Your logic always hurts my brain." Despite himself, Juushirou grinned. "I get the feeling you could talk yourself out of anything, Shunsui – I doubt you need me as a shield at all."

"Well, it's always wise to have plan B." At this moment they reached the dorm, and Shunsui slid back the door, leading the way inside and gesturing for Juushirou to close it. "And really, Juu, all joking aside – I've been waiting for an opportunity to speak to you for a while now. Only it hasn't come, and I haven't really known how to create one. You've been busy…and I didn't want to pile more on you since you were so focused on your training. Still, now you've summoned your sword…"

He paused, his gaze drifting to the unit where the weapon lay wrapped in a thick cream blanket.

"And you need to get a scabbard for that. It's a weapon, Juu, not a baby. You don't need to nurse it."

"I'm trying to think of safety." Juushirou objected, embarrassment in his hazel eyes. "It's a raw, sharp edge, even if it's sealed. Someone might get hurt if they knocked it or if it fell by accident. So I wrapped it up I haven't had time to think about a scabbard yet. It's too different in shape to fit into a generic _asauchi_ sheath - give me a chance!"

Shunsui chuckled.

"I know, but you do treat it like a mother hen." He said teasingly. "The first thing you did when we came in here was head over to check on it – you only stopped because I mentioned its bedding. You're like a new mother with your just-hatched chick. Perhaps you would make a good father – you're certainly very attentive."

"Shunsui!" Juushirou glared at him, completely discomfited, and Shunsui dropped down on his bed, letting out a resigned sigh.

"I guess I find it easier to tease than I do to be serious, sometimes." He admitted. "Sorry – maybe that was over the line. I really did want to talk to you about something, Juu-kun – all my joking aside, I did."

"Then do so." Juushirou settled on his own bunk. "Though it must be pretty serious, if you're having trouble voicing it even now we're alone here."

"Yeah." Shunsui was silent for a moment, then, "I'll make a deal with you, then. If you hear me out – seriously and without laughing or doubting what I say…then I'll take responsibility for that sword's sheath."

"Pardon me?" Juushirou stared, and Shunsui rolled over onto his stomach, resting his chin in his hands as he met his friend's gaze.

"It's a bit silly, in places, even when I say it inside my head." He admitted. "So if you promise not to laugh, I'll be a good surrogate uncle and buy baby Sougyo-kun its first scabbard."

"…I'm not even going to rise to that last remark." Juushirou rolled his eyes. "You don't have to make a deal, anyhow – I'll listen, either way. You can be stupid, Shunsui, but when it's serious, the things you say aren't ridiculous. And you don't make things up – so I'll believe you, whatever you have to say. You know me, don't you? I don't need you to compensate me for my time."

"No…no, I know." Shunsui agreed. "But…I think I'd like to, to be honest. If you'll let me. Since scabbards are expensive – decent ones, anyway, since they're custom cut and designed to fit the blade properly."

He grinned.

"Your blade is special, after all." He said simply. "It's the first _zanpakutou_ any District person has ever summoned, at least in known record. You've begun crushing down stereotypes and accepted orders and all kinds of things. Sougyo no Kotowari is a trend-setter. I'd like to do something to mark the occasion – if you don't mind."

Juushirou smiled.

"If you feel like that, then I suppose I don't." He acknowledged, and Shunsui nodded.

"You can consider it an early birthday present." He said flippantly. "Though it's only just autumn now, it'll be winter soon enough."

"I suppose so." Juushirou pursed his lips, casting his muffled sword a glance, then,

"So what is it, then, that's bothering you? Something big…to do with swords…care to explain?"

"Mm." Shunsui faltered for a moment, then, "Remember that you promised to take me seriously, no matter what it is I say?"

"I remember." Juushirou agreed. "So go ahead. I'm all ears."

"You'd look funny if you were." Shunsui said absently, "But yes. Okay. You know that I went home for the summer break..? Well, of course you do. You're not so unobservant that you wouldn't have noticed my absence for ten days, I hope! And while I was there, Juu, I went to the borders – on an errand for Nii-sama, I went to the refugee camps and saw things for myself."

"Oh." Juushirou's expression became serious. "And?"

"It's as bad as I thought, and worse." Shunsui sighed. "I felt it, I think – the amount that they're suffering in all of the craziness District Seven has going on. That Clan is a menace to Soul Society – at least, certain parts of it are. I didn't like to see it, really – what a Clan can do if it puts its mind to it. How much it can hurt the people beneath it."

"Families like mine, if I'd been born in a different place." Juushirou said sadly, and Shunsui nodded.

"Yes. Yours, and Kira's, and Hanako's and Atsudane's." He agreed. "Children and adults, men and women. Old and young. It made me…angry. Very angry, I think. Seeing them like that."

He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"The next day, I had to go to Nii-sama's study on a family matter." He continued. "I can't explain that to you – not at the moment, and maybe not at all, so please, don't ask me to."

"If it's private to your Clan, of course I won't ask." Juushirou looked rueful. "I've grown up beyond that, you know – I realise there are things that don't get told for reasons beyond what I can see – it's all right, and you don't have to justify it to me."

"I'm glad." Shunsui admitted. "Because it's not really me or my family so much as other things…it's complicated and at the moment Nii-sama hasn't given me permission to discuss it. I really…don't think he'd want me to get you involved and while none of us are…it's a Council and Clan matter, not anything to do with us. But the significant factor is connected to it. As I said, I was in Nii-sama's study…looking through records for something that had come up."

"_You _were looking through records?" Juushirou blinked. "Was that hulking great manservant of your brother's watching over you?"

"I might've known you'd find that the oddest part of the story." Shunsui grinned wryly. "No. He helped me get them down, but he left me to myself. It was my errand, after all. Not anything to do with him."

He pursed his lips, then,

"Nii-sama has always kept Tensonshin in the study." He said quietly.

"Tensonshin?"

"Father's _zanpakutou_."

"Oh…yes. I think…you've mentioned that to me before." Juushirou looked apologetic. "I'm sorry – a lot's happened lately."

"It's all right." Shunsui grinned. "It's a dead sword anyhow. It's been dead a long time. At least…so we all thought."

"So…you all thought?" Juushirou blinked. "You mean…it isn't dead?"

"It…is, really." Shunsui sighed. "But while I was there, it…reacted to me. Like it was trying to either tell me something or assess me - I'm not sure. It didn't really have a consciousness, though it seemed like it was crying. Father broke it – he severed their connection and left it damaged and alone when he died. It's trapped, now – not a proper _zanpakutou_ but…not a dead sword, either."

"That's so sad." Juushirou's gaze instinctively flitted to Sougyo no Kotowari, then he frowned. "I can't imagine how he did that…broke the connection, I mean. When it takes so much to form it…I don't even know how you would break it, to be honest."

"That's why I thought you'd understand a little." Shunsui nodded. "Since you have that bond now – and I thought the same. Father was really…that much against fighting and using it that he poured all his negativity into it and warped it until they could no longer fight together. So it seems, anyhow. So it's trapped in its grief. Lost and alone. There's nothing else to do with it – it's trapped forever, most likely."

"Your Father was a really lonely man, in the end, wasn't he?" Juushirou murmured, and Shunsui sighed.

"For the first time I was angry at him, too." He owned. "For making the sword that unhappy. I felt the grief and pain when he died – all Father's, I thought, but now I'm not sure. Some of it…may have been Tensonshin. It's hard to know, when you're six years old – but I imagine that some of it was."

He shrugged.

"Kept hung up in the room your master died…and therefore the place your master ultimately abandoned you." He said frankly. "It's not a nice fate…I'm thinking of asking Nii-sama to move it someplace else."

"So Tensonshin reacted to you…and it never did before?" Juushirou questioned. "Because you're Matsuhara-sama's son? Because I didn't know they could do that."

"I haven't finished yet." Shunsui pursed his lips. "But forgive me if I head off on another tangent. Juu, do you remember after Seimaru's curse – I told you I'd seen a bat demon in my delirium?"

"Yes…vaguely." Juushirou nodded. "But I didn't think a lot about it. You were fevered. Hallucinations happen."

"They do, so I dismissed it, too." Shunsui agreed. "Till…the night after I'd seen Tensonshin glitter."

"And then..?" Juushirou looked curious. "You saw the demon again?"

"No. Quite a different creature, actually. Much prettier to look at." Shunsui's eyes became mischievous. "But it still connects to that. She called herself Seibara, Juu. Sainted Rose. Something like that. And she mentioned Amaki – the demon. Heaven's demon. They belong together…and they're not just hallucinations or dreams. They're…"

"The spirit of your _zanpakutou_." Now Juushirou understood, his eyes becoming big and Shunsui nodded.

"Seibara said so, and I believe it." He admitted. "Even though I only have her word for it, the things she knew made me sure that it was true. She and Amaki – both of them – consider themselves children of Tensonshin, since I'm the son of Matsuhara and I inherited so many things from him. I've always thought he was right to run away from conflict, but since I saw those refugees and since I felt Tensonshin's pain, I'm starting to feel differently. I'll never be proactive like you are but…just a little bit…I want to make this world change."

He glanced at his hands.

"And because of that, Seibara spoke to me." He murmured. "And made me realise…exactly what she was."

"Two spirits. Just like me." Juushirou whispered. "But Sensei said it was unusual…and yet…"

"Perhaps it's only unusual because so few people have raised _zanpakutou_ yet." Shunsui suggested. "Although…your fish are always together, aren't they?"

"Yes. Aren't yours…?"

"Seibara took great pleasure in telling me that she was light, Amaki dark and that I'd have a whole lot of trouble getting both of them to show up at once." Shunsui said ruefully. "From the way she said it, I think…she wasn't joking."

"Did she tell you why?" Juushirou wondered, and Shunsui shrugged.

"The summary is that I've really messed the both of them up ever since I was little." He said with a gusty sigh. "Amaki is a bat-demon because I keep being negative…Seibara is tiny because I've never had any resolve. Harsh, huh? Pretty damning stuff."

"I see." Juushirou's eyes narrowed. "Well, you can't really argue with them, can you? I mean, that's probably true."

"Thanks." Shunsui groaned, and Juushirou grinned.

"Welcome." He said casually. "But seriously, Shunsui, I had realised something had happened over the summer break. I didn't know what, but I had noticed you'd started reading the notes Kazoe gives us, instead of just tossing them down by your bed and hoping you'll coast through next class. And all this talk about changing the world – is that part of it, too? Because of what this Seibara spirit said to you?"

"Mm. Maybe." Shunsui agreed. "Or more…that I don't want to be my Father's son as much as I thought I did."

He looked pensive.

"At the time the comparison was my Uncle, and I knew he was someone I couldn't be like, so I worked on the premise that made Father right." He said regretfully. "But I've bit by bit come to realise that isn't necessarily the case. I know doing nothing can be a bad thing, sometimes. But even so, often I've still not done much. Just coasting my exams isn't really being fair to my Clan, either. Or Seireitei. Or those people who are currently sheltering with my family hoping for protection. Eighth District doesn't have a Gotei Shinigami, Juu. Those people only have my brother's retainers and good sense to keep them safe, while I just drift by and let it all happen. I can't…just do that any more. I don't care much about the wider Clan – but I do care about Okaasama and Nii-sama and I think I'll come to like Rae-hime as well. So I don't want to burden them by being useless. And most of all…it's like you said. Those people sheltering could be families like your family. Are like your family, really, in all respects except they live in the wrong District. And they need someone to stand up for them, too. Not just stick up for Clansfolk but…for everyone. Just…like the old guy says."

Juushirou eyed him for a moment, then he nodded, a serious expression touching his clever features.

"Yes." He murmured. "I don't find any of it funny, Shunsui – or any of it anything to mock you about. If you say you heard your sword, I believe you. If you say your Father's blade reacted to you, I believe you. And if you say…that this is your resolve now…then…I believe that, too."

He smiled, holding out his hand.

"It's what I want as well." He added. "Whether I can do anything to change the world or not. But I'd like us to be working together, too. I don't know if I have any hope of reaching the very top of the Gotei. But I'm still going to do the best I can. If you do too, then one day, it might actually happen. We might actually be able to help Genryuusai-sensei and well, make it so people like those people aren't suffering any more."

Shunsui leant across to grasp Juushirou's thin fingers in his, squeezing them tightly before letting them go.

"It's a deal." He said solemnly. "Thank you for hearing me out, Juu. Just talking about it with someone…helps."

"Then I'll give you the advice Ryuu gave me. Go speak to Sensei." Juushirou responded, but Shunsui shook his head.

"I've only just heard them speak. I'm not like you – it's not anything beyond that yet." He said seriously. "The way in which I have to work isn't like yours, after all. It's not my physical state that needs training, but my mental one. That's not something Sensei can help me with. I have to find that on my own. Resolve, Seibara called it. She said she'd be testing me and that those tests would be hard ones. But if she is…if she does…that'll be when I'll find out if I'm ready or not to start training with my sword."

"That sounds almost ominous." Juushirou reflected, and Shunsui nodded his head.

"Yes…it does, rather." He said pensively. "But the truth is, Juu, I probably deserve that as well. You can't coast forever. Not everything can be easy. If it's easy then at some point it's going to rear up and bite me – I'm pretty sure that's the case. You've worked hard and harder than most and that's how you summoned Sougyo. I've never really wanted to work that hard, but I know now that I won't summon my sword – any sword – unless I'm committed to doing so."

"And are you?" Juushirou questioned. Shunsui shrugged.

"Not sure, yet." He admitted. "Which is why I don't want to talk to Sensei about it at the moment. There are a lot of things I don't fully understand and I want to think them out for myself before running to him for help. I'm not like you, after all – there's no rush for me to do it in the same way you have. My physical health isn't under any kind of threat – and I'm not about to lose control of my _reiryoku_. I don't intend on just sitting back and doing nothing," He added, as Juushirou raised an eyebrow. "But it's going to take a little bit more time to beat the lazy out of me. If it's even possible to beat it out. I don't know. I guess we'll see."

"Maybe it's not so much laziness as fear of the unknown." Juushirou pursed his lips. "Because it is scary. Very scary. When they're pushing through your thoughts and your power surges and you really don't know how to explain it to anyone else. I felt…very alone, Shunsui. Even though you were all there and I_ could_ talk to you – it was harder actually being able to do it. It's different, trying to make someone else understand something that's, well, inside of you."

"Mm. For the first time I'm beginning to understand that." Shunsui agreed. "But I'm lucky."

He grinned.

"You've already done the first step. Therefore you understand more about it than I do."

"But everyone's sword is different. Everyone is different." Juushirou pointed out. "Sensei said as much to me after I first came around. All swords release and work in a way unique to themselves – so what might be true for me may not be true for you."

"Probably." Shunsui acknowledged. "But at least if I'm hearing voices in my head, you won't think I'm crazy."

"No more than I already do." Juushirou laughed. "And I'm well used to that."

"You're so cruel, Juu-kun." Shunsui pulled a mock-hurt face. "And you come from such a nice family, too."

"Well, sometimes being cruel to be kind works." Juushirou said matter-of-factly. "In the meantime, you said you had food? Not to change the subject or anything, but if we're not going to the dining hall – I'm starving hungry and I definitely need to eat something before we go to class this afternoon."

"You and your appetite." Shunsui chuckled, nonetheless getting to his feet. "All right. I get it. Where you put it all is still a mystery, but I suppose you did hear me out. We'll eat, and put this topic aside for the time being. I still have a lot to think around it, after all – and hopefully find a little bit of that 'resolve' thing that Seibara was talking about, too."

* * *

"Good evening, Juushirou."

As Juushirou slipped inside the headmaster's study, the old man glanced up from the papers he was reading, shooting his student a smile and gesturing for him to take a seat. "I have just to sign these, and then we can begin – I trust that you've had some time to think about your sword and what it means in the time since we last spoke?"

Juushirou nodded, obediently kneeling on one of the cushions spread out for the purpose, and Genryuusai's moustache twitched thoughtfully at his student's demeanour. He swept the brush across the page deftly, then got to his feet, pushing the documents to one side and coming to join his companion on the cushions on the floor.

It was a week now since Juushirou had first come to Genryuusai's study, and contrary to the boy's expectation, he had not once asked to engage the weapon in any kind of conflict. In fact, since the first time Juushirou had reported to his headmaster, he had barely touched his weapon at all – most of the time having been taken up in discussion and explanation about the properties of the shinigami _zanpakutou_.

Yet despite his lack of preparation, Juushirou had responded quickly and eagerly to the complicated concepts Genryuusai had put forward. He was an intelligent boy – perhaps verging on more than intelligent – and Genryuusai had been gratified by the speed at which his capable student had made sense of the complicated values he was beginning to learn. This was, after all, fourth year work – even the most basic _zanjutsu_ theory classes did not begin until the final semester of the third year – yet even without that grounding, Juushirou grasped at the knowledge, formulating it carefully together into a logic that was both well-considered and sound.

Fleetingly Genryuusai had wondered whether he should be moving his young pupil up to the third year after all – and then, with a wry smile, he had discarded the notion.

_Perhaps he is academically ready for it, but even so, I will not do it. His current classmates have accepted him and I will not risk showing favour beyond the necessary to a student of District blood. While I believe in him and while he is piece by piece living up to my expectations, I will not mollycoddle his ability nor make his path an easy one. He of all of them requires the most detailed grounding and education – at least for the time being, I will not think of moving him._

Out loud he said now,

"Yesterday we discussed the different types of _zanpakutou_ and how their elements can dictate the kind of release command they require. In particular we spoke of my sword, Ryuujinjakka – but also of other elemental blades and the different ways in which they can be released. Today we're going to focus more specifically on your blade – and on the elements that drive it most of all."

"Storm and sea, Sensei?" Juushirou looked startled. "Isn't that…what you said to me?"

"I did." Genryuusai nodded. "And I still feel that to be the case. Your sword was summoned in the power of a natural storm, after all – the environment was conducive to it and so you successfully harnessed that power in order to protect yourself. Yet simply 'storm and sea' is not enough to understand what your blade requires of you. That action was instinctive. We might call it…innate. To control that action – requires something more."

Juushirou sighed, pursing his lips and Genryuusai could see his student was thinking this over carefully. He was still very young in some ways, the old man realised – yet in others he was already an adult and ready to fully embrace the challenges that would face him from this point on. They would not be easy to overcome – Genryuusai knew this better than anyone. That Juushirou could gain acceptance here was one thing – but out in the world and before the Gotei…that was a test yet to come.

"Have you spoken to your fish at all about this?" He asked softly now, and Juushirou started, slowly shaking his head.

"I tried, last night." He admitted. "When we went to bed, I closed my eyes and tried to get them to talk to me. But In said that it was something I had to find for myself, and You told me to stop expecting to be spoon-fed just because I'd managed to form my blade. So I tried to think it over for myself…then I guess I fell asleep. I do know what you're saying, Sensei – but even so, I'm not sure how to go about it. I understand that _zanpakutou_ each have their own release – but…"

"Your sword is a very powerful one." Genryuusai reached a wizened hand across to hover it over the blade, feeling its sleeping reiatsu as he did so. "Even sealed like this, it's easy to tell that it is a long way from reaching its full potential."

"But if I can't unlock that…" Juushirou sighed, shaking his head. "My memories of the storm are hazy. To defend against the lightning, I summoned my blade. But everything overwhelmed me, and it's still not completely clear even now what I did. I know there was a flare…like energy burst through me then back out into the surroundings. But…"

"_Through_ you and back out?" Genryuusai latched onto this, and Juushirou nodded.

"That's how it seemed." He confirmed. "One moment I was being engulfed and the next I was on top of the world. And then…I crashed back down again, and couldn't even keep awake."

"I see." Genryuusai stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Yes, that does make sense."

"Does it?" Juushirou looked doubtful, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Stand up, Juushirou." He commanded. "And take your weapon in your right hand."

"Yes sir." Juushirou looked startled, but nodded, getting obediently to his feet and tightening his fingers around Sougyo no Kotowari's hilt. "But surely…in here…if I can't control it…"

"There is already a kidou barrier placed around this chamber." Genryuusai said simply. "I put it in place when you entered, and it is more than a match for anything your sword may or may not produce. Besides, I don't intend to attack you. I don't want you to react instinctively to an outside force."

He tapped his cane, then,

"For some fighters, the only way they can raise their sword is to be pushed almost to the brink of death. In desperation they then cry out their weapon's name and in turn learn its commands." He continued. "For others, the reaction and the power is there, just beneath the surface. The challenge is not to raise it once it has been first awoken – but to control it so as it only works when its master calls it. Your power levels are high. To fight you to a near-death point would be dangerous for you and for anyone in the surrounding area since your body is fragile and your blade would probably overreact to compensate. So instead we're going to try a different tactic."

He gestured.

"Hold your weapon as though you mean to fight me. As you would in your kenjutsu classes – or if facing Nagoya on the training ground."

"Y…yes sir." Slowly Juushirou did as he was bidden, and Genryuusai ran his gaze over the boy's stance thoughtfully.

_Too much tension even now. We'll have to do something about that – the tighter he is, the more unstable his reiryoku will be._

Aloud he said,

"Are you afraid of your sword, Juushirou?"

"I…" Juushirou faltered, glancing at it, then he shook his head.

"No, sir. I don't think so."

"Then why do you hold it so gingerly – and with so much apprehension in your eyes?"

"I…suppose because…it might fire or something. It might do anything – and I won't be able to stop it."

"But I've already told you this place is secure and you cannot damage it." Genryuusai pointed out. Juushirou bit his lip.

"But _you're_ inside the barrier too, Sensei." He said awkwardly. "And I know I…I probably couldn't kill you, even if I was completely out of control. But I might injure you…and…"

"Juushirou." Genryuusai stood, coming to rest a hand on the boy's sword arm. "As I've told you before, this arm will one day wield a great sword. You've taken steps towards it, but your anxieties will hold you back."

He turned, sending his young protégé a smile.

"I'm old and have faced many swords. I'm not easy to hurt, let alone kill." He said comfortably. "I don't think that it's necessarily the case that I'm invincible – or that, one day, you might not summon the strength needed to seriously wound me. But that day is not today. You need not be so worried. Nothing you can do today will do me any harm."

"Are you…sure?" Juushirou was hesitant, and Genryuusai nodded.

"I am quite sure." He said firmly. "So release some of your tension. Your fish won't answer your questions if you demand them to with such agitation, after all."

"But I…I'm not speaking to my fish right now." Juushirou blinked.

"You are talking about controlling an element of your power." Genryuusai said quietly. "That power is yours – and you do not need your fish in front of you in order for them to grant your commands. You are the master of this sword, after all. It isn't a democracy – they have guided you and now you must command them. If you let them do as they please always, you will never master Sougyo's release or its true power. Do you understand me, Juushirou? The decisions come from you. Your agitation puts a barrier between you and their obedience to you. If you want their confidence, you must _be_ confident. And you must take the lead. They gave you their name, and accepted you as their master. Now you have to learn to uphold that belief and trust. You are a leader – we've spoken of it before. So _lead_."

Juushirou's eyes became thoughtful and he gazed down at his weapon, clearly deep in thought. He reached out his left hand, touching the metal of the blade pensively, then he nodded.

"I understand." He said softly. "My fish are part of Sougyo and their power must be, too. The sword is waiting for me to command it. It won't do anything until I do."

"Exactly." Genryuusai agreed. "It protected you – but now, it needs you to take control."

Juushirou's eyes narrowed.

"But I don't know how to find the command." He admitted. "The key to unlock it – that's what you said, isn't it, Sensei? The word that will bring my sword to obey me. At the moment it's a _zanpakutou_, but it's still…like this. I don't think…that's how it's meant to be. Nagoya-senpai's shikai changed his blade so much – whereas mine…it glowed and there was a surge of power but…I don't think…this is all it can do."

"Without doubt you're correct." Genryuusai agreed. "Your weapon remains in a sealed state. It _is_ a _zanpakutou_ – but aside from its connection to you, it currently has no more means to attack than a normal sword would."

He turned away, settling himself down with surprising nimbleness once more on his cushion.

"Sit." He said mildly, and Juushirou did so, setting the weapon down once more at his side.

"I didn't tell you to loose Sougyo no Kotowari." Genryuusai remarked, and Juushirou reddened, hurriedly scooping up the sword once more.

"It feels alien to you?" Genryuusai asked. "That you so easily let it down when it's not time to fight?"

"I…don't know." Juushirou sighed, then, "No. Perhaps the opposite. Perhaps it feels…too much like me. I don't really know…whether something in my thoughts might awaken it by accident."

"Then we'll clear those thoughts." Genryuusai instructed. "I want you to sit cross-legged, Juushirou – and I want you to keep the weapon with you – place it across your lap, if you like, so that it is within your immediate aura. You've too many things prickling at your reiatsu – too many worries and they're clogging up your ability to properly reach your sword. In short, you're thinking far too much. A _zanpakutou_ isn't controlled by thought. It's controlled by intuition."

Juushirou did as he was bidden, and Genryuusai smiled.

"Close your eyes, then." He said softly. "And focus on the place you first saw your fish."

"The…place?"

"Yes. The place they take you to, whenever you choose to speak to them."

Juushirou hesitated for a moment, then closed his eyes, and Genryuusai could sense the changing in his reiatsu as the boy carefully and gingerly allowed his barriers to drop one by one.

For a while, Genryuusai simply watched him. Then, very slowly, he reached across to rest his fingers against the glittering blade. As the slithers of foreign reiatsu prickled around his wizened skin, a faint image of Juushirou's inner world reflected dimly within his own thoughts.

_Ryuujinjakka, can you feel it? This boy's world is a seascape – can you help me reach through it, and to him?_

**Aye, sir.**

A bird-like apparition soared across his thoughts, dropping burning feathers that disintegrated into ash before they had even touched the ground. It was gone in a moment, but Genryuusai found his connection to Juushirou's world growing stronger, as Ryuujinjakka's spirit stretched out and curled itself reassuringly around the newborn blade.

_As with others, it is young and uncertain. It needs guidance – and so does he._

**Aye, sir. Understood.**

The phoenix's words were no more than impressions against the old man's mind, for they were one and had been one since long before even Juushirou's grandparents had taken their first breaths. Genryuusai nodded, closing his own eyes.

_Then I trust my eyes to you._

As soon as his command had slipped through his thoughts, Genryuusai found the world around him morphing and changing, the seascape becoming more real in his mind's eye as the study slid away into the recesses of his awareness. He was on the fringe of Juushirou's spirit world – a spectator, nothing more, but the impression was vivid enough for him to track his protégé's thoughts and instincts as he moved deeper and deeper into the spiritual landscape.

Deep beneath the waves, he realised. Deep to a place Ryuujinjakka would prefer not to go.

_Yet go we must – even if we cannot fully interfere. To understand his world – without influencing it. You've calmed the confusion and allowed the sword to speak clearly across the bond for the first time. More we cannot do. More we must not do. _

**Aye, sir.**

As they progressed deeper into Juushirou's inner consciousness, Genryuusai became aware of his student's astral self, his body glittering with faint colourless light as he walked along the sandy landscape. Overhead, the clouds were dark and grey, flickering gently with the odd electric flash, yet none of any density or strength and none which Genryuusai felt would suddenly turn hostile. It was, he reflected, almost contented lightning – that it's flickering showed only that it lived, not that it meant to do its host body harm.

The waves too lapped at the sands, foam-capped and eager, yet not threatening, and as Juushirou paused, he crouched at the water's edge, running his fingers through the soft white surf.

There was no sign of his fish, yet Genryuusai could sense their presence all around him. They were waiting, watching, hoping for a sign that Juushirou would find them without them having to reveal their whereabouts to him. Genryuusai's brows knitted together as he considered this – to Ryuujinjakka's senses their location was all too obvious, but if he intervened now, Juushirou's power would be weakened and stunted forever.

So he did nothing except watch as the waves lapped and the lightning danced.

And then, from the blackest storm-clouds, Genryuusai was aware of a glittering haze of light. At first it was tiny, just a fleck on the horizon but, as it got bigger, Genryuusai thought that he saw the form of a woman ensconced inside it – a pale, glimmering, spectral figure who seemed more like an angel than a person, yet an angel with a face he knew and remembered.

_Raiko?_

As she drew closer to the sands, Genryuusai was struck with another realisation – that Juushirou had registered her presence and had reached out his arms to her, allowing her to cover his pale fingers with her glittering hands. Her fingers were little more than tiny darts of electric energy – and as the two made contact, Genryuusai saw Juushirou close his eyes, tears glittering on his lashes. The apparition engulfed him, little by little, then faded away – and Genryuusai knew that he had drawn her inside of his body.

Almost as soon as the light had begun to fade, there was a crash of thunder overhead, and, in the resultant flashing of electricity Genryuusai saw the waves swell, leaping and crashing against each other as they rose into what could only be described as a giant tsunami. The wave bore down towards the sand, lunging towards Juushirou with a roaring, almost predatorial intent. In its depths, Genryuusai made out the faintest silhouette of a figure, fleeting and brief as its presence was revealed and then cloaked by the still rumbling storm. Juushirou did not move, tears still coursing his cheeks as the wave drove towards him – yet instead of turning to flee from the danger, Juushirou stumbled forward towards it, and as the two collided Genryuusai was half-sure that the wave was embracing the boy as it crashed over his eager form.

At this realisation, Genryuusai felt relief. As the water continued to flood around Juushirou's astral body, the old man made up his mind.

_They have come to him, then, in their truest and rawest of forms. And he has accepted them without hesitation. We can leave now, Ryuujinjakka. The boy has found what he was looking for. We are done._

**Aye, sir.**

As Juushirou's inner world slowly faded from his vision, Genryuusai opened his eyes, allowing himself a moment to steady his thoughts before he turned his attention back towards his student.

Juushirou's body was bathed in a faint golden light, and tears ran silently down his cheeks. For a moment he did not move, then, very slowly, his lashes fluttered and his eyes opened, gazing around in dazed confusion.

His sword glittered and hummed for a moment, and Juushirou swallowed hard, meeting his teacher's gaze.

"Did you find it, then? What you were looking for?" Genryuusai asked quietly. Juushirou nodded wordlessly, and Genryuusai knew that he had.

"In'you were not there this time?" He pressed gently, and Juushirou shook his head.

"Then why are you crying?" Genryuusai murmured. "You have nothing to cry about…do you?"

Juushirou swallowed hard, gathering his wits, then,

"I saw them." He managed. "When I didn't think I would."

"Saw…them?" Although Genryuusai knew what Juushirou was talking about, still he pushed for answers. "Saw who, Juushirou? Saw who?"

"Hahaue and Otousama." Juushirou's voice wobbled slightly. "Although they're dead…I saw them."

Genryuusai eyed his student for a moment, and slowly, Juushirou continued.

"It wasn't them. I know that." He added brokenly. "Because they're dead. They've gone. But In…and You…always speak to me with their voices. As though they're real and still watching me. And…and In'you the fish…weren't there. But…they…were with me, Sensei. In was my mother. You was my father. They came to me in those forms…to help me find my power."

"Your mother and your father." Genryuusai remembered the features of the lightning apparition, and he nodded his head.

"Perhaps so. Perhaps by taking on such forms, they can keep your memories of your parents close to you." He reflected. "And let them fight along with you as they cannot do in life."

"I…I think so." Juushirou reached up to wipe away his tears. "At first…it was all storm and sea, and I couldn't find anything. But then…it calmed. Something…steadied. And I saw…Hahaue bathed in light and Father from the waves. In is my storm. You is my sea. They both…gave me their keys, Sensei. When they touched me…they gave me their keys."

"And now you can unlock the door?"

"I…suppose I can." Juushirou's eyes widened, first with realisation then with concern. "But…if I did that…what would happen? If I tried, Sensei, what…"

"Until you do, you'll never know." Genryuusai said calmly, and Juushirou frowned.

"Then…is it okay…for me to try?" He whispered.

"You must. While they are so actively waiting for you – you should acknowledge them and the gifts they've given you."

Juushirou swallowed hard, placing his palms against the silver surface of the sword and Genryuusai had the distinct impression that, although no words were spoken, the two were communicating with one another.

Then at length he raised his head, clasping the weapon tightly in his right hand and holding it out in front of him.

"_Nami…kotogotoku_." He murmured hesitantly, putting his free hand to the hilt of his weapon as faint, irregular sprays of light glimmered from his fingers. "_Wa ga tate to nare_."

He faltered slightly, as the blade glowed with a sudden vibrant light, and even Genryuusai felt his astonishment rise inside of him as he registered what was happening. Instead of the weapon blurring and morphing itself into a new shape, he realised, Sougyo no Kotowari was dividing itself...into _two_ distinctive blades.

_Of all things…I had not thought…that they were truly _twin_ spirits after all._

"_Ikazuchi…kotogotoku_." Juushirou spoke tentatively, and as the flare of power around the blade increased, Genryuusai realised that it was starting to shoot beyond the boy's immediate control. "_Wa…wa ga…yaiba…to…nare_!"

Almost as soon as the words had passed his lips, he screwed up his eyes in anticipation of what was to come. There was a tremendous glow of energy and, as it connected with the still lingering flickers of Genryuusai's own, it exploded into a dazzling flare that sent the boy falling backwards, the weapon falling from his grip in the blast. Genryuusai acted quickly, murmuring the words of a quick binding spell to confine the explosion further, then, once the danger was averted he moved forward, reaching down to help the dazed Juushirou into an upright position.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, and Juushirou shook his head.

"No…just…I felt it was going to…to explode. And then…"

"It did." Genryuusai sighed, his gaze going across to where the fallen _zanpakutou_ lay. "Its power overwhelmed you, but in the end, for a first true release…it could have been far worse. Your weapon is complicated, after all."

Juushirou let out a gasp as he saw his blade's new form, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Your sword is _two_ swords, it seems. Two swords in one." He said frankly. "Two elements that are so potent that they can't be confined in the same blade when your power is released."

"The waves are my shield and the lightning is my blade." Juushirou's fingers closed tentatively around the twin hilts of his fallen weapon, his gaze never leaving them for one moment. "In and You are one sword, but two spirits. And two spirits means two shikai blades…even though they're one _zanpakutou_?"

"So it would seem."

Genryuusai hesitated for a moment, then, "And in all my years of training and fighting, Juushirou – I have never before seen a weapon divide itself cleanly into two distinctive swords. Though I've seen them fragment and split into pieces…bend and curve and warp into all kinds of different things…never have I known someone to have two spirits, and never have I seen two blades."

"But…" Juushirou seemed to check himself mid sentence, stalling, and Genryuusai eyed him keenly, wondering for a brief moment whether or not he was aware of Shunsui's twin spirits.

_If so, Shunsui must have spoken of them himself. And Juushirou is keeping his secret, for now. I suppose Shunsui doesn't realise I've already spoken with Seibara and Amaki - but if he's beginning to understand, sooner or later I will be having another interesting conversation with a very promising student._

"It's really that unusual?" Gently Juushirou lifted the now quiet weapon, eying the two halves with a mixture of awe and wonder. "My sword is really…so different?"

Genryuusai frowned.

"I told you that Nagoya's flexible shikai releases gave promise of more power." He said gravely. "And I have always known that you had at least the same potential flowing through you. Now I realise that it's something more. What you have, Juushirou, is something I have never encountered in my whole life. Your shikai release is longer than most – and it probably needs to be, since you have so much energy to confine and separate and to do so requires a lot of concentration. As you get stronger, you will no doubt learn to do that without needing the words – but for now, you must remember them and cling to them whenever you think to release your sword."

_And more, I will have to continue to watch over you. Because even now you've succeeded, your body remains weak. I thought that if you confined your power to a blade, it would alleviate the trouble and so it has. But to release this much energy and control it will provide stresses of its own – stresses that might put extra pressure on an already delicate frame._

His brows knitted together.

_I will have to speak to Retsu about the current state of his heart. It will, after all, need to be especially strong to stand up to the level of power Sougyo no Kotowari is going to command – and if there is anything to be done to support it, I would like to begin it now. I don't know what kind of an impact haibyou might have on other parts of his body…but I do know many of his ancestors died of complications when they were still young. It won't hurt to be careful after all, physical weakness or otherwise._

Resolution hardened inside of him as he considered this.

_I do not intend on having this student snatched away. He is too important – to the Gotei, to Seireitei, to everything that I've worked for so far. And for himself, too – to finally cast off the cursed mantle and see himself in the way others will see him. Now we've taken the road this far…there is only one direction in which to go._

Out loud he said,

"That took a lot of your strength, didn't it?"

"Mm." Juushirou admitted. "To…to be honest, it…still is. It's..like this and I can feel it – like it wants to do more, only I won't let it. Should I let it? Am I wrong to hold it back?"

"You are the master. Not the sword." Genryuusai reminded him. "It follows your guidance. Hold it back. Don't let it disobey you."

"I'll try." Juushirou murmured. "But…will it do that? Every time I release, will it…explode?"

"It didn't explode. It reacted to my reiatsu because you weren't completely in control." Genryuusai replied. "It's hard to be sure, yet, since it is still so immature. But it seemed to me as though it drew power in – and then sent it out in a blast of raw energy. Your sword seeks to protect you by using others' power against them. That it can think so intelligently even at this point in its life indicates that it will probably have some terrifying techniques of its own…one day, when you are ready to wield them."

He hovered his hand over the silver blades, pursing his lips.

"They each have a distinctive aura from one another, but they are still working in tandem." He murmured. "I don't think...they will always act in the same way, but they will probably always act as a team. And with you, Juushirou. They have accepted you - you just need to take more time and care on controlling their release. You can hold them, after all. You're proving it right now. It's just on the intial release. You need to reel back your reiatsu before it reaches the level it did just then. This will come, of course, with practice."

He smiled.

"Can you re-seal it?" He asked. "Without my help?"

"I...think so." Juushirou frowned, concentration creasing his brow as he moved the two parts of the blade towards one another. He closed his eyes, and with a flare and buzz of reiatsu, the two weapons merged back into one. He let out his breath in a sigh, raising his gaze to his companion.

"It's easier when it's sealed. Now I understand why people carry them that way." He said ruefully, and Genryuusai chuckled.

"Indeed." He said warmly. "But you have done well, tonight. And you have made my decision for me, also."

"Decision?" Juushirou was startled, and Genryuusai nodded.

"All _zanpakutou_ must be ratified by the Council of Elders once successfully released into their shikai form." He said quietly, his eyes full of seriousness. "All of them, Juushirou, no matter who wields them. Not to do so is a serious criminal offence - an unregistered _zanpakutou_ that is used in any respect outside of the training arena is a dangerous weapon and the penalty for such action is severe. Do you understand?"

Juushirou's face paled, and Genryuusai nodded.

"Now you know why I have brought you here and dealt with you myself since the storm." He agreed. "But now we have reached this point, I can no longer delay my decision. I have already written to the current chair of the Council, Kuchiki Guren-dono...and asked him whether or not he will receive you for assessment. He responded to me by messenger this morning that the Council must uphold its own rules and therefore he will not move to block us. Therefore, you must go. And you must present Sougyo no Kotowari in the same way all others present their blades to the Council."

"But...the Council...of...Elders?" Juushirou whispered, looking aghast, and Genryuusai nodded.

"It must be done." He said simply. "It is the law and all who become Shinigami must adhere to it."

"But..I'm...District." Juushirou managed. "And they...they..."

"Not all Clan are opposed to District Shinigami. In fact, more are in favour now than ever before." Genryuusai told him gently. "But if you cannot face the challenge at this level, Juushirou, your training ends here. You will never be a true Shinigami or a member of the Gotei if you do not find the courage to face those who may be your enemies. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir...I...I suppose so."

"Besides, I shall not send you alone." Genryuusai said evenly. "I have already spoken to Nagoya and he will accompany you. It is his duty, after all, as your _shishou_, to present you to the Council himself."

"Nagoya-senpai...will...come with me?" Juushirou repeated faintly. "And...he is...all right with that idea?"

"He understands, as do I, that his doing so is a manner by which he can prove his current level of training competence." Genryuusai said briskly. "And he knows his duty. He has accepted without complaint. I think he has expected my summons. Besides, he knows the Council ways and will be able to guide you in how best to act. You can trust in him, Juushirou. He is a proud boy, but he has accepted you as his _deshi_ and will do all in his power to uphold that until his duty is at an end."

Juushirou swallowed hard.

"When...must I go?" He asked softly, and Genryuusai eyed him keenly.

"Two days time." he responded. "You'll travel to Inner Seireitei direct and spend the night in the hostel given over for the purpose. It is simple accommodation as befits those coming for inspection, so you will not feel too intimidated by it. Follow Nagoya's lead and trust in him. You will be taken to face the Council early on the following morning...from that point, it will rest in your hands. But have courage, Juushirou - you are capable of passing this test. If you were not, I would not send you."

Juushirou did not answer at first, then, very slowly, he bowed his head in the old man's direction.

"I understand, Sensei." He said solemnly. "And I'll do my best not to let you down."

* * *

"Ukitake's back late this evening."

Kai dropped his _hakamashita_ down on the end of his bunk, sitting on the end of it as he unwound the golden tie from his thick violet hair. "Normally his sessions with Genryuusai-sensei end with the bedtime gong – what do you think is keeping him tonight?"

"Something unusual, without a doubt." Ryuu said pensively, and at this, Shunsui glanced up from where he was folding his uniform, eying Ryuu keenly.

"You feel it too, huh?" He asked softly, and Ryuu nodded.

"Of course." He agreed. "With Ukitake's reiatsu, it's impossible not to. He still flares it from time to time and it is very distinctive a sensation."

"And he was flaring it some tonight." Kai said frankly. "Still, he's with Sensei, so he should be all right...shouldn't he?"

"All of this _zanpakutou_ stuff is kinda new to us, though." Enishi tied the wrap of his night-robe firmly around his broad frame, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't pretend to have the kind of sensitivity you people do to it – but I know he's been working hard. None of us really know what his next step is – we're not even supposed to be learning about swords yet."

"I don't think there's a set age. I think it just happens." Hirata reflected pensively. "I don't think it was a _bad_ flare though, tonight."

"It _was_ an unusual one, though." Kai responded simply. "And anything unusual where Ukitake is concerned quite often spells the onset of trouble."

Shunsui let out a low chuckle at this, nodding his head.

"True, but I think I'm with Hirata on this one." He put in. "He's with Yama-jii, and it wasn't like I've felt his reiatsu flare before. I guess it's connected to the sword – but we shouldn't worry about him so easily. He's the best qualified of all of us now, really. We ought to take that into account."

"I wonder what it's really like, hearing your _zanpakutou_ speak." Hirata murmured, settling himself back against the wall as he considered this. "They're all supposed to be unique, after all."

"Ukitake's are fish. He's said so. Two fish." Enishi remembered. "Though apparently that's a bit unique, since most people only have one spirit."

"What kind of spirit does Sensei have, Houjou? You're his kinsman, so I guess you know?" Kai looked inquisitive, and Enishi shrugged.

"Story goes that it's a phoenix, but nobody's seen him properly release Ryuujinjakka in a long time." He responded. "Still, that's what they say."

"A bird, huh." Hirata frowned. "Sounds more like an Endou, in that case."

"What do you mean?" Ryuu cast him a quizzical look, and Hirata shrugged.

"Endou spirits are always birds. Hunting birds." He said slowly. "That's why there's the head of one on our family crest. All of the _zanpakutou_ registered by my Clan for a long time back have followed that pattern. Grandfather's is a gyrfalcon. Seimaru's is a shrike. Grandmother's was rumoured to be a silver eagle, though I never saw it for myself."

He shrugged.

"Father doesn't have one, but he did once tell me he'd had a dream about an owl." He added. "And he thought that it was his spirit, though he's never been allowed to train to raise it properly and it may just have been imagination. But I suppose, if I ever have a _zanpakutou_ – mine will probably be a hunting bird as well."

"That's kind of neat." Enishi looked impressed. "And all of your family are like that?"

"All of us." Hirata confirmed. "So far as our records go back."

"There's no such pattern in the Shihouin." Kai stretched out on his bed. "Midori-neesama's Akekage is a law unto itself – Kamuki-jisama's was the same. They're often assassin blades, I suppose – but not necessarily. So I've no idea…what kind of sword I might have, if I ever have one."

"_Kuchiki _swords are elegant." Ryuu said proudly. "Guren-sama's is particularly so, and Shirogane-senpai's weapon is said to be the dance of metal shards when he releases his blade. I expect that mine will also be so – when I reach that level of training."

"_Yours_ will be stiff and straight, Kuchiki, with no deviations whatsoever." Kai said dryly. "Sharp and to the point. Just like you."

"I did not ask for your opinion." Ryuu bristled at this, and Enishi held up his hands.

"Stop it, the both of you." He said bluntly. "We're not gonna fight. This is an interesting conversation, after all."

"What about yours, then, Enishi-kun?" Shunsui asked curiously. "Any inkling about what kind of spirit you might have?"

"I'd probably not hear it knocking even if it was there." Enishi laughed good-naturedly. "Though there's no particular pattern in the Yamamoto-ke. We're not as organised as the Endou or as elegant as the Kuchiki – ours tend to simply reflect our inner selves and that might mean anything with me."

"Strong, forthright, brave." Shunsui reflected. "That's how I'd see your sword being, based on that evidence."

"I guess we'll see." Enishi grinned. "Though I appreciate the compliment – some would've said clumsy, awkward and block-headed."

"Kyouraku, your father was a Shinigami, wasn't he?" Kai remembered. "What about his sword? Does your Clan have any particular pattern?"

Shunsui looked pensive.

"Father's sword was called Tensonshin, but I never saw it released." He admitted. "Father discarded it before I was even born. However…I suppose…my _zanpakutou_ spirits might be connected to it – I guess time will tell for sure."

Kai's eyes narrowed.

"You said spirit**s**." He murmured, and Shunsui looked rueful.

"_Spirit_." He corrected, but Hirata shook his head.

"Kai-kun is right." He murmured. "You wouldn't say spirits unless you already knew…it was more than one."

"Kyouraku?" Enishi stared at him, and Shunsui sighed.

"I'm not like Juu, so don't think I am." He said heavily. "It's not like that."

"But you have seen something? Heard something?" Ryuu pressed, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Nothing I can really talk about." He responded. "So please don't ask me questions."

"But spirits. Not one, but more than one." Kai's brow furrowed. "Like Ukitake…you have more than one of…whatever it is you have."

"Mine aren't like Juu's." Shunsui shook his head. "There are two, yes. But they're not…the same. I haven't…seen them together. And…only in dreams. Once each. That's all."

"But you haven't spoken to Sensei?" Hirata asked, and Shunsui grimaced.

"No. Not yet. Please, none of you do, either." He begged. "Juu knows – I've spoken to him – but nobody else is supposed to. Not yet. I'm not ready for that…yet, and nor are they. They're just…there. Fleetingly. And that's all."

"But it's not surprising, really." Ryuu reflected with a sigh. "Ukitake's raised his sword, but Kyouraku is top of the Second Year. That being the case…"

"It's abnormal for _any _second year to be talking about _zanpakutou_ like this." Enishi shook his head. He offered Shunsui a grin.

"We're never going to keep up with the pair of you in the long run." He added. "If you're already talking swords at this level…"

"You might hear yours speak tomorrow, Houjou." Kai reflected. "So might any of us. I mean, Kyouraku's only just heard his for the first time – right, Kyouraku? There's no telling when that might happen for the rest of us. I don't think Ukitake and Kyouraku are such miles out in front – if they were, Sensei would have already shunted them up a year, and he hasn't done that."

"But if you hear them, shouldn't you train them?" Hirata frowned, and Shunsui shrugged.

"They're not ready and nor am I." He said simply. "We'll get to that stage, but not just yet. So please, keep it a secret. I'd rather nobody else knew."

"Keep what a secret?"

At that moment the door slid back to reveal their missing dorm-mate, and Hirata was on his feet immediately.

"Ukitake-kun! You're late back tonight."

"I know. I guess Sensei kept me a little longer." Juushirou sank down onto his bunk, pulling the cream blanket around the blade of his weapon and setting it down on the unit. He looked tired, Shunsui thought, and there was an apprehensive look in his hazel eyes. "Well? What are we keeping a secret now? Did someone forget to do an assignment or something?"

"Kyouraku's _zanpakutou_ spirits." Ryuu said categorically, and Juushirou looked surprised.

"You told everyone? I thought you didn't want people to know."

"I didn't, but it slipped out because Kai and Hirata are too attentive for their own good." Shunsui grimaced. "But I've asked people not to tell anyone about it. It's not as though they're always on the edge of my awareness, after all. I'm not ready for anything else to happen yet."

"It's all right, Kyouraku. We won't tell." Kai assured him. "It's your secret, after all."

"Shihouin's right." Enishi nodded. "But we should talk about this stuff – all of us, if not to anyone else. Because we're all gonna get there sooner or later, with any luck. It can't hurt to share experiences."

"Anyone would think you were talking about girls, Enishi-kun." Shunsui's expression became mischievous, and Enishi laughed good-naturedly.

"I guess it shows you're true to form, if you interpreted it like that." He responded evenly. "But I am serious. We should."

"I don't mind." Juushirou agreed. "Though I feel a little bit like the guinea pig at the moment."

"No helping that. You are." Kai said bluntly.

"Did something happen tonight, by the way?" Shunsui asked. "You were later than usual and we felt your reiatsu flare."

"Mm. In a way." Juushirou sighed. "I think it's a good thing, though. I managed to unseal my weapon…In'you told me the incantation and it…it worked. It was a little hard to control it, but Sensei's kidou prevented me from doing any damage."

"You released it? To its _shikai _form?" Ryuu looked excited. "What did it look like? Did it have any special appearance?"

"Yes…I suppose you'd call it that." Juushirou grinned. "It has two blades."

"Two…" Kai's eyes widened, and Juushirou nodded.

"Twin spirits and twin blades." He agreed. "Yes."

"Can you…show us?" Hirata asked softly, and Juushirou sighed, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't be confident of doing it safely." He said regretfully. "So not yet. But…besides, I don't think I'm allowed to. Sensei said all kinds of stuff about using a sword without proper authorisation…anyhow, he's sending me to the Council of Elders so that they can ratify it and so on as a proper _zanpakutou_. Till that happens…I don't suppose I'm allowed to use it at all. Not even if I did know properly how."

"The Council, huh." Shunsui pursed his lips.

_So that's why he's so apprehensive. He's worried about that – and I would be too, in his shoes._

"When?" He asked aloud, and Juushirou looked rueful.

"Two days." He replied. "Nagoya-senpai is to come with me, since he's trained me. Apparently they've agreed to review me, so…two days from now."

"That's not much time to prepare." Kai reflected, and Juushirou pulled a face.

"I've never been to Inner Seireitei." He said flatly. "All the time in the world wouldn't be time enough."

"Inner Seireitei is frightening enough if you have Clan connections there." Enishi agreed. "But Ukitake's not like the rest of us…he won't have."

"Thanks, Enishi-kun." Juushirou groaned, flopping back on his bed, and Enishi frowned.

"Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Besides, it's not as though you don't know members of the Council." Shunsui pointed out. "You do know Midori-sama and you do know Tokutarou-nii. That's two out of eight – three, because you're the pet patient of Unohana-sensei, too. It's not so bad when you think of it like that."

His expression became thoughtful.

_And I'll be sure to write to Nii-sama. If I send it express messenger, it should get to him by tomorrow night and if I ask him particularly, he'll go. Even if he can't ratify zanpakutou – he can be moral support, and I know that he'd do that, if it was Juushirou we were talking about. After all, he knows Juu's my friend – and since I can't sneak along for the ride, he should be there for me by proxy. _

"Knowing them fleetingly and facing them with Sougyo are two different things." Juushirou said quietly. "I'm not looking forward to it. The whole idea terrifies me – but like Sensei says, if I don't do it, my training can't go further. So I will go. And hopefully…I'll not mess it up."

"It will be a big deal either way." Kai said gravely. "A District boy presenting his sword for the Council of Elders. You might make history, given that fact, Ukitake. Certainly if they accept you, it'll pave the way for others like you. Maybe even others here at school with us now."

He snorted.

"Just think of Kira and how he'd go to pieces if it was him. It's better that it's you, you know. You might be nervous now – but you won't give them a bad impression of what District kids can do."

"I hope you're right." Juushirou sighed. "I'll do my best and it's all I can do – but I really won't be happy until I'm back here safely with the rest of you!"

------

_**Author's Note:**_

Belated Happy Birthday to a certain 'hime' ;)


	30. The Council Of Elders

**Chapter Twenty Nine: The Council of Elders**

So they were inside Inner Seireitei.

Juushirou gazed up at the ceiling of the small hostel chamber, trying to make out patterns in the panelling in the night gloom.

They had arrived two hours before, with the sun already setting, and for the nervous Juushirou, it had seemed a long journey. They had been shepherded through a group of retainers clad in the neutral black and white of Inner Seireitei's guard, and Shirogane had immediately taken charge, holding forth his weapon for assessment and instructing Juushirou acerbically to do the same. They had been ushered to one of a small cluster of buildings next to the perimeter that divided the District from the illustrious area of governance for all of Soul Society, and despite himself, Juushirou had been glad to get inside.

As Genryuusai had told him, the accommodation was not fancy, and they had been fed only a simple, basic meal. Despite the plain nature of the food, Juushirou had found it sticking in his throat even after such a long trip. He was nervous, he knew that - terrified, if he was honest - and the thought of facing the Council had killed his appetite more effectively than any _haibyou_ attack ever had.

Shirogane on the other hand had seemed unconcerned, not even commenting on the simple surroundings they now found themselves in. It was, Juushirou mused, as though it was a rite of passage that was accepted and that he considered a normal state of affairs. Sometimes, he had told his apprehensive student, there were more than one or two students waiting to be assessed, as Clans often sent batches of hopefuls to be reviewed at the same time. But Juushirou had no such companionship - and he found himself relieved to at least have the austere Kuchiki with him, even though their relationship was dubious at best.

At length they had retired for the night, to a small chamber with two simple pallets flanked by basic wooden units and a kidou lamp. Again, Shirogane had surprisingly made no demur about the sparse nature of the accommodation. In fact, Juushirou had had the distinct impression that his companion was glad to be away from the school for a day or two, though he did not know the reason why, and he theorised that perhaps it had to do with the opportunity to speak to the head of his Clan.

_  
Though Ryuu speaks about Guren-sama as some kind of deity, as opposed to an ordinary man. I wonder if it's the same for Nagoya-senpai. Though if it was, maybe...he'd be more nervous than he is. Instead he seems quite relaxed about everything - or perhaps that's because it's really me being examined. He's done his job - when tomorrow's over, he won't have to do it any more._

_  
_"Are you actually going to sleep tonight?"

From across the chamber, a cross voice pierced through the gloom and Juushirou sighed, pulling himself into a more upright position and leaning back against the cool of the bedroom wall.

"I'm sorry, Senpai. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Wake me? With you fidgeting it's near enough impossible to even get to sleep." There was a groan of resignation, then a flicker of light flared across the room as the older boy activated the nearby kidou lamp. "You do realise how late it is? Tomorrow is an early start and you want to make a good impression."

"I know." Juushirou bit his lip. "I just…"

He faltered, and Shirogane sighed, reluctantly moving his body into a sitting position and crossing his legs as he settled himself more comfortably.

"Are you that intimidated?" He asked softly. "The boy who speaks to my cousin as an equal – and who has dealt directly with the Shihouin Shadow Cat without any sign of fear? I find that somehow hard to believe, Ukitake. That now you've decided at last to show some fear of the upper classes."

"This is different." Juushirou hugged his blanket more tightly to his chest. "Ryuu-kun is my friend. Midori-sama is the sister of another friend. And they're both…well…connected to the Academy because of those things. But this is…"

He faltered, then sighed.

"People from my level of society don't usually go to Inner Seireitei on any business except if they commit a crime too heinous to be dealt with anywhere else." He said softly. "It's a place we know about, but it's shrouded in mystery and the province of the ultra elite. For you and your family, Senpai, it's different. This is a part of your world. It's not a part of mine."

"Aren't you the one who's so fond of telling me that you'll show people by your actions not by your blood what you can do?" Shirogane asked lazily, twisting a stray lock of black wavy hair around his finger as he spoke. "I hardly think I'm talking to the same boy, listening to you say things like that now."

Juushirou reddened, lowering his gaze.

"I know." He admitted. "But even so…I'm afraid. The Council of Elders is…the most important place in all of Seireitei, isn't it? The people who sit there…are Clan Elders and their nearest kin. The people who will speak to me tomorrow…are…"

"People who may dismiss you for being District, perhaps?" Shirogane snorted, derision in his clever grey eyes. "Be sensible. You've been put forward by Genryuusai-sensei for this. Do you realise why it is that even though he is not the Head of his Clan, nor an active member of the Council of Elders, so many people give him such deference? Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama is the most powerful, experienced and respected Shinigami in all of Seireitei. Even my uncle, head of the Kuchiki-ke refers to him as Genryuusai-sama, although he uses that terminology with almost nobody else. For generations before we were even born, Genryuusai-sensei has presided over tests and examinations and the registration of many, many _zanpakutou_ in the process. For him to say that he has a student who has successfully summoned his sword…those words will not be taken lightly."

"Did he…ratify…your _zanpakutou_, Senpai?" Juushirou asked hesitantly, and Shirogane shook his head.

"No. He put me forward, therefore he could not – just as he cannot with yours." He responded simply. "There has to be objectivity. Three members of the Council will adjudge your weapon tomorrow – but he will not be among them. Nor will Retsu-sama, most likely – in this regard, she can be seen as subjective, after all."

"Where I'm concerned, probably." Juushirou rubbed his temples. "Since because of my_ haibyou_ she probably sees more of me than she does of most of the other students."

"Do not mention that tomorrow, unless asked about it directly." Shirogane advised. "The Council do not look well on those who attempt to glean sympathy or make excuses for themselves, after all."

"I wasn't going to!" Despite himself, Juushirou was indignant. "I've no intention of doing either of those things! It's nothing to do with anything – I don't go around looking for sympathy from anyone!"

"Ah yes. That's more the Ukitake I've been forced to tutor." Shirogane offered him a slight, faintly amused smile. "Though you should have learnt by now that getting all hot under the collar doesn't endear you to Clan people, either."

"I know you don't like me." Juushirou sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "And I know you're only here because Sensei made you train me in the first place. You don't need to rub it in further, Nagoya-senpai. I already know all too well how eager you are to be rid of me."

"You've never called me Anideshi." Shirogane reflected. "Not once."

"It's hard to do that." Juushirou said frankly. "Anideshi is someone who helps his juniors. You really don't care about doing that – so I find it difficult to call you by that title."

"I'm not Urahara Yunosuke and I don't suffer fools like he did." Shirogane shrugged. "And with that attitude, some would see you as insubordinate."

He stifled a yawn, then,

"Tomorrow, the people you will meet are Heads of Clans, as you have said." He added. "This level of insubordination to those born above you will not get you treated favourably. So as you know, pandering to District children is abnormal. They will not dismiss you – but you should not expect to be treated by them as an equal. You'll never be that, after all – no matter how hard you work."

"I'm not trying to be Clan, Senpai. I'm just trying to do the best I can to protect the people I care about. And other people too, if I can."

"There you go again with your noble, airy fairy dreams." Shirogane snorted derisively. "I can't make out with you sometimes if you really mean them or if someone taught you them by rote before they sent you away to school. Still…"

He paused, then sighed.

"You do have considerable strength." He admitted reluctantly. "And you have worked hard. This is, probably, a deserved result. Just don't let it make you too cocky – there is a long way to go yet before you can call yourself a Shinigami."

"I know that." Juushirou fell silent for a moment, digesting this, then, "Senpai?"

"Mm?"

"Which Elders ratified your sword, then? If not Sensei, and not Kuchiki-sama – then who?"

"Endou Shouichi, Shiba Kyouki and Shihouin Kamuki." Shirogane said with a shrug. "There was quite a scandal, I remember – because my Uncle was cross a Shihouin had been selected to ratify a Kuchiki. Yet the process went without a problem – probably on account of my level of skill at the time. Not that I particularly take pride in being examined by a Shihouin – or that he has since been executed for breaching important Council laws. But such as it stands – nobody knew this then, and therefore they were the ones involved. Selecting the panel is always somewhat tricky in any case, to prevent bias from seeping into official judgements."

"Bias? I see." Juushirou pursed his lips, and Shirogane nodded.

"As I said, Unohana Retsu-sama will probably be considered too close an acquaintance to ratify you." He said simply. "And any representative she sends, likewise. As I have trained you, I think it unlikely my uncle will be one of the three chosen – although he will be present, as this year the Council is chaired by the Kuchiki-ke. Tokutarou-sama from District Eight is the only member of the Council of Elders who is not Gotei and therefore not considered knowledgeable enough to take part in such examinations – although he is well respected for his good sense, his _zanpakutou _skills are meagre at best. I think it is most likely that your judges will be chosen, therefore, from the remaining Clans. Possibly not the Yamamoto-ke, on account of Academy affiliation – which leaves Endou Shouichi, Urahara Nagesu, Shiba Kyouki and that Shadow Cat. Unless, of course, the Council know that you seem to be on good terms with her already."

"Why would they?" Juushirou sighed. "And Midori-sama is the Head of a District, now. She's ruthless and fair, Senpai. She'd probably judge me most strictly of all because of that."

"Mmm. Perhaps you are right." Shirogane shrugged. "The Kuchiki do not like her or her kind – but I have not heard negative things about her judgement in the time she has been in control of her Clan. Still, I think that if they suspect any level of partiality or acquaintance – such a selection is unlikely unless unavoidable."

"And how…did they…do they ratify the swords? With yours…how was it..?"

"They asked me questions, and bid me release my weapon so that they could analyse it and my reiatsu as well. I did so, and they approved it." Shirogane responded. "It's quite a simple process. Though I imagine they may ask you more questions – in the history of Seireitei I do not believe a District child has ever before come to ratify a weapon or add it to the registry that the Council of Elders keeps."

Juushirou reached across to brush the hilt of his sword, sheathed for travel in a flimsy wooden scabbard and lying as it was atop the polished surface beside his bed.

"Sougyo no Kotowari is a proper _zanpakutou_, though." He murmured. "Sensei said so. So that being the case…"

"It's a proper sword, Ukitake. Much as it annoys me to admit it, it is." Shirogane nodded his head. "So you really have nothing to worry about. Your nerves are, I suppose, logical for one of such inferior birth stepping into such a hallowed place. But for the Council, this is normal practice. Each one of them will have faced the same review and trial to register their own _zanpakutou_ in the past – they know the system far better than anyone else."

He shot his companion a sidelong glance.

"Do not embarrass me tomorrow." He instructed. "What you say and do reflects on the school and Sensei, but also on me as your _shishou_."

"I'll do my best." Ukitake nodded. "I know that this is important for you too, Senpai. I know you need it – to be able to graduate the Academy and join your squad."

"My Uncle won't have me until I officially turn twenty, which isn't until the end of next month." Shirogane said with a sigh. "I can age quite easily without too much effort, but his other requirements of me are tiresome. Still…at least if I can prove I have trained you successfully, he may take seriously my intent and finally allow me to take up office in Sixth District's squad. I am the best qualified for the role, after all."

"Being powerful doesn't always make you the best." Juushirou murmured, and Shirogane's eyes narrowed.

"And what do you know about it, anyway?" He demanded. "You're more than aware of my capabilities. You have no reason to mock them."

Juushirou smiled.

"I'm grateful, actually." He admitted, and Shirogane's eyes widened.

"Grateful?"

"That you've worked so much with me and been so strict and uncompromising." Juushirou nodded. "Thanks to that, I've found my power and learnt to use it properly. I think you're a good teacher, Senpai – I think you'll be a good adjutant, too, when you're allowed to graduate and join the Kuchiki-ke's squad. I think Sensei knows that too, which is why he asked you to train me. He just wanted to be able to prove it to your Uncle, that's all – that you can train and lead, even if you haven't bothered to so far."

Shirogane stared, and Juushirou looked sheepish.

"You always see everything I say as rude in some way or another, so I thought I'd just say it." He said simply. "But I'm glad you were my _shishou_ and that you taught me to raise my sword. I think anyone who works under you in Sixth Squad will know what you expect of them – and that's important, no matter who you are."

A droll smile touched Shirogane's lips.

"If I didn't know that my usefulness to you was ending tomorrow, I'd think there was a barb or a motive behind that praise." He reflected. "But then I've heard from Ryuu how you say surprising things and even more surprisingly, you mean them. So I'll take that at face value, Ukitake. I'll assume it was a compliment and meant as such."

"It was." Juushirou nodded. "Though you might think it's rude for me to compliment you – it's still how I feel."

Shirogane sighed.

"When Yunosuke and the others were here, there was no point in me doing anything. They always did everything – I was the junior of the Seniors and there really wasn't much _to_ do." He admitted. "I'm not that interested in running around in the way he did – I admit it, I didn't care enough to try. And maybe I still don't. But…odd as it seems…I have somewhat enjoyed training you. Watching you progress. Seeing you take my advice and adapt it to your own techniques…and in the end, witnessing your success. This is the first time I have trained a junior to release his sword, but as a Vice Captain, it may not be the last. And perhaps giving orders is not so bad – if you can make sure they are obeyed."

Juushirou looked surprised.

"Senpai? Are you saying that…you've benefited from training me, too?"

"I suppose I am." Shirogane laughed wryly. "I'm not Yunosuke, and a lot of the time this year I've felt people look on me unfavourably because he was always involved in everything at a moment's notice. But I'm not a completely hopeless case. I dislike having to prove myself, I suppose. But at least now – perhaps I can say that I have."

"That's why you mentioned me not calling you Anideshi." Juushirou realised. "Because people still think of Urahara-senpai as Anideshi – they haven't transferred it over to you."

"Only the First Years really call me it with any regularity." Shirogane nodded. "As a Kuchiki, it's a disrespect – and a dent to my pride."

Juushirou pursed his lips. Then, slowly, he nodded his head.

"Thanks to you I have my sword." He murmured. "And that's something Anideshi would do for junior students, I think. So I will call you Anideshi, if you want me to. Your training me is proof that you should have the title, after all."

Shirogane chuckled.

"From you, Senpai is all right." He said, with a brisk shake of his head. "You're a strange boy, Ukitake. A very strange boy, with strange ways, manners and beliefs that I don't fully understand. Ryuu speaks well of you always, and I have never known him to be charmed by anyone of lower birth before, under any circumstance whatsoever. For that reason you make me curious – training you has maybe made me more so, since I can't find that there's any trick or scheme to your actions or your ability. You are that odd thing – an enigma – and I have this feeling that I will see more of you even when I have left the Academy. Sensei intends you to be ranked and seated among his fledgling Gotei 12 – of that I am absolutely sure."

He smiled.

"And when that happens, I will be the one who first trained you." He added. "So from you, Senpai is more than enough."

Juushirou looked startled for a moment, then he returned the smile with a sheepish grin.

"I hope I'm not going to disappoint everyone's expectations." He admitted. "People keep predicting that I'll do these wild and incredible things and they don't realise that for me it's not as easy or clear-cut as that. I make a lot of mistakes, Senpai. I'll no doubt make a lot more. But Sensei has hopes invested in me. Now you do too. And my family, of course – I want to make them proud most of all."

He sighed, flopping back against his pillow, then,

"Tomorrow I'll not shame anyone." He said frankly. "Whatever questions they ask, I'll answer. However they expect me to be, I'll be. I won't let the people down who've worked to get me here, Senpai – don't worry about that."

"Are you finally going to go to sleep now, then?" Shirogane arched an eyebrow, and Juushirou nodded.

"I guess so." He agreed ruefully. "I'm sorry for keeping you up."

"I suppose I should expect it, considering that my student is such a beginner at such social situations." Shirogane shrugged carelessly, reaching out a long and elegant finger to brush against and dim the kidou lamp. "Tomorrow, then. Good night, Ukitake."

"Good night, Senpai. And thank you. I think I'll be all right now."

Juushirou settled himself more comfortably, pulling his blanket up over his shoulders as he closed his eyes. At the back of his awareness he could feel the buzzing presence of his sword's spirit – and despite himself he felt comforted.

_Because I'm not alone tomorrow, am I? Shunsui and Hirata and everyone might be back in District One right now, and that might seem miles away. But Nagoya-senpai is with me. And so are you – aren't you, In'you? You promised I'd never be alone, and that you'd always be with me. Tomorrow we're going to show everyone that fact – all right? Tomorrow…when the Council of Elders first get to see Sougyo no Kotowari._

* * *

"Step forward."

Juushirou swallowed hard, obediently taking a few paces into the chamber and then stopping, dropping down into a formal bow as Shirogane had instructed him to do before they had left their quarters that morning. Behind him, he was aware of his senpai following suit and the oppressive formality of the chamber seemed all around them.

They had left their chamber early, with a quick breakfast that somehow Juushirou had managed to choke down. He would need his strength today, he knew that, and had been grateful for the fact that the meal had consisted simply of grilled fish and _o-chazuke_. Even so, it had been hard going, and it had been almost a relief when Shirogane had got to his feet, telling him it was time to go.

A guard had been waiting for them, as if sent to summon them into the lion's den, and he had exchanged a few words with Shirogane before leading the both of them along the narrow, white-paved walkway towards the Council Chambers. All around them, the streets were silent, and Juushirou wondered if even the birds dared to fly here in such an exalted place.

Once they had reached the huge doors of the chamber, Shirogane had pushed his student forward, murmuring to him once more not to forget his obeisance, and then the huge divides had swung back to reveal a gaping chasm of light beyond.

It was the most immense room that Juushirou had ever seen, and terror had gripped hold of him afresh at the sight.

The echoing command from within had given him no chance to turn or flee, however. The time was upon them, and he could only go forward.

For a moment, a heavy silence hung over the whole room, thick enough that Juushirou felt sure that he would soon run out of air to breathe. Then,

"Nagoya Shirogane – stand."

The voice was commanding and electric, its tones carrying despite the moderation of volume being used. From his crouched position, Juushirou snuck a peek through the flopping fringe of his growing hair, making out the speaker hazily as he did so. The man was dressed impeccably in robes of cream and green, with a white woven scarf of considerably expensive appearance at his throat. Sleek black hair trickled over the shoulders of what Juushirou belatedly realised was a ceremonial _haori_ – pearl white in colour and silken in design – and the young boy could just make out something white in the man's hair, holding the locks back from his face in a rigid, formal style. His complexion was as fair as Shirogane's own, and his slate grey eyes, cool and uncompromising, glittered with the confidence of one who knew he was superior and had every ability to back it up.

This was Kuchiki Guren, Fifteenth Head of the Kuchiki-ke, Fourth Head of District Six, and currently, the chair of the Council of Elders.

Juushirou swallowed hard.

This was the man about whom Ryuu had often spoken with pride…but more, this was the man who held the lives of Juushirou's own family firmly in his hands.

Behind him, Shirogane had got respectfully to his feet, and though Juushirou could not see him, he knew the older boy's head was still bowed in reverence to the man he would one day call Captain as well as Uncle.

"You are representing the Academy today, is that not correct, as senior student and Anideshi?" Guren's voice cut through the room once more like a knife, his intonation austere but yet not affected by his high level of birth. It would be a pleasant sound, Juushirou reflected ruefully, if every note of it did not pierce through his heart with fear.

"Yes, Guren-sama."

"From Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama – what message do you bring?"

"I bring a student to be presented for the Council's honoured ratification, Guren-sama." Shirogane's tones were even and calm, his language polite and distant although he was addressing someone with whom he shared a close blood bond. "Genryuusai-sama has charged me with bringing him before you – with the instruction that the Council is to examine him and judge him at will, in accordance with the regulations by which we all are judged."

"And you have personal knowledge of this boy, Shirogane?"

"Yes, Guren-sama. I have trained him thus far myself."

"And you believe that he is worthy to be examined today?"

"Yes, Guren-sama." There was no hesitation in Shirogane's voice. "I believe that he is, and carry Genryuusai-sama's assertions of the same."

"Then we will hear his case." Guren nodded, a fleeting gesture of his hand indicating for Shirogane to step aside.

"Student of the Academy – stand and raise your gaze to mine. I wish to speak to you direct."

"Yes, sir." Juushirou jerked to attention, getting to his feet and meeting the slate grey gaze with some amount of trepidation.

"Your name, boy?"

"Ukitake Juushirou, sir."

"And your place of origin?"

"District Six, sir."

"District Six." Guren's dark brows knitted together, then,

"You are, then, under the auspices of my Clan, the Kuchiki?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

"I see."

Guren was silent for a moment longer, then he nodded.

"Your name is Ukitake." He reflected. "I have heard that name before."

Juushirou bit his lip, as a long pause followed that statement. Then, at length,

"Tell me, boy. Your father was Ukitake Hidenobu – was he not?"

"Yes, sir." Surprise flooded Juushirou's features, and Guren nodded a second time.

"I see." He said, his tones suddenly grave. "Very well."

He paused, then,

"What age are you, Ukitake Juushirou?"

"Eighteen, sir."

"And you understand, I presume, the reason you are summoned here today?"

"Yes, sir." Juushirou bowed his head once more. "To be examined by the Council regarding the summoning of my _zanpakutou_."

"You have achieved this, then?"

"Yes sir."

"And you are ready and willing to display this fact before three select members of the Council, in a formal examination?"

"Y..yes, sir."

"Then we will proceed."

Guren raised his hand, and two black-clad individuals hurried forward to pull back dividing doors that till that moment Juushirou had not even perceived were there. This observation was soon forgotten, however, as he heard Shirogane's hiss of,

"Bow your head!"

And realised that the other members of the Council of Elders were about to make their appearance.

Juushirou did so, peeking out once more at the soberly dressed individuals that now filed into the room from the left and right of Kuchiki Ginrei's elevated seat.

From the left they were led by a man who was of height and build enough to be easily recognisable as a kinsman of Enishi's, his broad frame striding forward with pride and determination. His hair was grey and straggled down his back in a long tail, and his eyebrows were as bushy as Genryuusai's own. Somehow, in the tension of the situation this struck Juushirou as funny, and he fought against the urge to smile as he watched Yamamoto Hashihiko take his seat. Hashihiko was the current head of the Yamamoto family, he knew – but his exact kinship to Genryuusai he did not. Yet even though Genryuusai was known as the most powerful member of the Yamamoto Clan, Juushirou could tell just by a glance that this tall, grey and black robed figure was no weakling. His ceremonial _haori _hung over his wide shoulders almost as though it had been stretched to fit there, and only the substantial wedge of a distinctive _zanpakutou_ hilt managed to prevent Juushirou from turning the man into a comical caricature of a Shinigami on duty.

Behind him, and looking ever more elegant and nimble for her well-built companion was the familiar form of Shihouin Midori, robed in black and gold with her _haori_ delicately slipped over the top and her thick violet hair bound in a neat tail by a gilted clasp bearing the crest of the Shihouin-ke. As she caught his glance, she offered him a mischievous smile, and somehow comforted by this show of camaraderie, Juushirou managed the faintest of ones in return.

The tall, lanky figure that followed Midori was obviously an Urahara, his straw-fair hair confined in black clasps in an obvious attempt to tame it, although, Juushirou realised, the effort had still largely failed. Something in the man's appearance reminded him of the now graduated Yunosuke, yet his pale eyes were much more serious and partly hidden behind his glasses. In his shadow was a younger man, clearly his kinsman, and Juushirou was reminded of their earlier conversation back at school about the Council. Probably his companion was the heir to the Urahara family, he reflected, coming to the court to learn from experience about how the Council worked.

There was no representative from the Unohana Clan present today, and Juushirou realised with a jolt that the meeting had likely been convened simply to ratify _zanpakutou_. Perhaps it was entirely for his benefit, he reflected, somehow unnerved by the way that idea made him feel.

From the right hand door, a dark haired woman with bright green eyes was leading the way forward, offering him a wink and a grin as she passed him, and with a jolt Juushirou realised this casual, yet imposing individual was Sora's mother, the redoubtable Kyouki of the Shiba-ke. Behind her was an old man – old, yet not elderly – and gazing at him as carefully as he could from his awkward position, Juushirou realised that there was a distinct difference between the two terms. He was wizened, true – though not like Genryuusai was, and it seemed more like the cares of a thousand battles had taken its toll on his appearance over the years he had been in government. His _haori_ hung heavily against his muscled body, yet he was not built in the same wall-like manner as his colleague from the Yamamoto. He was tall, but not overbearing, and in his pale eyes was a hardness that Juushirou found himself chilled by. There was no smile on this man's face, and Juushirou knew only too well why not.

This man was Endou Shouichi, Hirata's grandfather and head of District Seven.

In his stead came another man, resembling him enough to mark them out as kin, yet to Juushirou's surprise and relief it was not Seimaru who stood in the old man's shadow. This was an older man – old enough to be Seimaru's father – and at that thought, Juushirou chewed on his lip, taking in the stranger's appearance as if seeing him anew.

_Endou Misashi-sama. Hirata's father. Oh, then the stories are true. He is all right. And more, Shouichi-sama is bringing him into the Council these days. Oh, I'm glad. I can tell Hirata myself, then – that I've seen his father, and that he's okay._

He eyed Misashi carefully. True, he conceded, there were as many elements of the hard-nosed old man in his features as there were the more retiring features that characterised his young friend. But unlike Shouichi, his eyes were not hard. And unlike Shouichi, he was not avoiding making eye contact with the District boy, instead offering him a glance and, quite possibly, the faintest of faint smiles.

At the rear was a familiar figure, and one whose presence gave Juushirou a sudden swell of comfort as the Clansman sent him a warm grin.

Tokutarou was unable to judge _zanpakutou_. Shirogane had said it, and Juushirou had already known it to be the case. There was no reason for him to be present – and yet, somehow Juushirou knew that he had come on Shunsui's asking, because Shunsui had not been able to attend the meeting himself.

_For my sake, to give me courage – so I know I'm really not alone. Thank you, Shunsui. Thank you, Tokutarou-sama. You don't know how much it's reassured me, to see friendly faces even here._

At length, all the peers were seated, and Guren cast a glance around.

"Ukitake Juushirou has been presented to the Council by Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama, to be examined as per our requirements regarding _zanpakutou_." He said quietly. "He has been trained by my kinsman, for whose honour and word I will vouch. He will therefore be examined here today in accordance with the normal rules. So has requested Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama. So the Council will agree. Raise your head, Ukitake. You may now face your superiors and hear their words."

"Wait a minute." The old man raised his hand, shooting Juushirou a glance of dislike. "This child is not Clan, Guren-dono. Surely there is a mistake, to have one such as this brought before our revered Council in such a manner?"

"Don't be so fussy, Shouichi-sama." Before Guren could respond, Kyouki snorted, shaking her head in apparent amusement at the old man's prejudice. "When we voted to let District children enter the Academy, we voted for this situation to one day occur. It has come more quickly, perhaps, than we all expected – but that doesn't mean that the boy is at fault for studying his lessons well."

"_I_ did not vote for any such change." Shouichi said gruffly, and Juushirou had the distinct impression that if looks could have killed, he would have quickly been dead.

"A majority decision is a majority decision, Shouichi-sama." The interjection was quiet, but forceful, and Juushirou knew it had come from Shunsui's older brother. "The Council elected to allow District children academic rights in Shinigami skills by a then majority of three to two with two abstentions. The Shihouin-ke and Urahara-ke have since both shifted their stance to being in favour of such an experiment, with the Kuchiki-ke still in abstention. On those grounds, we must entertain a District candidate in this manner. Otherwise we would be denying democracy."

"Democracy does not exist for the convenience of the peasantry." Shouichi snapped back. "And you have no reason to be here, Tokutarou! You are not Gotei and this business is nothing to do with you!"

"Tokutarou-dono is a member of the Council of Elders." That was Urahara Nagesu. "As such, Shouichi-dono, his presence here is explained."

"It is not explained." Shouichi grumbled. "He has never before attended an examination meeting – I find it suspect that this time he chooses to show his face."

"This isn't a matter for personal politics, Shouichi-sama." Kyouki cut across before Tokutarou could respond. "My kinsman came because he was curious. I too am curious. Before us stands something we have never before seen. Don't you want to see history made here, right in front of your eyes?"

"Or time wasted by an ingrate who would do better keeping his boundaries and not interfering in what he can't understand." Shouichi muttered.

Guren raised his hand to indicate an end to the discussion.

"By the promise we gave Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama, we are bound by the Council's honour to receive all such students of the Academy, whatever their level of birth." He said quietly. "I do not know whether or not I agree or disagree with the concept, Shouichi-dono. Certainly, my Clan and I are still undecided about the potential that these lower born individuals might provide. However, I believe in honouring our word. And therefore, we will examine him as we would any other sent to us from District One's Academy."

"There is a caveat stipulation, of course, Guren-sama." That was Urahara Nagesu once again, in his even, measured tones. "Or are we to examine District individuals irrespective of where they make their home? My Clan has shifted its stance in favour – as well you know – but on the understanding that all District applicants who seek to bear arms in their home territory do so with the knowledge and permission of their ruling Clan. Their pedigree must still be known to us, for the safety of all who live in our Districts, and that being the case…"

He trailed off, and Juushirou got the distinct impression there was a hidden meaning in his words.

"This boy is District Six." Guren said simply, as if answering Nagesu's unspoken question. "I have given the instruction to examine him. Therefore, I think, my consent to allow his being here is implicit. He has been trained by a Kuchiki – therefore I believe he will pose no harm to the people in my domain."

Juushirou's eyes widened at this revelation.

_Did Sensei do that on purpose too, then? To give me to Nagoya-senpai to train because he knew that if Nagoya-senpai did train me, the head of the Kuchiki-ke would look on me more favourably?_

"You are from District Six, boy?" Nagesu was asking him a specific question now, piercing eyes peering at him through the lenses of his glasses, and Juushirou pulled his wits hurriedly back together, bowing his head slightly towards the representative of Third District as he did so.

"Yes, sir. I am."

"And can you verify that fact?" Shouichi demanded. "Sixth borders Seventh. You might easily have crossed the divide."

"I can speak for him in this regard, Guren-sama." Tokutarou raised his voice now, and Guren cast him a quizzical glance.

"My brother has been to his family's land, and knows it well now." Tokutarou said quietly. "The Ukitake-ke live at the coast, near the border with Fifth District. He is indeed a citizen of your land."

Guren's lips twitched into a faint smile.

"I see." He murmured. "So the boy has the backing of your Clan too, then, Tokutarou-dono?"

"My brother considers him a close friend…if you consider that backing, then yes, I suppose so."

Guren nodded.

"As it happens, I am already familiar with the name Ukitake." He said frankly. "I am a Kuchiki, and my family hold records of all who live in the District. I know of a family by this name who live in the region Tokutarou-dono has specified. This boy is the son of Ukitake Hidenobu, a man who is known to my family through distant channels. I have accepted his word, and I have given my permission for him to be presented here. That discussion is now at an end."

"Guren-dono…"

"I have said it is at an end, Shouichi-dono." Guren's eyes became cold, and Juushirou saw his fingers hover towards the hilt of his blade. "While I hold the chair of the Council, I will not tolerate you speaking back against me in such a manner. The boy is under my jurisdiction. You will not supersede it."

Shouichi's eyes became slits.

"Very well." He said slowly. "But if that is the case, I wish to examine him. I want to be named as one of the three witnesses, Guren-dono – so as I can see there is nothing untoward going on."

"Granted." Guren nodded, and Juushirou's heart froze in his chest at this quick, casual confirmation. "Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama has requested as much himself, in fact – that you be one of the three chosen to examine this child's sword."

_Sensei did? Why would he do that? _

Panic rushed through Juushirou's body at this.

_Surely he knows that Shouichi-sama hates District children – that in District Seven they are still being killed for having spiritual power? Surely he knows that…then why?_

"Who else will examine him, Guren-sama? Has Genryuusai-sama made other stipulations?" Midori spoke up at that point, her words clear and concise, yet carrying a faint edge to them, and Guren shot her an annoyed look.

"Genryuusai-sama has left the rest to our judgement – however, _you _will not be included." He said dismissively. "Your brother is, I believe, also a friend of this boy…and you have had contact with him before. You are therefore biased in this matter."

"Whilst your kinsman here has trained him." Midori returned sweetly, waving a hand in Shirogane's direction, and Juushirou could sense the bristling annoyance from the older student at the gesture. "So you are also omitted – based on your own evidence."

"I will oversee, but will not examine. As chair of the Council that is my duty – but you are right. I am not objective." Guren agreed. "I will uphold the laws of this Council, Midori-dono. You need not worry about that."

His eyes flitted back to Juushirou.

"The other examiners will be Shiba Kyouki-dono and Urahara Nagesu-dono." He said quietly. "Urahara Shiketsu-dono and Endou Misashi-dono may attend, but are forbidden from taking part in the examination in any regard. All other members of the Council must recess until the examination is over."

He got to his feet.

"Shirogane, that also applies to you." He added. "You will not be needed as a prompt or helper for your student now – if you have trained him enough, he will no longer need your assistance."

"Yes, Guren-sama." Shirogane bowed his head.

"Then the examination will begin." Guren gestured, and the black-clad individuals ran forward to re-open the doors. "Midori-dono, Tokutarou-dono, Hashihiko-dono – please be at ease until the procedure is complete."

"With pleasure, Guren-sama." Midori said playfully. "Good luck, Juushirou. Though somehow I don't believe you need it."

With that they were gone, and Juushirou swallowed hard, trying to control the terror that now welled up inside of him.

_Remember In'you. In'you is always with me. Even if everyone else is gone…In'you is always here. We work together. Together we can get through this. Together we can. Somehow._

"You look apprehensive, Juushirou-kun."

Kyouki's words drew him from his thoughts and he turned, eying her in consternation. At his expression, she laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

"We won't eat you. At least, I promise I won't. You're not a criminal about to face justice, after all." She said breezily. "You came here to present your sword for our approval. So long as you've achieved a state of release with it, then you have nothing to worry about. The Council will ratify any blade – even if it isn't one from a Clan child."

"You shouldn't make free promises, Kyouki-dono." Shouichi rumbled. "I have yet to see any evidence of this creature producing anything of any value whatsoever."

"Surely you can sense his reiatsu, Shouichi-sama?" Kyouki's eyes became wide with surprise. "Even controlled as it is, you must realise that he has potential."

"Many children might have potential…we're here to judge the actualities, not the possibilities." Nagesu said frankly. "While I share your curiosity and interest, Kyouki-sama – just because he is the first youngster from outside the Clan to stand before the Council like this should not make our judgement more lenient."

"Nor should it make it more difficult." Kyouki said with a shrug. "If Genryuusai-sama sees something of value here, I too am willing to see it with open eyes. I have no preconceptions, Nagesu-dono. Just as you do – I want to see the facts, too."

"So long as that is understood by all of us." Nagesu adjusted his glasses, then, "Boy, your name is Ukitake, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"And the name of your weapon?"

"Sougyo no Kotowari, sir."

"Sougyo no…Kotowari?" Shouichi frowned. "What sort of a name is that?"

"The name of the sword isn't the boy's fault, Shouichi-sama." Kyouki said lightly. "Well, Ukitake? Can you explain to us, then, the power that resides in your blade?"

"I…it's hard to properly know for sure, Kyouki-sama." Juushirou admitted hesitantly. "The name…Sougyo means 'twin fish'…and…my sword's spirit is…two fish. In'you. They…"

"You have fish swimming around in your head?" Shouichi demanded, and at his right side, Juushirou saw Misashi flinch slightly at the blunt rudeness of his father's interruption. "Two fish? Two spirits?"

"N…No, sir." Juushirou shook his head slowly. "The sword has…one spirit. One spirit…with…two consciousnesses."

"What is he talking about?" Shouichi grimaced. "Nagesu! You understand all the theories and claptrap – is what he's saying possible? Or is this a ruse designed by Genryuusai-sama to vex us?"

"I have never encountered a sword with twin consciousnesses before." Nagesu said frankly, but his intense eyes were now burning with curiosity. "Ukitake, please, I would like to observe your weapon for myself."

"Yes, sir." Juushirou drew the blade self-consciously from its makeshift sheath, holding it out for the Urahara to take. Nagesu frowned, running his finger over the glittering metal, then,

"Tell us how you understand your power to be." He said softly.

Juushirou frowned.

"Sensei and I have talked about this a lot." He admitted. "And Nagoya-senpai and I have done so too. We think…I think…that the blade is…is storm and sea. That it has…two facets. And…two blades."

"Two blades?" Shouichi snorted. "Then where is the other? Did you leave it behind?"

"Ukitake?" Kyouki shot him a quizzical look. "Shouichi-sama is right – if there are two blades, where is the other?"

"They…there's only one right now, Kyouki-sama." Juushirou bit his lip. "I…it isn't always two blades. Just…"

"When you feel like it?" Shouichi sighed heavily. "There are no double _zanpakutou_, boy. A blade is a blade. A single weapon. A single consciousness. A single sword. You cannot expect us to believe otherwise – that weapon of yours is just one sword – and a fairly ordinary looking sword to me."

"Then perhaps Ukitake can show us what he means, if he cannot tell us." Nagesu held the blade out. "Please, Ukitake. Show us how your weapon is two bladed, even when it is one."

"Y…yes, sir."

Juushirou nodded, taking back the _zanpakutou_ and gripping it firmly in his right hand. He took a deep breath, steadying his racing heart, then placing his left hand flat against the weapon's guard.

_In'you, if you're listening, now I need you more than ever. _

As a faint haze of golden light began to gather itself around the palm of his hand, he sent an inner plea to his sword's spirits for support.

_Now I have to do this…and properly, the first time. Even though my heart is beating fit to burst – please, don't let me lose control and cause an explosion. Help me control it – help me do this right._

_**We're part of your will, Juushirou. What you want to happen will. Just call our name and all will be well.**_

_Right._

Juushirou closed his eyes, then,

"_Nami kotogotoku, wa ga tate to nare."_

He muttered, aware that the glitter of light had now trickled up across the whole blade, illuminating it in a sudden, golden flare.

_Do it calmly__**. Calmly**__. Calm enough to keep control – don't let it slip, just as Sensei told you._

He reeled in his reiatsu before it could sweep out of control, sensing the separation of spirit particles beneath his touch as one weapon began to split into two, their hilts connected by a pulse of irridescent _reiryoku_ that condensed little by little into what appeared to be a cord of light.

"_Ikazuchi kotogotoku, wa ga yaiba to nare."_

He whispered, a jolt flicking through him as the two blades separated themselves fully from one another, morphing and changing their physical shape. Instead of the plain, deceptively simple looking katana that he had carried through the security checks the day before, the weapons he now held hummed with energy and life, their tips sharp and glittering and, flicked back at about halfway between guard and tip, a second blade jutted out almost like a fin - a representation of the twin fish that had given his weapon its true name.

As he felt the controlled surge of reiatsu well up within his body, he took a deep breath, then,

"_Sougyo no…Kotowari!"_

As he called his sword's true name, clear and crisp across the high-ceilinged Council chamber, he drew the weapons across one another, and the thread of_ reiryoku_ tightened and flexed, five links of silver glittering out across its length. A giddy feeling shot through him, and he took another breath to steady himself, knowing that at that moment his senses were as alert as they had been the first time he had managed to part his blades.

Yet unlike that time, this time he had somehow managed to keep it under his control.

"Two blades." Nagesu murmured, his expression now one of fascination. "From one. Just as the boy said."

"I've never seen a _zanpakutou_ like it." Kyouki's eyes were also big with curiosity. "I can see why you struggled to explain it, Ukitake. It is unusual for a weapon to split at all, but into two very separate blades…and blades that are so distinctive, too."

"Your release was a long one. Does it take you so long to summon and control your _reiryoku_?" Nagesu asked, and Juushirou nodded.

"I'm still learning a lot about that, sir." He agreed, realising that the Urahara's reticence had now been replaced by genuine interest. "Sensei says it's because I have quite high _reiryoku_ – and because he believes my blades represent those two elements; waves and lightning."

"Nami and Ikazuchi. Just as you said." Kyouki murmured. "And when you released them, for a moment, I felt it. Something touched my senses – like waves lapping against the shore."

"I felt it, also." Nagesu admitted. "And the way those weapons look now - two swords, quite definitely. When I held the weapon just now, what swirled within it was indistinct and unclear. Now, however, I think I begin to see. Your sword _is_ one spirit, but it has two facets nonetheless. Fascinating."

"Impossible you might have said it was, Shouichi-sama – but the boy has proved at least in my mind that he not only has a _zanpakutou_, but a powerful one that he can release." Kyouki added.

Shouichi's eyes narrowed to near slits, and at first he did not answer. Then he raised a battle-scarred hand, twitching his index finger in the boy's direction.

"_Hadou no Yon: Byakurai_." He rumbled, and Juushirou's heart skipped a beat as the flare of Kidou shot out across the chamber, sharp and crisp as it broke through the heavy atmosphere and zig-zagged right towards his body. In that instant Juushirou realised that while Seimaru had little interest or aptitude for the demon arts, Shouichi did not view magic in the same light, and though it was a simple, basic spell, there was a considerable amount of intent behind its thrust.

For a moment fear paralysed him. Then at the back of his thoughts he felt the faintest crackle of lightning against a summer sky, and he screwed up his eyes, instinctively pushing his crossed blades forwards to block the attack as best he could.

As he did so, a gasp came from Kyouki's corner, and Juushirou opened his eyes slowly, a sudden surge of heat and power clattering against his own reiatsu as Shouichi's spell made contact with the weapon. Yet even as it touched the metal, Juushirou felt the intent behind the spell dissipating almost in an instant. The white-gold prickles of light that danced across the metal were not scars taken from Shouichi's attack, but instead the instinctive flickers of the _zanpakutou_'s own native spirit – the secret storm that his spirit power had summoned at least three times before.

_Don't be afraid, Juushirou. Lightning can't hurt you. You are lightning, when we are with you._

In's voice was soft and soothing to his shattered wits, yet sweat still beaded his brow as he realised Shouichi's attack had awoken the weapon's own latent attacking impulses. With some effort he lowered his blades, gritting his teeth as his feeble body struggled to keep the rebellious flares of _reiryoku_ in check.

"That was an unfair blow, Shouichi-sama." Nagesu's tone was full of censorship.

"I am within my rights, Nagesu. The boy's blade may be tested by whatever means we see fit." Shouichi snapped back. "Do not think to discipline your elder – I know what I do."

"But the sword absorbed it." Kyouki whispered. "Or at least, dispelled the force of its attack. Your Kidou is not weak, Shouichi-sama. We'll all testify to that, having seen it on many occasions prior. But never have I seen a student's blade react so to _Byakurai _fired at any level. To meet your attack was one thing. To dispel it so easily using bare instinct alone…"

She trailed off, and Nagesu got to his feet, approaching the shaking Juushirou slowly.

Gently he rested a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You said your power was storm and sea." He murmured. "Now I feel the storm brewing, as well as the waves. I understand, Ukitake – even if I'm not sure you fully do, yet. Tell me, how is your own Kidou? Do you like it? Or do you avoid it as much as you can?"

"I…I enjoy Kidou, sir." Somehow Juushirou found words, though it felt like a ball of cotton wool had lodged itself in his throat and his body was racing from hot to cold. "At school…it is…my strongest subject."

"I see." Nagesu nodded. "And _Byakurai_? You can fire this spell?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, I would have thought it came naturally to you." Nagesu looked thoughtful. "To my mind you have told us everything you believe to be true about your power, and have done nothing to cause me to doubt your word. Your storm is immature and even now you are struggling to keep it in check. But a storm you have, and a raging sea besides. You are quite an interesting young man, Ukitake Juushirou. I understand why Genryuusai-sama sent you to see us."

"It seems Shirogane-kun has finally found his vocation for training, too." Kyouki turned to offer the silently watching Guren a rueful smile. "Well, Shouichi-sama? Are you going to stand against the evidence we've all seen here and still maintain that the boy's sword cannot be ratified? Nagesu-sama and I are clearly in support of Genryuusai-sama's request. Guren-sama has witnessed the test and can be in no two minds about its results. Will you still stand against us, even so?"

Shouichi stood silent for a moment, and Juushirou saw the look of dark hatred that crossed the old man's gaze. Then, just as the atmosphere seemed about to become too oppressive for the young boy to breathe, the Endou leader sighed.

"I do not approve of this." He said quietly. "It goes against my grain as an Endou to show support to one like him."

"But this is not District Seven, Shouichi-dono." Guren interjected quietly at this moment. "This is Inner Seireitei and neutral territory. Therefore here your Clan laws do not apply…only Council Law must be brought to bear on this proceeding. You understand those laws, I think – and now you are called on as a member of that Council to pass judgement according to their stipulations."

The Kuchiki's words were calm and reasoned, yet they carried a message, and Shouichi bristled, turning to glare at the fine-robed Clan leader as he did so.

"I understand better than you do, Guren-dono, what my obligations are to this Council." He said blackly. "Since I have sat on it for longer than you have and have passed more judgements than anyone else here present today. I know my duty."

"In that case, I will hear judgement of the witnesses." Guren said mildly. "Shiba Kyouki-dono – do you find this child's sword worthy of the Register of Zanpakutou?"

"Yes." Kyouki said firmly, winking at Juushirou as she did so. "I do."

"Urahara Nagesu-dono – do you find this child's sword worthy of the Register of Zanpakutou?"

"Yes." Nagesu nodded his head. "Without doubt, I do."

"Then, Endou Shouichi-dono – do you find this child's sword worthy of the Register of Zanpakutou?"

There was a lengthy silence, then Shouichi's lips thinned.

"His sword I do." He said finally. "And it is his sword I must judge – though the one who wields it brings me no cause for joy at all. I will not endorse District vermin as future saviours of this world – but it is the sword I must ratify, and ratify it I must."

"A simple 'Yes' will suffice, Shouichi-dono." Guren said patiently, and Shouichi glowered.

"Yes." He said grudgingly. "I do."

At his words, Juushirou's heart flip-flopped in his chest as he felt the pressure rushing out of his trembling body. He slipped to his knees, the hilts of his twin blades beginning to slide from between his sweaty fingers. Guren paid him no attention, however, merely nodding his head.

"Then it is confirmed by all three witnesses that the _zanpakutou_ Sougyo no Kotowari is hereby registered with the Council of Elders, and Ukitake Juushirou shall be hereafter recognised as a valid member of the Brotherhood of Shinigami. Notice of this registration will hereto be sent out to Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama as well as to the Official Archives of Ukitake's resident District number Six, as held by my own Clan, the Kuchiki. This decision is finalised in the sight of Council Representatives of fair mind and judgement. Ukitake,"

His piercing eyes now focused in on Juushirou, who gazed up at him blankly.

"You are now bound to follow the laws set down for those entering the path of the Shinigami." He said softly, his gaze never leaving the young boy's face. "You will do no harm with your blade to any who follows the course of justice and you will use your strength always to uphold the rights of those you are here to protect. You will continue and complete your training under the auspices of Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-sama, who has claimed responsibility for you until such a time as you can be considered useful to Soul Society. Do you understand these constraints?"

"Y…yes, sir." Juushirou's mind was whirling, and Guren nodded.

"Then this morning's test is concluded." He said softly. "Congratulations, Ukitake. You have now taken the first formal step as a Shinigami on your path towards the Gotei."

"As a…Shinigami?" Juushirou repeated blankly, and Kyouki laughed.

"Only Shinigami bear _zanpakutou_." She said briskly. "By raising your sword, Ukitake, you've proven that you have the skill and potential to be counted among those ranks. You still have a long way to go – this is only as Guren-sama says – your very first step. Even from here to being able to use your blade constructively in _shikai_ is going to be a hard path and you will have to work to the best of your ability to attain those standards for yourself. But for now, you should take pride in what you have done. Tokutarou told me that you would be the one to change the form of the Gotei, and I start to believe it's true. The power I saw today…I'm looking forward to it already. To the time when you reach the standard to enter the Twelve Squads of Seireitei and put that power to good use."

Somehow Juushirou pulled his wits together, bowing his head hurriedly.

"Thank you, Kyouki-sama." He said quietly. "I will work hard. I promise. I'll do my best not to let anyone down."

* * *

"Ukitake."

As Juushirou sat alone in the yard beyond the Central Complex, a voice startled him and he turned, surprise and consternation crossing his features as he registered the speaker.

"Misashi...sama." He murmured, and at the sound of his name, the older man smiled, bowing his head in acknowledgement.

"Then you do know already who I am." He observed quietly. "I wonder if that was your close attention to Guren-sama's words, or whether there might be another reason that you so speedily identify me, though we've never spoken before."

Juushirou reddened, shaking his head.

"I...I assumed." He admitted. "Because you were with...Shouichi-sama, sir. But I...thought you must be...Shouichi-sama's Lord son. And..."

"Are you afraid of me?" Misashi frowned, and Juushirou's eyes widened in surprise.

"Afraid, sir?"

"Or is it the forbidding presence of my Father that makes you so uncertain now?" Misashi's lips twitched into a smile, softening his hard Endou features, and despite himself, Juushirou found he was returning it with one of his own.

"I'm not afraid, sir." He said honestly. "I'm sorry. I just...didn't expect to be speaking to you, that's all."

"So I can imagine." Misashi leant up against the opposite wall, letting out a heavy sigh. "And I dare not linger here with you for too long. At present my father is involved in some long discussion with Hashihiko-sama about a complaint dear to his pride. I trust I have a little time - but even so, I will not push my luck. I simply wanted to congratulate you - and perhaps, ask of you a favour."

Juushirou frowned, taking in the other man's appearance carefully as he did so. In the light of day he realised that though Misashi was little older than his own Father had been when he died, the individual who stood before him had silver streaks through his thick dark hair, and the tension of his Clan's problems were etched clearly onto his face. Yet again Juushirou realised that the pale eyes were not piercing or accusatory, and he remembered Hirata's words about his father with sudden fond clarity as he understood Misashi's meaning.

"About Hirata?" He asked softly, and Misashi started, then nodded his head.

"I cannot see my son, thanks to the foolishness of my nephew." He said frankly. "This is no secret, after all. He caused grave injury to Tokutarou-sama's brother and heir, and for that reason our entire family are barred entrance to District One. Yet he is often in my thoughts, all the same."

"Hirata is quite well, Misashi-sama. I promise he is - and working hard at his training all the time." Juushirou responded. "I know he worries about his family - but I can tell him, now, that I saw you and that you were safe and well, sir."

"Will you carry to him a message for me?" Misashi asked, and Juushirou nodded.

"With pleasure." He agreed, and relief glittered in Misashi's expression.

"Thank you." He said sincerely. "I had heard bits and pieces from the scraps of other conversations and I know that my boy thinks a lot of you. You and he are good friends, I believe - and even though that knowledge would bring my Father no joy, I'm glad Hirata is not alone in his exile. He has always been a timid boy, though not lacking in power or intelligence. And it is hard to befriend anyone when you come from the high ranks of a ruthless Clan like ours."

Juushirou did not reply, and Misashi spread his hands.

"If you would tell him that I, and his mother and his sister are all well, and fighting hard to keep so, I would be grateful." He said quietly. "We are in no danger...Father has honoured his word to us and things are stable. He is not to worry...just to work hard and achieve what he needs to achieve on this path that he's chosen. I have faith that he will succeed."

"I will tell him." Juushirou promised.

"And also, perhaps, one other thing." Misashi became grave. "With this sword you now hold...will you promise me one more thing?"

"Misashi-sama?" Juushirou was taken aback, and Misashi offered him a sad smile.

"I cannot protect him, though there are always dangers threatening." He said softly. "It is a lot to ask of you, when you know nothing of me or of my motives. But if you are his friend...what I am going to ask may not seem so reckless or selfish a request."

He sighed heavily.

"Hirata will one day be strong, but right now he is still weak." He reflected. "My mother died before seeing that strength come to fruition, but we both believed in it and I still do. But such things take time and he still lacks training. There are those who would seek to snare and kill him. At all costs, he must not return to District Seven - yet I fear people may try to bring him back by force or by threat. If such things happen, Ukitake, as his friend...will you stand by him? Help him, if he has nobody else?"

Juushirou paled.

"You think...someone will...try to kill Hirata?"

"Hirata's life has been threatened many times in the past. Mine too, and my wife and daughter's." Misashi said evenly. "My Father is not Hirata's enemy, however. He has given his word and he will live and die by it, whatever else he may do. But he is not the only one who might cause a threat. I speak so plainly to you because I know, Ukitake, that you have met my nephew and that he has given you reason to dislike him. You are under no illusions, I think, about the true nature of our Clan's chief heir. If Hirata was to return home, he would be in grave danger. Please promise me you'll help to keep him safe?"

Juushirou nodded his head slowly.

"Hirata is my friend. He's almost like my brother." He said honestly. "And I'd always do whatever I could, Misashi-sama, if a friend was in trouble. But Hirata has more than just me to fight his cause. He'll be all right. I'm sure of it."

"I trust so." Misashi looked pained. "But it is wise to be sure. Will you promise me anyway, Ukitake? That if danger comes, I can rely on you at least to take his part?"

"You can." Juushirou made up his mind. "I would never abandon Hirata. I promise, Misashi-sama. Whether with Sougyo or not - I will."

"By standing before the Council today, you have already surpassed what I can do even to protect those I hold dearest." Misashi sighed. "To ask such a thing of a young boy and a stranger is not honourable or fair - and nor is airing such doubts about my family to someone outside the Clan. But even so...for Hirata's sake...and these days what honour the Endou ever had is somewhat in doubt, I fear."

"I don't think the Endou-ke are bad." Juushirou said softly. "Hirata isn't, and I know that you helped Midori-sama when she needed it, so I know you aren't bad either, Misashi-sama. And...and even though he dislikes District students, I think...Shouichi-sama is also someone who has honour and keeps his word. Though he disliked me, he still upheld the Council's law above his own prejudice. The Endou-ke are not a dishonourable Clan."

Misashi smiled.

"You do say surprising things. Midori-sama was right about that." He reflected. "But even so, your words reassure me. That you can say that, even after my Father treated you so rudely -thank you, Ukitake. I appreciate it...and I see why my boy takes so seriously having you as his friend."

"I don't think I'll ever forgive Seimaru-sama for hurting Shunsui with his _zanpakutou_." Juushirou admitted. "But that was something _he_ did. It wasn't something your family did. And I don't...I don't believe that Clan is everything. I...I'm District and I suppose...such things aren't so important there. But I...think everybody is an individual. A Clan should be a family. Not...not a reputation."

He reddened, suddenly realising who he was speaking to, but Misashi laughed, clapping his hands down on the boy's shoulders.

"You really might change Seireitei, thinking and acting like that." He said warmly. "Very well. I will remember those words and take them home with me. I entrust my son to you, Ukitake - please help him as much as you can to become strong and able...and to raise a sword, just like you."

"Misashi-dono, I apologise for the interruption."

Tokutarou's distinctive tones cut through the conversation at that moment and Juushirou saw his companion suddenly tense as he took a step backwards, releasing his grip on the District boy's shoulders. He turned, bowing stiffly in the intruder's direction, and Juushirou bit his lip, glancing from one Clansman to the other.

"I believe it is I who is in the wrong place." Misashi spoke softly. "Forgive my presumptiousness, Tokutarou-sama. I have many things to see to, and I am no doubt impeding on your own duties by being here now."

Tokutarou frowned, and Juushirou saw the consternation deep in the older man's eyes. He shook his head.

"My fight - and my people's fight - is not with you." He said quietly. "You need not bow to me quite so humbly, Misashi-dono. My argument with your Clan stretches as far as those who make the decisions - and whilst you attend Council, I know that that is not you."

Misashi raised his head in surprise, and Tokutarou nodded.

"My brother is friends with your son, yet enemies with your nephew." He said simply. "Such is the situation in which we find ourselves."

Misashi pursed his lips, his gaze flitting to Juushirou, then,

"My loyalties are as my mother's were. To the stable future of my Clan." He said at length. "And to the protection and safety of my family - whatever that cost proves to be."

"Misashi-dono." As the other man turned to leave, Tokutarou stepped forward, putting his hand on the other's arm. Misashi glanced at him questioningly, and Juushirou saw Tokutarou's gaze make a quick, sweeping assessment of the area, to ensure that Shouichi was nowhere nearby.

"The flow of people into my land must stop. Even for the sake of defeating the rebel Urahara - it must stop." Tokutarou said softly, and Juushirou's ears pricked up at the sound of the name 'Urahara'. "You understand that, don't you?"

"It is not my action to take." Misashi replied levelly, shaking his head. "The man my Clan seek is more dangerous than any of the others - more so than many who attend this Council. We cannot stop looking for him. It would be in contravention of Council law if we did."

Tokutarou eyed him long and hard, and Misashi met the other man's gaze with a cool, impassive one of his own. Juushirou was struck at the difference - that the man who had clasped his shoulders and spoken to him with laughter should now seem so cold and so distant, as though the suffering of the thousands of refugees meant nothing to him in comparison to tracking down a lone villain.

_The many facades of a Clansman, perhaps?_

He chewed down on his lip.

_But this is Hirata's father. And Hirata loves him and admires him more than anyone in the world. I trust Hirata, and he knows Misashi-sama better than I or than Tokutarou-sama does. So I'm going to believe...that he's a good person. And that what he said to me...was the truth._

Misashi bowed his head now.

"My son is no doubt in your brother's debt, and perhaps in yours as well." He said politely. "Perhaps that friendship may pave the way for better relations between our families."

"That would depend, I suppose, on whether or not your son remained an exile whilst your father and your nephew plot and scheme." Tokutarou responded, his tones equally as impassive. Juushirou had never seen the genial Tokutarou quite so formal or so angry before, and the storm brewing in the older man's eyes told him for the first time that Shunsui's brother was more than just his ally - he was a soldier and a Clan leader and even though his _zanpakutou_ was of a low level, he was not afraid of making his opinions known.

"That decision is the province of the Yamamoto-ke. _We_ have not exiled him." Misashi said mildly. "And I would thank you, Tokutarou-sama, for not judging my Father's actions when you do not fully understand them. He is not the danger you believe him to be...and I have more than outstayed my welcome."

He bowed his head, first to Tokutarou, then to Juushirou, and then turned, crossing the floor without even the slightest of glances back.

Tokutarou pursed his lips.

"I didn't expect him to come speak to you." He said softly, as soon as the other man was out of earshot. "In fact, I'm very surprised that he did. Had I realised his intention - I would have come to you sooner. I'm sorry, Ukitake. I hope he didn't say anything that made you ill at ease?"

"No. Not at all." Juushirou was surprised. "He...simply exchanged pleasantries. That's all. Since Hirata and I are friends...he just asked me to convey a message to him."

_And asked me to promise to help keep Hirata safe, but Tokutarou-sama doesn't need to know about that. I somehow don't think he'd understand my reasons, after all._

"Oh. Then I guess that's all right then." Tokutarou looked relieved, clamping his hand down on Juushirou's shoulder. "To be honest, he's an enigma to me. I thought, at one point, he was a voice of sanity within District Seven. Now he's aligned himself so closely with his Father - I'm less sure what his motives are. And it makes me a touch uneasy...that things in District Seven are more unstable than I thought them to be."

Juushirou was silent, and Tokutarou shrugged his shoulders.

"In any case, enough politics. You must be tired." He said, offering the boy his usual warm smile. "You need something warm to eat and somewhere comfortable to sleep, I should think?"

"To...sleep?" Juushirou stared at him. "Am I not...supposed to go back to school now?"

"Do you feel like making the journey?" Tokutarou demanded, and Juushirou looked sheepish.

"I am tired. And hungry." He admitted. "And I ache quite a lot, too. I suppose...I'll pay for today, later. You may be right, Tokutarou-sama. But even so, I..."

"Genryuusai-sensei has entrusted you to me for tonight." Tokutarou assured him. "I know you travelled here with that Nagoya kid, but I also know that Guren-sama will want to speak to him about Clan and squad matters, since those are becoming ever more pressing. He'll spend the night with his people - and Genryuusai-sensei was quite agreeable when I suggested you came to my lodgings for the night. It's not as grand as the main manor, since this is Inner Seireitei and we all have only the necessary room space in which to make ourselves comfortable when we need them. But even so, you'd be more than welcome."

Juushirou offered him a faint smile.

"Shunsui asked you to look after me, didn't he?" He asked softly. "That's why you came - even though you can't take part in the judging and ratification. Isn't it?"

"He did ask." Tokutarou agreed. "But I was coming anyhow. When Kyouki-sama told me that you were the candidate - I made the decision right away."

"You did?" As they walked out towards Tokutarou's waiting carriage, Juushirou shot him a startled look. "But...why? I don't understand?"

"You're an interesting kid." Tokutarou's eyes twinkled. "Besides, you stood up to an Endou, and you lived. More, you've helped my brother turn himself around in so many ways and I'm grateful. The Shunsui District Eight now has is a completely different prospect to the one I used to be worrying about night and day...and whether you believe it or not, that's largely down to you. So it's a very little thing that I can do, really, to offer you food and hospitality and to show some support."

"I really don't think I've done all that much, Tokutarou-sama."

"Really? I wonder." As they reached the carriage, a smartly-dressed retainer saluted Tokutarou, then hurried to open the door. He did not cast Juushirou even the slightest of glances, as if it was completely normal for his master to be taking a District boy as his guest, and as Juushirou climbed carefully inside, he realised that, simple and small though it was, it was a far cry from the big, rattling communal carriages that he was used to taking from home to school.

_This is what Mitsuki was talking about, too. We're only going a short distance, yet the seating is comfortable and the windows clear. Even though it's not fancy or ornate - it's what Mitsuki meant when she said a 'good carriage'. I don't think it would be so bad, travelling such long distances if the carriage was like this._

"Are you okay there?" Tokutarou pulled himself into the vehicle, dropping down opposite with a grin. "It's not far - a few blocks - but a Clan leader unfortunately has to keep up a certain amount of appearance. Besides, you do look tired - it won't hurt you to take the weight off your feet for a bit. Your sword is something quite exciting, so I'm told."

His grin widened.

"Kyouki-sama will be joining us for dinner, too." He added. "She's good at inviting herself to things when she's curious or interested, and I think she's taken a liking to you, too. But you needn't worry - she doesn't stand on ceremony any more than I do. Not even for being such a powerful Clanswoman - you really needn't worry about being overly formal."

"She reminded me a little bit of Sora." Juushirou murmured. "But she was kind to me, when I was raising my sword."

"Yeah. A lot of people say Sora is just like her, only with less of the administrative brain." Tokutarou nodded. "In truth, she's someone I'm very fond of - well, you'll probably understand why. My mother died when I was young, like yours did - Kyouki-sama filled that gap."

"Just like Okaasama did for me." Juushirou agreed. "Yes. I understand."

He smiled.

"I don't mind. You're being generous already, in helping me - it's quite a few hours ride to the Academy and I don't really feel like making that journey alone after the day I've had."

He stifled a yawn.

"I didn't sleep much last night for nerves, either. So thank you, Tokutarou-sama. I appreciate it."

"It's all right. Like I said, it's a very little thing, really."

Tokutarou pursed his lips, then,

"If you ever need a Clan to come to your aid, Juushirou, you can call on us." He said quietly, and Juushirou was aware of the sudden seriousness in the older man's tones. "It won't be easy for you - as a District boy, even with a _zanpakutou_...that probably makes you more of a target than it does anything else. You have a family who supports you, but even they could be put in danger if they tried to shield you from the world you're now starting to enter. It's a Clan world - and Genryuusai-sensei can only protect you from it so far."

Juushirou's eyes became grave, and he nodded.

"I know. I discovered that for myself last summer, when I faced Seimaru." He said honestly. "It was a foolish thing to do then, and I still think so now. I'm learning, but it's very complicated. And a lot of it doesn't make much sense."

"The Clans have their own way of doing things." Tokutarou grimaced. "Even my Clan is full of rules and regulations and things that I would quite happily bypass if I had the right - which even as Clan leader I do not. The rules of tradition and honour and the pride of the family...well, that's why I'm getting married, because as things stand some of my relatives still do not fully accept my half-Shiba blood. By marrying a true-blooded Kyouraku, my children, hopefully, won't face the same dilemma. That's how things tend to roll, when you're in that kind of position."

"Shunsui told me about your engagement." Juushirou smiled. "Congratulations."

"Well, I'm fortunate." Tokutarou looked rueful. "Arranged marriages can be the stuff of nightmares, but fortunately Rae-hime is Yoshiko-dono's niece, and therefore, has common sense and logic as well as the right pedigree. No, I think it will work out very well, and she and Shunsui appear to be getting along just fine, too. It will be a relief to have it formally settled - yes, I'm fortunate, Juushirou. Not all Clan marriages are as free of complication as mine looks likely to be."

"Even in the Districts, that can happen." Juushirou glanced out of the window, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I decided I wouldn't marry, because of that. Because it would be complicated and it would only bring my family bad luck. So it's not just the Clans, Tokutarou-sama. People do marry in the Districts for reasons relating to family or economics, too."

"No doubt they do everywhere." Tokutarou said wisely. "Although believing you'd bring bad luck is a little extreme, if I may say so."

"No..not really." Juushirou shrugged. "I'm the eldest in my family, and my siblings are all really close to me. But I'm also the only one who was born with the family's chronic disease - and because of it, my health and future have always been uncertain. Those born like me often don't have children who survive, after all - and...well, they themselves don't often live all that long, either."

Tokutarou stared at him, visibly taken aback, and Juushirou nodded.

"Even now, I don't know what my life expectancy is." He said frankly, shrugging his shoulders. "I've made up my mind to work hard and to fight it, and so far I'm succeeding - that learning to be a Shinigami is helping me to make myself stronger and maybe, eventually, strong enough to stop the _haibyou_ threatening my life. But it's not the kind of thing I'd wish on a wife or children. So that's why. Genryuusai-sensei's Academy was a solution to the problem - and I'm more than happy with focusing my attention on that."

Tokutarou eyed him keenly for a moment, and then he sighed.

"Shunsui had mentioned your health was a bit uneven, and Sora, too. " He said at length. "But I didn't realise it was quite so severe. There's no active cure for it...for this..._haibyou_ you mentioned? Not even if you were to consult Clan specialists?"

"Unohana Retsu-sensei says there's no cure." Juushirou shook his head. "But it's all right. I'm used to it - it's always been a part of me, after all."

He smiled.

"You don't need to look so worried, Tokutarou-sama." He added. "Though I appreciate that you are. I'm not someone who easily gives up - so I doubt it's going to kill me all that easily."

"Mm." Tokutarou offered him a rueful grin. "Somehow I find that I believe you. And I'm glad, too. Shunsui is very fond of you, after all - and Seireitei needs people like you to put the cat among the pigeons and shake up this sluggish, old Gotei system into something worthwhile. You're the first, but you won't be the last District Shinigami and I'm glad about that. I think it's the best thing for everyone - that those with talent are allowed to exploit it. And those, like me, who are less concerned with _zanpakutou_...we should be able to get on with the other duties ascribed us."

"But you do have a _zanpakutou_, don't you, Tokutarou-sama?"

"I do." Tokutarou confirmed. "But it's not really of much note. It's seen more battle in open swordplay than it has any kind of spiritual awakening. I'm not a Shinigami by nature, Juushirou. Those talents fall to my brother - well, as I'm sure you already know."

"Shunsui is...very talented." Juushirou looked thoughtful, sitting back against the carriage seat as he considered this. "Though he doesn't always use all of that talent, even so he's ahead of most of the class in most respects."

"Shunsui is his father's son. But slowly, I think, he's growing out of it." Tokutarou said evenly. "I loved my father a good deal, Juushirou - and still respect him for the man he was before his world started to fall apart. Shunsui never knew that man - nor really how much he lost from not knowing him. But my Father made that choice. He sent me away to be raised in a place where I couldn't be manipulated as a political tool. And he avoided contact with Shunsui so as not to taint him - he felt we were both better off without his influence in our lives. He was...a very sad man, when he died. And Shunsui...has a lot of the same characteristics."

"He's said that too." Juushirou agreed. "That he's like his father, in good and in bad."

"Well, more of the good is starting to come out." Tokutarou grinned. "Thanks to you and your friends at the Academy."

"I think it's more down to Shunsui himself, to be honest." Juushirou shook his head, and Tokutarou pursed his lips.

"Shunsui's always ended up alone." He said slowly. "And because of it, he kept himself alone. His father avoided him - and then was murdered in front of him. He was taken from his mother, and as I understand it, the one friend he had growing up with our Uncle was taken from him too on account of her inferior social status. He and I never met till he was fourteen, and by that time forging a fraternal bond is a uphill challenge. Uncle was never kind to him, and treated him as a tool and as a nuisance, so Shunsui made himself more of one. But inside, I'm sure, it preyed on him."

He sighed.

"The true crime of it is that Shunsui is perceptive." He admitted. "And always has been, from what I understand. He knew when his father died that his Uncle had murdered him. He understood Father's dying pain and absorbed it, even so young. He knew his Uncle hated him and only wanted to use him to kill me, and he knew that the young girl...Saku, was it...? was sent away because of the difference in their social status. Father became jaded because he was given the Clan and the duty of a Gotei Shinigami. But Shunsui...Shunsui was already somewhat jaded by the time he reached sixteen. Because everyone had always either wanted something from him...or abandoned him."

Juushirou frowned.

"I know." He admitted. "He's told me a little...that he felt like that, at times, growing up. He said that he liked me in the first instance because I didn't look at him or at anyone as Clan - I just went out to make friends and that was that. I didn't have an agenda, I think that's how he put it. And I don't. Even now. Shunsui's my friend - probably my closest friend, when all is said and done. But if he wasn't Clan, I wouldn't care. And that he is...isn't important to me, either. Those things really aren't important to me."

Tokutarou nodded.

"More than anything he's needed that." He said with a sigh, as the carriage pulled up outside a tall, flat-faced line of buildings. From the window, Juushirou could see the distinctive flag of the Kyouraku flying above the entrance, and he knew they had arrived at what Tokutarou had implied were modest dwellings - though to Juushirou they looked anything but. "He's needed real friends, and he hasn't had them. I was fine. I grew up with Sora's family and they accepted me wholeheartedly - even now I consider them particularly dear kinsfolk. Shunsui grew up alone...and it affected him. Even the friendship he began to develop with Sora – till the last year and a half, even that was a bond held at arm's length."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know what Shunsui may have told you about his exploits before I sent him to the Academy." He said softly. "And they're not things which bring any pride to my family, so I will not discuss them in greater detail. But those things...were the same path my Father fell onto, and the things from which he couldn't escape. Shunsui was unhappy - desperately unhappy - and I and nobody in District Eight could reach him. Not even his mother. But you - and your Academy friends, and perhaps Genryuusai-sensei himself - you have. You in particular. Thanks to you, he's learnt to talk about things, instead of bottling them up. You might not realise it," As Juushirou opened his lips to protest. "But you taught my brother to trust people. And because of that, he's grown happier. With that happiness, he's begun to blossom in other areas, too. He's proving to be astute and shrewd when faced with political subjects, and I can have faith in him as my heir now, which I could not do before. Most of all, I know he's accepted his destiny - and will work to wear the Kyouraku _haori_. All of those things are down to you and your companions. You've brought the best out in my brother...whether you believe it or not."

Juushirou reddened, shaking his head.

"I don't think I can take credit for it. I just made friends with him." He admitted honestly. "But that he's better than he was - we've all seen it, too. And I think...it'll keep coming. I think he's committed, now. To being a Shinigami."

"I sure hope so." Tokutarou laughed, leaping down from the carriage and standing back as Juushirou made his careful descent. "Well, we're here. I meant what I said, Juushirou. You can consider my family your family when it comes to Clan matters and the Council. We'll back you up, especially against the hostility from certain of our neighbours - so you needn't ever feel that you're alone in these things. The Kyouraku are your allies. Shunsui and I both. Understand?"

Juushirou stared at him for a moment. Then he smiled, nodding his head.

"Thank you." He said sincerely. "I appreciate that."

"Then let's go in." Tokutarou suggested. "And I'll show you what a Council member's temporary lodgings look like from the inside!"

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_Some spookiness for all to consider._

_  
I have had the scene with Juu and the Council written since March. _

_  
The manga chapters about Juu's zanpakutou did not come out until May/June._

_  
Everything I wrote about Sougyo's power in this chapter was written and completed __**before**__ the manga chapter came out._

_  
Now is that spooky or what...?_


	31. Inner Seireitei

**Chapter Thirty: Inner Seireitei**

So much for modest.

Juushirou examined his reflection in the big, full length mirror, letting out a sigh as he took in his unfamiliar appearance once more.

Since they had returned to the Kyouraku apartments, Tokutarou had quickly given instructions to his servants that Juushirou would be their guest for the night and that they were to acquiesce to his demands as readily as if he were one of the Clan's own people. This had made the District boy a little uncomfortable, yet the men and women had followed the instruction to the letter, no sign of resentment in any of their faces as they had hurried to prepare a suitable guest room and a change of clothes for his short stay in Inner Seireitei. The chamber was not enormous, yet it was generously appointed, wide and spacious and decorated with all the things that, Juushirou reflected, a Noble son of a Clan might require while staying in the heart of the Council stronghold.

He met his gaze in the smooth glass, hardly recognising his own self now that he had changed out of his school uniform and into the simple grey kimono that Tokutarou had provided for him to wear.

"You'll want to bath and change." The nobleman had said, as they had mounted the stairs to the upper floor. "And my people will see to it that you have something fresh to wear in the meantime."

"But my uniform…" Juushirou had protested, but Tokutarou had grinned, shaking his head.

"Give it to one of the maids and they'll have it clean and fresh by the morning." He had said firmly, and so Juushirou had seen nothing for it but to agree. Consequently, bathed and groomed and feeling much less worn around the edges, he found himself still lingering before the mirror, trying to equate the Juushirou he saw there with the Juushirou he had always been.

His straggly white hair was neat and shiny, now, pulled back for the first time in two years into a short tail at the nape of his neck – for somehow Juushirou felt in this environment not a hair could be left out of place. The robes he wore were in muted shades, comprising dark grey _hakama_ and a lighter _hakamashita_ with a collar and sleeves delicately embroidered with darker thread. A paler _obi_ held them together at the waist, and this was patterned with pink and grey in a floral design that, despite its delicacy was somehow both masculine and befitting a Clan who prided itself on its samurai history. It was a far cry from the elegant rose and ash robes that Tokutarou sported – in fact, they were plain and understated in both cut and style and Juushirou was sure that they had been chosen so as to more put him at his ease. Even so, however, he was very conscious of the expensive fabric that had been used to cut the robes into even this basic style – and as he ran his fingers over the smooth surface of his _hakama_, a rueful look entered his gaze.

Grey suited him, it seemed. For the first time in a long time, he realised, his complexion did not appear as pale as it normally did – and, he added, as he eyed himself critically, he did not seem quite as skinny and undernourished, either. Whether it was an illusion or not, he wasn't sure, for despite his healthy appetite he had always struggled to keep a weight that would stop his stepmother from worrying. But if he was honest with himself, he found he quite liked the impression. For a fleeting moment he wondered what Mitsuki would think of it, and then his cheeks blazed with colour, for he had told himself firmly that he was not pursuing Mitsuki's affections and so such a thing was a redundant question.

Yet somehow he thought that she would like it, too.

A soft knock at the door caused him to turn in surprise and the divide slid back to reveal an impeccably neat maid, who bowed without hesitation towards the Kyouraku's embarrassed guest.

"Ukitake-sama, my Lord Kyouraku has instructed me to tell you that dinner will be served presently in the dining hall and to ask you to join him there when you are quite refreshed."

She spoke softly, with a faint District Eight accent lacing her tones, and Juushirou faltered, trying to work out what the correct response should be.

"Thank you." He said at length. "Will…_would_ you tell T…Tokutarou-sama that I will join him…er…momentarily."

The maid raised her head, meeting his gaze for a brief moment and Juushirou saw a tiny smile touch her lips. She did not speak, however, merely bowing once more and withdrawing from the chamber. Still, Juushirou felt faintly comforted by her reaction. She had understood, even without saying anything, that he was not naturally attuned to this kind of situation.

But, he reflected, he _was_ hungry.

_I hope I can remember where Tokutarou-sama said the dining hall was. It's not as though there are many rooms in these lodgings – but it would be embarrassing to take a wrong turn and end up somewhere I should not be._

He frowned, pushing back the door and looking for any sign of the maidservant. She was long gone, however, and he sighed, gazing around him before taking the decision to go left. His choice proved to be correct, for he soon found the main stairs once more, and, from that point, was able to navigate his way to the chamber Tokutarou had pointed out as the dining room on their way in.

The door was open, and he stepped cautiously through it, pausing to take in his surroundings for a moment as he did so. Although it was on a much smaller scale than the great hall at the Academy, it made up for in finesse what it lacked in space, and despite himself Juushirou felt once more that he was somewhat out of his depth.

The walls were panelled, and the grey and pink of the Kyouraku Clan colours snaked across them in delicate floral displays - a show of family allegiance hidden in the beauty of Eighth District's vibrant plant-life. At intervals, small, glittering Kidou lamps in a style Juushirou had never seen made the room seem as bright as if it were daylight, and a long table stretched out across the middle, made of polished wood and decorated with the most ornately fashioned and engraved tableware that Clan money could buy. Along each side of the table were silk-covered cushions, once more delicately stitched in the colours of the Clan - and Juushirou had the impression that although the family's emblem did not appear anywhere in the chamber, there was no mistaking whose territory this was.

He swallowed hard, unsure what to do.

"It's all right. You can go right through." A warm hand on his shoulder and Tokutarou's voice in his ear made him start, swinging around to face the amused eyes of his friend's older brother, and he blushed, obediently stepping into the room so that the other man could pass him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to block the way...I just..."

"This isn't what you're used to, I imagine." Tokutarou said easily. "It's all right, Juushirou. There's no ceremony here, despite how it might look. Settle yourself wherever you're comfortable. I've never insisted on high class etiquette within my own lodgings - not unless I'm entertaining someone like Kuchiki Guren with a specific Clan goal in mind."

He gestured to the decor.

"All of this has been this way since my Great Uncle's day, and my Father let it fall into some disrepair when he was Gotei." He added. "I've had it restored, simply because sadly in this world outer appearance is important - and it's not easy to entertain a Clan Leader in murky halls. But...I'm much more fond of a good meal in relaxed company, and you shouldn't feel under any pressure this evening. It's just a meal, so take a seat."

"Oh. I see." Juushirou looked sheepish, obediently doing as he was bidden. "I suppose...none of this is really what I'm used to at all. Even at school, everything is kept quite simple. Even within that big manor - it's a lot more...well..."

He paused, scooping up the chopsticks and glancing at them pensively.

"I suspect that I'm about to eat dinner with something that costs more than my entire annual allowance." He said honestly, a rueful glitter in his hazel eyes as he carefully examined the delicately carved implements, running his fingers over the grooves and swirls of the tiny black and pink sakura blossoms that decorated the ends. "And that...is a little bit...intimidating."

Tokutarou chuckled.

"Ah, well, it's good practice." He said comfortably. "Because Shunsui is very keen to have you come to stay with us at some point in the not too distant future. And well, if you can survive this, you'll be all right when you enter District Eight."

"I'm sure I won't know how to do anything, if that happens." Juushirou said slowly. "And I don't want to be an imposition."

"You won't be. Just as you aren't tonight." Tokutarou assured him. "You're not too tired, though? You seem a little less pale than you did before, but..."

"I'm all right." Juushirou nodded. "It's fine, Tokutarou-sama."

He grinned.

"My illness is chronic, but I'm used to it and I know my limits." He added. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm not going to have an attack or anything like that."

"Sorry." Tokutarou looked rueful. "I didn't mean that the way it came out."

Juushirou laughed.

"It's all right." He assured his companion. "And really, so am I."

"Well, it looks like I'm the last to join the party."

The door swung back at that moment, and Juushirou saw a confused Kyouraku retainer being swept aside by a figure in a teal cloak, who offered Juushirou a warm grin and then winked at Tokutarou amiably.

"Sorry, I had some political things to settle up, else I'd have been here sooner. But I'm not too late, it seems, since nobody's served yet. That's good."

"Kyouki-sama." Tokutarou crossed the room to embrace his surrogate mother. "I was starting to wonder when you'd arrive. The food will become cold, and then we won't eat at all."

"Fussy whelp." Kyouki cuffed the Kyouraku clan leader playfully across the back of the head. "Don't be like that, Tokkun, not in front of the young'un. You'll show me some respect, at the very least, I hope - else you'll throw young Juushirou's idea of Clan authority right out the window."

"I think you just did that yourself, Kyouki-sama." Tokutarou rubbed his head ruefully, and Juushirou stared at them, a look of complete bewilderment on his pale features. "I think he's lost for words."

"Ah, I seem to have that effect on people, sometimes." Kyouki seemed unconcerned, unclasping her cloak and tossing it in the direction of the still lingering retainer, who scrambled to catch it without falling over his own feet. "Well, Juushirou. My congratulations once more on today, and I hope you don't mind my inviting myself to the party like this. Only the Council Chamber is not the kind of place anyone can talk about anything - and I was curious. I wanted to have a chance to speak to you in a little bit more of an informal environment."

"Well, this is still quite formal..." Tokutarou reflected, and Kyouki snorted.

"Nonsense. Not now I'm here." She said frankly, casting Juushirou a warm grin as she dropped down to her knees on the cushion opposite. "Well, Juushirou? It's nice to meet you properly at last. You know my name, and I know yours - but aside from the little circus this morning, that's about all. I trust you'll humour a lady's curiosity and let me know a little bit more about you?"

Juushirou gathered his wits hurriedly, nodding his head.

"Y...yes, ma'am." He whispered, and Kyouki laughed.

"No, no being shy around me. It's not allowed." She ordered. "You're not shy around my daughter, after all - are you? Can't see her standing for it, and nor will I. Sora's your friend, isn't she? Well, in that case, you shouldn't be at all apprehensive about me."

"Some might say meeting Sora would be enough for one person." Tokutarou said wryly. "Kyouki-sama, Juushirou's already had a stressful day. This is completely alien to him - please, try not to smother him too much. He doesn't know you as well as I do, yet, after all - and you did just ratify his _zanpakutou_ in full Council splendour."

"Yes, but that was work. This isn't." Kyouki pursed her lips, her green eyes softening as she eyed Juushirou keenly. "You did well, you know. This morning. You faced a difficult trial, and you rose to the occasion. I was very impressed."

"Thank you." Juushirou was startled, and Kyouki grinned.

"The truth is, I've wanted an excuse for a long time to meet you face to face." She admitted. "You know, I think, that my husband is quite involved with the Academy? Well," As Juushirou nodded, "When he told me that in the first year District kids had been allowed to take the guidance tests, one had smashed into the top class...when he told me that, I knew that it we were in for an interesting time. And from all I've been told, I've not been wrong. I have a good amount of respect for Genryuusai-sama and his judgement - his decisions have been borne out many times over the years. And this one...well, I thought it was a matter of time, you know. When I heard that you were his particular protégé...before you started making waves."

She laughed.

"Literally, perhaps, given your sword's nature." She added. "But in all seriousness, this morning I saw something that I'd never seen before. I saw the future that Genryuusai-sama believes in so wholeheartedly. And I knew that, at last, it was going to be a reality."

"I don't know about that." Juushirou reddened, glancing down. "It's kind of you to say so, but I...I'm just one student, and one with a very sketchy understanding of my sword even now. It's just one step...just like Guren-sama said. I have...a long way to go."

"So do we all, I'm afraid." Kyouki sighed. "But to hold firm and react in the face of that crotchety old man - I was proud of you then, I have to admit it. Shouichi-sama is an experienced Clansman and a seasoned warrior. But his views are bigoted and outmoded and they cause unrest in many quarters. You didn't let them phase you - and that showed true strength."

"I don't hate the Endou-ke." Juushirou said simply. "And Shouichi-sama...judged me fairly, in the end, despite his feelings. So...I have no complaints to make. I'm grateful - to all of you. For helping me take that next step."

"He has good manners, doesn't he?" Kyouki glanced at Tokutarou, who nodded, taking his own seat and gesturing for the retainer to go and see to serving the meal.

"Well, I suppose I shouldn't expect low birth to mean a lack of politeness." Kyouki chuckled. "After all, it doesn't always follow that in elite circles, people know how to act. I'm sorry, Juushirou. Forgive me - I didn't mean to be patronising."

"There are...a lot of things I don't really understand about the Clans yet." Juushirou admitted. "Sensei said I should try and learn as much as possible, and I know he's right. But...today told me that there's still a huge gulf between me and them. And while I'm not trying to be equal to Clansfolk...I suppose...I do want to understand them."

"Wise words." Kyouki pursed her lips, her clever eyes becoming grave. "The truth is, Juushirou, our world is no more secure than your own. You know it, I think, because you spend your time now with so many Clan-born youngsters. You've already faced your fair share of scrapes and, I'm glad to say, survived them. But the difference between Clan feuds and District ones is power. With a single stroke, a Clansman can wipe out a whole village or town just because of an imagined insult. That is the world we rule over. And while such things are unthinkable in stable Districts...well..."

"Not all Districts are stable." Tokutarou murmured. "Though you shouldn't be scaring him, Kyouki-sama. Juushirou's still got a way to go before he needs to face those things quite so clearly."

"No...I'd like to know." Juushirou shook his head. "I know people from various Clans and I consider them my friends. But they still have a different outlook from me, and well...now...with Sougyo..."

His expression became resolute.

"It's my duty to be good enough to join the Gotei." He said frankly. "And to do that means to live and work with Clansfolk every day, just as I do now. These things...I need to understand them. I really do. More than I ever have, now."

"He's right, Tokkun." Kyouki inclined her head. "And well said, Juushirou. Though from this morning...I expected as much."

She grinned.

"Sora speaks very well of you in her letters." She added. "And my daughter is friendly as a puppy to all and sundry - but she only gives praise when she feels its due. She likes you a good deal - and so, I understand, does that young rascal Shunsui."

"Shunsui and I are good friends." Juushirou agreed, and Kyouki nodded.

"Good thing too." She said briskly. "He needed common sense thwacking into him from some angle or another. He's an intelligent idiot, that one, and he'll blunder in and out of mischief and trouble if someone doesn't lead him in the right direction. Potentially, of course, he's like his Father...well...in almost all ways...like his Father."

She grimaced.

"Very almost all ways."

"Did...Kyouki-sama...you must have...known Matsuhara-sama?" Juushirou realised.

"Very well, yes." Kyouki agreed. "Since he was married to my blood cousin until her passing. I was also Clan head with the Shiba during that time, so he spoke to me when Tokkun's mother died about taking him to District Five and raising him with my brood. I had no real objection to it, since he was my kin and my family approved of it...but..."

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"No child should've been around Matsuhara, the way he was after his first wife died." She said softly. "Though I wish I could put his actions down to simply grief at her passing - I know it was deeper than that. So did he, I think, because he didn't want his heirs tainted by it. But it was a sad end for such a gifted man. A very sad end indeed."

"I prefer to think of it as a cold blooded murder, rather than anything else." Tokutarou said frankly. "And Juushirou doesn't care about my family's history, Kyouki-sama. Those things are past now. Father is gone."

"No...Tokutarou-sama...if...if it's all right, I...I have a question I wanted to ask." Juushirou said carefully. "About Matsuhara-sama and...his _zanpakutou_. Because Shunsui's said that...that you have it, still, in your study. But Shunsui doesn't know...what it really was like as a sword. And I thought....Kyouki-sama would have seen it released. And maybe...could tell me about it."

"So you could tell Shunsui?" Kyouki asked, and Juushirou nodded.

"Because he wants to know, I think. But he won't ask you himself." He responded. "He's not like that."

Kyouki chuckled.

"Even in just over a year, you've already got that boy's nature sussed." She said approvingly. "And you're right - I did see it. More, I fought alongside him with it on one or two trips we made to the Real World."

"The...Real World?" Juushirou bit his lip, then, "You've...been there?"

"There, Rukongai, everywhere. Everywhere except the King's palace, and nobody goes there." Kyouki smiled. "Gotei duty, see. That's part of what we do. But yes. I've seen Tensonshin released - that is what you're asking me, isn't it?"

"I suppose so." Juushirou nodded. "If you don't mind...would you tell me?"

"Tokkun, do you have any objections if I do?" Kyouki eyed her kinsman pensively, and Tokutarou shook his head.

"Shunsui talks to his school friends far more than he talks to anyone else." He said resignedly. "And it's not as though I consider there to be any shame in Father's sword. On the contrary, it was quite a proud sword – so be my guest, Kyouki-sama. I have no objection."

Kyouki nodded.

"Then I will." She said, sitting back contemplatively. "Tokkun is right, in the end. It was a proud sword. A very proud sword."

"Surely…a sword to…be proud of?" Juushirou asked, and Kyouki shrugged.

"Yes, but I meant it the way it sounded, too." She said with a grin. "Tensonshin's spirit was – so Matsuhara used to say – demanding and particular. It was probably part of the reason things ended as they did – a highly strung sword and a very sensitive master."

"I see." Juushirou frowned, considering his own fish for a moment, and Kyouki eyed him keenly.

"Well? I'm sure your twin fish have their own personalities, don't they?"

"They do." Juushirou confirmed. "I suppose…I can understand that Matsuhara-sama's sword had one too."

"All _zanpakutou_ have their own character." Tokutarou agreed. "Almost an independent mind, even though they are part of the Shinigami. The longer they've trained together, the more solid that bond becomes – but even then they never lose that independent mind."

"Then I suppose I have double trouble." Juushirou reflected ruefully. Kyouki chuckled.

"Maybe, but at least they can amuse themselves in the meantime." She pointed out. "They can be quite demanding, after all."

She sighed.

"Tensonshin was a truly beautiful _zanpakutou_, Juushirou." She added, a slight note of wistfulness in her voice. "They say that the sword represents the soul of the master, and if that's so, Matsuhara's soul was also beautiful. In release, the blade shone with what can only be described as a divine light."

"You needn't say things like that about Father because I'm here, Kyouki-sama." Tokutarou sent her a wry smile. "I knew my Father. I loved and respected him – but I wouldn't say his soul was beautiful."

"Really? I think I would." Kyouki looked thoughtful. "That's what broke him, in the end. It was too beautiful for the ugly world he'd been made to live in. Your Grandfather's unpleasant death, your great Uncle's too – his rivalry with his brother, and the infighting in the Clan all tortured him horribly. He was a peaceful man and a peaceful man shouldn't be given a sword and told to fight and kill. That was Matsuhara's tragedy, really. He was ill-fitted for his position – but he was still a good man nonetheless. A peaceful soul is a beautiful soul – so I believe, in any case."

She cast Juushirou a sad smile.

"Shunsui is a lot like him." She added softly. "Though I trust he has a little more of his mother's spirit and will prove a stronger heart in the face of the Gotei's demands."

"I think he will." Juushirou remembered the dorm-room conversation. "He's told me he's made up his mind now. To work hard and take the _haori_…of his own free will. He wants to help Tokutarou-sama and do his duty, I think – so he told me that that's what he plans to do."

"That makes me relieved." Tokutarou admitted. "He might say as much to me, but I think he's more honest, probably, with you and your companions. You in particular, Juushirou, since you don't have Clan ties and he doesn't have to worry about those things. So if you say it – I'm sure he means it. And that means…maybe I no longer need to worry quite so much about his future path."

At that moment, the doors parted to bring in servants bearing steaming platters of carefully prepared and ornately garnished food – fish, rice, and vegetables of kinds Juushirou had not ever seen before diced and sculpted into particular forms to fit the artistry of the cook. There were at least seven different types of fish present that he could count, plus others so exotic that he could not identify, and he was sure that the rice grains, had he measured them, were each identical in size, colour and length to the one before. There was no basic rations here – no simple _o-chazuke_ or basic grilled fish – but as one man came to pour sake into the carved _sakazuki_, Tokutarou held up his hand.

"Wait." He said softly, then, "Juushirou, are you accustomed to alcohol?"

"I…not really." Juushirou reddened. "I've drunk it…once or twice. But only in small doses. Father didn't think it was good for me, and…well…at school we…"

He trailed off, and Tokutarou nodded.

"_Mugicha_?" He suggested, and Juushirou's expression cleared. He smiled.

"That will be fine. Thank you."

"At once, sir." The servant bowed his head, leaving the room and returning a short time later with a vessel of chilled barley tea which he set down at Juushirou's right hand. He bowed again, then withdrew.

"I am an imposition." Juushirou sighed, and Tokutarou shook his head.

"No. I should have thought of it earlier." He said with a grin. "Since it's never a question I have to ask with Shunsui, it slipped my mind."

"Shunsui." Kyouki looked rueful. "I imagine he's more familiar with types of sake than most of us."

"But he doesn't drink as much as he used to, thank goodness." Tokutarou sighed. "And from what Juushirou just said, he seems to save the times he does for the holidays."

"If…can…what kind of power did Matsuhara-sama's Tensonshin wield, Kyouki-sama?" As the meal continued, Juushirou returned the topic to the former matter, pausing to cast the Shiba elder a curious glance.

"Did I not say before?" Kyouki looked surprised, lowering her chopsticks. "I'm sorry. I suppose I got distracted."

She smiled.

"His sword rippled." She said simply. "It resonated."

"I…beg your pardon?" Juushirou stared, and Kyouki laughed.

"Sound and light. Distortion. Reverberation." She explained playfully. "Matsuhara's _zanpakutou_ manipulated the senses. It could cloak him from view, or reflect him multiple times…and it could distort both sound and his reiatsu so that an enemy would think he was in one place when he was in fact in another."

"I…never heard of a sword like that before." Juushirou blinked. "That it could do…all of those things. Like…a hallucination?"

"He called it trickery, but he used it to a high level." Kyouki nodded. "But he disliked the falseness of it – or so he said. The fact his sword made his attacks 'dishonest' – that was how he put it. Tensonshin also had a tremendously sheer blade, after all – and Matsuhara was an incredibly skilled soldier with high level Hohou and Kidou skills t'boot. The enemies he cut down didn't know he was coming until he had already sliced through them – and he didn't like that. So it came to a point where he released his weapon less and less…finally discarding it completely."

"So he considered what he was doing dishonourable." Juushirou murmured. "And since there was no other way to kill Hollows, he…just stopped?"

"Yes…and no." Kyouki was silent for a moment, and Juushirou saw her meet Tokutarou's gaze across the table. Tokutarou sighed.

"It's rumoured that my Father used Tensonshin to end my mother's life." He said quietly, and Juushirou stared, disbelief glittering in his hazel gaze.

"But…Shunsui…he said his Father…would not kill anyone! That…"

"My mother was terminally ill at the time." Tokutarou cut across him, shaking his head. "In the year before she died, she developed a disease that prevented her from walking and, little by little, it ate away at her. By the time she died, she was in almost constant pain – and required a good deal of medication simply to be able to get through the day. My Father…I know he loved my mother. And he never…never spoke of her manner of death to anyone. He would always say that she simply 'fell asleep', and that was all. But it's believed…people believe…that he ended her suffering. That maybe she begged him to and that he took his weapon, hazed her senses and freed her soul."

"I believe it's most likely true." Kyouki sighed. "That was the man Matsuhara was. He could not bear suffering. And she _was_ suffering, Juushirou. She was dear to me – very dear to me, in fact. I've often wished I'd had the courage to do as I believe he did – because I think I could have lived with the guilt and grief of it a lot better. Matsuhara did not believe in death or killing. As I said, he was a peaceful man in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"After she died, I was sent away." Tokutarou added. "I knew it was his wish – that he was afraid for me and that he felt I'd be safest with my Shiba kin. His brother…my Uncle…well, in the end his fears were realised. But after mother's death…"

"He had long since debated hanging up Tensonshin." Kyouki agreed. "And ceasing to fight Hollows. He'd already begun avoiding the Council sessions that he was called to, sending representatives in his place. But I believe he took that blade and released it just one last time. And when he did…he did something that destroyed him completely. Even though he was coerced into remarrying…even though he produced a second heir…Matsuhara lost his soul when his first wife died. And because of it, Shunsui never had a father."

"But he has a brother." Tokutarou said firmly. "And since I heard the story – about my father and my mother and what probably happened – I've been twice as determined to make sure I at least am involved in Shunsui's life. He didn't have a father, and he was taken from his mother. But he's important to me – he was always important to me."

"Does Shunsui…know, about this?" Juushirou murmured, and Kyouki shook her head.

"No. He doesn't." She said with a sigh. "Because he doesn't really speak about his father, the opportunity has never been there."

"Do you…want me to tell him?" Juushirou looked doubtful, and Tokutarou frowned.

"I don't want you to lie to him." He said at length. "If he asks, you may tell him. If he doesn't, you may consider it at your discretion. Whether it was wise to tell you at all…I don't know. But you are my brother's closest friend and the one he confides in when he can't even speak to his family. You're the one who's pulled him out of his slump and dragged him away from the same hopeless path our Father followed…because of that, I think they're things you should know. To understand how much he was always alone and unfettered as a child…hopefully to forgive him, if he acts recklessly or out of line."

Juushirou stared for a moment, then he smiled.

"I don't think that Shunsui is in any danger of that." He said honestly. "He's careless and lazy and silly sometimes, yes. But I think that's just part of how he is. He likes to hide it – how smart he really is, and what he knows and can do. But he is…changing. Especially…lately. He's found some focus. I think…you shouldn't worry so much about him, Tokutarou-sama. He's lucky that he has you – and that you do. But I think…I expect Shunsui to be fine. He'll be a Shinigami, and so will I. We'll work together. I'm not planning on leaving him alone, after all – that part of his life is over and done with."

He shrugged.

"Shunsui wants us to be Gotei together." He added matter-of-factly. "And to be honest, so do I. Whether we're at the same rank or not isn't important – that we're both involved is. And it isn't just me. It's all of us. He's definitely not alone now. Not at school, nor at home. And nobody will let him end up like Matsuhara-sama. I promise."

"Yes, I like this kid." Kyouki grinned, her green eyes twinkling with something that Juushirou almost thought was relief. "And I'm glad that you think that way – very glad, to be truthful. See, Shunsui's no business of mine. I share no blood with him, not like I do with Tokkun, and though I've sent Sora in to keep an eye on him from time to time, my interest is really unwarranted interference. The Kyouraku resent it – Tokkun aside – and Tokkun's own position is tenuous at times on account of how close a connection he has with my Clan. So for me to interfere actively in Shunsui's education or his actions – well, that would be inappropriate in all regards. But that aside, he's Tokkun's brother. And Tokkun is almost like a son to me. So…I worry for them both far more often than I should. And besides, I like the little tyke."

She grinned.

"He's a pain and a headache, and often impossible, but very difficult to actively dislike."

Juushirou set his chopsticks down, nodding his head.

"He's very lucky, then, that he has so many people worrying about him." He said softly. "I don't know if he realises it, but he's never really been alone, has he?"

"Not really, but often just out of reach." Tokutarou said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. We're bombarding you with all kinds of things – and you only asked about Father's _zanpakutou_."

"No, it's all right." Juushirou assured him. "Shunsui is like a puzzle sometimes, anyhow. Knowing more of the pieces helps me to understand."

He grimaced.

"Though I don't know why the Kyouraku family would mind anyone being associated with your family, Kyouki-sama."

"Power issues." Tokutarou said succinctly. "The Shiba are far more stable and established than the Kyouraku and my more paranoid kin fear invasion. They don't always believe my interests are firmly in District Eight – but that was how I was raised, and that won't change. Maybe, by the time I'm old and grey, they'll believe in me as their leader. But for now, I obey their stipulations and do my best to work around them…in the hope that, in time, they'll lose their suspicions. They wouldn't rebel against me – not knowing that I could call on Kyouki-sama's aid. But they can make it more difficult for me to act freely, if they want – and so I do my best not to annoy them too greatly."

"The Kyouraku are a proud clan with a samurai history." Kyouki agreed. "Though Shunsui may not give off that kind of aura, even he isn't bad when you give him a sword."

"No…so I've seen." Juushirou pursed his lips. "But then…Shunsui's good at most things. He's just bad at trying to do them in the first place."

Tokutarou let out an appreciative chuckle.

"That does sum it up rather well." He admitted. "That it's a matter of motivation, not ability. But I also think Juushirou is right. Shunsui is changing. After the last summer break, I realised it especially. He's becoming an adult – and a kinsman I can rely on. We've spoken honestly and openly about his future and he's told me too that he will take the _haori_, even though he doesn't feel he's suited to ever be leader of the Clan. I think those two things should remain separate so far as our family are concerned – so by marrying Rae-hime and begetting an heir, that problem will be resolved."

Kyouki's eyes narrowed.

"I had heard you sent him to see the refugees." She murmured. "That was a gamble, was it not? There are people there who might hurt him."

"And many more who won't." Tokutarou replied. "It was a necessary risk, Kyouki-sama. Shunsui disarms people and elicits their trust very easily – and he's sharp enough to take note of anything he thinks to be important. If _I'd_ acted on the information, it would've garnered suspicion – but nobody expects Shunsui's actions to make any sense."

"More fool them, then." Kyouki said disparagingly, and Tokutarou nodded.

"Yes, but a bad reputation, once formed, is hard to erase." He responded. "And Shunsui's adept enough to put it to his advantage."

"This relates to the Urahara, I suppose." Kyouki sighed, taking a sip of her sake. "I should've known, given the last Council meetings, that you'd be trying to find information out. I imagine that means my sources were correct – and you have been in cahoots with the Shihouin princess after all."

"Midori-sama?" The words were out before Juushirou could stop them, and as Kyouki raised an eyebrow at him, he blushed, holding up his hands.

"I'm sorry. It's no business of mine. Forgive me."

"No, it's my fault for raising it." Kyouki eyed him thoughtfully, then, "You have an acquaintance with the Shadow Cat also, don't you? So I understand it, anyhow."

"I'm friends with her brother." Juushirou responded. "And yes, I have met her."

"A very prudent answer." Tokutarou chuckled. "But it's all right, Juushirou. Kyouki-sama is aware of the less than perfect way Midori-dono acquired her Clan's throne…and many of the other circumstances besides. Very little passes the Shiba-ke by, as you'll come to understand the longer you know Sora."

He glanced at Kyouki.

"Juushirou was with Shunsui when he was attacked by Seimaru's sword last summer." He added. "It was Juushirou Shunsui acted to defend."

"Seimaru's curse was _aimed _at Juushirou?" Kyouki's eyes widened, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"It was." He said blackly. "And I haven't forgiven it, even now."

"So you have steel inside of you too, as well as pretty manners." Kyouki looked thoughtful. "Very well. Then you _are_ acquainted also with the Endou-ke…in some depth?"

"Hirata is my close friend." Juushirou replied. "But I neither have nor want any kind of connection with Seimaru-sama."

"No. A wise choice." Kyouki sighed. "I believe him to be a very volatile and dangerous young man. One who will likely take power, squander it and rule as a tyrant in one way or another when he finally gets his greedy mitts on the Clan leadership. Fortunately Shouichi-dono is a robust man with a will of iron of his own…so I think Seimaru will have to wait a while longer, and thankfully, so will we."

"Juushirou, Shunsui spoke to you, didn't he, about the affairs of the Shihouin and the Endou last summer?" Tokutarou asked, and Juushirou smiled ironically.

"I was rather thrust into the middle of it – but not so much by Shunsui. I think he'd have liked to have kept me out of it – and probably he'd have been right." He responded. "Since it wound up causing trouble."

"But as you say, Hirata-kun is your friend." Kyouki looked curious. "It must be hard on him now, being so far from his family."

"I think so. Though he's resigned to it." Juushirou nodded. "And like Shunsui, he's not on his own, either. We're all quite close-knit, so...he's all right. Really. He works hard...so his family can be proud of him."

"I wonder if they are. All of them, anyway." Tokutarou curled his lip. "Somehow I think not."

"District Seven is a dangerous place to be right now." Kyouki agreed. "With the rebel Urahara still causing so many problems."

"That was what you said to Misashi-sama." Juushirou remembered, turning his gaze to Tokutarou. "About the rebel Urahara and about people coming here. Is it...a big problem, then? Enishi-kun said he'd heard a rumour about it, before we broke for summer, but..."

"When the ruling happened a century ago, it was a very big event indeed." Kyouki said succinctly, and Juushirou nodded.

"Kamitani-kun told me...about his ancestor, Keitsune-sama, and that he was put to death for creating _reidoku_." He agreed. "But it was a long time ago. I can't believe people are still divided by things like that...? Kamitani-kun said the Urahara-ke had moved on - and that Nagesu-sama was reasonable. He seemed reasonable. He seemed nice...I liked him. I can't imagine him...wanting to hunt down his own kin."

"Keitsune-sama's work destroyed a lot of lives, Juushirou." Tokutarou said quietly. "Though not on purpose, it was still true. Seireitei needed a scapegoat. He and his companions provided it. Justice was seen to be done...but a grievance of that nature never fully goes away. A Clan leader turning on his brother is an ugly thing. Believe me. It's a wound that never fully heals."

Juushirou looked pensive.

"I suppose not. I'm sorry." He said softly, and Kyouki shook her head.

"It's not your fault." She said frankly. "Besides, Keitsune is dead. He was a brilliant man and a visionary - but he's been gone a hundred years or more and doubtless couldn't care less about any of this now. But...there are still those who do. Kin of his and of his companions - determined to avenge or clear Keitsune's name."

"You knew him too." Juushirou realised, and Kyouki nodded.

"Vaguely. I knew of him." She agreed. "And of his brother, Rikaya. Well, more of him, really, since he was incumbent of the Urahara when I became head of the Shiba. He was...never easy to deal with. But then, the old fuddy-duddy ones never really are."

She shrugged.

"Nagesu is much more reasonable, as you say." She added. "He and I trained together as young'uns, and I can't say I've ever met anyone more determinedly fair and precise in what he does. But even though he's the best one for the job of smoothing things over, it's a difficult thing for any Clan to live down."

"But if Keitsune-sama died, why are there rebels?" Juushirou was confused, and Kyouki smiled sadly.

"Keitsune had a son." She said softly. "He was a small boy when his Father was put to death - no more than three or four at the most. But he and his mother disappeared. Most have forgotten him - none have mentioned his name in a long time. He was called Keitarou - I remember that much, but little else. Possibly they perished...but I think it unlikely that they did."

She eyed him keenly.

"Have you ever heard that name before, Juushirou? From Hirata, perhaps - a Keitarou?"

"No. Never." Juushirou was surprised, but shook his head. "Why would Hirata know it? He's not an Urahara. He's an Endou."

"Because the people involved in the business you and Shunsui stumbled into last summer were Urahara scientists, Juushirou." Tokutarou said quietly. "And there's very good reason to suppose that the ringleader that Shouichi-sama is now desperately hunting down is Urahara Keitarou."

"Oh." Juushirou's eyes widened, his mind racing. "So that's how..."

He reddened, faltering, and Tokutarou eyed him quizzically.

"How? How what?" He pressed, and Juushirou shook his head.

"I can't talk about it." He said apologetically. "And it isn't really important. I just understood...something. That's all."

_That the reidoku...and the scientists...and everything Kai-kun's family went through...it's all connected to this. To this exiled Urahara._

His eyes narrowed slightly as he processed this information.  
_  
And if Kyouki-sama asked me about him because of Hirata, that means that he must have been working for Seimaru. Probably he's the one who created the poison to kill Sensei...the stuff Hirata destroyed. But..._

Out loud he said,

"Shouichi-sama is hunting him down?"

"Yes. It seems he's gone a little too rogue even for Shouichi-dono." Kyouki nodded. "But he is dangerous, Juushirou. If you hear of him - or Hirata mentions him, the two of you should speak to Genryuusai-sama at once. Do you understand? He's not an individual you should be involved with - and nor are any of the rest of the Endou-ke. Hand it over to the Gotei or the Council and stay well back. All right?"

Juushirou's mind flitted to the letter that Hirata had entrusted with him, and he sighed, slowly nodding his head.

"I'll do my best." He said honestly. "But Hirata is my friend. I won't abandon him, so if something happens..."

"If you stay in District One, it won't." Tokutarou said firmly. "So do that. Go back to the Academy and work at your studies. I've already said it to Shunsui and I'll say it to you too, now. Stay away from District Seven. It's not a place you should be."

"But I live in District Six." Juushirou protested. Tokutarou shrugged.

"For the time being, you should not cross Endou land." He said evenly. "Not alone, in any case."

"I'll make arrangements for you to travel with Sora, if need be." Kyouki promised. "Although if it is too dangerous, it may be better for you not to go home at all."

"But...my family.."

"Perhaps we can arrange for you to visit District Eight sooner rather than later." Tokutarou nodded. "I understand how you feel, Juushirou - but don't take the warning lightly. This is a serious situation, after all - one the Council have on high alert. Don't get involved. You'll only regret it if you do."

Juushirou sighed, then bowed his head.

"I understand." He said softly. "And I'm somewhat tired, now. I'm going to return to my room, if that's all right. I think...perhaps today is catching up with me."

"Probably a good idea." Kyouki offered him a grin and the sombre moment was gone. "Go rest. You've earned it, after all."

"If you need anything, tell one of the staff and they'll see to it." Tokutarou added, and Juushirou flashed him a faint smile.

"I will."

He got to his feet, bowing his head once more towards both of his companions.

"Thank you for your kindness again, both of you." He murmured, then slipped out of the chamber, leaving the Clan leaders once more alone.

Once in the hall, however, he paused, taking a deep breath.  
_  
I can't betray Hirata's secret and I've no intention of talking about what Misashi-sama said to me. And it's not as though I want to go to District Seven or even intend to. But..._

He faltered, biting his lip. Then,  
_  
If Hirata ever needed me to, I'd go. So I can't firmly give my word...when I might come to break it. I'm sorry, Tokutarou-sama. I'm sorry, Kyouki-sama. I've already made a promise - and it's one I intend to keep!_

* * *

"You raised that on purpose, didn't you."

Once Juushirou was gone, Tokutarou fixed his surrogate mother with a suspicious look.

"What, Tokkun? I'm not sure of your meaning." Kyouki eyed him curiously, and Tokutarou sighed.

"In front of Juushirou. All of that." He said frankly. "I know you did...why? He's not Clan. This shouldn't be his problem."

"No. It shouldn't. But it is." Kyouki frowned, her expression troubled. "And it will remain so even more now, Tokkun. You have to realise that. What happened today...has changed Seireitei forever. There will be shockwaves. Mark my words."

"But even so...Kyouki-sama..."

"That child knows plenty already." Kyouki cut across him. "And he needs to know the enemies out there more than ever, now. Think about it. Sora's said it - I'm sure Shunsui's told you, too. Endou Hirata is their classmate. The boy who defied his Clan somehow, remains in District One despite the ban and - according to your own testimony - summoned Midori of the Shihouin as his ally to fight his own cousin."

"Mm...but..."

"According to Sora, Hirata trusts Juushirou most of all." Kyouki said softly. "That means Juushirou already understands far more about the Endou than he should. Seimaru wanted to curse him. Why? Because he knows something? Probably. Because he knows what connection those Urahara really have to the Endou administration?"

"We all know that, Kyouki-sama." Tokutarou shook his head. "We just can't prove it."

"Mm." Kyouki's lips thinned, then, "What if...someone could?"

"Someone?" Tokutarou looked confused. "Midori-dono?"

"No. Not her." Kyouki shook her head. "Someone else. I saw it too, Tokkun. Misashi-dono speaking with your young District houseguest. Do you really think that he'd take such a risk simply to exchange pleasantries? No. Misashi said something else to Juushirou. I'm sure of that. The message to Hirata - whatever it is - is deeper than just a 'stay safe'."

Tokutarou's eyes widened.

"You think...Misashi-dono is plotting against his family? And using Hirata to do it?" He hissed, and Kyouki laughed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I think Misashi-dono is a smart man, and not given to foolish acts." She said levelly. "I don't think he'll do anything in a hurry. But Hirata was sent to District One for a reason. He's still there for a reason. He's in danger if he ever goes home. He knows - he must know - everything that we suspect but can't prove before a Council Court. Everything Shunsui told you. Everything from the Shihouin. All the logical pieces in this puzzle. Hirata knows it. And..."

"Can prove it?"

"Maybe." Kyouki shrugged. "But he's protecting his family, so he hasn't. Yet. But it doesn't mean he won't. And...when they're young...boys confide in their friends."

Tokutarou turned his gaze back towards the tall, plain-fronted building.

"You think he's told Juushirou his secrets." He murmured. "And that Juushirou is also in danger because he did."

"There are many enemies when you try to change the world." Kyouki said sadly. "Juushirou is in danger anyway. Even with people like us looking out for him...that's always going to be the case. And if Endou Seimaru has a particular reason to hate him...that too is never a good sign."

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"It boils down to which grandson is best positioned to take hold of the Clan, I think." She said evenly. "When Shouichi-sama dies, will Seimaru or Hirata be the stronger? It will come."

"Unless Seimaru can eradicate Hirata." Tokutarou mused.

"No." Kyouki shook her head. "Unless Seimaru can regain the proof Hirata undoubtedly has...and _then_ eliminate him."

"I see." Tokutarou's expression became one of consternation. "You think Hirata's given the proof to Juushirou. So that if anything happens to him...Juushirou can produce it and cause trouble for Seimaru."

"It's a theory. One of many." Kyouki responded. "But...enough of one...to be given serious thought."

Her gaze flitted to the building, then,

"Look after him, Tokkun." She murmured. "He doesn't know it, but he's one of the most important students Genryuusai has ever had. And we need to protect him. It's our duty to make sure that he survives to fulfil his Gotei destiny."

Tokutarou paused for a moment. Then, slowly, he nodded his head.

"I promise." he said soberly. "To the best of my ability, Kyouki-sama - I will."

* * *

It was unbelievable.

Seimaru paced through the hallways of the empty Endou manor, banging his fists against the wall as he walked in an attempt to disperse some of the fierce anger and frustration that had welled up inside of him. He had never been so angry, he knew, angry enough to act out of line and do something reckless and foolish…yet somehow he had managed to avoid a confrontation.

Yet still the information burned against his brain.

His Grandfather had ratified a _zanpakutou_.

A District boy's _zanpakutou._

_That_ boy's _zanpakutou_.

At the thought, Seimaru let out a low growl of rage.

_What was he thinking? Of all the things…has he truly lost his mind? Was this another promise to that old hag? And where will it end? The Endou-ke have never tolerated the District children being trained. Never. And yet he acts in that way? Contrary to his own laws, as if his own kin and their views mean nothing at all?_

His eyes became like slits as he reflected on this.

_And more, with that scheming Uncle of mine there in his slipstream, watching from the shadows and no doubt sneering at me all the time. He believes he can take this family from me. He believes he has Father's trust enough and he can influence him. And for something like this to happen…maybe he can._

"Seimaru-sama?" The timid, hesitant voice of one of the household staff interrupted his inner rantings at that moment and he swung around, glaring at the unfortunate woman as though she had personally offended him.

"What do you want?" He growled, lunging towards her and grabbing her suddenly by the shoulders, throwing her up against the wall of the corridor. There was a crunch, and the girl choked and coughed, terror in her blue eyes as she gazed at her master helplessly. Something in that feebleness made Seimaru all the more angry, and he muttered a curse, releasing his hold on her so that she slid in a crumpled heap on the floor, gasping and staring up at him in uncertain dismay.

"I asked you a question." Seimaru was in no mood to be patient. "Answer me, or I will kill you. What do you want?"

"I'm s…sorry, sir." The girl whispered, her voice hoarse and blood tainting the corners of her mouth as she struggled into a more submissive position. "I was just…there was a message. Lord Shouichi wanted me to t…tell you that he expects to arrive back from Inner Seireitei late this aftern…noon."

"Sooner he didn't come back at all." Seimaru muttered, then kicked at the girl's legs, glaring at her darkly.

"Then you've done your job. Get out of my sight." He told her coldly. "You're an eyesore and I have no time to play with common wretches."

"Y..yes, sir." Still fearful and obviously hurting, the girl scrambled to her feet, bowing hastily and scurrying away down the halls as fast as her bruised body would let her. Once more alone, Seimaru dropped back against the wall, clenching and unclenching his fists as he reviewed her information.

_  
Late back. No doubt settling up final papers over that brat's sword…or maybe its something to do with my Uncle. Still, never mind. Whilst he isn't here, I don't have to speak to him. And whilst he isn't here…_

He turned on his heel, doubling back on himself as he made his way down towards the forbidden cellars. Keitarou should be there, he knew, with his brat of a girl, and now was as good a time as any to speak with him without arousing suspicion.

Things had grown sluggish of late, after all. It was time Seimaru reminded the scientist who was whose patron and who made the rules.

He slipped into shunpo, finding his way through the gaps in the Sekkiseki and into the gloom below.

"Good morning, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou's voice echoed out of a further chamber, and Seimaru realised that despite the spirit-draining stone, the Urahara had detected his coming long before he had actually arrived. "You seem in ill humour this morning. Has something occurred?"

"Something has." Seimaru bit back his impatience. "Do not try me today, Aizen. I am in no mood for pleasant conversation."

"I see." Keitarou's mud-slurried eyes became thoughtful, and as he emerged from his work chamber, Seimaru could see specks of blood on his grey work coat. "Then maybe we can discuss unpleasant matters instead."

"Your testing continues, I see." Seimaru said acidly, and Keitarou shrugged.

"It does, but I make no progress." He said simply. "I cannot, you see, without a more specific test subject. I have proven all I can with the poor quality of untrained miscreant I've been able to snare so far. But I need a different kind of guinea pig. What I have…will not take either one of us any further."

"Then I already told you. You can use my Grandfather." Seimaru said blackly, and Keitarou arched an eyebrow.

"So it is Shouichi-sama, then, who has once more displeased you?" He asked softly, and Seimaru nodded.

"When is it not the case?" He demanded bitterly. "Since the old woman died, it's been nothing but displeasure!"

He glanced around him.

"Where's your runt? Did you kill her too?"

"No. Shikiki is sleeping." Keitarou shook his head. "We worked hard last night and this morning, and so I left her to rest. She needs to build up her strength before we can do any more training on her barrier magic."

He smiled faintly.

"She is, after all, still a child."

"A useless brat, you mean." Seimaru muttered.

"In time she won't be." Keitarou shook his head.

"Time." Seimaru spat out. "Time I don't have."

"Patience is often the finest weapon a person can wield, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou said lightly. "Rushing into things creates complications and dangers…sometimes fatal ones."

"Right now I don't care." Seimaru snapped. "This morning…do you know what news I received? That my fool of a Grandfather was called on to inspect a _zanpakutou_ at the Council and what's more, he ratified it."

"Is that unusual?" Keitarou was surprised, and Seimaru sighed.

"No." He admitted. "You wouldn't know, not being a Shinigami, but the Council ratify all _zanpakutou_ as a matter of course. But this one…is different. This malformed blade belongs to one who should never even dare dream of laying hands on that kind of weaponry. He is a _District_ boy, Aizen. A boy born of no blood at all except the feeble line of some unknown peasant family! Yet he thinks to hold a _zanpakutou_ and aspire to walk among us as a Shinigami! And my Grandfather – Lord of the Endou, whose pride does not allow for such things – _he ratified it_!"

He banged his hand down against the wall, the force of the blow splitting his skin and causing blood to seep from the wound.

Keitarou did not flinch, however, his eyes becoming ever the more thoughtful.

"I realise there is much I don't understand – after all, my Clan heritage was denied me." He said slowly. "Yet…did I understand you correctly? This boy is born of District parents? Not Clan? Yet he has a weapon, and is training to use it?"

"This is not good news, Aizen." Seimaru glared at his companion, but the scientist merely offered him a faint smile.

"It is the best news." He said softly. "It could not be better, in fact."

"Do you want me to kill you too? I'm in the mood for it." Seimaru's fingers flicked towards his sword hilt, but Aizen shook his head.

"I need a test subject." He said frankly. "With some spiritual training and an awareness of reiatsu control. I need a Shinigami. Yet all Shinigami are protected by Clan – do you remember? We spoke of it before."

"I do." Seimaru's eyes widened in realisation. "I see. And you think…that that brat…"

"Why not?" Keitarou spread his hands. "He is not Clan. He has no big powerful family who would cause trouble if he disappeared. A mother to cry, perhaps. A father to rant and rave. But no influence, Seimaru-sama. Nobody would miss a District boy – surely?"

A slow smile spread across Seimaru's lips, and he nodded his head.

"You make a good point." He murmured. "It's true that the Ukitake boy is of that level of breeding."

"You know him by name?" Keitarou was surprised.

"I know him by name _and _sight. He is a blight on my memory and I would see him killed." Seimaru said acerbically. "He is a friend of my cousin Hirata – and you know what esteem I hold _him_ in."

"Then you would grant me permission to take him as my test subject?"

"If you can find a way to snare him, Aizen, be my guest." Seimaru shrugged. "Take him. Test on him. Torture him. Then kill him – and I'll hang his corpse somewhere high enough that the birds can use him for nesting materials."

"Thank you." Keitarou smiled. "Then my studies can progress."

"But there is a condition. One other thing, if you want my protection to ensnare this Ukitake brat." Seimaru rounded on his companion, clamping cold hands down on the other's shoulders and meeting his muddish eyes with his own pale blue ones. "I want you to keep your promise. I want you to do something about Grandfather. Use your chemicals – whatever. But you promised to deal with him – but time is passing and he still lives."

At this, Keitarou's smile became cold, and he nodded his head.

"I had not forgotten." He agreed. "And I will not break my word. But there is one thing that is important, Seimaru-sama. If I am to do this…you must not be there to see it done."

"Not even to see the old man fall?" Seimaru narrowed his eyes, and Keitarou looked apologetic.

"It's too dangerous." He said simply. "For you to be implicated in the crime that way."

"Then implicate my damn uncle." Seimaru muttered. "Make it his doing, then I can execute him as well."

"May I give some advice, Seimaru-sama?" Keitarou's eyes had become calculating, and despite himself, Seimaru found himself nodding, waiting for his companion to speak.

"I will take care of Shouichi-sama and in such a way that it cannot be linked to you." Keitarou spoke softly, his tones calm and soothing to Seimaru's wrenched pride. "But you must be beyond all suspicion if you wish to inherit this Clan. I will do my job, but…I would ask you…not to try and make it more complicated. I know you hate Misashi-sama, and I understand that hatred. But for now…that hatred is your ally. And you can use it to deflect suspicion away from yourself in the days to come."

"I don't follow." Seimaru admitted grudgingly. "What do you mean?"

"The best witness testimony is that from those you hate." Keitarou said wisely. "If your coldest rival admits to being with you, then of course he must be believed. I will tackle Shouichi-sama on the next day your family is due to hold official council. I will not leave any evidence, and you should not fear to investigate the death for it will not possibly be traced back to your command. You should attend that meeting, and ensure that Misashi-sama does as well. After all, if you are engaged in a heated political debate…"

He trailed off, and Seimaru let out a low chuckle.

"My uncle as my alibi. I somehow like the twisted way your mind put that together." He said honestly. "Very well. But I will not spare him long after Grandfather is dead. I cannot abide that man, and I will not tolerate him at my court."

"But…if I may say so…you seek to snare your cousin even more, do you not?" Keitarou asked quizzically, and Seimaru sighed.

"Yes, but he's out of reach."

"Now, yes." A faint smile touched Keitarou's lips. "But not necessarily forever. If you hold his Father, after all…and if I take the District boy…these are tempting lures indeed. And then, of course, there is Lady Sumire and the girl…Eiraki-hime. Is there not?"

"You have a plan, don't you?" Seimaru eyed the scientist suspiciously, and Keitarou nodded.

"Somewhat of one. Yes." He agreed. "By using all the subtle weaponry you have at your disposal."

His eyes became sly.

"Even if that means my travelling to Hokujou...if the need and opportunity arises."

"_Hokujou_?" Seimaru stiffened, staring at Keitarou in disbelief. "You mean...to set free...but that's madness! The Endou won't so easily let that happen - even I, with my bias can see that to be a foolish act! After so many years...and even Father did not...could not...with Grandfather removed, the Endou council must bow to _my_ leadership unreservedly! Not think to question me about foolish sentiment and rash releases!"

"I said nothing about setting anyone free. Merely that you should use all unconsidered allies wisely." Keitarou replied smoothly. "Even those in remote locations that the rest of your kin disdain and ignore."

"But..." Seimaru faltered, then his eyes became hard and he nodded his head. "No. You're right. All options at my disposal - if there's anyone she won't turn against and betray, I'd lay odds it would be me."

Keitarou bowed his head.

"Thank you for humouring me." He said seriously. "And for considering even my most complex whims. These things take time to draw together - but if you can indulge me that time, I will make sure you are well rewarded."

He smiled.

"If you trust me, Seimaru-sama, I will give you everything you wish for. Your title. Your Grandfather's corpse. A solution to enhance power and a child who can make you almost invincible. I will even give you your cousin and use his own blood to entrap him. I am your servant, after all. But you must trust me...and have patience in the web I weave."

His smile widened.

"If you can do that, then I will bring you all of those things."


	32. Spider's Lure

**Chapter Thirty One: Spider's Lure**

"Ukitake's back."

From his perch by the window, Ryuu turned to face his companions, a look of relief on his austere features. "I can feel his reiatsu – which clearly indicates he has survived his Council ordeal."

"Juu's reiatsu?" Immediately Shunsui abandoned the game of _Shungi_ that he and Kai had been engrossed in, coming to stand at his friend's side as he gazed out across the school landscape. "You're right. I wasn't concentrating, but now I feel it, too. Well, it's about time he turned up – he's a whole day late, so I hope he has a good excuse."

"Looks to me like your Clan are the excuse." Kai peered over Shunsui's shoulder, amusement in his golden eyes. "Since that looks very much like a Kyouraku carriage to me. I guess you'll have to take it up with your people – looks like they're the ones who've been helping Ukitake play hooky."

"Nii-sama." Shunsui murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. "Then he did get my letter in time. Good."

It was two days following Juushirou's appearance before the Council and, although it had originally been planned for him to travel back to the school on the morning after, in the end the effort had taken its toll on the District student's fragile frame. Consequently, and with Kyouki's words still in his mind, Tokutarou had refrained from letting him travel back via the old, rickety public carriage but instead had assured him of an escort on the next day – and a trip that would be far shorter. It would mean another day of missed classes, but Tokutarou had been firm and so, much to the dismay of Class Three, Juushirou had remained in Inner Seireitei for a day longer than anyone had planned.

"He seems in one piece." Now Enishi joined them at the window, watching as the white-haired boy dismounted from the carriage, exchanging words with the retainer and then turning to head inside. "Shall we go down and meet him? Obviously if Kyouraku's people brought him back, he's all right – so we ought to go let him know we were waiting for him."

"I agree with Houjou-kun." Hirata added his bit now. "We should go downstairs to meet him."

"Then let's go." Shunsui clapped a warm hand down on the younger boy's shoulder. "You can tell him that you didn't sleep last night for worrying about him, Hirata-kun – he needs to show some responsibility, especially if he's getting involved with a disreputable family like my own."

"You shouldn't say such things about your own Clan, Kyouraku. Not even in jest." Ryuu reproached, as the group of five boys left the common room and turned onto the main hall, heading for the school's principle entrance. "It may be taken seriously by any who do not know you, and that could cause your brother problems."

"Meaning anyone who does know me would assume it was rubbish, since I'd said it?" Shunsui's eyes twinkled. "Thanks for that, Ryuu-kun. I'll bear it in mind."

"Ukitake-kun!" Before Ryuu could find a suitable retort, they had reached the entrance hall and Juushirou turned from where he had been signing his name into the big register, casting his friends a rueful smile.

"Were you waiting for me? I'm sorry. I'm a little later than I expected."

"We were worried." Hirata said slowly. "But if you're all right, then I suppose we don't need to be."

"I'm fine." Juushirou nodded. "Really, I am. And I didn't realise you wouldn't know about it, so I'm doubly sorry."

He glanced at Shunsui, who grinned.

"Nii-sama took care of you, didn't he?" He asked, and Juushirou looked sheepish.

"Yes." He admitted. "I would've come back yesterday, but he insisted I didn't. I was a bit tired out – so in the end, coming back this morning seemed to be the best way."

"A bit tired out?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Mm." Juushirou agreed. "I slept almost through till lunchtime yesterday and I had a slight fever when I woke up. It wasn't anything all that major – not for me – but Tokutarou-sama didn't want to take any chances, so he asked Raiki-sama from the Unohana-ke to see me and _he_ suggested I stayed an extra day and rested properly. So…"

He shrugged.

"They fussed a whole lot too much over it, but I didn't sleep much the night before…I guess I needed to catch up with myself."

"Well, you don't seem feverish now, so I guess Nii-sama was right." Shunsui teased.

"And the Council?" Enishi asked. "How did that go – or are you sworn to secrecy?"

"I don't think there's any rule like that." Juushirou looked thoughtful, shaking his head. "Shall we go up to the dorm? I'll tell you about it there – since the Common Room is probably busy, and it'll soon be time for…dinner?"

"We've not eaten yet." Kai confirmed. "You timed your return perfectly."

He grinned.

"If it was Kyouraku, I'd say it was designed to miss all today's classes, but seeing as it's you, I suppose it was coincidental." He teased. Juushirou laughed, nodding his head.

"I'll want to catch up on everything I've missed." He agreed. "Ryuu-kun, will you lend me your notes? They're probably going to be the most comprehensive and I don't want to have any gaps."

"Of course. You need not even ask." Ryuu inclined his head slightly. "You may borrow them with pleasure."

"Sakusen was an on the spot discussion topic, and we only really reviewed stuff in Kidou theory." Hirata remembered. "Things you probably already know, Ukitake-kun – about the spells we've been studying and so on. I think Kazoe-sensei intends us to begin learning something new next class – so he wants us to have everything we've done so far firmly understood first."

"Some hope of that." Enishi muttered. "I've just about mastered _Shakkahou _and_ Soukatsui_ without exploding the whole of the arena. Expecting me to know how it works as well as just that it does work is unreasonable."

"So we'll help you." Shunsui cast him a grin. "Or some of us will. I'll probably flick bits of _bokutou_ at you while you're trying to concentrate, so you'll have to consider me as more in the 'moral support' line."

"Some support." Enishi looked amused. "Well, are we going upstairs? It'll be easier to talk there and I for one want to hear all about Ukitake's meeting with the Council."

"Shirogane-senpai did not return with you." Ryuu commented, as they mounted the staircase towards the boys' dorms. "He has not returned to the school either. Did something occur?"

"Nothing bad." Juushirou shook his head. "Guren-sama simply sent for him, and so far as I know he was still with his Clan when I left. Tokutarou-sama said they had things to discuss regarding squad – and I think Sensei will let him graduate now he's proven he can train a junior student."

"Good riddance." Shunsui said frankly, and Juushirou laughed, shaking his head.

"I don't think he's so bad as all that. Not now." He reflected. "He's proud and he's strict but he does make a good _shishou_ and I owe him a lot. Besides, he explained everything for me very clearly when we reached Inner Seireitei. He did his duty to the letter and I can't fault him."

"He is a Kuchiki. That is how we are." Ryuu said simply. "But he will not graduate yet. Guren-sama will not have him until he turns twenty – and that is not for another month at least."

"But the fact that Guren-sama's kept him back means he must be preparing to let him when that happens." Shunsui mused. "Which means we'll be down one Anideshi. And you might like him now, Juu – but I will be very happy for him when he finally gets his promotion."

"I wonder who among the seniors will succeed him." Hirata murmured. "We really don't know much about any of them. It might be worse."

"Possibly, but we'll face it when it happens." Kai said reflectively, pushing open the door of the dorm and allowing his companions to pass him into the bedchamber beyond. "Well? Here we are. So? I imagine you passed their test, Ukitake – since you still have your sword."

"Yes. I did." Juushirou agreed, unfastening the makeshift sheath from his belt and laying his sword back down on the top of the unit. "And this sheath is about to fall apart, so I'm glad I don't have to use it any longer. But yes. It was the most terrifying thing I've ever done…but I'm glad I did it. I'm glad it's behind me. I'm just…glad."

"You're a Shinigami now, then." Ryuu remarked, and Enishi looked surprised.

"Is that true? Ukitake's a Shinigami?" He asked, and Hirata nodded.

"That's how it works." He agreed softly. "Even if he hasn't finished his training. Once the Council ratifies your _zanpakutou_, you are officially recorded as a Shinigami. That's one of the reasons they do it. So they know who has weapons and what they can do right as soon as they learn to summon them."

"That's what Guren-sama said to me, too." Ukitake confirmed. "It was a little frightening, to be honest, when he put it in such formal detail."

"He frowned, and Shunsui saw him glance at Hirata.

"It's a little bit of a blur, really. What actually happened when I was under review. I had to concentrate so hard not to let my power explode like it did when I was with Sensei." He continued. "But one thing I do remember. Hirata, I saw your Father. He was there. And I spoke to him."

"To Otousama?" Hirata's eyes lit up with surprise and hope. "He…was able to speak to you? And…he was there? He was all right? With Grandfather?"

"Shouichi-sama was one of those called on to ratify my sword." Juushirou nodded. "He really didn't want to, but he had to by Council law and so he did. Misashi-sama was with him throughout the whole of it…then afterwards, when Shouichi-sama was elsewhere, he spoke to me."

There was a pause, and Shunsui saw a flicker of resolution in his friend's hazel eyes.

"He wanted me to take a message to you." He added. "That he and your mother and your sister are all right and that you're not to worry about them. Shouichi-sama is keeping his word to them and so he wants you – Misashi-sama, I mean – to focus on your training and get stronger."

"He said all that?" Shunsui asked, and Juushirou nodded.

"He did." He confirmed. "That's almost word for word his message. And he seemed all right, too. Well, I mean."

"If he managed to speak to you, it means that Shouichi-sama isn't keeping him shackled." Kai reflected. "And that's a good sign, Hirata. Maybe the relationship between the two of them has improved since your Grandmother's death."

"Maybe." Hirata looked doubtful. "But more likely it's just a case of Grandfather wanting to present a good public face. Still…"

He paused, then sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"If he gave you that message for me, Ukitake-kun, it's probably a true one. And so I'll try and do as he says, and not to worry."

He offered Juushirou a faint smile.

"Thank you for being his messenger. If Grandfather had seen, he would have been angry…and Grandfather angry is…not good."

"I rather got that feeling." Juushirou admitted. "He was…a little intimidating. At least, to me."

"To most people." Shunsui said grimly. "Seimaru is just a spoilt brat – albeit one with an ego and a _zanpakutou_. But Shouichi-sama has a reputation for brutality and intolerance that goes back a long way before any of us were born. Trust me. Hirata's right. You shouldn't cross him."

He sighed.

"If it wasn't for the fact that Nii-sama is so closely intertwined with the Shiba, he'd probably make our lives much more difficult." He admitted. "Since technically speaking he has power at his disposal that – till Eighth District have a Gotei representative – we can't match."

"You, in other words." Kai said wryly, and Shunsui nodded.

"Me." He agreed resignedly. "I know. I've avoided it for a long time, but I'm more or less decided now that I can't do that any more. Having seen the refugees flooding into our land – having spoken to some of them – and knowing the reputation our neighbours carry, well…not doing anything seems like being complicit. And I still haven't found justice for Megumi…I don't want to be adding more District lives to that scale."

"Megumi?" Ryuu looked blank, and Juushirou nodded.

"The young girl who was murdered last summer." He said gravely.

"The tavern wench?" Ryuu was surprised. "You are still thinking of that, even now?"

"Of course." Shunsui said simply. "She was murdered. Her killer hasn't been punished. That's not justice."

"Seimaru killed Megumi-san." Hirata said blackly, and Juushirou sighed.

"Getting justice in that kind of situation isn't easy." He reflected, and despite himself Shunsui grinned, reaching across to pat the battered bamboo sheath.

"But this will help." He said teasingly. "Justice of the Twin Fish, wasn't it?"

"Ye-es." Juushirou looked sheepish. "I suppose that _is_ what Sougyo's name means. But even so…"

"I believe Megumi deserves justice. Kyouko too, since she's still petrified of the Clan across the border." Shunsui responded. "But for now, that's beyond my grasp. All I can do is what Hirata's doing. Work hard and wait for a better opportunity."

"That sounds almost conspiratorial." Enishi reflected, and Shunsui laughed.

"I suppose it does." He owned. "But – present company aside – I'm finding I have little love for our Seventh District neighbours."

"It's all right. I feel the same." Hirata said softly. "Father, Mother and Eiraki-chan aside. My Clan are corrupt and twisted and full of evil, outdated values. There's not much in them to like."

"It's very stereotypically villainous of them." Shunsui reflected. "Unfortunately, though, it can't all be put down in stereotype. It's hard to work out what's going on there at the best of times…and now…"

He faltered, realising he had been about to divulge information about the Urahara, but to his surprise Juushirou nodded his head, a grave look in his hazel eyes.

"You mean the rebels that they're hunting down, don't you." He said quietly, and Shunsui bit his lip.

"You know about that?"

"Kyouki-sama told me. I don't know why – I think she thought it was something I needed to know." Juushirou agreed. "Since Hirata's father had spoken to me…and I'd overheard…a few things."

"Urahara rebels?" Kai asked soberly, and Shunsui nodded.

"Yes. Something like that. Your sister's mentioned them to you too?"

"She has, but she doesn't have to." Kai shook his head. "I already know…from before."

"Trust a Shihouin to know about illegal activities." Ryuu rolled his eyes, and Kai's expression became grim.

"Yes. In this case, you can." He said flatly. "Nee-sama spoke to me when I was at home just as I'm sure Tokutarou-sama spoke to you, Kyouraku. It's come up at the Council, and Midori-nee has been to see Father…to ask him what he remembers about any meetings with the Endou. It's as she thought – as we all know. These rebel Urahara were involved with Father's work and Seimaru's research a year ago. And though the Shihouin are no longer actively involved…I wouldn't like to put money on Seimaru having done likewise."

Hirata looked troubled, nodding his head.

"Kai-kun is right." He murmured. "I'm sure about it, too. That even if Grandfather has stopped…I don't suppose…Seimaru has."

"Then this is a dangerous conversation." Enishi said frankly. "And we shouldn't be talking about it, since it might put you two – and others – in sticky situations if it was to be overheard."

"We're in the dorm and there's nobody else here. We'd know if they were." Shunsui responded. "But Enishi is right – it's not something we should be spending a lot of time discussing. It's at best an allegation at the moment. Nobody has any proof, and…"

"There is proof." Shunsui saw Hirata meet Juushirou's gaze, and Juushirou nodded.

"There is." He agreed. "But they won't ever see it, Hirata. That's what was agreed with Midori-sama last summer – and that's how it stays."

"Ah yes. The mysterious letter of proof." Shunsui reflected.

"Which we're not going to discuss." Juushirou said firmly. "Since it's not immediately relevant."

He glanced at Kai, but Shunsui had a sudden, bad feeling that Juushirou knew more about the letter's location than he was telling.

"Did Midori-sama tell you anything you can tell us about the Urahara?"

"It doesn't involve us." Kai responded. "She told me plenty, but…whether it's stuff that should be repeated is another matter. It's speculation…and since Shouichi-sama seems to be hunting them, it's dangerous to assume his grandson is still dabbling in chemical research."

"But those dangers might affect all of us, if he is." Juushirou said quietly. "I think…that's why Kyouki-sama mentioned it to me. _Reidoku_ is something that hurt a lot of people, once. Last year, it hurt people again. It could keep happening…more and more considering the way Genryuusai-sensei's Academy is starting to reach the Districts, too. It could become a factor…and we need to be aware."

"Shouichi-sama is hunting one man in particular. A man my sister didn't meet – and a man whose name I don't know." Kai admitted. "But apparently he's quite dangerous, and he gave Father a bad feeling. Nee-sama enlisted Tokutarou-sama's help because she wants to build a mutually beneficial alliance with District Eight and, by proxy, District Five…otherwise I've no doubt she'd keep it more to herself. Nobody in District Two wants to remember last year too clearly, after all. But that's really as much as I know in terms of concrete information. I think he was a man who worked for Seimaru and I believe he helped to create the _reidoku_ that Hirata destroyed when he fled to our District last summer. But those are assumptions. I don't know that for sure."

"_I _do." Hirata's eyes became hard and angry, and he clenched and unclenched his fists. "I know exactly the man you mean, Kai-kun. I know him by sight and I'd know him if I ever saw him again, no matter what guise he was hiding under. He was Seimaru's scientist and he was the one who created the poison."

"Urahara Keitarou?" Juushirou asked, and Hirata shrugged.

"I didn't know his name. Just by sight." He replied. "I don't know if he was an Urahara – he didn't look like one. But I knew what he was…even so."

"Then that's who it is." Shunsui's heart clenched. "That's the name Nii-sama gave me too. An Urahara who doesn't look like other Urahara…but is one all the same. The son of the man who was executed a century ago for starting this whole mess…Urahara Keitarou."

"Kyouki-sama said that I should tell Sensei and leave it to him if there was anything people here knew about him." Juushirou looked troubled. "But what do we know, really? He did do some work – but not what he's doing now. His location. His plans…even what name he's living under doesn't seem that certain. We've nothing we could tell him…have we?"

"No, and it's better we don't bring it up." Hirata looked troubled. "My family could still be at risk, after all, if he was linked properly to a member of my Clan."

_And not just the Endou, as it happens._

Shunsui grimaced, remembering the conversation with Irie more clearly.

_Urahara, then. Not Aizen. Is it wrong to be glad about that? Am I really worried about keeping this man's connection to my Clan a secret? I'm becoming disturbingly aware of connections of late…I'm going to have to watch myself more carefully at this rate._

"But we do know he's in District Seven?" Ryuu asked.

"Unless he's fled." Hirata shrugged. "To either Six or Eight."

"He would never get into Six." Ryuu snorted. "And Eight is supposed to have fortified its borders to all from Seven…except, of course, for any peasant with a sob-story who seeks entrance."

"Don't talk about them like that." Despite himself, Shunsui was riled by this, and Ryuu's eyes opened wide in surprise at the sudden and uncharacteristic reaction. "I'm serious, Kuchiki. You have no idea what conditions those people are living in. Believe me, none of them chose it."

"Kyouraku?" Enishi stared at him, and Shunsui took a deep breath, remembering the two young boys and the swathe of fabric covering Ketsui's fair hair.

"They're just people." He murmured. "Innocent people, who are in danger of their lives. I've been there, Ryuu-kun. I've seen it. And it's not fair. None of it is fair. Whatever danger this Urahara Keitarou is to the world…the cost is too high. It's far, far too high."

"It upset you, didn't it, going there?" Juushirou asked softly, and Shunsui nodded.

"It did." He admitted. "I felt helpless, even though I know that my Clan are all they have to cling to at the moment. Young children, Juu. Just kids like your brothers and sisters, trying to make the best of it while others harass them and…"

He paused, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"That shouldn't be allowed to happen." He said simply. "It shouldn't have been allowed when Megumi died, and it shouldn't be allowed now. I don't like it at all."

"Then that's why you're suddenly so keen to work." Kai said thoughtfully. "I wondered what it was. I guess now we know."

"It's not a bad reason, though." Juushirou remarked. "I agree with Shunsui. Nobody should be suffering. Especially not young children who are only being tainted by association or geography."

"Or both." Shunsui said frankly. "There are Urahara descendants among the refugees, Juu – I know, because I've seen them, although they try to hide themselves from outside attention. They're not there because they're plotting evil or wanting to create poisons of any kind. They're there because they're frightened and homeless and they've nowhere else to go."

He gestured to Hirata.

"Hirata's an Endou but nobody holds it against him." He added. "No matter what that family do, it's not Hirata who's to blame. And in the same way, these Urahara are looking for sanctuary. They've been swept up in it…that's all."

"You've spoken to them." Ryuu's eyes narrowed, and Shunsui berated himself inwardly once more for almost giving away his conversation with Irie. He shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not something that needs to be said. You just have to look to understand." He responded at length. "Small children with bruises and raggedy clothing, having to hide themselves from public sight. Sometimes words are superfluous. Kids are kids, after all."

"Some kids grow up into monsters all the same." Hirata said quietly, and Juushirou sighed, nodding his head.

"Like Seimaru." He agreed. "But even so, Shunsui's right. Sensei's trying to teach us to protect this world – it has to start somewhere."

Despite himself, Shunsui managed a smile.

"There speaks the Shinigami." He teased. "Ready with his fishy sidekicks to dispense justice to us all."

"Shunsui!" Juushirou swiped at him playfully, but it had the desired effect of lifting the atmosphere, and Shunsui felt relieved.

_But even so, it doesn't make it any less pressing. There's no more time for playing around – not when people's lives start to depend on it. I'm beginning to understand, Father, what I don't think you did. And more, I'm going to act on it and do my best to follow in Juu's footsteps. Seibara's right. Nii-sama, too. I didn't ask to be born Clan and they didn't ask to be born District. But they have to deal with what they're living through right now. The least I can do is deal with what I was born into…and try to make it better, even in a little way, for all of them._

* * *

Another dead end.

Shouichi let out a groan of frustration, screwing up the report from his adjutant and tossing it across his office in a fit of pique.

It was the same every time. No matter where he looked or what scheme he implemented, still his target managed to stay one step ahead of him. It was almost as though he knew every one of Shouichi's moves before they happened...yet how could that be?

He got to his feet, moving to the window as he tried to work off some of the pent up anger inside of his body. He would have to go soon to face his council and tell them of his lack of progress - more, to explain to them his reasons for ratifying a District _zanpakutou_, although nobody had so much as mentioned the incident since his return to his homeland two days earlier. It rankled at him, and only added to his other displeasure. Everything was becoming troublesome...and he did not even have the faintest clue where the last Urahara exile was.

Yet nobody could have leaked his plans.

He rested his hands on the sill, gazing out over the uneven Endou landscape as he contemplated.

He had not shared most of them with even his grandson and heir, let alone his surviving son or the adjutant of his team of Shinigami. His true motives he had always kept close to his chest, paranoid and always alert to the slightest change in the atmosphere around him. He had not lived so long because he was foolish, and yet, even so, he had not managed to locate his prey. Keitarou was always just out of reach...always just in the shadows out of his range of sight.

_In possession of an unregistered weapon, which in itself carries a fearsome penalty. I wish I had seen it more clearly - I'm sure he had a sword concealed up his sleeve but I couldn't make it out. If I could catch him, I could have many justifications for putting him to death. Yet I cannot catch him. He slips away - and I do not know to where._

"You seem uncommonly unsettled this morning, Shouichi-sama."

The voice pierced through his thoughts like a shock of cold ice, and he swung around, eyes widening in disbelief and fury as he registered the object of his thoughts standing across the room, nonchalant and relaxed in his flapping grey coat and with his thick, brownish hair in a rough tie at the nape of his neck. He had all the bearing of a true Clansman, even in the robes of a working man, and somehow Shouichi resented this fact all the more for knowing that the one who stood before him had so easily eluded his grasp.

"Aizen." He growled, then, "How did you get in here?"

"I wonder." Keitarou smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "How does a man get any place when he doesn't want to walk?"

"Shunpo." Shouichi's lips became thin, and he closed his thick, wizened fingers around the hilt of his weapon, advancing on his visitor slowly. "Do you bring yourself here to me to submit? Or for me to carve the kanji for submission into you, with the end of Hijirobaya's blade?"

"You've always been so welcoming and accommodating." Keitarou seemed amused, but his eyes remained cold even as he lowered his head in a mocking bow. "But what I have to speak to you about can't be said here. This is too open a place...and your kin may hear me. That would be suspicious, wouldn't it? If they thought you were speaking with the exiled son of the disgraced Urahara Keitsune?"

"If you think I'll bargain with you..." Shouichi had already half drawn Hijirobaya from its sheath, but Keitarou laughed, holding up his hands.

"You'd attack an untrained man in your own study? You, a soldier of the old order, against a scientist who has never held a sword? You've become rash and undisciplined, then, since I worked for you. I'm surprised at it. I thought you a much more rational force than that."

His eyes narrowed.

"But you want more than just my corpse, in the end." He said softly. "You want my Clan's research. Don't you? The studies that could implicate and destroy your family if they fell into the wrong hands."

Despite himself, Shouichi paused, then slowly returned Hijirobaya to its sheath.

"I'm listening." He said quietly, and Keitarou nodded.

"I thought so." He responded. "But this isn't a place we can speak. It's not safe for me here."

"It's not safe for you anywhere where I am, Aizen." Shouichi rumbled. "Or do you doubt Hijirobaya's power, even after having seen it freeze your kinsman's life where he stood?"

A flicker of something crossed Keitarou's gaze, and he shook his head.

"I don't doubt its power at all." He said gravely. "But I will not risk being killed on sight by your guards. You are the only one I seek to negotiate with - you and nobody else. Since there is none left but me to pass on this information - if you kill me, it remains a possibility that one day my archive will be found. And then...your family...will perish under the Council Law. Just as mine did, a century ago."

"And for you? What benefit do you take in all this?" Shouichi demanded.

"Safe passage from District Seven. As an exile." Keitarou replied simply. "I told you. I am alone. You killed Daisuke - and no more of my kin remain with any kind of force to oppose you. It is not in my interests to continue being an enemy of the Endou. I simply want the right to leave. I will give you all my family's work - everything you seek. And I will disappear. You will not hear my name again after this day...nor ever see my face. I give you my word."

"The word of an exiled Urahara." Shouichi spat out, and Keitarou nodded, slipping his _tantou_ knife from his _obi_.

"I swear it by my blood." He said frankly, running the blade of the weapon across the back of his hand with a short, swift movement. Without even a wince, he held up his hand, and Shouichi saw the blood trickle down his arm, soaked up in the sleeve of his heavy grey coat.

"An Urahara oath by blood is unbreakable. Surely you know that." Keitarou's tones were light, almost teasing. "I have sworn it to you that you will never see my face again, Shouichi-sama. Nor hear me speak ill of you or your family. I will disappear...and your troubles will be at an end."

Shouichi hesitated for a moment. Then he nodded his head.

"Very well. I will consider your suggestion." He said gruffly. "When I see your family's papers, I will decide on your fate."

Keitarou smiled.

"Ah. There it is. That cold ruthless brain always looking for the advantage." He said pensively. "Very well. I am not in a position to bargain more than what I already have. Follow me - and I will take you to the place. If you can track my reiatsu - you will easily locate my base."

With that he was gone, and Shouichi frowned, reaching out his senses to locate the elusive scientist's spiritual signature.

_Faint. Just enough for me to follow, but no more._

His eyes narrowed.

_  
But I will take Hijirobaya and I will kill him anyway. I have no intention of letting you live, Aizen...your life is already mine and I will take it and your family's research. I do not believe in loose ends._

* * *

There was the first stirring of an autumn breeze as Keitarou reached his destination, slipping out of shunpo and landing nimbly on the uneven rocks that surrounded the remains of the long-abandoned Urahara settlement. It was a ghost town now, dilapidated and devoid of life, yet Keitarou did not dwell on the happier memories that the place had once held. Daisuke had met Irie not far from here, he recalled impassively, and for a fleeting moment he wondered where she was and whether she and her children had escaped the hunting shinigami unscathed.  
_  
But Irie was always strong. And brave. And determined where her children were concerned. Like my mother, she wasn't a coward. She will have made it. I'm sure of that. They, at least, are out of it. Wherever they are, she will build a new life. That's the kind of woman you married, Daisuke. That's the kind of family you had._

He gazed up at the sky, wondering what it might have been like had he married and had children of his own.  
_  
Burdens. Something to tie me down and hold me back - emotional ties in a place where emotion is forbidden. No. District Seven is not the place for that. Even to continue my line - Father's line - such things would have only brought disaster. _

His lips thinned.

_But with so many of us killed, and Daisuke's children gone, the fight will end with me. I have so much further to go - maybe, then, I can think about other things. About keeping Father's memory alive - and instilling it into another generation to take up the banner and fight for our cause._

A faint smile touched his lips as he reached the edge of the village, gazing down absently over the ledge that fell in a sheer drop to the valley below. Once a river, it had long since dried up, and now there was a gap of about ten or twelve feet separating the settlement above from the rocky bed below.  
_  
Ten or twelve feet? Perhaps, enough. But I will make sure._

He brushed his fingers against the hilt of his _tantou_ knife, looking pensive.

_Perhaps Seimaru will accommodate me, after all. I have proven to be his ally...and it would indeed be a way back into the Clan hierarchy. A way in which...I could be a Lord of the Manor. And, one by one, destroy the families who destroyed mine. He will owe me - if I kill his Grandfather, I give him power. But also, I am a keeper of a deadly secret. I can destroy him too - because I know what he's done. And he needs me. Therefore...he will accommodate me. _

A faint ripple in the atmosphere alerted him to the fact he would soon have company, and he moved away from the edge, leaning up against the broken timber of a half-collapsed property as he waited for the old man to materialise before him. Shouichi's senses were sharp, he admitted grudgingly, even if his shunpo was not as swift as Keitarou's own, and the scientist knew that he could not play games with his enemy this time. He had barely touched on his power when Daisuke had died, and he regretted it. Now, however, he was not so fettered. Now he would not hold back.  
_  
Besides, he's coming here to kill me. I know it, whatever he said. I knew he wouldn't give me my life in return for anything. So in a sense, it's a fair encounter. We neither one plan to leave the other one here alive - and neither one have been honest with our motives._

A faint smile touched his lips.

_Well, perhaps we are alike after all - the Lord Endou and I._

"Well, Aizen? Here I am." The old man's voice cut through his musings, and Keitarou turned to face him, offering Shouichi a cool smile.

"You took your time. I thought you weren't coming." He said lightly. "But I suppose I shouldn't underestimate the Head of the Endou Clan - should I?"

"The day you do that is the day that you die." Shouichi's hand was already around the hilt of his weapon. "Well? Where are they? Your family's notes. Your Clan research - I want it all."

"It's right here." Keitarou said simply. "Right in front of you."

"Right in...front of me?" Despite himself, Shouichi faltered, glancing around him. "In this derelict place?"

"This was the Urahara village. You know that, or you should." Keitarou said frankly, running his finger along the blade of his knife as he spoke. "For years we hid here, and worked beneath your manor. For years we studied and researched and created things...things to help the Endou-ke become great. And last summer we succeeded in creating something even greater. Yet our reward was death."

He gestured to the village.

"All the people who lived here, you put to the sword." He said quietly, a faintly dangerous edge touching his tones as he spoke of the massacre of his kin. "All of them, one by one, you destroyed - their corpses desecrated when you cast them onto the pyre. The kinsfolk your Clan protected a hundred years ago put to death on the orders of the same man who shielded them then."

"And your point is?" Shouichi's eyes narrowed. "Things change. Politics shift. Your people were no longer useful to us. With the Shihouin-ke's unfortunate incidents, there were steps I had to take. Steps I do not need to justify to you. You are beneath me. You are nothing but an exile and an outlaw. My decisions in this place are law. You, on the other hand, don't even have the right to make decisions."

"No. I suppose not." Keitarou's eyes glittered with ice as cold as that which swirled within Shouichi's sealed blade. "I suppose that to you we are all commodities - for you to use and dispense with as you see fit."

"That's a fine argument, coming from a scientist whose chief pursuit is sacrificing worthless peasant wretches to his science." Shouichi said derisively, and Keitarou snorted.

"Science, Shouichi-sama. Development. Learning. Understanding. Power. For those things the sacrifices are never too great."

He smiled coldly once more.

"And for one more reason. Revenge."

"So you do think, then, that you can provide me with some opposition?" Shouichi seemed amused. "That you'll bring me out to some deserted place and do away with me, to avenge the poor soul who took my ice for you in the Endou dungeons? You are simple indeed. Do you not understand what and who I am? I've ruled this clan for longer than you've been alive - longer than even your father was, most likely. I saw a use for you then, but that use has run its course. I am not someone you can bargain with - I told you this already. I am Endou Shouichi, Head of District Seven and a member of the Gotei. I am a true Shinigami - and I have presided over more executions than you've had birthdays."

His eyes glinted with malicious light as he drew Hijirobaya from its sheath.

"This sword has slit the throats of thousands of people." He said softly. "I've taken down assassins and rebels, and destroyed members of my own Clan to ensure my stronghold over this family. I fought my own cousins and defeated my only brother in order to hold power here - and saw to it that each of them that survived was broken in such a way that they never could contest me again. I am not your equal, Aizen. You will die here - regretting your foolishness at every turn."

A faint whiteish energy began to surround the edges of the old man's weapon, and Keitarou sighed, slowly shaking his head. He raised his left hand, prickles of light flickering at the edges as he cast a barrier spell over the deserted village.

Shouichi's brows knitted together.

"Kyoumon." He murmured. "Do you think such a spell would hold me here? I am a warrior and fight with my blade, but I can use kidou and I can break a barrier of this nature with very little effort. Kyoumon is strong against outside attack- but from the inside, breaking it will be child's play."

Keitarou's lips twitched slightly, and he shook his head.

"You mistake me, Shouichi-sama." He said softly, completing the spell. "I have no wish to confine you anywhere. I simply seek to ensure we are not disturbed."

"I do not need my soldiers to rescue me from one like you." Shouichi said derisively. "No matter how many barriers you cast, it won't change the outcome of this meeting any more in your favour if you can keep them away."

"Then it's as well I didn't come here to negotiate with you." Keitarou responded evenly, lowering his hand to rest over the top of his knife which, too, now glittered with silver light. "I came here to keep my promise to you. That you would not again see my face, nor hear of me."

"Yes. I thought so. I thought you had a weapon." Shouichi pursed his lips. "Yet it's barely a sword - and you think to fight me with it? With the wire trick you performed on my men -the one that couldn't even pierce their hearts?"

Keitarou let out a low chuckle, and he shook his head.

"_Ore, Chudokuga_." He murmured, and the thin strands of metal shot out from the weapon, spreading out around Keitarou's body as if forming a ghostly web. "I've already told you. I have no training with a sword. A duel is not in my interests. I have never carried that kind of weapon. The training was denied me by my Father's disgrace."

"Then stop fooling around, and submit." Shouichi ordered. "If you do so, I'll make your death swift and painless."

"You're not a man to be bargained with, however." Keitarou shook his head slowly. "And the truth is, Shouichi-sama, I don't intend on going anywhere. You see, my future isn't outside of District Seven. It's here, within it. I have no further business with the current Lord of the Endou-ke. But I will...have business with the _future_ one."

Shouichi's eyes widened in dismay as he understood Keitarou's implication, and the scientist stood for a moment, enjoying the horror and betrayal that flooded through the old man's eyes.

"Seimaru." He murmured, and Keitarou chuckled.

"And you thought that your son might plot against you, when all the time it was the grandson who had the spine to strike out for his own future." He said mockingly. "He won't wait forever, you know. And besides, such a deal benefits me, too. You are too old. Too stubborn. Too hard to please. Seimaru is young and ambitious, and I can manipulate him. He will be a good ally for me - and I for him. The only one in the way is you. And so, I'm here to resolve that."

"I'll kill the both of you!" Shouichi threatened, raising his sword above his head, but Keitarou merely flexed his fingers over his sword as it glowed suddenly with a bright flare of argent light.

"It's too late for that, Shouichi-sama." He said softly as he felt his reiatsu unfurl through his body, giving power to the weapon beneath his touch. "It ends now."

He smiled, a cold, predatorial smile.

"_Bankai_."


	33. Proditio

**Chapter Thirty Two: Proditio**

It was a hot, claustrophobic day, despite the encroaching autumn season.

Misashi cast a fleeting glance towards the window of the meeting hall, where for generations the Endou elders had come together to discuss - or perhaps more correctly, cajole and threaten - their views on politics with one another. It was a dark chamber, and one Misashi had always hated, since its closed in layout meant that if a fight broke out it was difficult for anyone to uninvolve themselves and slip away.

He had first been banished from this place when he had been seventeen, after a dispute with his older brother had turned violent and blood had been spilled between them on the cold marble floor. He had won that fight - for it had been little more than a wrestling match of one against the other and his brother and father had not forgiven him for humiliating Mibune so completely.

He had broken his brother's arm that day, he reflected grimly, and blackened his eye so that it swelled itself shut, yet despite his mother's anger, he had not regretted it. In fact, he had welcomed the ban - much preferring to be as far from his older brother's occasionally violent outbursts as possible. Of the two of them, he had always been the strongest and cleverest in a fight, and he had bested Mibune many times. But Mibune's unpredictability - Misashi preferred to think of it as insanity - had often given him an additional boost of ruthless strength that had seen many opponents felled and maimed on the end of his sword.

Inwardly Misashi suppressed a shudder at the occasions he had seen his brother in one of his psychotic moods, tearing and ripping at the corpse of a prisoner with the hooked end of his_ zanpakutou_, disfiguring them in death like a vulture hunting for food.

Yes, it had been insanity. While others had called it warrior instinct, to Misashi it had never been anything else. And now Mibune's son was an adult too - and Misashi had wondered if and when the same streak of mental instability would surface in Seimaru's already aggressive behaviour.

He would rather be anywhere than at the centre of the Endou administration in such an uncertain atmosphere. Yet, so many years on he was now back and more, compelled to attend each session - or risk displeasing the man who had surprisingly shielded him since Yayoi's death.

Even so, however, discussions were still now as they were then - hot-tempered debates where both swords and blood could fly and order was seldom kept in hand. Only Shouichi had firm hold over his council - and Misashi's lips thinned as he judged whereabouts the sun was in the sky outside.

It was unlike the Lord to be so late to a session he had himself organised, yet Misashi knew that neither he nor the antagonistic, prowling Seimaru had the authority to call it off in Shouichi's absence. Such an act would be seen as treasonous, and Shouichi was fond of testing his kin. Perhaps this was another such test. Misashi did not know, and had long since decided it was best not to ask too many questions.

The date and time had been arranged, and so he had arrived - and despite his reluctance, he would remain until the allotted time for the meeting to finish, no matter what.

"The sanctions must be lifted." An older man was speaking now - one of Shouichi's generations but a second cousin and barely on the fringes of Endou society. Despite this, he was an opinionated man who had never yet been cowed out of giving his views, and as Misashi listened to him complain, he felt a deep, resentful dislike for his family as a whole. It was not an uncommon sensation, he mused ruefully. But one which he had been seeing with increasing frequency over the past few months.

"There are no Urahara residing in my tenants' lands and the trade drop is causing problems in raising revenue." The old man continued. "These revenues will affect the income of the Clan as a whole if my peasants can't be drilled back into their normal routine."

"Then kill the peasants and start again." Seimaru suggested sardonically. "Peasants have an uncanny knack of reproducing themselves, Raiden-dono, whether or not they can afford to do so. The loss of a few insubordinate ones is no loss to this District - and no problem of ours to resolve. They are your tenants and it is your land - you govern it as you see fit."

"There are scarce any peasants anywhere in Seventh since Shouichi-sama started his purge." Raiden muttered. "It's not simply in my territories, either...but in others, too. We hold this land of our kinsfolk and we contribute to the riches and success of the whole Clan by doing so. How can we raise military personnel or keep a harvest without people to do the menial tasks that this world deems so necessary?"

He turned, sending Misashi a beseeching glance.

"Misashi-sama, you understand, do you not? That this is not just a matter for an individual Lord to settle, but one for the whole Clan to address?"

Misashi sighed, aware that Seimaru's beady gaze was boring into him as he pulled his attention firmly back to the matter in hand.

"I am not my Father and cannot speak for him." He said softly. "Decisions must be made by him and not by me. I am sorry, Raiden-dono. You must petition our Lord if you wish to make it a full Clan matter."

"Or you could give an opinion of your own, Misashi-sama." A second lord spoke up now. "Raiden-dono is right, after all - the cost of these purges has become higher than the benefit and we need to know where it will end. District children with spiritual power may well be abhorrent, but spiritual power or otherwise, they can still work fields and sell at market. They can do so shackled, if it so pleases Shouichi-sama - but that level of labour is one we need."

"Jinkei-dono raises a good point." A third man put in. "It would be a humiliation if we were forced, with winter approaching and harvest upon us, to beg help from either of our neighbours. We have never had good links with the Kuchiki, and as for the Kyouraku..."

"We do not need links with such people." Seimaru snorted. "And what do you mean, with winter coming? Winter is a season that kills common folk. It doesn't kill nobility. You sound as though you have concern for your tenants - surely you don't expect my Lord Grandfather to repeal his laws regarding District children and high level reiatsu? Or do you pathetic men who wield only _asauchi _not mind if your peasant class rise up against you wielding _zanpakutou_ and casting spells?"

"None of us wish for that, Seimaru-sama." Jinkei bowed his head in acknowledgement of the young man's views. "As you say, such a matter has been much discussed and would prove dangerous to many. But even so, to shackle them at least if not as anything else...rather than decimating the villages, is there no way of enslaving them so as they can still be of use to us without providing us with danger?"

"Such things cannot be ratified without Father's approval." Misashi interjected, then he sighed. "But if it is so wished, I will speak of it to him."

"You have no position to do anything of the sort." Seimaru glared at his Uncle. "You are not his advisor and sit here merely as a token of our apparent peace. When Grandfather is not here, the decisions are mine to make. Do not think to usurp my power, Ojisama. I will not forgive it if you do."

"Where is Shouichi-sama, anyhow?" Raiden demanded, gazing around him. "It is unlike him to be so late without prior notice - surely he remembers that he summoned us to meet here this day?"

"Since he sent the summons, I would imagine so." Seimaru snapped back. "But since he is your Clan Leader, you should not question his decisions or his authority. It is not for any of you to speak so about those who rank above you...unless you want to make it a matter for swords, in which case..."

His fingers hovered over the hilt of Yojinmozu, but Misashi held up his hands.

"Seimaru, such things are not helpful here." He said quietly. "You are, after all, entirely correct and nobody disputes that fact. Father is the Lord of this District. He is the only one who can make decisions or cast down the judgements people are desiring. So I suggest we move to a different subject - since you are no better placed than I at present to give a firm word to our noble kin."

"What are you saying?" Seimaru was clearly riled by this, getting to his feet and striding across to where Misashi sat. "Do you seek to challenge my authority too, Ojisama? I am not Grandfather and I will not pander to your pathetic attempts to seek his favour. You were banished from this room once and if I had my way you would be so again. Nobody requires your presence here, after all."

"Nobody except Father." Misashi met Seimaru's gaze with an even one of his own. "I am not afraid of you, Seimaru. You do not hold the keys to this Clan yet, after all."

He gestured to the assembled nobles.

"For the time being, we cannot make a firm decision on the requests of Raiden-dono and his companions." He added calmly. "So as that is the case, we should try and move on. I doubt Father would appreciate us fighting in this place - and even if he has been delayed by some business, since he arranged this meeting I am sure he will be here soon."

"Then we should perhaps discuss fiscality in other areas." A man of about Misashi's years got to his feet, casting Seimaru an apprehensive glance and bowing his head towards the young and impatient heir. "With Seimaru-sama's permission, I would give the quarterly review on taxation within the District...would that be acceptable, Seimaru-sama?"

Seimaru pursed his lips, swinging around to stare at the speaker for a moment, but something in the other's deference seemed to mollify his temper and he nodded, gesturing towards him as he returned to his own seat at the front of the room. Shouichi's seat remained empty, Misashi knew, but in his absence, Seimaru would glean all the power that he could and, most likely, force through any decisions he thought were to his benefit.

_Though the Urahara have scarce been mentioned...and I'm loath to mention it myself. Father said he had things to discuss at this meeting, when he arrived home from the Council. Things that were important - yet he's so late as this? It's unlike him - whatever business took him from his study must have been urgent. Perhaps relating to what he wanted to talk about..._

Misashi clicked his tongue softly against his teeth.  
_  
Not that he tells me anything in particular, but still..._

"Seimaru-sama! Misashi-sama!"

At that moment the door of the meeting hall burst open to reveal a young man, robed in the black and white of a low level Shinigami and with his hair pulled back from his face in a neat tail. He seemed anxious and out of breath, yet what chilled Misashi most was not the fear and apprehension in the newcomer's eyes but rather something else...the distinct tint of red that stained his skin.

"What is the meaning of this?" Seimaru was on him in a second, fury in his pale eyes, and the shinigami gulped, dropping to the floor in a grovelling obeisance as he registered the sudden wave of angry, fiery reiatsu that flooded the chamber.

"My apologies, sir. I did not...I didn't mean to...I wasn't intending to be impolite." he gabbled. "Only...I...I...I..."

He faltered, and Misashi's dread grew as he slowly got to his feet, moving past the angry Seimaru and pausing in front of the cowering figure.

"What have you to report to us, then, Shinigami?" He asked softly. "That is of such import that you come here, like this, in view of your betters without ceremony or consideration?"

The shinigami swallowed hard, raising his gaze to Misashi's impassive one.

"Please, Misashi-sama, I meant no offence." He whispered. "Only...only...I was told to come report to you. To Seimaru-sama. That...that something's happened. Something...serious."

"Something that could not wait until my Grandfather's return? Or until we had at least finished our conversation?" Seimaru kicked at the boy's shoulder, putting his hands on his hips, and at Shouichi's name the youngster paled, shaking his head slowly.

"No, sir. It could not." He said softly. "I...I was sent...with the order...to...to tell you..."

"To tell us what?" Misashi was frightened himself now. "Speak."

The shinigami swallowed hard, then,

"My sincerest apologies for the interruption, Seimaru-sama." He said soberly. "But I have come to r...report to you that...that L..Lord Shouichi...has...been...found...dead."

Immediately a commotion filled the whole room for, although the intruder's words were soft-spoken, silence had fallen the moment Seimaru had challenged his appearance. Misashi felt a cold hand slip around his heart as he digested the boy's words - unable to believe them yet somehow knowing they were true all the same. His gaze slid across to his nephew - was this _Seimaru's_ doing? Had Seimaru engineered something? But he could find nothing on the boy's face that did not comprise shock or anger, and as he struggled to gather his own wits, he heard the younger man speak.

"Explain yourself." Seimaru's tones sounded odd, as though he too was having trouble himself in absorbing what he had been told. "What do you mean, has been found dead? Do you know of whom you speak? My Grandfather is one of the strongest Shinigami in Seireitei. Nobody in this District would dare lay a finger on him! Explain yourself, or I will kill you here and now!"

He grabbed the terrified Shinigami by the collar of his _shihakushou_, giving him a shake before bringing the trembling youngster's face close to his own.

"What happened." He murmured. "I'm giving you one chance to tell me, and if you fail, I slit your throat."

"Let him go, Seimaru." Misashi could not let this continue, and he held up his hands. "The boy is terrified. He can't speak any further than he already has, thanks to you yelling at him."

"And you think it acceptable that someone come into our chamber and report such ridiculous things as this?" Seimaru demanded, though he loosed his grasp and the young shinigami fell to the floor with a thud. "Or is it something else? Do you believe his report to be the truth?"

"He has blood on his hands." It was Raiden who spoke now, gesturing to the Shinigami's stained fingers, and Seimaru wheeled on him, incredulous.

"Are you suggesting a runt like this one could have felled my Grandfather?" There was a rising hysteria in the young heir's voice, and Misashi gazed at him apprehensively, unsure whether the shock had unbalanced Seimaru's mercurial temperament once and for all. "Has everyone gone mad? Don't be foolish! Nobody could do that! Nobody at all!"

"Please...Seimaru-sama." The shinigami spoke up now, clearly petrified for his life yet determined to carry forth his message. "Shouichi-sama was...found by a serving wench, out a _ri_ and a half from the manor, in...in an old abandoned village near where the old river divided to the stream. He was alone. And...please, sir...that was all."

"Then we should go and see for ourselves what has occurred." Misashi said quietly. "Seimaru, will you take the lead? You are, after all, Grandfather's most trusted...he would want you more than anyone to get to the bottom of this."

Seimaru stared at his Uncle blankly, and Misashi realised that his nephew truly had been shaken almost out of his wits by the commotion. Then, at length, the younger man nodded.

"I will go. I will ascertain it, and if any are lying, I will have their tongues then their heads by Yojinmozu's blade." He said, his voice trembling with what Misashi realised was suppressed emotion. "Misashi-jisama will accompany me. Raiden-dono, Jinkei-dono, you also. All else are to remain here. I will not tolerate anything else. I will find out the truth for myself."

With that he swept out of the room, and Misashi cast his startled kinsfolk a glance, nodding his head.

"Seimaru-sama has given his orders." He said quietly, though there was deep unease in the pit of his stomach as he spoke. "If there is any truth in this story, Seimaru-sama is to be obeyed. He is Father's chosen heir...come."

With that he slipped into shunpo, tracking his nephew's reiatsu across the landscape until it stopped and, as he dropped out of shunpo, he saw the young man standing at the edge of the dried up river bank, staring down with soulless, empty eyes into the pit below.

Again, Misashi wondered about the impact on the boy's sanity, but there was no time to ask questions. Hurrying to join him, he soon caught sight of a still, crumpled form below, surrounded by two shinigami of similar rank to the one who had brought the message. It was clear even at this distance that the Lord who had ruled so ferociously over the Endou-ke for so many years was dead, and Misashi bit his lip, shaking his head slowly in confusion.

"Seimaru-sama!" The shinigami greeted their new Lord with respect and relief, but Seimaru did not acknowledge them, and Misashi found it impossible to know what his nephew was thinking. There was a long silence, then,

"Summon the Unohana." He said softly. "My Grandfather lies dead and the cause is not known. I wish to know what killed him, and I wish to lay his ghost to rest."

"Could he have fallen from the riverbank, Seimaru-sama?" One of the shinigami suggested, but Seimaru did not respond, and Misashi frowned, gauging the distance from where they stood to where Shouichi's crumpled body lay.

"Surely not." He murmured. "Seimaru...are you thinking he was murdered?"

"What I am thinking is not your concern. I am not your ally." Seimaru muttered. "Just...for now...I need you. Just as, for now, you need me."

He raised his opaque gaze to his uncle, and Misashi was chilled at the faint madness he saw there.

"I am Lord, now." He said impassively. "But I won't be, not until its seen that my Grandfather's death was not by my hand. So I put you in charge of it, Misashi-jisama. Of discovering why Grandfather died."

He offered a faint smile.

"After all, you of all people would not treat me with undue favour, I think." He added.

Misashi's eyes widened as he absorbed the logic in his nephew's words.

_Father murdered...or dead by some other means...yet Seimaru is right. Even now, there will be those who suspect either of us of complicity. He seeks to distance himself from such a scene - and I cannot fault him for it. Did he have a little of your sense born into him after all, Okaasama? Or is it simply shock...did Seimaru love his grandfather after all? Certainly he seems more grieved than I am - am I sad for Father's passing, or merely fearful over what it means?_

He bowed his head.

"I will do as you instruct me." He said softly. "I will see that the Unohana are summoned and that Father's death is investigated fully."

"Yes. I know you will." Seimaru turned away from the scene, and Misashi almost thought he saw a tear glistening in the boy's eyes...before Seimaru blinked and it was gone. "I am not a fool, Uncle. And do not think that this means we will become allied. I am not Grandfather. Keep that in mind."

And with that he was gone, cloak billowing out across the grass as he headed back to the main house.

Misashi swallowed hard.

_Seimaru is not foolish, after all. He understands that Father's death means problems for him, not just the accession to a new position of power and influence. He knows that the death must be investigated and that he must be approved by the Council both as Father's successor and as the new Gotei Shinigami for Seventh District. He knows those things and until they are settled, he will not act against me. But it is coming. It will come - it must. And that means...I have a limited amount of time._

He glanced back down at his Father's bloodsoaked corpse.  
_  
If he assigned me to investigate this, he does not suspect me of Father's murder. And I doubt many others will, considering that he was my last shield against Seimaru's full wrath. But then, to trust it to me...implies that Seimaru himself was not involved. Truly, I think it shocked him - I have never seen him look that way before. He was Father's chosen - he clung to Father in the absence of his own, so of course it would have been a shock. And for a time, perhaps, that shock will not fully wear off._

_I must use this time wisely - and do what I can for Sumire and Eiraki before I cannot do anything else. Probably I won't leave District Seven alive - so while I investigate Father's death, I must also investigate their means of escape. District Seven and the Endou-ke are doomed...and I do not want them here when the hammer begins to fall._

"Misashi-sama!"

Raiden's tones brought him out of his reverie and he turned, seeing the two senior noblemen hurrying across the grass towards him. Their shunpo was clumsy and inaccurate, Misashi knew, and both men were red-faced, sweat streaming down their broad faces at the uncharacteristic physical effort.

He nodded curtly to acknowledge their arrival, then turned back to the ravine, shifting his body through the atmosphere and landing down in the dried river bed at the side of his father's body. The sentry shinigami stepped back automatically to allow him access, and Misashi found himself unfettered as he squatted cautiously at the old man's side.

For a moment he crouched there, not touching the corpse, but simply absorbing everything he could about his father's final resting place.

There was something in the air, he reflected, something faint and indistinct yet something that bothered him nonetheless. There had been reiatsu released here – Shouichi's own was still lingering around the silver of the discarded Hijirobaya, yet it was fragmented and unlike its usual condensed aura. He paused to hover a hand over Hijirobaya's blade more closely, trying to discern whether the weapon had been released or not, but try as he might he could not pin-point any of the key signatures that indicated a shikai attack. Perhaps _reiryoku_ had surged through the weapon as Shouichi had died, he reflected heavily…but whatever had happened here, the old man had not released his _zanpakutou_.

Misashi turned his attention back to the corpse, taking in the blood spattered across the fine fabrics of his father's clothing. He was not wearing the white Gotei _haori _of District Seven, and so the scene was not as vividly gory as it might otherwise have been, for the browns and deep reds of the Endou livery soaked up the worst of the seeping liquid. Yet despite this small mercy Misashi was not fooled. Shouichi's body was injured – his clothing torn and his flesh shredded to ribbons on the sharp rocks against which his corpse now rested. He glanced up at the overhanging river bank, and then back down once more. Was it a far enough fall to kill a man? Somehow Misashi found it hard to believe, yet all of the evidence indicated that it was true.

_Father came here for a reason – without speaking to anyone. And once here, he fell…and lay here until a serving wench found him – probably on an errand to the village._

His brows knitted together.

_An odd sequence of events at the best of times. Yet I can see no other that fits._

He scooped up Hijirobaya, aware that its spiritual aura was already breaking down and that soon it would be no more than a brittle metal memento of the old Lord's long and blood-stained career.

_And if you did not release this – your partner in crime for so long – then how can I believe you were threatened here? You would not be so careless as to fall…but even so…you did not fight?_

"Misashi-sama?" Jinkei joined him at that moment, and Misashi turned.

"Is the Lord truly…beyond our help?" Jinkei's face was haggard and pale, and Misashi slowly nodded his head.

"My Father has left this world." He said soberly. "By what means Seimaru-sama has charged me to discover. I will do so, Jinkei-dono. You may trust my word on that."

"Was it…did someone…" Jinkei hesitated, and Misashi sighed, setting Hijirobaya down at his side.

"Father did not release his _zanpakutou._" He said quietly. "It's unthinkable that he would face an enemy or assassin without calling Hijirobaya to his side. I can only assume that he did not fight, Jinkei-dono. And that this – odd as it appears – was some form of accident that we don't yet understand."

"But…a man like Shouichi-sama…" Jinkei hesitated, clearly shaken, and Misashi nodded.

"We are all fallible, it seems. Even him." He said sadly. "We must now do as befits us as Endou Clansmen – as we honoured Mother, so we must honour Father. And so we must pledge our allegiance – to the man that is Father's chosen heir."

"Would that that man were you." Raiden's words were soft-spoken, and Misashi started, swinging around to stare at the old man in dismay. At his reaction, Raiden nodded, spreading his hands.

"I will honour Shouichi-sama's wishes. I will do as he asked me as an Endou should." He said gravely. "But Seimaru-sama is young yet and does not understand so many things. I fear for this Clan, Misashi-sama. Would that it were you to claim in his stead…then we could all rest a little more easily."

Misashi was silent for a moment, then he shook his head.

"I am not a Shinigami. I am merely Father's younger son and I have no claim to this Clan." He said firmly. "I have acknowledged Seimaru-sama as Father's heir and I will abide by that – else Mother's ghost will come to haunt me and Father's no doubt too. I do not seek the Clan leadership – and you would both do well to remember that fact. Treason is a serious crime…and Seimaru-sama is not a forgiving soul."

"Perhaps. But I am old and I speak as I find." Raiden said frankly. "Still, if you say that, I will accept it and look to the young one with hope."

"Or perhaps, another young one." Jinkei murmured, and Misashi tensed, fear running through him at this soft-spoken suggestion.

"Have I not already made clear my position?" He said quietly. "I am Seimaru-sama's servant. To speak to me in such a way puts us all in danger unnecessarily."

"But your son still lives – does he not?" Raiden's eyes glittered with what Misashi could only interpret as hopeless desperation. "Your boy is exiled, but he still…he still lives?"

"Hirata is exiled. Therefore he is no longer a matter for the Endou council to consider." Misashi said stiffly. "I will say it once again and this time for the last time. Seimaru-sama is Father's heir. He is the only one to claim this land and we will _not_ contest him. I am sworn to accept him and I will do what I can to obey him."

"He will kill you, then." Raiden said abruptly, and Misashi sighed, the tension seeping out of his lean frame as he nodded.

"So be it." He said resignedly. "If that is his wish, I will not prevent it."

_Not so long as Hirata lives…if even a few months of my life sacrificed gives Hirata time to perfect his training, then I will give them willingly. He must be overlooked and forgotten if this Clan has any chance of recovery – for that reason, I must not show any connection to my son. And for that reason…I must do only as Seimaru commands me. I have not much time – I must try and use it well._

"Is that your true will, Misashi-sama?" Jinkei asked quietly, and Misashi nodded.

"What other will do I have than that of the Clan Leader?" he asked bitterly. "For now my duty is to investigate Father's death and that I will do to the utmost of my ability. This is an uncertain time for all – let us not make it more uncertain by whispering in shadows. If the Endou are to prevail, Seimaru-sama must have the support he needs to become head. If that does not happen…we are all finished. And I could not face my mother in death if I allowed such a thing to happen as that."

There was a moment of silence, as Raiden and Jinkei exchanged looks. Then, at length, Raiden sighed.

"It is understood." He said reluctantly. "I am sorry, Misashi-sama. We have spoken inappropriately and will not do so again."

"Then no more will be said." Misashi replied simply, turning his attention back to Shouichi's cooling corpse. "All that remains is to discover what truly happened here – and what, if anything, stole my father's final breath."

_

* * *

_

Seimaru banged shut the door of his own chamber, barring and locking it before sinking down onto his bed and burying his head in his hands.

A barrage of sensations flooded over him - guilt, despair, anxiety - then joy, triumph and relief all competing for dominance in his mind. They had engulfed him all at once as he had stared down at Shouichi's corpse - the terror of what he had done mingled with the realisation of the freedom he had now attained. How Keitarou had achieved it, he did not know. Nor did he care. It had happened...and yet, deep inside of him something lurched and span, making him feel almost queasy with the ebb and flow of his emotion.

He had not realised that he had felt affection for his Grandfather.

Even though Keitarou had told him to expect it, the shinigami's intrusion had taken him completely off guard. He had been numb, angry, disbelieving - they had all been real reactions, even though it had been on his command that the awful deed had been done. In his confusion he had found himself reaching out for the one stable element left in his immediate vicinity - the Uncle he had always reviled and yet the man who now seemed the only solid thing among a bevy of uncertainty.

Was he Clan Leader? Would they accept him? The Council, the Endou - would they know that he had chosen to end his Grandfather's life?

Yet he had been cautious. He had followed Keitarou's advice and had acted as an innocent man would act. His shock and grief were raw and painful, but their authenticity had helped offset any risk of suspicious behaviour. He was wrenched and broken inside, wishing that he had not had to see such a strong and brave Shinigami in such a crumpled, pitiful form on the ground. Yet in the same instant he was revitalised - knowing that from hereon in, there would be no barriers to his power.

He lay back on his blankets, staring up at the curling patterns that weaved across the ceiling.

Head of the Clan. Gotei representative. At last, after so long.

He closed his eyes as tears welled up in them, a fleeting image of his father darting across his vision.

He had not remembered Mibune in ages - yet now he tried to harness that brief visualisation, bringing slowly back into focus the man who had died too soon and left him as Shouichi's chosen heir. Mibune's face soon faded, however, to be replaced with Yayoi's wizened old one, and his eyes snapped open, a slow smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

_Well, you old bat. I outsmarted you after all. You're not here any more to dictate this Clan's movements, neither in body nor in spirit. Old folk should lie down and die quietly, and leave the decisions to the young ones that follow. This is my Clan now. No more harping on at the past. Grandfather is gone. Father is long gone. And I...I will be a different kind of Endou. I will make this family great again._

He dashed away the tears that still fell, his mind flitting to Misashi who he had left near their fallen kinsman.

_For now, I will be careful. For now, I will not act._

He pursed his lips, remembering Keitarou's counsel.

_I must trust him. Of all men he has given me what I have asked for time and time again, and I must not doubt in him now. For the time being, Uncle, I will not touch you. For the time being, I will rely on you to make it clear that Granfather's death was some kind of horrific accident. Aizen promised that there would be no trace leading back to me on the old man's corpse...and from what I saw, there was none. It looked as though he fell...Hijirobaya still sealed and at his side. An accident...a glorious accident...but an accident manipulated to serve my ends. You should not have betrayed the Urahara, Ojiisama. You should have realised their true potential - as I have done._

He frowned.

Had Shouichi known, then, in those last moments? What had he thought, before he had died...had he realised the extent of Seimaru's betrayal?

_But it doesn't matter. It's too late now for him to speak and share the things he may or may not have learnt. I don't know how Aizen achieved this, but whatever his means, they were thorough. All that remains is for me to hold it together and move forward with my claim. I can do that. I must, else all else has been in vain. And then, when I am secure...then..._

He closed his eyes again.

_Then I will no longer need my Uncle, or any of his kin. I will lure Hirata here, and then, when that is done, I will eliminate their bloodline completely. As Grandfather purged his kin two centuries ago...so I will purge mine and look to the future. This is my Clan now, after all. My Clan. And everything will now go according to my will._

_

* * *

_

"Tokutarou-sama! Tokutarou-sama, an urgent message!"

Tokutarou glanced up from his desk, surprise crossing his features as he registered his manservant in the doorway, his expression unusually harried as he performed his customary obeisance before the Clan leader.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, sir, and so late at night, but a message has been received from the borders and I thought you should know of it as soon as possible."

"Then come and relay it." Tokutarou set his brush down, gesturing for Yasuhiro to enter the study proper and shut the door behind him. "Though try not to be so loud – even an urgent message isn't justification for waking sleeping Clanswomen. Rae-hime retired to her quarters a half hour ago now, and Yoshiko-dono more than an hour. It's nearly the middle of the night – I do not wish to disturb them."

"My sincere apologies, Tokutarou-sama." Yasuhiro bowed once more, before coming to kneel before the desk. "I had not thought…but this news…it seemed of such importance that I sought…I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be as contrite as all that." Despite himself, Tokutarou smiled ruefully at his aide's guilty expression. "Raise your head and tell me what you've learnt. This is from your agents near the border, I trust? The ones who've been watching the refugees?"

"Yes, sir." Yasuhiro obediently glanced up, meeting his master's gaze with a clouded one of his own. "And it has yet to have fully official confirmation, yet I believe it all the same. The report was slipped to me via a border guard and the person who brought it to the border was the servant of Misashi-sama himself – the man who has crossed into your land in the past to convey messages to you directly. A man of District Eight birth – if you recall?"

"I do." Tokutarou's expression became grave. "Then this relates to the Urahara?"

"No, sir. Far worse, it seems." Yasuhiro shook his head. "For I have heard it reported and I believe the report…that Shouichi-sama has unexpectedly passed away."

"What?" Tokutarou only just remembered to follow his own advice about keeping the noise down, disbelief and alarm crossing his handsome features. "What do you mean, Yasuhiro – passed away? How? Why? By what means?"

"This is not known…but it seems some kind of accident befell him." Yasuhiro looked apprehensive. "My source believes that the Unohana have been summoned to examine the body, and no doubt to ascertain the truth. It seems they were sent for on Seimaru-sama's direct command, however…"

"You believe he may be complicit?"

"I believe a man like that, with so much to gain, would not summon the Unohana so swiftly unless he _was_ complicit." Yasuhiro said darkly, and Tokutarou nodded his head.

"I think the same. To cover his tracks." He agreed grimly. "And it may well work…if the reports you have heard are true."

He sighed, rubbing his temples as he tried to digest the information.

"If Shouichi-sama is dead, Seimaru has nothing holding him back. He will want to prove very firmly that he was not involved in his Grandfather's death." He said slowly. "And that process may take a little time. Possibly he was not involved…but if he was, he must be confident in that he's covered his tracks adequately to fool those around him."

"Misashi-sama's family are in danger of their lives, now." Yasuhiro murmured. "Shunsui-sama's young friend…probably among them."

"Yes. This information must go to District One immediately." Tokutarou made up his mind. "Even unauthenticated, it's a risk that we can't take. Genryuusai-sensei must know that there may be repercussions for the young Endou boy – and Shunsui too must know that he is to be careful in what he does. He and Seimaru have clashed in the past, after all."

He bit his lip, remembering the conversation with Kyouki in Inner Seireitei such a short time before.

_And Ukitake. If I tell Shunsui, surely he at least can help shield Ukitake. Someone must…since he is really in danger now. True danger, if Seimaru no longer has anything to hold him back._

"Summon a messenger, Yasuhiro, and send word to the Academy." He said at length. "It must be done immediately, regardless of the hour – you have my authority to drag a man from his bed if need be to take it. This can't wait. Even unsubstantiated…I suspect your source has told the truth. And if there's little time left…we need to act. I want you to have a message sent via Inner Seireitei to Kyouki-sama – through the official imperial channel so as it gets to her before the dawn. Take the Clan crest I trusted you with for emergencies and command them to charge the cost of using the toll passage to the Kyouraku estate – this cannot be delayed."

"Yes, sir. At once." Yasuhiro nodded. "I will see to it. And I will take the message to the Shiba-ke myself – they will admit me more quickly than a foreign messenger, after all."

"True." Tokutarou looked relieved. "Do that, then. But return as soon as you can, Yasuhiro. I have a feeling I will need you."

* * *

**_Author's Note: The Battle That Wasn't._**

_Where is the fight from the last chapter cliffhanger, I hear you ask?  
Well, to be honest, I never was going to write that._

_Keitarou's zanpakutou abilities are quite significant for the story to come and I'm revealing bits of it at a time so that it's not hugely spoilerish. However, from the events of this chapter, I hope it's clear that he's not someone who should be recklessly messed around with..._

_**Bankai**_

_Also, a quick reminder for the record. In my ancient Soul Society, only three members of the Council and three living Shinigami total are known to have Bankai. Keitarou is illegal so isn't counted in the official tally, but the only leaders in this ancient Gotei with Bankai are Genryuusai, Guren of the Kuchiki and Unohana Retsu. NONE of the others - including Shouichi - had/have reached that level of training. Byakuya makes clear in Canon that attaining Bankai is difficult and in my fic setting, training and the Academy and everything is at a basic, developmental stage. Therefore most of these Captains have not achieved Bankai...although it's probably true to say that of the Council, Kyouki is the one closest to attaining that goal._

_**Chapter is getting posted today (Friday) because I'm working tomorrow and don't know when I'll get a chance to stick it up - so...enjoy!**  
_


	34. Shockwaves

**Chapter Thirty Three: Shockwaves**

Hirata had been away a long time.

Juushirou's glance flitted towards the door of the Kidou classroom for the umpteenth time, anxiety in his hazel eyes as he tried to work out what had happened.

He had been back with his fellows only three or four days, and already he had fallen back into his normal routine, as if the days in Inner Seireitei had been a blur or a dream that he couldn't quite quantify in his own mind. The sword still remained in his dorm, as second year students were not permitted to carry weapons as a matter of course. Yet even when sometimes he wondered if he had imagined the whole thing, he felt the tiny tendril of awareness at the edge of his own - the growing consciousness of his still raw sword as it strengthened and grew around his steadying _reiryoku_.

In the meantime, however, he had a lot of work to do to keep up with his other studies. Genryuusai had summoned him the same evening he had returned and had made it clear to him that his sword prowess was only one small part of his overall education. As a result, Juushirou had thrown his attention once more into his class schedule, waiting for the opportunity he would get to hold his _zanpakutou_ again.

That day had also started in a normal, mundane kind of way, and when they had all entered the Kidou theory lesson they had been laughing and joking just as they always did. But within five minutes one of the senior students had come, speaking to Kazoe in low tones in such a way that made the expression of the Kidou sensei turn grave. The next moment he had turned to his students, instructing Hirata to stand and go with the senior to the Headmaster's office.

That had been almost an hour earlier.

Juushirou knew there were any number of reasons Hirata might have been summoned. But the look in Kazoe's eyes as he had issued the instruction had struck the young District boy particularly.

This wasn't just anything.

This was something _big_.

"Ukitake?"

Kazoe's voice cut through him at that moment and he started, colour rising in his cheeks as he met the instructor's quizzical gaze across the classroom.

"You don't seem to be paying much attention this morning." Kazoe continued quietly, tapping his rod pensively against his leg as he spoke. "That is unusual for you - are you, perhaps, feeling unwell?"

"N...no, sir." Juushirou scrambled to his feet, hurriedly shaking his head. "I'm sorry, sir. I just...I was worried about Hirata. And...that he hasn't come back, sir. That's all."

Kazoe's expression became sober, and he nodded.

"I see." He said softly. "Well, then if you've not been listening since Endou left the class, you will need to catch up on what you've overlooked. I'll expect you to write up the notes in your own time from one of your classmates - Kuchiki preferably."

"Yes, sir." Juushirou nodded. "But..."

"Then for the time being, since your thoughts are not here with your fellows, perhaps there's no point in your body being here either." Kazoe gestured towards the door of the classroom and a collective gasp went up from the surrounding students. "You're no use to any sensei in this frame of mind."

"But...Sensei...are you throwing Juushirou out?" Sora was startled. "Even though he's just worried about Hirata?...Sensei..."

"Kazoe-sensei, Ukitake is able to catch up from my notes, so please do not expel him from the lesson." Ryuu added, and a faint smile touched Kazoe's lips.

"I'm not expelling him from the class, though your concern does you both some credit." He said pragmatically. "I'm dismissing him so as he can go and wait for Endou. After all..."

There was a pause, and in that pause, Juushirou's heart constricted.

"I suspect you're the one he'll most like to see, once he's finished with the Headmaster."

"Sensei?" Shunsui's eyes widened. "Please...has something happened? To Hirata's family...in District Seven?"

"That is no business of any of yours." Kazoe shook his head, turning back to the blackboard. "And we will continue where we left off. Well, Ukitake? If you're going, go. Don't disrupt my lesson any longer - you're wasting all of our time as opposed to simply yours. One of your classmates will bring your belongings back to the dorm - I've no patience to wait for you to tidy before you depart."

"Yes sensei!" Juushirou reddened once more, bowing his head hastily towards the Kidou teacher. "Thank you. I promise I will write up the notes completely, and will know it all by next class. Thank you!"

With that he hurried from the room, allowing his senses to detect the familiar trace of Hirata's reiatsu as he slid the classroom door shut behind him.

He wasn't in the study any longer, he realised, but on the other side of the building- in the wing where the boys slept, and Juushirou realised that although he had been released from Genryuusai's attention, Hirata had consciously not returned to class.

His misgivings grew.

_Something has happened. I was right. There's no way Kazoe-sensei would have let me loose with so little argument otherwise._

He frowned, turning on his heel and hastening along the corridors to the big stairs that led to the dormitories. Stopping briefly to cough and catch his breath, he then took the steps two at a time, all the time focused on Hirata's reiatsu up ahead.

"Where are you going?"

A girl's voice made him freeze, his reiatsu prickling against his skin as he slowly turned to face the speaker.

She was one of the Seniors - Juushirou had seen her once or twice in the library and about the campus, but they had never spoken face to face before. Yet, as she met his gaze, her eyes widened with recognition and she clicked her tongue against her teeth, letting out a low chuckle.

"Well, well. If it isn't Gin-chan's pet project. Ukitake, isn't that right? The District Prodigy...or so I've heard you called?"

Juushirou stared at her, thrown totally off-guard by her approach, and at his bewilderment, she shook her head in amusement, stepping daintily across the hall towards him and pausing a bare foot or so in front of him. She was his height, he realised, and able to meet his gaze at the same level with her own piercing grey eyes.

"You don't speak?" She murmured. "I was under the impression you gave Gin-chan plenty of lip when he was training you. Or are you just struck speechless by encountering such a pretty girl at such a random moment?"

Her lips twitched once more into a playful smile.

"Well? You do speak the same language as us Clansfolk, I believe? At least try and put some words together - else I'll think you impossibly dull and I'll wonder why Gin-chan wasted so much time training you."

Juushirou swallowed hard, then,

"I'm sorry, Senpai. I don't know who Gin-chan is." He said slowly, and the girl let out a peal of tinkling laughter.

"Ah, well, that's because he doesn't like people calling him that." She said, completely unrepentant. "But I'm his cousin, so there are different rules in place for us. I mean Shirogane, of course. I'm right, aren't I? He was your _shishou_. And you _are_ Ukitake Juushirou - the brat from Sixth District who's showing up all your Clan classmates with your unnatural sword prowess?"

Juushirou blinked, then gathered his wits, hurriedly bowing his head towards her.

"I'm not trying to outclass anyone, Senpai. But yes, Ukitake is my name. And yes, Anideshi was training me...until I was called before the Council."

"Yes, I thought so." The girl looked pensive, reaching out pale fingers to touch his chin. Gently she turned Juushirou's face from one side to the other, and then she snorted.

"For some reason, Gin-chan likes you." She said at length. "I can't think why. You don't look so very exciting to me. And even if you _have_ summoned a _zanpakutou_ - well, in the end, all of you will do that if you're worth anything as students. Don't think that it makes you special, just because you were the first. In the end, the fastest isn't always the best. Remember that, all right?"

"Yes, Senpai." Juushirou looked surprised. "I understand. And I'm sorry if I've somehow given that impression of myself with my conduct since I came back to the Academy."

The girl chuckled, but her eyes had become harder.

"You should be in class." She said softly. "As a second year, you shouldn't be running around the halls as you please when I'm sure one or other of the instructors has business with you till the gong sounds."

"Yes, Senpai." Now Juushirou understood, and he nodded his head. "But Kazoe-sensei dismissed me from his class to run an errand."

"An errand?" The girl raised an eyebrow, and Juushirou nodded again.

"Yes. But I'm afraid it's a private errand." He said earnestly. "I'm sorry, Senpai, but I can't disclose it to you. I'm just told to go to my dormitory - and I am excused the remainder of my Kidou theory class on Kazoe-sensei's instruction."

The girl sighed, shrugging her shoulders and taking a step away from him.

"I'm not really interested in what second year student errands entail." She admitted. "I don't imagine you'd dare lie about Kazoe-sensei giving an instruction, though, considering the hell-fire he can bring down on a disobedient pupil should he choose to. So I suppose you're telling me the truth."

She tut-tutted.

"Pity. I had hoped I'd be able to have some fun with you. But if you're on an errand, I suppose not."

Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"I wanted to see your _zanpakutou_. I wanted to see why it is Gin-chan likes you so much." She admitted. "To the point that he'll defend you against other students' criticism. That's not like my cousin - so it got me curious. He seems to think you're going to be something special - so I wanted you to prove it. Even as a second year, I thought, you must have something to show for all this praise. Gin-chan doesn't praise anyone, usually. You realise that, I hope."

"Nagoya-senpai praised me?" Juushirou was surprised. "Really? To other seniors?"

"Since he returned to the school yesterday, he's been very dull." The girl sighed. "And he won't let anyone talk against you. He says Guren-sama has accepted you, and so have the Council. So anyone who says anything against you is slighting the Council of Elders and their judgement. It's not like him to care so much - so I wanted to see why."

She reached out a lazy hand, prodding him in the shoulder as though he was some kind of test specimen, and despite himself Juushirou could not help but flinch instinctively away from her touch.

"Never mind. Maybe later."

She flashed him a smile, shrugging her shoulders.

"By the way, I'm Meroka. Kuchiki Meroka." She added casually. "_You_ can call me Meroka-senpai. I'll allow that. After all, if Gin-chan approves of you, well, I suppose, so do I."

She winked, then was gone, leaving Juushirou staring after her.

_Sometimes the members of the Senior Class make absolutely no sense. _

He shook his head as if to clear it.

_But she's distracting me from what I should be doing, and that's making sure that Hirata is all right. I suppose I was lucky that I ran into a Senior who doesn't seem too bothered that I'm out of class. Some of them would probably haul me back and have to hear Kazoe-sensei say it for himself that I was excused...so I'll take that as a good thing and not linger here any longer._

He frowned.

_I wonder what Nagoya-senpai would say if he knew she was calling him Gin-chan out in public places. If Shunsui'd heard that, he'd have latched onto it right away. It's a good thing, in the end, that it's just me. I don't want Shunsui getting himself in trouble with the Senior class because of disrespect. Especially if what she says is true - and Nagoya-senpai has taken my part now._

At that moment he reached the door of the dorm and, pushing all thought of his_ zanpakutou_ training and _shishou_ from his head, he took a deep breath, sliding it back on its runners and stepping into the chamber beyond.

"Hirata?" He murmured, glancing around him for any sign of his classmate, but he could not see him. He frowned, pursing his lips.

"Hirata-kun, I know you're here. I can sense your reiatsu." He said softly. "Kazoe-sensei excused me from class so as I could come see you were all right. Are you going to hide from me now? I know you're using _kyakkou_ - but you don't need to. There's only me here - everyone else will be in Kidou theory for a good while yet, so we're quite alone."

As he finished his sentence, the atmosphere around Hirata's bed hazed and blurred slightly, and then Juushirou saw his classmate, blue eyes sombre behind his wide rimmed glasses.

"I'm sorry." Hirata looked apologetic. "I didn't want to speak to everyone. But I didn't mean to hide from you, Ukitake-kun. I suppose I've lost track of time - I thought maybe you'd all been dismissed."

He wasn't crying, Juushirou noted, but even so, he could sense the distress in the younger boy's aura, and he frowned, sinking down onto his own bed.

"Something's happened, hasn't it? In District Seven. That's why Sensei sent for you...to tell you some bad news."

"Yes." Hirata nodded, confirming Juushirou's worst fears in a heartbeat. "And I'm trying not to..."

He sighed, removing his glasses and setting them down beside him as he rubbed his eyes.

"Grandfather has passed away." He said quietly.

"Shouichi-sama?" Shock jolted through Juushirou's frail form, and he stared at his classmate in dismay. "But...that's not possible, surely? I saw him just a week ago!"

"Yes." Hirata agreed. "But it's been confirmed as true. Sensei received an urgent messenger last night from Tokutarou-sama who had received word from the border patrols between District Seven and Eight. By the time dawn broke, an official message had come from District Seven direct...from my Father...to announce Grandfather's passing."

He closed his eyes briefly.

"There is no doubt. Grandfather is dead."

Juushirou chewed on his lip.

"But...how?" He whispered, and Hirata shrugged his shoulders, misery in his pale blue gaze.

"Nobody is quite sure. He was in good health - and though he was aging, he wasn't truly old. Not by Clan standards." He said helplessly. "Father's message simply said there had been an accident and that the Unohana had been summoned to examine his body."

"An accident...?" Juushirou's eyes narrowed. "Or...murder?"

"There's not really such a thing as an accident in District Seven." Hirata said bitterly. "Without a doubt _somebody _killed him, Ukitake-kun. The question is who and why."

"Seimaru?" Fear flickered in Juushirou's gaze, and Hirata shrugged.

"Right now it's not clear." He said wearily. "He's the one with most to gain, but even so...it has to be proven if an assassination has taken place. The Endou are complicated in this kind of situation, Ukitake-kun. If two Clansfolk challenge each other to a battle, and it is witnessed, then the death of either party is considered a normal part of Clan hierarchy. My Uncle - Seimaru's father - he died in one such bout, and no action is ever taken against the victor since that is the Clan tradition. Survival of the strongest - and so on. Of course, the Head of the Clan can order the death of whoever he chooses. But for anyone else...and especially to kill the Clan's leader in a surrepticious, coward's way..."

He shook his head.

"If Seimaru did that, and was caught, he'd be set upon by the Endou council members en masse and probably killed." He concluded. "The Endou-ke would collapse, and the Council would have to step in. So..."

"So...perhaps it _was_ an accident?" Juushirou suggested, and Hirata spread his hands.

"The end result is the same." He said flatly. "The barrier between my family and Seimaru has completely crumbled away now. Maybe nothing has happened yet - but it's only a matter of time."

"Of course." Juushirou looked grave. "That's why you're so unsettled. Not because of Shouichi-sama dying, but..."

"Because it may well be enough to sign Father's death warrant." Hirata's voice shook a little now, and Juushirou was reminded of his friend's young years. "And as for Okaasama and Eiraki-chan...I...don't know."

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then,

"What did Sensei say to you? Can I ask?" He enquired, and Hirata nodded.

"He's forbidden me from leaving the school grounds without sufficient company between now and the end of term." He said softly. "He's afraid someone may try and infiltrate the District and cause me harm...but he's also afraid I might take it upon myself to flee home and try and do something to help my kin. He's forbidden me from doing anything of the sort - he's basically said if I break bounds here then I will not be allowed back. And right now..."

He clenched and unclenched his fists.

"I'm not strong enough to do anything of any use." He said, frustration clear in his normally soft tones. "I'm getting stronger, but it's too soon. I'm not ready, Ukitake-kun. I'm not ready!"

"You're also not alone." Juushirou got to his feet, sinking down at his friend's side and reaching out a reassuring hand to rest it on the boy's shoulder. "We're with you. All of us. And none of us will let you face anything on your own. You know that."

"No. This is an Endou disease. It's not something that anyone else should have to be tainted by." Hirata shook his head, and a faint smile touched Juushirou's lips.

"You want me to break my promises, then?" He asked lightly, and Hirata stared at him.

"Ukitake-kun?"

"Your Father asked me to help you if you needed help." Juushirou admitted. "And to back you up if the time came. I don't know how safe he felt his position was - or if he suspected something else was going on in District Seven. But as a Father he asked me to make sure you didn't have to face anything on your own. And I gave him my word, Hirata-kun. I'm your friend. Your ally. I was before and I am now."

His gaze flitted across to the sword that lay silent on the unit beside his bed.

"Sougyo and I both are." He said firmly. "I've made the promise, so even if you don't like it, that's how it is."

Hirata was silent for a moment, then a faint smile touched his lips.

"I suppose I know that you mean that." He murmured. "And I suppose...I'm actually relieved that you do. Because...I don't know what's going to happen now, Ukitake-kun. Or what...is going to happen in District Seven."

"Do you think Seimaru will send someone here to hurt you?" Juushirou questioned, and Hirata shrugged.

"Doubt it." He said honestly. "I'm out of his hair so long as I'm not in District Seven. Powerless, after all. He doesn't like that I'm out there, but if he killed me outside of Endou land he'd have awkward questions to answer with the Yamamoto-ke again. So no. I don't think so. But I think...this means I can never go home safely. So the only time I will go back...is...when I'm strong enough to fight. And that might be too late for my family."

Uncharacteristic resolution glittered in the pale blue eyes, and Juushirou sighed.

"You intend to face him, then, don't you?" He said quietly. "Seimaru, I mean. Your Father sent you here to train, but to train to fight Seimaru and take back the Clan. And you're going to do it, aren't you?"

Hirata swallowed hard.

"The idea terrifies me. Seimaru terrifies me." He whispered, and Juushirou heard his voice tremble again as the young boy struggled to get a hold of his emotions. "But that's why I'm here. It's the only reason I'm able to be with all of you instead of cowering in fear in my homeland. Father had faith in me, and I have to...I really have to live up to it. Somehow. There's no choice in it, Ukitake-kun. I _have_ to go back and face Seimaru eventually. And when I do, one of us will have to die. Otherwise..."

He broke off, unable to continue, and despite himself Juushirou hugged his younger classmate tightly.

"You won't be going alone." He said firmly, making up his mind. "All right?"

"Seimaru will kill you the moment he sees you." Hirata pulled back, shaking his head anxiously. "I don't want that, Ukitake-kun."

"I don't intend to let anyone kill me. Or you." Juushirou sat back against the wall, kicking his legs idly against the wooden bed supports. "I promised the Council as well, Hirata. That I would use Sougyo to uphold justice and all of those things. That's my duty now, not just my choice."

"But you're not a trained shinigami yet, even if you are a registered one." Hirata objected. "And Seimaru is strong."

"Yes. I know." Juushirou nodded. "And I don't intend on doing anything stupid or reckless, don't worry. But I'm here to back you up. That's all. Whatever help you need from me, I'll give. Okay?"

"Okay." Hirata sighed. "Thank you, Ukitake-kun. I only hope you don't regret getting involved with an Endou, in the end."

"You're my friend. That's as far as I see it." Juushirou grinned. "I help my friends. I don't care what family they come from. Keeping track of those kinds of things is unecessary, after all. I'm not Clan, so none of it matters to me at all."

Hirata was silent for a moment, then,

"Ukitake-kun, do you still have the letter?" He asked quietly. "The one I gave you for safe-keeping last year - the one that implicates the Endou in scientific research."

"Yes." Juushirou looked surprised. "Why, do you want it back?"

"No..no. Keep it, please." Hirata shook his head. "Just...if something happens to my family, I want...to know that it still exists. That...that Seimaru knows it does, too. And...and maybe knowing that will keep him from killing Father or Mother or Eiraki, because there are loose ends. I don't know what he's planning, or what will happen now. But...the investigation that must happen into Grandfather's death will take a little time. And...in that time...I want to get a message to District Seven. I want..."

He faltered, then,

"I want Seimaru to know that if he kills my people, I will bring the proof to light." He said softly. "I'm going to write to Midori-sama and ask her to send a message direct to District Seven, since I can't send one myself. It's all I can do - and it's a low technique. But Midori-sama has seen the letter and she knows its contents. And I only hid it to protect my immediate family from harm. If they come into danger...I will...ask you to give it back to me. And I will...give it to Sensei...and ask him to take it before the Council."

"You have thought about this already, haven't you?" Juushirou was suspicious. "This isn't just something you've devised on the spur of the moment. You've had that planned for a while."

"To survive the Endou, you have to be prepared." Hirata sighed heavily. "I didn't know when or if it would need to happen. But Midori-sama knows that if I send her a particular message, she's to send word to District Seven in that vein. She's my ally, after all. She's the only Clan leader in whom I have absolute faith - and I have to trust in her once again to help me, since I'm not able to help myself in any other way yet."

"I think you should send the message." Juushirou nodded. "The letter is safe, and if you need it, I will return it. It's hidden here at school, so as not to bring my family into trouble...and I change its hiding place sometimes, just in case. You needn't worry about it. It's quite secure with me."

"You and Kai-kun are the other people I trust completely." Hirata offered the District boy a tired smile. "Thank you, Ukitake-kun. I'm sorry to be such a burden."

"You're not and you never have been, so don't say stupid things." Juushirou said firmly. "So first things first. You should write that message to Midori-sama and get it sent off right away. And then all we can do is wait for more detailed word from District Seven. If Tokutarou-sama sent a message here first, he'll no doubt send Shunsui a message, too. It'll be across the school soon enough, so you better decide what you want to talk to the others about and what you don't. I'll go with whatever you want to say - but there's about a half hour till class is out so I'd get the letter written and that decided before the bell sounds."

Hirata nodded.

"I want to tell them the truth, minus the bits about me challenging Seimaru and about the letter you have and the one I'm going to send." He responded. "Because it will make people worry and I don't want that. Otherwise there's nothing that will be kept secret. You can decide whether you mention promising Father what you did - but maybe you shouldn't talk about it. Since it might give people bad ideas and turn you into a target, too."

"I already decided not to. Not even to Shunsui." Juushirou responded. "So that's all right."

He grinned, reaching over to pull some loose parchment from his pile of school books.

"Here. I'll donate the letter paper." He added. "Let's lay things down for Midori-sama and hope she can come to your aid once again."

* * *

"Thank you, Retsu-sama, for coming so quickly."

Misashi bowed his head, relief in his pale eyes as he greeted the Head of the Unohana Clan. Despite the chaos that still ruled in District Seven, somehow the sight of this young woman, with her calm, unruffled aura had helped to bring a little more focus to the confused nobility, and, as she returned his greeting with a grave one of her own, Misashi felt certain that her judgement was one in which he could trust.

"I am sorry to be here in such circumstances, but felt that it was better I came myself." She said now, her tones soft and melodious as she turned, white _haori_ fluttering behind her as they walked along the dark, cool passageways to the mausoleum where Shouichi's corpse currently lay. It had been sealed within an invisible barrier of kidou that Misashi had cast himself to prevent anyone tampering with the corpse's condition, and four loyal and experienced Endou retainers had flanked the bier on each side, ready to slash first and ask questions later if anyone should try and break into this secure place of reverence. Yet in all that time nobody but Misashi himself had approached the old man's cold body. Even Seimaru, whose grief had been so violent and contradictory had not set foot inside the stone chamber that had been the death-house of the Clan for generations of Endou going back almost to their first lord. Instead he had secluded himself in his study above stairs, poring through old records and documents with a fanaticism that Misashi could not but see as abnormal.

He sighed, running his fingers through his thick dark hair.

All of Seimaru's behaviour since the death of Shouichi had been abnormal, if he was honest about it. He had not attended meals, and had barked orders through the door of his workplace on two occasions, refusing to receive messengers into his own private chambers. He had been edgy and irritable, his reactions bordering on irrationality, and not for the first time Misashi had begun to wonder whether or not the shock had cost the young man his sanity. Once or twice Misashi had heard him talk about consulting his Grandfather's opinion on one or other decision that had not been able to wait, and though he had told nobody, Misashi also knew of one conversation Seimaru had apparently held with thin air, as though talking with the ghost of the dead old man.

Yet there was madness and there was guilt.

Misashi shook his head as if to clear it.

All of the Endou were some-way mad, in his opinion. Seimaru's current behaviour had made him more like the long-dead Mibune, but it did not prove Shouichi's blood was on the young heir's hands. On the contrary, the more eccentric his actions, the more Misashi doubted that he could have pulled off a plot intricate and complex enough to end the life of a man who had been ruthless and uncompromising to the last. Shouichi had not been a man to give trust easily, even to those who worked closest around him, and try as he might, Misashi had not been able to think of a scenario by which Seimaru could have outsmarted his far more intelligent Grandfather.

Shouichi's death remained a mystery, and a mystery that had begun to haunt Misashi in the three days since the discovery of the body.

As they stepped into the cool death-house, Retsu waved her hand gently in front of her, dispersing the kidou barrier with barely a thought as she cast her companion an apologetic smile.

"I hope you forgive me - but I will need to look most closely at Shouichi-sama's corpse." She said softly, and Misashi nodded.

"I understand." He agreed, turning to the retainers who stood to attention, awaiting his command.

"You are dismissed from this place until you are summoned to return." He said quietly. "Only Seimaru-sama's orders override these I give you."

He flicked his hand in the direction of the nearest.

"You should go to Seimaru-sama directly and tell him that Unohana-sama has arrived to examine Shouichi-sama's mortal remains." He added, ignoring the trepidation that glittered in the young man's gaze at his instruction. "If he wishes to attend the examination, that is at his pleasure...but he should at least be aware that such a thing is happening. The rest of you return to your original posts and await further commands."

"Yes, sir." Despite any migivings, the officers saluted, withdrawing from the chamber and leaving Misashi and Retsu alone with the silent form of the old man. He was still clad in his usual fine attire, ripped and blooded though it was, and the folorn flapping of the edges of his desecrated Gotei _haori _made Misashi suddenly feel a surge of emotion well up inside of him. He closed his eyes briefly, forcing it back.

"Please, Retsu-sama. Whatever you need, you have our consent." He said quietly, and Retsu nodded.

"Thank you." She answered soberly, kneeling gracefully down beside the bier and putting her fingers gently to Shouichi's brow. She pursed her lips, nodding.

"Three days of dessication of the Lord's spiritual aura is in keeping with what you told me when you sent the message." She reflected. "I believe his death was probably not long before he was discovered. After three or four days a corpse seldom retains any spiritual energy that can be easily recogniseable and read...but Shouichi-sama's reiatsu is still at least some part intact. He died quickly, I think. I do not believe he suffered too greatly."

"Then that is a mercy at least." Misashi sighed, leaning up against one of the carved stone pillars as he watched the young woman carefully unfasten the folds of Shouichi's _haori_ and then loosen the collar of the red and brown silk _hakamashita_. She paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing as if absorbing some tiny clue that he had overlooked, and then she sighed, slowly shaking her head.

"You found his _zanpakutou _at the scene also, I think?" She asked softly, and Misashi nodded.

"Yes, we did."

"If I could see it also, please?"

"Of course." Misashi nodded, moving across to scoop it up from the stone plinth that had become its makeshift coffin during the interim days. He held it out, and Retsu hovered her hand over the blade, concentration glittering in her gentle eyes. At length she nodded, offering him a smile.

"Thank you. That s all I needed. You may return it to its sleep now."

"All right." Misashi did so, then, as curiosity got the better of him, "May I ask...why you needed to see Hijirobaya? The sword wasn't released...at least...we don't believe so."

"The _zanpakutou_ automatically re-seals itself upon loss of consciousness or, as in this case, loss of life." Retsu said quietly. "Many swords that are closely bound to their masters also begin to break down and disintegrate into spiritual ether when the one who wields them dies a natural death. For example, had Shouichi-sama reached the natural end of his long and fruitful life, I would expect to see Hijirobaya disintegrating also...breaking down as Shouichi-sama's reiatsu also breaks down after death."

"But the sword is still intact." Misashi frowned. "Meaning that...whatever did happen to Father, he didn't die of simple old age? There's no way that...his body's failure could have caused him to stumble and fall?"

"I did not expect to find it so." Retsu admitted. "Five and a half centuries is not a great age for one of Shouichi-sama's spiritual calibre, despite his physical aging, and I had not detected any reason to concern myself with his health the last time that I saw him at a full Council meeting. Only I did not attend the last session - so wanted to see if anything could have changed in the interim time."

She sighed, a regretful look entering her gaze.

"I am sorry to say that this was not such a death." She said at length. "Although you know it, I think, I have to confirm that fear. What brought about Shouichi-sama's demise was not the natural end of his life. Hijirobaya might have acted as his last witness in this regard. However, the sword is dead - it no longer has even the faintest spiritual pulse. I have seen swords severed from their masters who have retained malformed spiritual aura and even broken consciousnesses - but this is not the case here. I had hoped perhaps, given that the blade remained so complete, a clue to the last moments of its master may have been imprinted in its aura. But there is nothing. Shouichi-sama's bond with Hijirobaya was too great."

She lowered her hands, looking pensive.

"It also rules out suicide as an option in his death." She said evenly. "I have seen severed and malformed swords in cases of violent death of all kinds before - especially when the death is sudden. I have also read of them many times in my family's records. But I have _never _encountered a self-inflicted death in which the sword has not retained some spiritual power. A Shinigami who takes his or her own life seals themselves from their sword so that the sword's spirit cannot rebel against their wishes. It was not Shouichi-sama's wish to die. He and Hijirobaya were killed together - unexpectedly, by an unknown force."

"Murder?" Misashi's face paled and he could barely whisper the word. Retsu shook her head.

"A violent and sudden death does not have to be murder, Misashi-sama." She said evenly. "In fact, I would prefer you did not assume such things until I have completed all areas of my investigation. Accidents do happen, even to Shinigami. Please, reserve judgement until I have done."

"I'm sorry." Misashi bowed his head. "I know you're right. Just...here...in this District, accidental death is...not usual."

"Perhaps that is so. But it does not mean it should be prematurely ruled out." Retsu said matter of factly, and Misashi carefully watched her unfastening his father's upper clothing, laying the blood-caked fabrics back so that the old man's muscular chest was revealed. As she did so, she tut-tutted, running her finger against the uneven, torn surface of the skin.

"He fell on sharp rocks, I believe?" She asked lightly, and Misashi nodded.

"So far as we could ascertain. His body was found in an old, dry river bed - and it appeared as though maybe he'd fallen about twelve feet onto the sharp stones below."

"These stones were blooded too, then?" Retsu asked, and Misashi sighed.

"They were." He confirmed. "When we lifted Father's body, it became clear a couple of them had broken through his skin and there was quite a lot of blood at the scene."

"More than that." Retsu said sadly. "A couple of these wounds are deep. The rocks are particularly sharp, you said?"

"Yes, Retsu-sama."

"And raised up from the ground? You said a river-bed, so I assume an uneven surface?"

"Yes."

"I may need to visit this place before I give my final verdict." Retsu looked thoughtful. "But from a simple overview, I would say that these wounds are consistant with falling on rocks such as those you describe. Though they are not sharp enough in themselves to pierce a vital organ, I can feel that a couple of Shouichi's ribs are fractured quite seriously. And if a rock did not kill him - his own bone may have done."

"There is no other wound?" Misashi asked anxiously, and Retsu offered him a faint smile.

"Should there be?" She asked him lightly. "I find nothing here that does not tally with what you have already told me. More than that, yet, I cannot say. We will need to do further investigation to make sure there was nothing intoxicating his system, for example, and that there was no other injury that may have been hidden by the rocks. But...if the rocks were bloody as you say they were, I think it likely he was alive when he fell onto them...and dead when he had done so. If he had not been, his heart would not have pumped and blood would not have flowed out onto the river bed or onto his clothing. And had he been living, he would have doubtless moved himself in search of some kind of help - even if that movement was base and feeble."

She indicated the wounds.

"They are rough wounds, but not torn. They do not suggest Shouichi-sama made any movement once he had landed on the river bed." She concluded. "Therefore that is where he most likely died. And, as I said before, I believe it was a quick death."

She bent to examine his still gloved hands, then sighed.

"Although...even so, I would have expected him to put his hands out to try and steady such a fall. His gloves are dirty but not ripped...which suggests they did not touch the ground until after his torso did. That is strange to me...not impossible, but still...strange."

She sat back, eying Misashi thoughtfully.

"I must explore all avenues. There are no members of the household that cannot be accounted for during this time?"

"We were all in session, at a meeting Father himself had called." Misashi shook his head. "Seimaru was disagreeing with some of the other Clan members about certain regulations, and we were discussing taxes. Then one of the low ranking officers of Father's squad burst in to announce the finding of the corpse. Everyone of rank was in that room."

"Everyone?" Retsu pressed, and Misashi sighed.

"Everyone except my son, if that is what you wish to ask." He said bitterly. "Hirata wasn't there, of course. And no women or children were present - but in the Endou, no women nor children possess even the slightest bit of spiritual training that would enable them to face Father, let alone engineer his death. I believe they can be written out of it, and as for Hirata..."

"Hirata is in District One." Retsu said calmly. "I was not trying to cast aspersions on your missing son, Misashi-sama - as I have seen him more recently than you, and I know that Genryuusai-sama keeps a very close eye on his progress. Even if he had been of the mind to slaughter his Grandfather, he would have neither means nor opportunity."

"Oh." Misashi sighed, rubbing his temples. "Then my apologies. It's just...been a frenetic few days."

"I should also speak to Seimaru-sama." Retsu reflected, and Misashi grimaced.

"You can try, but the whole business has shaken him a little from his wits." He owned. "He assigned me to this duty, which is proof enough he isn't thinking straight. He's wanted me dead for a long time - instead he's left all of the investigation work to my care and retreated into his own little shell. I don't know what he's been doing - reading records, but with no apparent reason behind it, and avoiding public events. I have never seen him like this. I begin to think he was fond of Grandfather - and I didn't think it possible for him to be fond of anyone at all."

"Grief is a heavy burden and affects all in different ways." Retsu said sagely. "But, if I may say so, his logic in assigning the duty to you is sound. He cannot be accused of influencing the investigation if he is actively not involved."

She got to her feet, absently dusting imaginary specks of grime from her clothing.

"His behaviour implies that he too is now in fear of his life." She added. "To hide himself from his fellows suggests he hides from his Grandfather's killer - and also therefore that he too believes Shouichi-sama died at someone else's hands. However..."

She paused, meeting Misashi's gaze with a serious one of her own.

"So far I cannot see any indication of any foul play." She said gravely. "I must do further tests, but as it stands, Shouichi-sama's demise seems to be accidental. Unless he was somehow poisoned...and by an unknown hand...I must speak to Seimaru-sama and find out what his fears are. If he is afraid someone will kill him, perhaps he can shed light on the matter a little more clearly."

"He would suspect me of plotting against him, and Hirata by association." Misashi said frankly. "There is no love lost between our branches of the family. But I am sworn by my word to my late mother to uphold Seimaru-sama's claim and that is what I've decided to do. I had nothing to gain from Father's death, and everything to lose. But even so - even hating Seimaru as much as I do - I don't believe he did this. His reaction was unnatural - I don't believe him capable of that level of deception."

"Then it is, perhaps, an accidental death after all." Retsu responded evenly. "Or after providing every Clansman with an alibi, do you still think it unlikely?"

Misashi pursed his lips.

"I can't imagine how terrifying an enemy would have to be to be able to slay my Father without him being able to even reach for and release his sword." He said softly. "Such a profile fits nobody that I know of within District Seven...in fact, only a very few individuals in Seireitei could even consider taking such an act. And I do not suspect this to be the deed of someone from outside of Seventh District. In which case...in which case..."

His gaze flitted back to the silent corpse.

"I find it hard to believe Father died by accident." He said helplessly. "But even harder to imagine the kind of foe who could have struck him down. The only Shinigami in Seventh District who has any kind of spiritual presence other than Father is Seimaru-sama. And Seimaru-sama was with me. With all of us. Far from where the incident occurred."

"Then that seems to seal his innocence." Retsu smiled. "I'm quite glad of it. I dislike the idea of one Clansman murdering another over power and greed."

She tilted her head on one side.

"I should like to go speak to Seimaru-sama now, if I may." She said frankly. "And console him a little in his grief. Then, if you don't mind, I would like to see the place where the body was found. In the meantime, my kinsfolk will take samples and begin the testing process for illicit substances."

She paused, then,

"You can rest assured, Misashi-sama, that we will be entirely thorough in our full investigation."

* * *

"I thought the bell was never going to sound."

As the remaining members of Class Three left the Kidou chamber, Shunsui let out his breath in a rush, a look of consternation in his dark brown eyes. "Time seems to creep by when you want to be somewhere else...and I swear I wanted to be the moment Juu left the classroom. I wonder if Hirata's okay...and more, what's happened to make Kazoe suddenly lenient like that."

"Whatever it is, it's a big deal." Sora said emphatically. "And something out of the blue, since otherwise I'm sure that I'd have heard about it from Okaasama or Otousama already. Although..."

"They might've felt it was better you didn't get that memo." Kai pointed out grimly. "Some Clan matters are better not shared, Sora...trust me on that one."

"What do you think then, Shihouin?" Sora turned quizzical green eyes on her classmate. "You think it's a big deal too, obviously - what kind of big deal that Hirata got hauled out of class like he did and none of the rest of us know a thing? We _all _knew all about the Shihouin-ke's issues last year...but this..."

"The Endou aren't the Shihouin." Kai said frankly. "And that was different. Aitori was involved. Tomoyuki was involved. Nee-sama was involved. In contrast..."

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Hirata's the only Endou in District One." He said at length. "Stands to reason he'd be the first to know - and till then, everyone else kept their mouths shut."

"But do you think someone's been hurt?" Mitsuki looked anxious, and Kai nodded.

"Almost certainly." He agreed darkly. "We're talking about_ that _Clan, after all."

"I'm afraid of that too." Shunsui nodded. "Knowing that things there have been a little tentative ever since his Gran died. Although Shouichi-sama supposedly had it in check, he could easily turn on them at a moment's notice. So...I'm with Kai."

"Where do you suppose Ukitake and Hirata went to?" Enishi wondered. "Is the kid still with Genryuusai-sensei, or...?"

"They are in the boy's dorm." Ryuu said categorically. "And that is where we should head to, also. After all, whatever that Clan does...Hirata is separate from it and we should reassure him of our support."

"If you reassure him in the way you did me, Kuchiki, I'd stay here." Kai put in wryly, and Ryuu sent him a derisive look.

"That doesn't even merit an answer." He said at length. "Well? Are we going upstairs?"

"Mitsuki and I are Hirata's friends too." Sora objected, as they stepped out into the school grounds, autumn leaves scattered against the fading colours of the late summer blossoms and rain-soaked grass. "We can't go into the boy's dorm - what about _our_ support?"

"Probably right now Juu is as much as he needs." Shunsui admitted. "But even so...I think we should do as Ryuu said. I don't like this. I don't like it at all. There's always something subversive going on in Seventh, and now..."

"Well, it looks as though you have a chance to find out more." Kai cut across him at that moment, gesturing across the grounds towards the main school building. "It looks like you have a visitor...or at least, _someone_ does."

"Tokutarou-nii." Sora's cheeks flushed pink, and she bit her lip, glancing at Shunsui as she did so. "I...I guess Mitsuki and I should leave you to talk to him, then. If he's come here...he probably...needs to speak to you and...well...we'd be in the way."

"Sora-chan?" Mitsuki sent her friend a startled look, and Shunsui offered the Shiba a rueful grin.

"You haven't spoken to him, have you, since the news of his engagement came through?" He observed, and Sora's cheeks deepened in colour as she shook her head.

"I'm not sure how." She admitted. "I want to congratulate him, but I don't know if I can yet. Even though I knew it had to come and...and that it's not a bad thing. But...I'm not ready to face it head on yet, that's all. So...so Mitsuki and I will go...somewhere else. Maybe we could go to see Unohana-sensei, and see if we can help out in the Healing Bay for a while."

"Retsu-sama isn't here." Mitsuki shook her head. "One of her assistants told me she'd been summoned away to some Clan business, and wouldn't be back till the end of the week."

"Wouldn't you know it." Sora sighed. "Well, all right. We'll do something, then. You'll come with me? And Shunsui, you'll tell Hirata when you see him...that we're behind him too?"

"Consider it done." Shunsui nodded. "And I'll give Nii-sama your best wishes, too."

Sora shot him a rueful grimace before nodding her head, grabbing Mitsuki by the hand and pulling her away across the field.

"What was that about?" Enishi looked non-plussed, and Shunsui sighed.

"Sora's rather fonder of my brother than is good for her." He said sadly. "And even though she's known forever that things would end up this way...I guess it's harder to accept the actuality of it quite so quickly."

He shrugged.

"Let it alone, okay? It's not fair on her otherwise."

"Shunsui!"

Before any of the others could comment, the tall figure of the Kyouraku Clan head came striding across the grass, a mixture of relief and preoccupation in his dark eyes.

"Genryuusai-sensei said you should just be finished with your class. I hope you don't mind that I came to look for you." He seemed harried, Shunsui decided, and something about this added to the growing sense of unease that was curling up inside of him.

"I don't." he said now. "But I am surprised to see you here. I didn't expect a visit...to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"No pleasure, I'm afraid." Tokutarou said grimly. "I came to speak to you about something...which may or may not have a wider implication for a lot of people. Us included. Perhaps us in particular."

Shunsui's gaze clouded.

"Tokutarou-nii, what's happened in District Seven?" He asked softly, and Tokutarou started, staring at him in surprise.

"How did you..."

"Hirata was hoicked out of class this morning, and Juushirou sent after him." Shunsui explained. "And we were heading up to find them, but we all know it...something's happened over there, and...we want to know what it is."

Tokutarou sighed, his gaze flitting between the four remaining members of Class Three. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"You will all know soon enough." He said gravely. "Clan children all will, no matter where they are."

"Something bad has occurred, Tokutarou-sama?" Ryuu asked softly, and Tokutarou's gaze rested on the young nobleman for a moment.

"A Kuchiki...you must be Ryuu-kun." He observed, and Ryuu nodded. "Then your people will no doubt be sending you notice also, so I suppose it does no harm for me to mention it."

His gaze drifted to Kai, then Enishi.

"Shihouin Kai...and a Yamamoto. Enishi-kun, I suppose." He murmured. "Very well. I will tell you what I can."

"If my family will also be acting, then it is a severe matter indeed." Ryuu's brow had creased at this. "It almost makes me suspect...that someone has died."

"Indeed someone has." Tokutarou said grimly. "The most grave death of all in any Clan's eyes. The death of the Head himself."

"Shouichi-sama?" Kai's eyes widened in dismay, and Tokutarou nodded.

"Just so."

"But how? That's ridiculous!" Kai shook his head in disbelief. "He can't be dead. I won't believe...a war-horse like that, with such a reputation...how..."

He faltered, and Shunsui rested a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"The only one protecting Hirata's family is dead." He said quietly. "If Nii-sama says it, it's true. All we can do about it is what Ryuu-kun already said - be Hirata's support."

He glanced at Tokutarou.

"Is there anything else? Any news on how he died...or...on Hirata's own family?"

"Very little, except that it was Misashi-dono who sent me the official notice of Shouichi-sama's death." Tokutarou shook his head. "It seems he's done likewise for all the Clansfolk I've spoken to, and an emergency Council session was called yesterday to discuss it."

"Then you think it's murder." Ryuu's eyes narrowed, and Tokutarou shrugged.

"To say such things would be speculative." He chided softly. "But all angles must be investigated. When a Clan head dies...it's always the same."

"True enough." Enishi looked grave. "Though it's possible that he just died of age. He was an old man, after all. The oldest Clan elder. There's no reason to bring suspicion into it, Kuchiki. Not when we don't know. False allegations are dangerous - we should steer clear of them until we know the facts."

Tokutarou nodded.

"Precisely the view the Council takes." He agreed. "Retsu-sama of the Unohana is investigating with her Clan and will do so thoroughly. Then, if all is well, the Endou will be able to name their next leader. And..."

"That means Seimaru will wear the _haori._" Shunsui said softly. Tokutarou nodded, clamping his hands down on his brother's shoulders.

"Don't you go getting yourself involved." He said urgently. "Seimaru already knows you, and your young District friend. I'd like to think neither one of you were in his firing line at any point, no matter how this ends."

He turned to offer an apologetic smile to the other boys.

"If you don't mind, I also wish to speak to my brother alone." He said softly. "Hirata probably needs you more than Shunsui at present - I won't keep him too long, I promise."

"We understand. We'll go." Kai nodded. "Thank you for telling us the truth, Tokutarou-sama. Houjou, Kuchiki - let's go find Ukitake and the kid...and see what's what with them."

Shunsui saw displeasure surface in Ryuu's grey eyes, but for once the Kuchiki did not object, and once they were alone, Shunsui shot Tokutarou a quizzical look.

"What of Hirata's family...?" He asked carefully, and Tokutarou shook his head.

"Heed what I say." He said quietly. "This is a Council matter. And I will do all that is needed of District Eight. You stay here...and keep Juushirou close by, too."

"We're coming towards the end of term, though. What am I supposed to do, tell him that he's not allowed to go home?" Shunsui demanded. "Don't be silly, Nii-sama. You know I can't do that."

"I'm already working on that idea." Tokutarou said simply. "I plan to marry Rae-hime as soon as can be arranged - this news has brought such things closer, since the stability of my line must be without doubt if I'm to entertain a neighbour who might just choose to invade on a whim. Therefore I intend to hold the ceremony this winter."

"I beg your pardon?" Shunsui stared at his brother as though the older man had gone mad, and Tokutarou sighed.

"I have told Juushirou that he should consider our Clan kin among the Noble Houses, where he has none of his own to speak for him." He said softly. "His family also offered you hospitality that I have not yet returned. I intend to rectify that matter and ensuring his safety by suggesting he spend the winter with us in District Eight. After all, you will want friends of your own at the wedding - won't you? And..."

"It's a convenient smokescreen for what is, in fact, a plot to protect him." Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "I see. But he'll probably see through it, you know. He's not foolish."

"Perhaps not, but I doubt he has the ill-manners to refuse an invite to a wedding." Tokutarou said wearily. "Besides, he and I have already somewhat discussed the idea when he was in Inner Seireitei, so it won't be totally new to him. Please, Shunsui - support me in this. I want to keep him safe and you safe - and it worries me, what may happen in District Seven from now."

"I wasn't planning on defying you." Shunsui assured him. "But it will look...strange. Won't it? If you invite a District boy to your wedding out of the blue...?"

"Yes. Which is why I intend to invite all of your Class to attend." Tokutarou said simply. "Since they are young Clansfolk and your social equals and associates, it seems prudent. And...many of them will not have a safe passage home if District Seven becomes more dangerous than it's already been. I'm looking at worst case scenarios, but Shunsui, I believe Shouichi-sama was murdered. And whatever managed that feat is still at large somewhere in that District. Therefore nobody is going to want their children to travel through uneasy territory when they could become hostages, or worse."

"The Kuchiki already take that view." Shunsui acknowledged. "All right. I suppose there is some sanity in your madness. But...you're serious, aren't you? If Shouichi-sama was killed...do you think Seimaru...?"

"He benefits, though how he could have managed it still foxes me." Tokutarou admitted. "Even so, though, knowing that young man's mind...I think it impossible this wasn't somehow by his hand. And...most likely...done in such a way that guilt can't be attached to him. He's acted cautiously so far...and in that time, we must be prepared for anything."

"And Hirata's family?" Shunsui persisted. Tokutarou offered a faint smile.

"I told you before that if it came to that point and they needed sanctuary, I would open my borders and accept them." He said evenly. "I can't advertise such a thing in a public arena, but I will keep my promise. However, that is all I can do. You know that. My influence stretches only to the borders of District Eight."

"But if that happened...the wedding would be a good cover for people coming and going to our home." Shunsui pursed his lips. "All right. Then I'll go along with whatever you decide to use as your reasoning. A lot of Clans will probably be uneasy if Seimaru succeeds...so I doubt anyone will contest your suggestion. A wedding is an innocent event, after all."

"Yes. If only that were true." Tokutarou rubbed his temples. "All right. I must go. But bear in mind everything I've said, Shunsui. I don't want you or that District boy in danger. District Eight is safe - our borders are fortified and we have the Shiba as allies should that ever change. Leave things to the Council Elders. We will see that all is done correctly."

"Nii-sama..." For a moment Shunsui considered telling him about his conversation with Irie, and the Aizen family connection that he had researched the day he had made Tensonshin react to his touch. Then he frowned, shaking his head.

"No...it doesn't matter."

"Shunsui?" Tokutarou eyed him curiously. "Are you sure?"

"It's fine." Shunsui assured him. "It may...be something. But right now I'm not sure...how it all clicks together."

"Does this have something to do with the information you gleaned from the refugees?" Tokutarou asked softly, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Perhaps." He owned. "I was just wondering...whether or not the one who eliminated Shouichi-sama might...be someone the Council was also concerned about."

"Urahara Keitarou, you mean." Tokutarou's gaze darkened, and Shunsui nodded.

"Yes."

"I had thought of it, too." Tokutarou admitted. "But to raise that...would imply that Seimaru was in league with the Urahara exiles. Otherwise why would the assassination have been conducted so secretively and with so little evidence at the scene? If it was simply a symbolic murder by the remaining scientists, they would want it known about, I imagine."

He shook his head.

"No, I can't raise that thought anywhere but with you and with Kyouki-sama, yet." He said regretfully. "But I have it in mind, little brother. Don't worry."

Shunsui sighed.

"All right." He said at length. "Just because it bothers me. That...someone could be strong enough to kill a Clan Head out of the blue like that. And that if...there is someone...we need to know where he is. Before...something else happens."

"Agreed." Tokutarou nodded. "Which is why the Council will not rest until this Urahara Keitarou is in chains and under interrogation. And in the meantime..."

He trailed off, glancing up at the sun.

"I must ride from here." He concluded. "I have a lot of things to organise and arrange, not least to send a formal message to the Ukitake family requesting that I take their son from them this winter."

"His siblings will miss him." Shunsui reflected. "Juu's birthday is in the winter, after all."

"Then I will have to hope his kin understand." Tokutarou sighed. "Because allowing him to travel through District Seven is an absolute no. Until we know how things are going to go, nobody should be taking risks."

"Why do I feel as though there was a hidden message in that aimed at me?" Shunsui asked lightly, and Tokutarou shrugged.

"If you read it that way, then take note of it." He suggested, but his eyes were grave. "You're not an adult yet, but it's a matter of months before you are, and this winter I will make it clear that I consider you enough of age to be considered such. Once you officially reach twenty, Shunsui, you will not be able to escape official Clan designation as my heir and successor in District Eight. Even if it is only in the interim – even if I had children with Rae-hime, in the time that child takes to grow up anything may happen. I'm preparing for the worst even while hoping for the best. I'm not a Shinigami of Seimaru's calibre and never will be – anything might happen. And if it does…even if I did have an heir other than you, the Clan…"

"Would still look to me in the case of a minority." Shunsui's expression darkened. "I know. I understand. And I want to tell you you shouldn't say those things or even think them, but I know I can't and so I won't. We none of us know now what's going to come next. None of us."

He sighed.

"You can trust me, you know." He added resignedly. "I don't like the shackles, but I'm fond of you and I won't let you down."

"I think I know that more now than I ever have." Tokutarou admitted, relief in his gaze. "And I'm glad of it, Shunsui. And I know it's not something I can hurry you with, but if…in the next year, if you…your sword…"

"Ah. That." Shunsui pursed his lips, then, "I guess its as you say. It's not something that can be hurried. But…now Juu has summoned his, I don't want to lag too far behind. I'll do my best, Nii-sama. You don't need to worry about that."

He tilted his head on one side.

"Which reminds me, I've also a favour to ask you that relates to Juu's _zanpakutou_."

"A favour?" Tokutarou was startled, and Shunsui nodded.

"It might seem frivolous, in light of the conversation, but even so, while I think of it…" He paused, then, "I promised Juu I'd buy Sougyo no Kotowari's first scabbard. And I mean to keep my word. Partly because he's my friend and there's no way he could find funds for the kind of sheath that would last holding a weapon with that level of reiatsu. But partly also because…I don't know…Sougyo is symbolic to me. And it's a symbol I want to be a part of. If that makes sense."

Tokutarou's eyes became solemn with comprehension and he smiled slightly.

"You want me to commission the people who sheathed my sword to craft one for Juushirou's?" He asked softly, and Shunsui nodded.

"If you don't mind. It can be charged to my personal allowance." He agreed. "I intend to be the one to pay for it. But the craftsmen are better for this in District Eight and if he's coming to us this winter…I can give it to him properly then. Right now he has the sword swaddled in blankets like it's a baby or something – I think it'd be better all round if we did something about it."

Tokutarou nodded.

"That's simple enough to arrange." He agreed. "Send me a letter with Sougyo's exact dimensions and so on and I'll pass it to Yasuhiro to arrange. He's very efficient when it comes to swords and such like – it'll be ready by the time term ends."

"Thank you." Shunsui smiled. "Then at least there'll be something positive to talk about when we reach District Eight. A wedding it might be, but there's too much cloaked in shadow for my liking and the sooner everything settles down the better."

"I agree with you." Tokutarou sighed. "We can just hope...that the Council can keep abreast of everything and…settling the matters in District Seven end without further bloodshed."

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**  
_Thank you for those people who've already voted in my profile page poll. If anyone has time to stop and cast a vote, I'd be grateful xD It's all author research, ya know! xD_

_In other news, Third Chronicle has reached Chapter Fifty Eight on my flash disk. I think we're looking at about sixty-ish chapters overall which means...we have only just hit the half way point on FFnet O.o. I did say it was going to be a long one, didn't I...?? *phew*_


	35. Prodigal Hime

**Chapter Thirty Four: Prodigal Hime**

So everything was still in chaos around the main house of the Endou Clan.

Keitarou allowed himself a faint smile as he stood in the silent valley, gazing up at the grey stone fortress that overshadowed the end of the winding pathway.

So far everything was going exactly as he had anticipated it.

When he had left the main enclosure that morning, it had been a pacing, agitated Seimaru that had barked at him his orders, going over and over the same few petty details as if the young noble had somehow lost all his confidence in the scheme they had begun to orchestrate together. Yet Keitarou had not been perturbed. On the contrary, in fact, Seimaru's reaction had amused him.

He slipped his fingers into his _obi,_ pulling out a ceramic vial and removing the stopper, tipping it reflectively upside-down so that a single drop of greenish liquid fell onto the grass. It sizzled for a brief moment, and as the strands of grass yellowed beneath its touch, Keitarou let out a low chuckle.

_A dilute hallucinogenic to make Seimaru act as though his wits were lost from grief. Nothing permanent, just enough to throw that spying uncle of his off his trail. Although I had no idea it would make him quite so paranoid and irrational with quite such a tiny amount. I suppose it is true what they say - that innate insanity cannot easily breed its way out of noble lineages._

He pursed his lips, remembering Seimaru's father.

_Well, perhaps he's his father's son, after all. Still, that's no bad thing. I don't suppose that a few drops of this solution will make him permanently unhinged. It was a good thought - to lace his drink with it before the meeting with the Endou council. Not even his worst enemy could suspect of murder a man who reacts that violently in grief._

He re-stoppered the vial, sliding it back into its hiding place. Without its influence, he knew, Seimaru's thought-patterns and rationality would slowly return to normal. But the effect had been achieved and the scientist in Keitarou had been fascinated by it. He could control the new lord's mercurial temper by drugs even of this nature - what kind of puppet would he have when administering _reidoku_?

He bit back his impatience, knowing there was a long way to go yet before he reached that stage. Even though the _reidoku_ was at what he considered a useable level, he still needed to snare his test subject, and that more than anything was his reason for travelling so far from his usual safe ground.

_To gain possession of the Shinigami from the Districts, I need a satisfactory lure. To lure, I need a believable smokescreen. And to do that...I come here. To Hokujou. To elicit the aid of one who even Seimaru had forgotten about...an ally in the shadows, just as I am...and one, I hope, whose Clan instincts I can appeal to._

He pursed his lips, gauging the tall, unforgiving walls that flanked the outer perimeter of his destination, each one topped with a sharp metal spike that was rusty enough in colour to suggest that it had once been adorned by the severed heads of unfortunate traitors to the Endou family. He had never been here before, but he had heard the name over the years. Most often it was spoken of in hushed whispers, and more recently barely at all - since even mentioning the name of its sole incumbant had been enough to court disfavour with Shouichi and his late wife. Keitarou had always assumed that its reputation was brought about by fear of Yayoi's harsh policy on justice and retribution.

But now he was here, he realised that it had not been an exaggeration. Unlike the area he had spent most of the last century, this remote northern point of District Seven was bleak and isolated, the plains wind-swept and the trees thin and spindly as they struggled against the strong tempests that often wracked this site. Even today, a faint mist had stirred from the swampy lakes and fens that made much of the land thick and unprofitable when it came to the toil of local peasants, and somehow that only added to the harshness of the location.

Yes, he mused, as he gazed up at the gloomy grey monstrosity that loomed before him. This was indeed the legendary Hokujou, the castle that none of the family had visited in almost three decades.

None, that is, except one.

The castle's principle inhabitant.

Keitarou's smile widened and he set off up the path, feeling the cool metal of his _tantou_ knife against his skin as he gauged how easy it would be to break into the castle unseen. He was already shielded from outside view with _kyakkou_, yet although he was sure he could kill any who challenged him, he did not want to make it seem as though suspicious events had occurred in this otherwise peaceful place. He had come on an errand of negotiation, after all. An errand which might seal or break his ambition - and would put the next step of his ultimate plan firmly into motion.

As he reached the castle walls, he was aware of a slender figure standing at the window of one of the uppermost chambers, and even from this distance he could detect the conflicting emotions in her aura. A mixture of frustration and anticipation laced the air between them, and Keitarou allowed himself a soft chuckle, realising that he had judged the situation perfectly once again.

Of all the Endou in District Seven, this was one he felt sure would acquiesce to his demands. And more, that he would find in her an ally with a slick, conniving mind.

Focusing his energy, he forced himself into shunpo, slipping through the gaps in the castle's spiritual defences and into the belly of the structure itself. It was laid out like a rabbit warren, yet with that familiar reiatsu to guide him Keitarou did not make a single wrong turn, reaching the top corridor within a short few minutes. There was nobody on duty up here, even though the official orders had been to guard the chamber night and day, and Keitarou realised that the news of the leader's unexpected death had sent even this place into something of a tailspin. With nothing as it should be, those who should be doing their duty had become fearful, unsure whether they would be punished or praised for carrying out the harsh orders of the previous incumbant.

Wise men indeed, considering the mercurial moods of the Endou-ke.

Keitarou grimaced.

_And in this case most particularly. After all, Shouichi ordered her imprisonment here on the old woman's instruction...and none has ever dare contest it. Not since she faced down the Lady Yayoi and was stripped of her rights and position as a result. But she is still an Endou, and a lady of status. And, perhaps most importantly of all - the mother of Shouichi's chosen heir._

He paused outside the door, remembering the events one by one as he did so.

Although as a mere scientist he had not been party to all of the Clan intricacies, he knew that Riku was notoriously unpopular among those who currently held administrative sway over Seventh District. Exiled to the castle almost thirty years earlier after a dispute with the late lady Yayoi had turned sour, she had been imprisoned as befitted her rank - with every luxury she could ever ask for except the freedom to move from this remote location. She had given birth to her only son here within four months of her confinement, and had seen him taken from her within hours of his drawing his first breaths. Keitarou had seen it - the bond between mother and child when Irie had first birthed Tenichi then Ketsui, and he understood that this separation had been another of Yayoi's cruel and punishing tactics. Yet he also hoped it would have stirred bitterness inside the imprisoned princess - a bitterness he could use to his advantage. Yayoi had always spoken disparagingly of Riku's family and connections, but Keitarou knew that this had been largely for the benefit of enforcing her own authority, and that Riku's bloodline was as pure and as high-born as the old woman's own had been.

Riku was the only daughter of Shouichi's murdered sister - and, knowing how the Endou Clan were, Keitarou was under no illusions as to who had had the family's blood on their hands. Riku had been the sole survivor of a massacre during a time of war and bloodshed which had seen Shouichi and Yayoi consolidate their stranglehold on the dynasty - and she had never forgotten this fact, even though so many years had passed. The marriage with Mibune had been an experiment in establishing an olive branch, yet Mibune's mental mood swings had made him weak and occasionally subject to manipulation and persuasion. Keitarou's lip curled at this thought - just like he controlled Seimaru's ambition, so Riku had driven Mibune's. And even once she had been locked away, the damage had never really been healed.

For her intelligence and manipulation, Riku had always been considered dangerous. Keitarou suspected that it had only been a matter of time before Yayoi had found a reason to lock her hated daughter-in-law away. She had never been allowed even the briefest opportunity to establish contact with her son, Yayoi fearing that she would extend her influence over Mibune to the young boy also and create a state of Endou civil war. However, even though her name was never spoken of in the administrative council that now governed District Seven, she was far from dead.

On the contrary, she was very much alive - strong and resiliant and well known for intimidating the retainers who were sent to guard her.

Like Yayoi had been, she was a woman of Endou blood who knew her own mind. Unlike Yayoi, she had pushed one step too far and paid the price for it when she had gone up against the formidable matriarch and attempted to force her hand. She had wanted Yayoi to discard and disinherit Misashi and his family, frightened that his superior spiritual strength would one day surpass her own husband's...and although she was forbidden contact with her son, Keitarou suspected her maternal ambition burned as strongly and as proudly as it ever had.

At least, he was counting on that being the case.

Putting his hands to the door, he found to his surprise and faint amusement that it was unlocked, surmising that although she was meant to stay confined in her room, the lady had managed to gain a few perks in her long residence at Hokujou. He slid it back, stepping into the chamber and breaking his kidou spell, bowing his head towards her as she turned to face him with a look of surprise on her clever features.

For a moment neither spoke. Then, as Keitarou shut the door behind him, Riku let out a soft peal of laughter.

"Well. Have I sunk so low now that base Urahara exiles come to pay me visits out of sympathy for my plight?"

Her tones were low and rich with irony, and despite himself, Keitarou raised his gaze.

"My apologies, Riku-sama. I mean no offence by my sudden appearance." He said evenly. "But...even now you remember who I am? Your memory is strong indeed - it's been at least thirty years since last we met."

"You were my father-in-law's chief scientist, living in his underground world and doing his bidding." Riku raised a lazy hand, gesturing for him to take a seat by the window. "And now he is dead and you come to see me. I assume there is a connection?"

She smiled, toying with the lace-edged hankerchief that was wound absently between her fingers.

"If you expect me to grieve for him, you've come a long way for no reason at all. I have no affection for my father in law. Or sorrow at his passing."

"I didn't come to offer condolences or to pity your position, Riku-sama." Keitarou shook his head. "And I'm assuming by the way your room has been left unattended that your retainers themselves are unsure of how now to act."

"My retainers." Riku scoffed. "Such retainers. You mean my gaolers, Urahara. And say so. I don't believe in beating around the bush. Not after so long in this soul-destroying prison...there isn't an inch of this place or a man here who I do not know in tedious detail. You can avoid dancing around the subject and come straight to the point. Why are you here? Who sent you? Was it my son? Or are you here on another errand...one that benefits you perhaps more than anyone else?"

"You are as ever a wise lady." Despite himself Keitarou chuckled. "No wonder Yayoi-sama confined you here. You _were_ a threat to her, and she knew it."

"She did." Riku nodded. "Her imprisoning me was the highest compliment that old witch ever paid me - knowing that she could not execute a lady of high birth without justification. Particularly not one who was to birth a Clan heir."

A humourless smile touched her lips.

"She said, once, that she wished I had been a man. Then she could have ordered me dead." She added reflectively. "But as a woman, she could not give that order. And as a woman, I could not be so easily put to death. It is an intriguing loophole, Urahara - that in this world of blood and valour, the womenfolk of the Endou are considered puppets at best, useless at worst. And that means...we cannot be truly culpable of our crimes."

Her eyes darkened, glittering with malice.

"But I would have killed her, had I had the chance." She murmured. "And she knew it. So she sent me here. She was never fooled...and so she won."

She glanced at him.

"Sit, if you mean to speak with me. You've travelled a good distance - obviously you have much to say."

"You call me Urahara." Keitarou sank down on one of the proffered cushions with a nod of gratitude. "I wonder why, when everyone else has called me by my mother's name since I was four."

"I speak as I find." Riku said simply. "You were born Urahara. Like me, you were born high. Like me, you fell against circumstances that left you disadvantaged. I acknowledge you, even if your clan don't. I consider you base, because you are Urahara, not Endou. But even so, you are still Clan."

"Your logic entertains me." Keitarou chuckled. "Very well. From you I will consider it a compliment, then, and raise no further complaint."

Riku's eyes narrowed.

"Did my son send you?" She said softly, and Keitarou shook his head.

"No. But he does know of my coming here." He responded. "It was agreed...as part of a greater scheme. That I would speak to you and...in his words...ask you to remain tight and out of the trouble until things quiet down."

"I see." Delight glittered in Riku's gaze. "So my son had something to do with my father in law's untimely death after all! Oh, when the news reached me, I had hoped...but to think that Seimaru has reached such a level of prowess! As a mother...I am proud. More proud than I ever have been...that my boy has managed to reach through and grab what was due him, even despite the drawbacks."

"Yes. With my help, he has taken action. And I will see him succeed, since he has stood by me when all others did not." Keitarou said soberly. "We are allies, and without his support I am a dead man, so you can trust me in all I say to you. I speak with his will here...and I ask for your assistance."

"Assistance?" Riku was surprised. "But you just said...he wants me to remain here?"

"He does. For now." Keitarou nodded. "Overturning your imprisonment will take time, after all - and he has yet to win over the Council of Elders to his claim or establish that he was not responsible for a crime in which he obviously has guilt. However, there is another way you can help me..."

He smiled, reaching up to touch his sandy brown hair.

"I am an Urahara, but not the same as my kinsfolk." He added. "I intend on staining my hair black, so as not to stand out as much as I do even now. When I do that, Riku-sama, I will rely on your help in one small way."

"In what way?" Riku looked suspicious, and Keitarou shrugged.

"To secure your son's claim to the District, he needs allies. And he needs me." He said frankly. "He knows it and so do I. Just as I need him. Yet I can't move freely at present. My name is known as a scientist, even though most of the Endou council have never seen my face. If I could pass myself off as Endou...as somehow distant kin to your line..."

He trailed off, and Riku snorted.

"You wish me to lie and fabricate a blood connection to you, in order that you can further support my son?" She asked archly, and Keitarou nodded.

"Yes." He agreed.

"And why, pray, would you want to become an Endou?" Riku asked bitterly. "It brings you no good fortune, to be connected to this Clan."

"Because I intend to marry Eiraki-hime." Keitarou offered a benign smile. "And I cannot do so as an Urahara."

"Marry my niece?" This took Riku off guard and she stared at him, unable to believe her ears. "Do you seek to advance my son or yourself alone, Urahara? Why would you want to marry that child?"

"Because she is weak and gullible. And because she can legitimise my position." Keitarou said frankly. "Seimaru-sama intends to kill his Uncle, his Aunt and his cousins both. I won't prevent him from acting on that impulse, not when everything is stable. But for the time being, there are loose ends. Seimaru cannot gain the trust of that family. There is no way for him to breach that gap enough to lure the prodigal son back to the fold - and there is evidence in that boy's hands which could bring the downfall of all of us. But...however...if suddenly the persecuted were to have an ally...a surprising new ally in the turmoil...and so I might be able to exploit options that he himself cannot."

He shrugged.

"And a match to a man of your kin will make the Endou only look to his intention of repatriating his honoured mother to the centre of the Clan." He added, bowing his head towards Riku in acknowledgement of her status. "It will not be seen in any other light. Contrary to the truth, the Clan do not realise how clever your Lord son is. They will not perceive the true intricacies of his plan...until it is far, far too late to do anything about it."

He smiled, and Riku let out an appreciative peal of laughter.

"My son has chosen to use you wisely, hasn't he?" She mused. "He's given you his trust and you've given him the opportunity to do as my father in law did - eliminate his competition and rule supreme. You speak of that worm of a brat, Hirata...don't you? The child who apparently has power to dwarf Seimaru's, but yet..."

She sighed, shaking her head in frustration.

"I never met the child, so I do not know." She said impatiently. "But from the reports I hear, I cannot believe him to be any challenge for my boy. If Seimaru can lure him back to the centre of District Seven, he can eliminate all of his opposition in one fell swoop, without that tiresome Council of Elders involving themselves."

"Indeed." Keitarou smiled. "And as I am a virtual unknown, I am better placed to gain Eiraki-hime's childish trust than Seimaru-sama will ever be. Of the Endou currently at the main house, only Seimaru-sama himself has seen me enough to recognise me on sight. Perhaps Misashi-dono may recognise me, if he thought about it, but even so, that doesn't concern me greatly. Seimaru-sama wishes to imprison Misashi-dono when he has an opportunity - from that point on, with my hair stained to black I should be able to pass quite easily among the nobles of District Seven as an Endou myself. The only others who might identify me are either dead...or - on the off-chance Hirata-dono may know my face - in exile. All other Urahara who worked in the research facility are also killed - and only Shouichi-sama and Mibune-sama ever worked with me as closely as Seimaru-sama does now."

He eyed her quizzically.

"So? Will you help me, then, Riku-sama?"

Riku eyed him for a moment, then she moved across the room towards him, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"When I married Mibune, I was an orphan and a ward of that tiresome witch and her pathetic husband." She said softly. "My parents were both killed in battle, and their siblings likewise. Most had no children...most, but not all. I am not ignorant to the causes of those deaths. For a long, long time I have resented it - but had no opportunity to act in revenge. However..."

Her eyes became slits.

"You are suggesting that my son can kill all those who despised me and rule supreme in the way my husband should have done, if he had survived." She whispered. "And as a mother, such a concept tempts me. Seimaru is my son - of course he is strong and wise and resolute, too. As you do, I have always known it - that he would, somehow, be the one."

She eyed Keitarou thoughtfully for a moment, then,

"Of course, if you wanted me to be thorough, it would require a little time on my part." She said softly. "Although the massacre of so much of my family leaves few living witnesses to claim to the contrary, it also means finding a connection that makes sense will require me to do some reading. Time is something of which I have plenty - but even for Seimaru's sake, you can't simply turn up and expect me to answer your demands straight away."

"Then you are considering my demands all the same." Keitarou's expression glittered with triumph and relief. "And you are thinking it over, Riku-sama - the possibility of making me your kin."

"You are not my kin." Riku said bluntly. "Except in the way that all Urahara are - a base connection of once mixed bloods. A facade and a deception is one thing, but you should not believe in it too deeply. It is a means to an end. You are not Endou, after all."

"Yet you would sully your Clan and accept such a facade?" Keitarou pressed. "And even swear to it, if it meant supporting your son to his end goals?"

Riku smiled coolly.

"Seimaru is the only reason I haven't lost my wits in this place." She said quietly. "Believing in him and what he can achieve. For his sake, you have my cooperation. I will use the endless time I have at my disposal and I will find you what you seek. Somewhere in the blooded archives of this Clan, there must be some line to which you could hope to be descended, even though so many were killed when Shouichi became Head of the Clan. It left a void - and any surviving relics of these families then became disconnected and separated."

"I hoped such a thing would work to my advantage." Keitarou admitted, and Riku nodded.

"You are sly. It suits you." She agreed. "It's meant that even now you live, despite all those who seek your death. But it's not my business what you or your clansfolk may have done here. My only interest is my son's success. So long as it's for his sake...I will not speak against you."

Her eyes hardened.

"But you understand, Urahara? It goes both ways. I know you, and I know what you truly are. If you betray Seimaru, I will act in other ways. And you may think me an imprisoned damsel but believe me...I am not as feeble as I seem."

"Then it is as well that I don't seek to betray Seimaru-sama, since I have no spiritual training nor sword abilities with which to defend myself." Keitarou said lightly. "Thank you, Riku-sama. Your kindness is appreciated, and your discretion also."

He bowed his head, then,

"I will return then, to speak to you in a few days." He suggested, and Riku smiled, no warmth in her expression.

"I will be ready for you." She agreed. "Come the same way as you have come today. The guards fear me, and are unsettled by the change. They will not stop you."

"If you wanted to, I believe you could leave this place." Keitarou observed, and Riku laughed.

"I will do so when my son bids me." She said simply. "I will not create trouble for him, after all. I am his ally, just as you are. He was a baby when we were separated...and in those years Mibune never managed to slip his mother's noose and bring him to see me. We are strangers of no more than a few hours acquaintance - I do not even know whether it is I or Mibune he more resembles in face. Our position remains political - and so, as the rest of the Clan do, I will stay here and await his commands."

Keitarou smiled.

"Then I will continue to work hard to achieve all of your son's aims." He assured her. "And, in time, I hope to see you walk once more free to see his ultimate triumph over District Seven."

* * *

So the reply had come.

Hirata settled himself in the secluded alcove at the back of the Academy library, setting the small wooden box down in front of him on the desk and brushing his fingers against the engraved surface. It was cut from ebony, carved deep with the distinctive moon and other symbols that identified it as having come from District Two, yet on the top right corner was another mark – small, crude, yet unmistakeable the shape of a hunting bird's claw.

Hirata knew that this was a message – a secret sign to him from his shadow guardians in the Shihouin-ke that the box did not just contain word from Midori-sama but also – and his heart clenched at the thought – a communication from his family in District Seven.

Whether Genryuusai knew of this secret code or not, Hirata was unsure. Yet the seal on the box had not been broken, and no attempt had been made to infiltrate it on its way to the student pigeonholes. Midori had chosen to send it in such a formal way so as any tampering would be immediately visible to any who chose to inspect it, yet even though Hirata's eyesight was not perfect, he could tell that Midori's characteristic style of fastening had not been disturbed.

_So whatever was in it when she gave it to her messenger, it's inside now. And the claw means there's something from home…so the fewer people who see me read it the better._

He had chosen his place carefully, for he was hidden behind two piles of dusty old books and even the senior on duty had barely spared him a glance as he had slipped in through the rearmost door. Using Kidou inside the library was strictly forbidden, and even with his skill at _kyakkou_ he felt certain that summoning his reiatsu to cast the spell would do nothing but draw attention towards his corner of the large, high-ceilinged study chamber.

He was not a student who generally stood out, he reminded himself ruefully, and at times like this it paid off, for nobody would suspect the quiet, bespectacled youngest member of the Second Year to be receiving contraband communication - flagrantly breaking not only school rules but also District One's current laws.

_But I need to know that they're all right. And Midori-sama's the only one I can trust to find out for me. So even if Sensei is cross with me – it's something I have to do._

With this resolution still burning in his heart, Hirata unfastened Midori's seal, loosening the lid of the black box and, at last, lifting it to reveal its hidden contents.

At first glance they seemed trivial and unremarkable, just a single sheet of paper written in Midori's familiar hand and marked once more with the Shihouin crest. It contained no word about the Endou or even District Seven, but Hirata had not spent a year with the Shihouin for nothing. Setting this aside, he examined the inside of the box, running his fingers carefully along the inner lining of the wood as he tried to detect a change or discrepancy in the way it had been put together. Though his eyes were not precise enough even with his glasses to see a hairline split between panels of carefully locked together ebony, his fingers were a different matter, and after about twenty minutes of careful exploration, he found what he had been looking for.

The gap was barely a millimetre in width, concealed by the natural grain of the wood, and Hirata suspected that only someone trained to understand Shihouin secrecy would ever perceive it to be there. Some further manipulation and the wood slipped back, revealing a tray beneath and, as Hirata's heart caught in his chest, a further folded sheet of _washi _paper.

This one was not marked with the Shihouin crest, nor with any other – yet as Hirata's trembling fingers drew it out, he could immediately discern the hand which had written the two characters of his name across the folded side.

"Otousama." He whispered, setting the note down on the desk as though it was made of gold. A quick glance at the senior on duty told him that she was engrossed with another student's blatant attempts at flirting with her, and his resolve hardened, hunching down further behind his books as slowly and carefully he began to unfold it.

The letter was not long – barely covering one side - but it was unmistakeably written by Misashi himself, in a hurried yet stable hand.

"_My son_,"

It read, and Hirata's heart clenched again as the young boy realised how much he missed his father.

"_Midori-sama's communication reached us, and though it did not mention you, I felt sure you were somehow involved. The news you know is confirmed – your Grandfather is dead. The Unohana have ruled it an unexplained accident. There are still questions without answers but for now they must remain. I do not suspect Seimaru's hand, though many would think I should. I have chaired the investigation – and while Father's death is still some way a mystery, I am both comforted and satisfied by Retsu-sama's findings._

_Seimaru has not moved against us yet and Eiraki and your mother are well. He will not be sworn into the Council until the close of this month, and the Gotei ceremony is two days after. Seimaru talks of betrothing Eiraki to a kinsman of his mother. I have concerns about this, but Eiraki has given her consent and though we have yet to meet the man, at least I do not believe they will be wed until Eiraki is at least sixteen. Seimaru's focus seems more on his upcoming inauguration and on preventing the Council poking too far into Endou interests than it does on wreaking pain. I understand Midori-sama's communication is part of the reason, though he has not explicitly told me what the letter contained. Still, if it has kept him from acting against any of us, that is enough. I will work to keep below his anger. He will soon be recognised as Lord of the Endou and I will not challenge him._

_I will keep the peace and buy you as much time as I can – even if it is short time, for I do not think this uneasy calm will last forever. But until you are ready, you must not come here. Continue working hard and achieving all I know you can. The future of the Endou may lie with you – for the present, we all do what we must to survive. But you may consider this as a final comfort. As things are now, all is well._

_I cannot write more, as I am concealing this alongside my written report for Seimaru's inspection. I will convey it to Midori-sama via my District Eight manservant who is the only man in Endou colours I currently trust. I trust the Shihouin Princess also, and so must you. We remain deeply in her family's debt and I pray one day to be able to repay her._

_With my love and hope that we will meet again,_

_Your father, Endou Misashi_."

Hirata set the paper down on the desk, tears glittering in his pale eyes as he struggled with his emotions.

It had been hard, being away from home for the first time, and even harder when he had realised he would not be soon going back. Yet Misashi's last line struck him most deeply of all.

"With my love and hope that we will meet again."

Softly he murmured it out loud, knowing all too well the implications it hid.

_Father believes that Seimaru will turn on him and sooner rather than later. Maybe Eiraki believes it too – perhaps that's why she's consented to a betrothal with a man she's never seen. Father said he'd buy me time – but at what cost? All is not well, Otousama. I'm too old now to be fooled by pretty words. I've seen how the world works far too clearly – all is never well when dealing with District Seven._

"Yo."

Kai's voice from behind him caused him to start, swinging around and hastily bringing his arm over the letter as he knocked a few of the books down with a crash from their precarious position. Several people turned to stare their way, and Hirata flushed red with dismay and embarrassment, even as Kai let out an amused chuckle, dropping down on the edge of his desk with a grin.

"You weren't concentrating. I got you that time. My win, Hirata. You lose."

"We're at school, not in District Two. We're not doing stealth exercises and I'm trying to read my mail." Hirata glared at him, the tears momentarily stayed by his sudden burst of indignation. "This is the library, Kai-kun – and you've created a disturbance!"

"That's from Nee-sama." Kai ignored the boy's complaint, reaching over to touch the lid of the open box. As his finger brushed against it, he paused, eyes narrowing as he turned back to examine Hirata more closely.

"She sent you something, didn't she." His words were soft now, so soft that even Hirata could barely hear them. "Something illicit. Something you're not meant to receive. Something…from…_there._"

There was no need for Kai to specify what 'there' was, and Hirata's eyes became stubborn, his arm still mostly covering the tell-tale letter from view.

He did not reply, and Kai arched an eyebrow.

"No answer is as good as yes when your body language tells me you've something you're hiding." He said lightly. "This isn't a good place to talk, perhaps – but I know you, kid. You're not fooling me at all."

"This is a library, Shihouin. Not a social club."

The arch tones of the senior on duty cut through their conversation now and Hirata's eyes widened as he realised she was heading over towards them. Hurriedly he grabbed two of the books, pulling them over his letter and sending Kai an accusatory glare as the pretty Kuchiki student approached them.

"Shihouin…Kai, isn't it?" She asked softly, and Kai grimaced, nodding his head.

"Sorry, Kuchiki-senpai. I'm sure I didn't mean to offend your hearing with my presence." He said ruefully.

The Senior bristled, then turned her attention to Hirata, pointedly ignoring the Shihouin boy's sarcasm.

"Is he bothering you?" She asked lightly.

"No more than usual." Hirata muttered, and Kai glared at him.

"Hey!"

"Wait. I know you." Meroka pursed her lips. "Yes, that's right, I do."

She grinned, her severe face suddenly transforming as she reached out to pat Hirata lightly and condescendingly on the head.

"You're the one who trails around after the District boy like a lost puppy." She reflected, mortifying Hirata and amusing Kai in one fell swoop. "The one who was practically a babe in wraps among the first years last year. I know I've seen you before. Can't remember your name though."

She shrugged.

"Oh well. I don't suppose it's important." She said dismissively. "But in any case, I'm right, aren't I? You are District-kun's classmate?"

"Ukitake-kun is my classmate, yes." Hirata said stiffly, his temper well and truly roused now by first Kai and now Meroka's careless words. "But he's not 'District-kun' and I'm not his puppy dog. And as for my name, maybe it isn't important to a Kuchiki-hime. But it's Endou Hirata. And if you know that, you should know enough about my Clan to know that it's better to leave me alone."

He got to his feet, scooping up the empty letter box.

"Kai's my friend too." He added unnecessarily, aware that his companion was staring at him in surprise. "And he's not bothering me. Not really. He just startled me, that's all. So if you want a reason to pick on a Shihouin, you'll have to wait till next time."

"Okay, Hirata, I think leaving the library now would be a good idea." Kai recovered his wits, sending his classmate a rueful smile as indignation flared in Meroka's proud gaze. "It's just my guess, but I think Kuchiki-senpai is about to throw us out anyhow, so I think…we'll save her the trouble."

"But…my letter…" Hirata faltered, and Kai winked, twitching his finger slightly to reveal the corner of a sheet of paper protruding slightly from his sleeve. Hirata's eyes widened as he saw Midori's note clasped between the digits of the Shihouin boy's other hand, and slowly he pushed the books aside, realising that the contraband letter had gone.

"Sorry for the inconvenience, Senpai. We'll leave you alone now." Kai cast Meroka a playful grin, grabbing Hirata by the arm and pulling him towards the door of the library.

Once outside, however, the Shihouin wheeled on his classmate, a question in his golden eyes.

"What happened to make you snap like that?" He demanded. "My coming didn't upset you that much – and nor did what she said, I'm sure, since I've heard you get called worse without you reacting to it at all. What did my sister say to you, or…Hirata?"

For Hirata had no longer been able to keep his emotions in check and he sank onto the grass, tears trickling down his cheeks. For a moment Kai just stood there, then he cursed, sinking down at the younger boy's side.

"Bad news from home?" He asked softly, patting his sleeve. "I didn't see any of what was written on it, Hirata, but I'm guessing that's why you were hiding it – because it was from District Seven and that's against the rules."

"Father." Hirata swallowed hard, nodding his head. "I…I'm sorry. You c..can read it. It's all right. I just…in the library…"

"I was very unsubtle for a Shihouin. My bad, I'm sorry." Kai clapped his hand down apologetically on Hirata's shoulder. "But if it's private, then…"

"_You_ can read it." Hirata shook his head, removing his glasses and dashing away his tears. "It's not really…bad news. I just…miss them. And…I worry."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Hirata agreed. "You and…Ukitake-kun I…don't mind."

"High praise then." Kai grinned. "All right. If you say so."

He slipped it out from his sleeve, carefully unfolding it.

"I hope you don't mind that I grabbed it up when I did. I didn't want that Kuchiki hime to see it – so I acted a little on instinct to keep it hidden."

"No…I'm glad you did." A wan smile touched Hirata's lips. "Even receiving a letter from home could get me into serious trouble. The contents of it…"

He trailed off, watching as Kai skimmed his gaze down the columns of kanji. Slowly the older boy nodded, refolding it and handing it back.

"Good and bad news. Basically status quo." He said quietly. "I'd not keep it, Hirata. Even though I know you want to…you should destroy it. Too many secret letters are a bad thing. Take it from me."

"I know. I'd already decided to." Hirata nodded. "Just…I wanted to read it once more before I did."

He sighed, folding it absently between his fingers.

"Father thinks he's going to die next." He said quietly. "I did what I could – I wrote to Midori-sama and I told her…that if Seimaru killed Father and hurt my family, I would expose him with the proof I have against him. And I would, Kai-kun. If he hurt them, I really would. It seems he's listening, but even so…"

His eyes narrowed.

"Father says that Seimaru didn't kill Grandfather, but I think differently." He said bitterly. "Even if that's truly what Father believes – I think he's wrong. Somehow, Seimaru did this. Somehow, he managed it. _Somehow_."

"Somehow is a bit too vague for my liking." Kai said grimly. "I'd say it involves Aizen Keitarou, if you want the truth – that scientist who was up to no good then and is probably up to no good now."

Slowly Hirata nodded.

"Yes. I had thought that too."

"Then…?"

"What can I do about it? The Endou are officially hunting the Urahara exiles." Hirata sighed. "But…I don't know enough about that scientist to know if he could do something like this, either. I know he can create poisons, but…this implies no poison was found in Grandfather's blood. Otherwise it couldn't have been ruled an accident, so how he managed it…"

Kai was silent for a moment, then he shrugged.

"People who work in shadows always have methods people don't know about." He said quietly. "My Clan have built themselves up on skills like that – you never display all your cards, no matter who surrounds you. This guy's an Urahara, and a scientist. He's evaded capture and now Shouichi-sama is dead. I can't tell you how those things happened. But I'm sure that they're connected. And that he's a dangerous man too. His blood is Clan, after all. Clan as pure as Nagesu-sama's."

He got to his feet, pulling Hirata up with him.

"Destroy the letter." He advised. "And do as Misashi-sama tells you. Keep out of it and work hard. This is your Clan and he's put every hope into you to save them. Don't ruin it by acting rashly. You have skills in the shadows as well. Keep them to yourself until it's time – it's better that way."

* * *

There were leaves lining the pathway as Eiraki made her way slowly across the grounds of the main estate towards the gardens of the annexe. A year ago, she mused sadly, this old, flower-coated building had provided temporary accommodation for the woman that everyone had assumed would become Seimaru's bride. But it had not come to be, and the Shihouin princess had disappeared into the night, never to be seen in District Seven again.

And now this place would become her dwelling place instead. As a _hime_ of the Clan and one under the favour of the new leader, she would no longer live with her parents within the main house but become separate and isolated, her needs catered for by servants and her existence one of a young lady making preparations to enter into married life. She was not a child any more. But then, in truth, Eiraki wasn't sure she ever really had been a child in the first place.

After all, children in Seventh District did not easily survive.

She sighed, putting her hands out to brush her fingers against the outer facing of the stone walls.

Somehow she envied Midori the ease with which she had found her freedom. Even alone, she had managed to slip the net. Even alone...she had managed to escape the dark curse that District Seven placed over all those who lived there.

Even at fourteen, Eiraki understood what her Clan was. And more than anything, she hated it.

_Midori-sama. Nii-sama. People disappear and don't come back._

She gazed up at the upper windows, putting her hands against the vines of the climbing plant as she tried to remember the last time she had spoken to her brother.

_I want to believe in you, Nii-sama. But even Father is cautious when he speaks of you. And...and now...with Seimaru-sama about to become head of the Clan..._

"Eiraki-chan."

At the sound of his voice, Eiraki froze, a cold prickle creeping up her spine as she registered too late the approaching reiatsu of her cousin and the new Lord of the Endou-ke. Although he had not spoken to her harshly since the death of their Grandfather, he was still the person Eiraki feared and hated most of all in District Seven. And yet even as she turned to face him, she knew she could not defy him. It was not just her life that he held in his hands, but the lives of everyone. And for that reason, she had no choice but to submit.

Even if that meant becoming betrothed to a stranger many years her elder.

"Well, are you coming to inspect the annexe personally?" Seimaru reached her at that moment, pausing a foot or so away from her as he gazed up at the building. "It was Midori-dono's lodging, last year, but it deserves a much more useful _hime_ to consider it her residence. And you are going to be that for me, aren't you, Eiraki-chan? Grandfather planned to utilise you for diplomatic means - you will give my wishes the same consideration you gave his, won't you?"

Eiraki lowered her gaze, bowing her head solemnly before her hated companion.

"You are the Head of my Clan, sir." She said quietly, her words those of one who inside had begun to feel much older than just fourteen. "Father taught me that the will of the Clan Leader should be obeyed without question. Therefore I am your servant and will do as you instruct."

Seimaru let out a low chuckle, and as Eiraki sneaked a peek through her dark lashes, she could see the appreciative humour glittering in her cousin's cruel blue eyes.

"Then you are far more sensible than your brother is." He said matter-of-factly. "Which pleases me a good deal."

Eiraki said nothing, though her heart skipped a beat at the mention of Hirata.

There was a moment of silence, then Seimaru nodded.

"Good." He said firmly. "Then all is decided. Tomorrow I go before the Council, Eiraki. Tomorrow I will be awarded the official position my Grandfather bequeathed me and take control of this Clan in all ways. I will then be your Clan Leader by their will as well as by this family's. Your decision is a wise one. After all, your family are surplus to requirement - unless you can prove yourself useful, of course."

Eiraki's head shot up at this, alarm in her vivid blue gaze.

"Seimaru-sama?" She murmured, and Seimaru reached out to pat her on the shoulder.

"You have agreed to become betrothed to my mother's kinsman, and that in itself is a good start." He said quietly, though there was something chilling in his tones that told Eiraki that no matter how much grief had addled his senses to begin with, now he was once more his old, conniving self. "But it is only a start. Do you understand me, Eiraki-chan? You serve no active purpose here. Your mother and your father are people in my way. I have no need of them. But I have chosen to be merciful. I have chosen...to favour you with my attention. And in return, I expect absolute obedience and loyalty. Is that understood?"

Eiraki's eyes became huge with fear as she interpreted her companion's words.

"If I d...don't do as you say, Seimaru-sama, what will happen...to my family?"

"That is a foolish question." Seimaru snorted. "Superfluous things are cut away, of course. Discarded and left to burn. I have no need of hangers on. You are the only one who can possibly change that - so you must listen to me very carefully."

Eiraki swallowed hard.

"Please don't kill my family." She whispered. "Please, Seimaru-sama. Please, I'll do anything you ask - marry anyone you tell me, just...please...don't..."

"Shh." Seimaru put a cold finger to her lips, effectively silencing her childish pleas. "I have killed nobody, yet. And perhaps...I never will. But you must heed my wishes, Eiraki-chan. I do not joke. Your family have caused me endless amounts of trouble since first I became Grandfather's heir. I have no other will to save them than to ensure your complete obedience to my orders."

Eiraki bit her lip, her face white as she slowly nodded her head.

"I will obey you." She murmured. "Just please...do not...hurt Mother or Father. They...they do not wish to hurt you. They...Father...seeks only to live quietly. Please...do not take them from me."

"As _Hirata _was taken from you, perhaps?"

Eiraki flinched, then hardened herself, shaking her head.

"I do not know where my brother is." She said flatly. "I have not spoken to him...in...a long time."

"No. I don't suppose anyone has." Seimaru's lips became a thin line and he nodded. "But he is still out there. He is the true traitor to this Clan, Eiraki-chan. His actions even now threaten our security. In the last week I have received word from the family from whom he claims sanctuary - he seeks to act against me even now. I can't tolerate that. His actions are the ones that put you all in danger. You realise that, I hope? Without Hirata, none of you would concern me in the slightest."

Eiraki did not reply, though inwardly her heart flooded suddenly with a longing for her brother to somehow succeed. She quelled the thought almost immediately, however, half-afraid Seimaru could read her thoughts as she forced herself to maintain her impassive expression.

At her lack of response, Seimaru sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I will not play games with you." He said evenly, and all of the earlier playful taunting was gone from his tone as he met her gaze with a cold one of his own. "Tomorrow, after I see the Council, I intend on having your Father arrested. He will be imprisoned until further notice, and I will decide his fate when I am ready."

"But..." Eiraki only just stopped herself from grabbing her cousin's arm in her sudden fright, and Seimaru laughed.

"You speak pretty words, just like he does. But you are his daughter and so I won't believe you." He said lightly. "I will ensure your obedience by other means. I will keep Uncle in my dungeon and his life will depend on your doing as I tell you. You understand me, Eiraki-chan? The day after tomorrow, my mother's kinsman will arrive here and you will greet him well. You are nothing more to me than a pawn and if you fail, those around you will also die. You can blame your brother for this, if you want to blame someone...this is not a family in which trust should freely be given."

He turned to leave, then paused, tilting his head to look at her.

"You will remain here within the grounds of the annexe until I return and until your fiance is presented to you." He said softly, an unspoken threat in his tones. "You are forbidden from leaving or communicating with your Father or Mother about anything I have just told you. If you do - even one word, no...even one _syllable_..."

He leant closer to her, his eyes narrowing to near slits.

"It will not be the dungeon that I send Misashi-jisama to. It will be the executioner's axe. And I promise you...for him, it will _not_ be a pretty death."

Eiraki's heart froze in her chest and her legs began trembling, giving out from under her as she sank to the ground. Tears glittered in her eyes, and Seimaru nodded.

"Unlike your brother, you have some sense and you realise that it's better to be obedient to the one who holds the power in this Clan." He said frankly. "I have use for you yet...so do not displease me. You will not get a further warning, Eiraki. This is it. One toe over the line and your family will no longer be of anyone's concern. You should know by now that I am not someone who bluffs."

With that he was gone, and Eiraki watched his red-cloaked form disappearing across the grounds, hate and frustration welling up in her young heart as she did so.

She clenched her fists, hitting them against the uneven stone of the pathway without even noticing the scratches and blood she drew from her delicate pale hands as she struggled to get her emotions back under her control.

_Father...mother...Nii-sama._

She swallowed again, closing her eyes against the flood of fresh tears that threatened to overwhelm her.

_What do I do, then, Father? For your sake, I will obey Seimaru-sama. But what if it isn't enough? What if, even then, I am no longer of use to him? And what...what if..._

Her thoughts faltered at this point and she buried her head in her hands, allowing the grief and uncertainty to flood through her young body.

She had not loved Shouichi, but now she found herself wishing him back - even for a moment - to quell her cousin's sadistic schemes and dark nature. Shouichi had been violent and ruthless, but she had begun to realise with startling clarity that even so he had had a form of honour that Seimaru was completely lacking.

_Father thought Seimaru-sama was grieving for Grandfather, but I didn't see any grief in his eyes just now._

Eiraki drew a shaky breath into her lungs.

_He isn't sad. He was pretending. Maybe his pretence was good enough to fool people, but today...he wasn't sad at all. And tomorrow the Council will accept him. Which means...tomorrow...my act must also begin._

She struggled to her feet, dashing her tears from her eyes as she made up her mind.

_I must protect my family somehow. Nii-sama is not here to. Maybe he never will be - and I can't rely on him to look after us any more. Maybe he has betrayed us, maybe he has not - maybe he's even dead and Seimaru-sama has been lying to us all the time. But...whatever the truth, I can't look to Nii-sama or anyone else to do this. I'm the only one who can keep them alive. My actions are the only thing that can ensure that. So...for now...I will be exactly as Seimaru-sama wants me to be. No matter what that means...somehow I will._

* * *

_**Author's Note: Seimaru's Kin.**_

_Yep, even at this late stage, another new character has made her debut. Hands up who thought Seimaru's mother was dead?_

_Somewhere in Second Manu, Yayoi mentioned how Seimaru had been born of a 'simpleton' who she disdained. Because she was too ambitious and pushed too far, Riku was shut away and imprisoned. For that reason, Yayoi considered her 'simple'._

_Also: Riku has been imprisoned for almost thirty years. Seimaru is in his early twenties so far as his appearance reveals - but he is actually a little older than that in real years - probably about 28. Hirata is actually sixteen/seventeen and Eiraki is actually fourteen - hence Riku has never met either one of them._

_Mibune, Seimaru's father, died relatively recently...only a couple of years before Third Chronicle takes place. Hence he was known to both Hirata and Eiraki. Though separated forcibly from his wife, they were still legitimately married during that time, hence he had no other heirs and his position was passed down to his only son. This makes Misashi Seimaru's heir...and Hirata Misashi's._


	36. Kibana

**Chapter Thirty Five: Kibana**

"So it's confirmed, then?"

"It is, but keep your voice down. Seimaru-sama will have the throat slit of anyone who leaks his plan before it's time to put it into practice - and you know he'd take the blade through the skin himself without a moment of hesitation."

"I know. I know. All right then. But we're to convene...at what signal?"

"When he returns, he'll make it known. We'll act all at once. There'll be no chance of error then."

The words drifted through the barracks, as the soldiers changed and gathered their weaponry for their next duties, each one clad in the polished colours of the Endou-ke as they prepared to receive their new Lord back to the manor in full state and honour. It had been several centuries since a Lord had last been inaugurated in District Seven, long before the lifetimes of any of the serving retinue, and consequently it had garnered both anticipation and excitement among the men. Yet for some it had garnered more than that, and in the shadows one man paused in the polishing of his sword, his ears pricking up as he tuned into the hushed, hurried conversation.

"Is it really all right, do you think?" The words continued to drift across, as the two men spoke on, oblivious to the fact that a third pair of ears had joined their discussion.

"It's the orders of the Clan Leader. As soldiers, that's as far as it goes. If he orders it, it's all right. And we do it. Understood?"

"Even with Misashi-sama?"

"Seimaru-sama is the one in command now. That's all we have to be aware of. No matter what the consequences."

With that the two men moved out of earshot, and the listener frowned, his lips thinning as he laid his silver blade down on the wooden slatted shelf. For a moment he contemplated what he had heard, piecing it carefully together in his mind. Then he grabbed up his weapon, returning it to its place at his belt as he made his decision.

_Misashi-sama instructed me to fall in with the retainers of the Clan and act as they act, in order that it didn't look like his interests and men conflicted with Seimaru-sama's own. Seimaru-sama ordered it, after all - that all serving men of Misashi-sama's estate become men of arms under his control, and Misashi-sama agreed it. So as not to cause civil unrest, he said. So as not to disturb the peace of the District and the Clan._

His eyes narrowed.  
_  
But what he really meant was to keep my eyes and ears open and see what could be learnt. This is one of those things and I must not waste time. The sun is already low in the sky, and Seimaru-sama's carriage will return from Inner Seireitei probably within the hour. Even if I am called to order for deserting my duty and my rank here, my overriding loyalty is still to Misashi-sama. Even if the crest I wear shows loyalty to Seimaru's accession...even then._

"Where are you going, Kibana?"

As he crossed the chamber, a sharp voice halted him in his tracks and he turned, inwardly berating his bad luck as he recognised one of the Seventh District squad shinigami, his broad frame blocking the light from the window as he glared at the soldier suspiciously.

"Well? Speak." He barked out. "Unless you have received other direct orders, you are meant to remain here until Seimaru-sama's return. You will be given your further orders then - or do you seek to be in defiance of your duty?"

"On the contrary, I seek to _do_ my duty." Kibana said blackly, his hand closing around his sword hilt. "And I don't take orders from low rank shinigami. I take them from the heads of the Endou-ke - of whom I don't see a single member present at the current time!"

"Your orders were..." The shinigami began, but Kibana drew his weapon from its sheath, lunging forward and swinging the glittering silver blade in a sweeping motion towards the man's wide torso. He was big, but it was excess weight rather than muscle that gave him his extra size, and Kibana knew that even though he ranked as a member of Seventh District squad, as a swordsman he would likely be far slower on his feet than the quick, opportunistic man from District Eight.

The shinigami cursed, pulling his own weapon and, clashing against Kibana's, the ring of the colliding metal resounded around the empty chamber.

"You are insubordinate!" He exclaimed. "I act on Seimaru-sama's orders - you are sworn to do the same!"

"Only if he has given me those orders himself." Kibana said darkly, bringing his blade back and shifting his weight from left to right foot as he attempted to blind-side his opponent and make him lose his own balance. "And he has not."

"You are sworn to obey as a member of District Seven!"

"I was born in _District Eight_." Kibana hissed, lunging at the man once more and this time breaching through his defences, sweeping the tip of his weapon across the heavy-set shinigami's throat. He had not intended to use such force, but desperation had made him rash and, as the enemy stumbled, Kibana realised that the sharp edge of his weapon had slashed open the shinigami's windpipe, severing through nerves and vessels and sending a spray of crimson blood spurting from the deep wound. As the dying man clutched at his throat, he moved his lips, but only the gargling sound of a choking death rattle broke the silence of the barracks, and Kibana cursed, springing back from his victim as he gazed at him in alarm and horror.

_And Misashi-sama told me to keep a low profile. What would he think, then, if he saw me now?_

He glanced around him anxiously, but there was nobody else in the barracks, the other soldiers having already left to their relative duty posts, and he murmured a soft prayer of thanks to whatever deity watched over shinigami killers, wiping the blood from his weapon on the fallen man's trailing _obi _and sliding the blade back into his scabbard.  
_  
Too easy. My skills haven't rusted - but my wits obviously have. _

He glanced down at himself grimly.

_There's blood on my clothing, and if anyone tries to stop me now, it will bring dishonour down on my Lord Misashi. But I must speak to him nonetheless. I have no choice, now...what I overheard must be conveyed to him, before I am arraigned and tried for a man's murder._

To think was to act, and he darted across the blood-soaked wooden floor, pulling himself up onto the window ledge and out into the grounds beyond. He was swift on his feet and used to taking the hidden tracks and paths between different parts of the Endou's rambling main estate, so within a few moments he had reached the outer wall of the manor itself, pausing to gaze up at the windows above.

_Misashi-sama should be in his quarters now. His study, most probably. He must be there...if he's not, then I...I have no hope of finding him._

"Kibana-dono."

As he slipped in through a side entrance, a servant's voice startled him and he turned, registering the surprise in her eyes as she took in his dishevilled, blood spattered appearance. She opened her mouth to scream, and without thinking Kibana darted forward, grabbing the girl's body and putting a firm hand over her mouth.

"I'm sorry, but you must not scream. Lives depend on it, and more than just mine." He murmured. "I will not hurt you - just please, do not scream."

The girl stared at him in fright, but she stopped struggling, and Kibana gently released his hand.

"There was a fight in the barracks. Go to find help." He said softly. "The situation is serious and Seimaru-sama must not be inconvenienced by minor infighting among his men when he returns from the Council. In his absence, I must go and make report of the incident to my Lord Misashi - will you go and convey my message to the Shinigami Lieutenant? Tell him that a man of his is bleeding in the soldier's outhouse."

"Yes, Kibana-dono. At once." The girl still looked unsettled, but she nodded, bowing her head. "I will go at once."

Kibana nodded his head, offering her a rueful grin as he released his grip on her.

"I'm sorry. I've behaved badly towards you." He said apologetically. "But there is so much tension at the moment - and if Seimaru-sama should see...what ugly things his men do in his absence..."

He trailed off, and he saw the girl put a hand fleetingly to her throat. Slowly she nodded once more.

"I understand, sir." She whispered. "Seimaru-sama should not be inconvenienced. I will go now."  
_  
So he's hurt you too, then, at some point._

Kibana's eyes narrowed as he watched the young woman hurry through the halls of the house.  
_  
His despicable behaviour towards female members of household staff continues even now he is Leader of the Clan? What kind of a future District Seven might see now...is anyone's guess._

He turned on his heel, heading up the servant's stairs towards the upper landing which housed the studies of District Seven's most important members.

_At least there should be none here today but Misashi-sama. And even if my appearance shocks him...he should at least hear me out before he casts me from his service.  
_  
He knocked gently on the door of his master's study, then slid back the door, stepping inside and closing the divide behind him.

At his entrance Misashi let out an exclamation, getting to his feet, and Kibana bowed his head, apology in his eyes.

"I've let you down, my Lord. I've acted rashly and I'm sorry." He said softly. "In my urgency to bring to you some information I...crossed a line and...caused an incident to occur."

"An incident?" Misashi looked apprehensive. "Of what nature, an incident? There's blood on your uniform, Kibana - with whom did you pick a fight?"

"One of the shinigami left to watch over us." Kibana said gravely. "There were no witnesses to our fight, and I was victorious. He will not place me at the scene, but even so..."

He glanced down at himself, then,

"If you choose to discard me from your service, I will leave at once." He added. "I simply came to tell you what I overheard in the barracks."

"You are my servant, bloodstained or not." Misashi shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh. "But this is troubling, Kibana. You killed him, then? One of the shinigami Seimaru inherited from my Father?"

"Yes, sir." Kibana agreed. "It wasn't deliberate, but...in my urgency to get away..."

"Your skills are sharper than you give yourself credit for, and not all of those Father called Shinigami are actually proficient with any kind of blade." Misashi rubbed his temples. "Two or three of them are simply distant kinsfolk whose families pestered Father for favour...some of them barely know how to hold an _asauchi_ even now. If they were faced with you - a soldier with more than the training I was denied - I can imagine it wasn't much of a match. But you say you weren't seen...?"

"No, sir. Everyone else had left the barracks before me."

"Then you must burn those clothes before anyone suspects you." Misashi said firmly.

"You aren't discarding me?" Kibana was startled, and Misashi shook his head.

"I don't discard those who are loyal, since there are few enough of them to be found." He said grimly. "Besides, you acted in order to bring me information. I am not my nephew in this regard. I don't burn the hand that reaches out to help me. Tell me what you learnt, Kibana. Tell me now and then we will see how we can move to cover this business up before Seimaru's return."

"I sent a maid to report a fight in the barracks." Kibana responded. "I did not tell her I was involved, only that there had been trouble and a man was down."

"She knows you by name?"

"Yes, sir. But...I don't think she will incriminate me." Kibana pursed his lips, then, "I think...Seimaru-sama may have hurt her, too, in recent weeks. I think...she will be too afraid to say more than what I told her, just in case it brings his attention once more her way."

"Perhaps, but just as easily she could be coerced into telling him whatever he wanted to know." Misashi looked grave. "We have little time indeed to talk."

"Some of the men in the barracks were discussing a secret deployment this evening, and they mentioned both Seimaru-sama and yourself by name." Kibana said quietly, bowing his head once more. "From the little I heard...it sounded...as though Seimaru-sama plans to move against you on his return. And that he intends to take you by surprise...so as you don't have time to make preparations or escape his grasp."

Misashi's eyes hardened, and for a moment he did not reply. Then he nodded.

"I have waited for it." He admitted. "And I am glad you brought me warning, scant as it is. When you have changed your clothes, Kibana, I want you to convey the message to my lady wife and tell her that, whatever happens, she is not to try and appeal Seimaru's decisions. I don't believe he will kill me - not right away - and I'd rather it not be seen as though my family are rebelling."

"You...don't intend to leave, sir?" Kibana's eyes became wide, and Misashi shook his head.

"So long as I live, I also stand between him and Hirata's claim to the family." He said softly. "My death would bring my son back to District Seven. I'm sure of that. He has allies enough outside - he only keeps away because he fears for the safety of his kin. Seimaru also knows this - he is not a fool, even if he is greedy and ambitious. Father never believed Hirata had strength. But Seimaru...Seimaru knows he does. That's why he bullied the boy for so many years. He knows that, potentially, Hirata is stronger than he is. So he forced the child to grow up in fear and shadow...in case the day came when he grew to challenge for the leadership of the Endou-ke."

Realisation struck through Kibana's mind at this.

"You've let him be exiled so as to keep him away from that, haven't you, sir?" He asked softly, and Misashi smiled.

"I will sacrifice even my life for the well-being of my family and the good of this Clan." He murmured. "I've long expected that the day will come when I have to. So I didn't pin my hopes on myself. Instead, I pinned them on Hirata. And I sent him to the one place he might learn the skills he needs. Yes, Kibana. So I intend to do nothing about Seimaru's scheme. If he wants to confine me, so be it. I will not fight him. Let him believe he has control."

"And...Sumire-sama? I should tell this to her?"

"To her, and if you can, convey it to my daughter as well." Misashi nodded. "That they are not to struggle against Seimaru's actions. But Kibana..."

He paused, then,

"Once I am taken from the equation, there will be nobody to protect them." he murmured. "If there is therefore an opportunity, I want you to act on my behalf. I want you to take them from here and take them to your homeland. I believe...they would find mercy there. I believe...the Kyouraku would not turn them away, and since you were born there, it is easier for you to cross the divide than any of Seimaru's men. You still carry the crest of the Kyouraku-ke?"

"Yes, sir." Kibana confirmed. "Since my time as a retainer of Kyouraku-sama's late uncle, I have done so."

"Then make sure you keep it safe. That may yet be of use yet again."

Misashi chewed down on his lip, distress in his pale eyes.

"I realise that means putting my family above your own, and I'm sorry. But I need your help in a time when there is nobody else to ask – and perhaps, given the immediate circumstances, if you were to not be seen near the place where a man was struck down..."

"I will act, Misashi-sama." Kibana assured him gravely. "If I can, I will take Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime and convey them over the border. My family are not molested in District Seven. My wife is used to my long absences in your service and my daughter is married now with a household of her own to concern her. They have no spiritual power, and will not become targets. I have no fear for them - my wife has learnt well that being the wife of your servant requires her to be discreet and well-concealed and so the connection between us is, in public circles, an invisible one. If I felt her in danger, I would urge her to leave with me - but I don't suppose she'd leave my daughter so easily, and she in turn would not leave her husband. So I will act alone...and...pray in my absence they will remain safe. My wife is clever. I imagine no ill will befall her."

"Then I am glad." Misashi sighed heavily. "I can't offer them my protection, or I would. But I hope...in the long run..."

"The protection for all people in this District is a bigger goal. My wife would want me to act in that regard." Kibana said firmly.

"Yes. Given that she's your wife, I imagine she would."

Misashi smiled sadly, resting his hand gently on the soldier's shoulder.

"You have served me faithfully in all ways for a long time, and I trust you more than anyone else who works for me." He said quietly. "My arrest will probably detract attention from the murder this afternoon, since fights among soldiers are not uncommon and you said there were no witnesses to your act. So I want you to change your uniform, convey my message, and then be where you are appointed to be for Seimaru's arrival back home. Do not try and act in my name any further beyond this point except...if you have the chance to take my wife and daughter far from here."

Kibana was silent for a moment. Then, at length, he bowed his head, regret and resignation in his expression.

"Yes, Misashi-sama." He murmured. "I understand and will obey."

* * *

"Two more weeks left, if that, before the end of the term."

Shunsui stretched out on his bed with a sigh, pushing his Kidou notes aside and resting his chin in his hands as he glanced across the dormitory to where his friend was carefully and copiously checking his revision notes against the text entries. "Tomorrow is our first exam, Juu-kun – and then the holiday will be upon us."

"You always think of holidays before you think of anything." Juushirou glanced up, offering his companion a wry smile. "Exams first, free time later. That's how it works – even for Clan."

"Mm. I know. I've done more revision this time than I think I ever have before." Shunsui admitted. "But even so…everything seems a little surreal. Doesn't it seem that way to you, too? This time last year we had nothing to concern us but exams…but now…"

"You mean Hirata?" Juushirou's expression clouded and he nodded his head. "I know. Although so far everything's been quiet – this year in some ways has been harder on him so far than last. He's come on a lot, Shunsui – last year he wouldn't have been able to handle this quite so well. But even so…"

"I had a letter from Nii-sama yesterday, to confirm that the sheath for Sougyo no Kotowari is ready and so we'll present it to you when we travel to District Eight in a fortnight." Shunsui kicked his legs idly against the wall. "I thought it a little odd that he'd bothered to tell me something so mundane – till I read the rest of his letter and realised he'd just started with the easy stuff."

"Meaning?" Juushirou arched an eyebrow, and Shunsui's eyes darkened.

"Since Seimaru became a member of the Council of Elders and officially sworn in as the recognised Gotei leader in District Seven, there's been absolutely no sign of Misashi-dono anywhere around." He said quietly. "It's impossible to know why – no news is good news and I doubt Seimaru's going to take his Uncle to Council like Shouichi-sama did anyway. But…even so…it's a little concerning. Nobody's reported any rumour of him being killed or anything like that but…nobody has seen him, either."

"But he's in District Seven. Why would anyone from your brother's retinue see him anyway?" Juushirou was confused, and Shunsui nodded.

"True. But the border patrols receive tidbits of information and in recent months Misashi-dono had been inspecting land and troops not far from the divide in person. The inspections have continued, but they're now led by someone else."

"I see." Juushirou's eyes became shadowed. "Have you mentioned this to Hirata?"

"An unsubstantiated rumour? Of course not." Shunsui shook his head. "I'm not going to scare him unless I have real proof of it. But Juu…we both know what Seimaru's capable of."

"No news is good news, even so." Juushirou pursed his lips. "I'm not sure, Shunsui. Hirata wrote to Midori-sama when he heard of his Grandfather's death. I can't tell you what he said, but I know she replied and that whatever it was had had a successful result. I don't think…Seimaru would be taking a big risk, killing Misashi-sama. After all…"

"There's still a letter somewhere about that proves complicity in the chemical scandal." Shunsui fixed Juushirou with a quizzical look, and Juushirou frowned.

"Yes. There is." He agreed levelly. "Though it's no business of ours."

"I think it's your business and has been for a while, to be honest." Shunsui sighed. "Since you were the one who told Seimaru it existed in the first place. Juu, I don't want you to get wound up in this whole thing again. Even if you are worried about Hirata or his family or…if you know where the letter is now, then please, tell whoever has it to move it somewhere and not tell you the new location. Things might be getting serious – and I don't think Seimaru easily forgets those he's crossed paths with."

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then he shook his head.

"I can't do that." He said regretfully. "It's impossible."

"Why would it be?" Shunsui demanded. "Juu, seriously, this letter is dangerous, and if someone else got it…"

"Nobody will." Juushirou shook his head. "Not now, not ever. Not unless Hirata wants them to have it. But I can't tell anyone to move it, because there isn't anyone to tell. It's not like that."

"Midori-sama didn't take it back to District Two with her, after all?" Shunsui looked suspicious. "No. I'm sure she didn't. I'm sure that she wouldn't have acted as though she had it if she truly did. That was covering Hirata, wasn't it? Or…"

As a cold chill touched his heart.

"Or it was protecting _you_."

"The letter is safe, Shunsui." Juushirou turned his attention back to his notes. "And we have exams to study for. Besides, Seimaru has what he wanted, now. He's head of his Clan and accepted as a Gotei Shinigami. As you said, Misashi-sama's disappearing is only a rumour. It might simply be he's keeping his head down and himself out of the public eye because of all the changes."

Shunsui let out a heavy sigh.

"Juushirou." He said warningly, and Juushirou gazed at him defiantly.

"What?"

"_You_ have that letter, don't you."

"If I did, telling you about it would probably be breaking a promise of secrecy and potentially putting you in danger." Juushirou said calmly. "Wouldn't it?"

"In other words, yes you do."

"In other words, I can't answer you."

"But if you didn't, you would tell me straight. You don't lie well, so avoiding the issue is as good as admitting it." Shunsui buried his head in his hands. "I should've realised that before. That if Hirata would trust that to anyone else…it wouldn't be to Midori-sama but to you."

"Shunsui, Hirata's my friend and I'm concerned for him and for his family, too." Juushirou said seriously. "But I'm not planning on doing anything rash. I can't tell you what you want to know, so stop asking me about it. And even if I did know the answer to your question, it doesn't mean I intend to take action. I'm coming to your brother's wedding because going home might put my family in danger as well as throw me into Seimaru's direct path. That would be foolish and I'm trying not to do foolish things like that. Tokutarou-sama and Kyouki-sama both warned me already that the Endou-ke are dangerous and even more so now Seimaru's in command."

He let out a rueful laugh.

"And even if I have released my sword, and do cling to it over-protectively at times, I haven't learnt to use it to a level strong enough to fight Seimaru or anyone else in Gotei colours. It would be suicide and that…wouldn't help anyone at all. Would it?"

"I suppose not." Despite himself, Shunsui smiled with relief, nodding his head. "All right, then. If you can see it that way, then I guess I won't ask any more. You're neutral territory – if you did have the letter, it would mean that even if Seimaru tried to grab Hirata, the evidence would still be out of his immediate reach. It does make sense…so long as you're not going to do anything silly, I suppose…it's probably the best thing he could've done."

"You should have faith in me." Juushirou scolded. "Last year I jumped into Clan business without knowing what was what. This year I know a little more. I would never abandon my friends – any of them, no matter what trouble they were in. But this isn't one of those situations and it may never be. Hirata's family are District Seven's concern. There's nothing a District Six boy like me can do there, so I've no intention of going."

He tilted his head on one side.

"Can we get back to revising now? You may remember everything just by looking at it once, but my brain doesn't quite work like that."

"Fine." Shunsui shrugged, reaching for his book once more. "But you always pip me in Kidou ranking, so if you expect me to believe that last bit of self-effacing nonsense, you need to think again."

"I like Kidou." Juushirou shrugged, offering his companion a grin. "And I'm good at it, so that helps. But with all my sword training, there are still a few rules I missed the classes on. And I'd like to make sure they're firmly lodged in my mind before we sit tomorrow's theory test. If I'm not seeing my family this break, I at least want to write home and tell them my ranking hasn't dropped any."

"They were okay, then, when you told them about the wedding?" Shunsui questioned. "Nii-sama said he was going to write to them too, but…"

"A little overwhelmed at receiving a direct communication from the Head of a foreign Clan, but otherwise, yes." Juushirou grinned. "I think maybe the kids took it a bit harder – since it's my birthday and I've never been away from them for that before. But Okaasama told me that I should go and have a good time with your family. She said it was an honour for me to be so personally invited – so I think she was a little bit proud as well. Something to talk to the neighbours about – if you catch my drift."

"Ah, yes." Shunsui chuckled. "So you didn't mention the potential risk to your life if you happened to cross District Seven?"

"No, but she's not oblivious. She knows what happened with Seimaru last year, and she was very careful about sending me back with the cover of the Kira-ke name last spring." Juushirou responded. "Probably, deep down, she's relieved that it's this way. And…"

He frowned.

"I miss them." He said honestly. "But also, with Sougyo so newly summoned, I'd worry that it would attract Hollows to attack the family. The stronger I get, the more of a risk that becomes, I suppose. Till I can suppress and control my reiatsu and _reiryoku_ perfectly, the less time I spend actively with my family the better. At least…once I can protect them, it will be different. But Sougyo and I…have to learn more first. Sensei said it would take at least another year of special training to be fully aware of the basics of my shikai possibilities – probably longer to master the sword completely at that level. So…in some ways…it's for the best this way."

"Another year to be aware and then more time to master it." Shunsui looked thoughtful. "Then he thinks your sword has a lot of possibilities, doesn't he?"

"I think so." Juushirou agreed. "I may learn to use my weapon a little more by the end of the second year but…it's still a long way from being a proper shinigami _zanpakutou_ yet. And because it releases so much power, even though my body is more stable now, he wants me to take it carefully."

He looked rueful.

"Now that Nagoya-senpai has graduated and joined his squad, I won't have such a strict _shishou_ to help me." He said, a little regretful. "He was hard on me, but it helped. I think I'll miss that, next year."

"Well, I don't miss him." Shunsui said frankly. "But I'm glad at least he had a purpose here this year. He helped you and I'm happy he did – but even happier he's now gone to join Guren-sama and we don't have to watch him flounce around campus any longer."

He eyed Juushirou playfully for a moment.

"I know you had a taste of Clan in Inner Seireitei, but I hope you're coming to District Eight ready to dance." He said innocently. "After all, Mitsuki-chan will be coming to the wedding too…you wouldn't want to miss your chance, now would you?"

Juushirou stared, his cheeks reddening at the question, and Shunsui laughed.

"Well, it's a wedding. Of course there'll be dancing." He said benignly. "What else did you expect? And since the Kuchiki are happier to have their young ones come to represent their Clan at a major social gathering than to see them risk travelling through Endou land, I thought it might be an opportunity for you to spend a little time together."

"You are kidding." Juushirou recovered himself, shaking his head emphatically. "I have _never_ danced in my life and I don't imagine I'm going to begin now."

"She'll be disappointed, then." Shunsui tut-tutted under his breath. "That's shameful, Juu. I imagine she'll be looking very pretty, too…well, she's already very pretty, but you know, the Kuchiki are a particularly elegant Clan. And well, the Kyouraku are known for their skill at social gatherings. There will be dancing. You don't want to consign her to being a wallflower – or worse, to see her dance with someone else, I suppose?"

Juushirou grimaced.

"She can dance with who she likes. That's preferable than what would happen if she tried to dance with me." He said firmly. "It's not going to work, Shunsui. I'm not going to get all jealous and fired up and declare my intention to learn a few shuffled steps just to amuse you. I don't dance. I don't intend to start dancing. And Mitsuki will just have to amuse herself. As it is, if I did dance with her, it would only leave the way open for gossip anyhow."

"You are a spoilsport." Shunsui sighed. "Oh well. It was worth a try."

He grinned.

"Other than Ryuu-kun, I don't suppose she'd accept a dance from anyone else, anyhow." He added. "She's quite set on you, whether you'll take her on or not."

"Mm." Juushirou frowned, and Shunsui eyed him pensively.

"Yes, you know that, yet you're still not willing to make an effort. Shameful, Juu-kun. I thought you were a gentleman."

Juushirou was silent for a moment, then,

"Girls aren't won or lost over something as simple and superficial as a dance." He said quietly. "I'm not trying to 'secure' Mitsuki or anything like that – it's too complicated for both of us to even think of. But if that wasn't the case…even then…I would say the same. I don't need to dance with her or pretend to be something I'm not to impress her. Mitsuki is Mitsuki. I'm me. That's all and it's enough like that."

"Aw. You're a romantic after all." Shunsui grinned, and Juushirou looked sheepish.

"I don't know. Maybe." He said cautiously. "But I don't want you to embarrass me when I'm in District Eight by making suggestive remarks. It would cause trouble for Mitsuki and for my family, if you did. And I do care about her – and about them. So I'm not overstepping any line. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere. After all – I already need to keep a low profile, invading this high class event."

"Nobody will treat you badly at home. Nii-sama likes you, Mother would like to meet you properly since the last time she did, I was half dead with fever – and it's known that you're my particular friend." Shunsui pulled himself into a sitting position. "Any member of house staff who dared treat you disrespectfully would lose their job – any Clansman or woman who did would risk making Nii-sama cross and might end up finding themselves debarred from the wedding."

"Which would not do my relationship with them any good." Juushirou grimaced. "But it's all right. I'm coming because it's convenient and because you want me to – and to be honest, because I'm curious to see your home. I don't intend on making a bigger scene than that – I'll just blend into the background and with any luck any high ranking Clansfolk won't even notice that I'm there!"

* * *

It was almost a whole week now since he had faced the Council of Elders in Inner Seireitei, and still Keitarou had not returned from his trip to the north.

Seimaru stood by the window of his study, frustration and impatience in his gaze as he wondered – not for the first time – what had become of his intelligent yet unreadable ally. It was not that he did not trust the man – or at least, he trusted him as much as he could trust anyone who currently surrounded him – yet this extended delay vexed him more than he would like to admit. He was safe in his position so long as Keitarou was in the shadows, repaying his patience and his ambition with loyalty and cunning unique to the Urahara-ke. Yet it troubled him that he had heard nothing – and he had begun to wonder if, by some evil fluke, his servant had fallen foul of retainers still with Shouichi's persecution order uppermost in their minds.

But it was not as though it was a question he could ask. The Endou did not have official relations of any kind with the exiled Urahara, and he could not be seen to be too interested in what was now believed to be an eradicated Clan. In fact, he reflected darkly, he had lied through his teeth before Guren and the other nobles, telling them that his grandfather's final deed for his Clan had been to track down and eliminate the remaining Urahara exiles. He had presented the Council hearing with Daisuke's bloodstained family crest, taken from beneath his clothing when the man had been stripped for torture, and Nagesu had grimly identified its markings as being from one of the most senior disgraced lines. The wretch had been close blood kin to Nagesu – the fair haired man had not confirmed their authenticity with any triumph or pleasure in his reserved gaze. But his word and the bloody relic of Daisuke's dead father had been enough to reassure the Council that the immediate threat of the Urahara was at an end – or at least, to take the pressure off his District for some time to come.

All had gone smoothly. All had gone exactly as he had planned it, and exactly as Keitarou had told him.

Everything, that was, except this.

Keitarou had been meant to return the day following his inauguration. And instead here he, Seimaru was, two days after he had first been presented with the white _haori _of the Gotei shinigami, still wondering about the elusive man's whereabouts.

Had he even reached Riku's location? Had they spoken? Had he simply disappeared now that he had succeeded in making Seimaru head of the Clan, fearful that perhaps the grandson would betray him in the same way the grandfather had? But Seimaru was not Shouichi. Seimaru understood that he needed Keitarou – at least, he needed the opportunities a man like Keitarou offered him. For, in their last conversation before the Urahara had left on his errand northwards, he had hinted at something that had filled Seimaru's ambitious young heart with excitement.

Reidoku, once rendered safe, could enhance his spiritual potential.

Reidoku, once the work was fully completed…could gift him Bankai.

Seimaru knew that only a handful of shinigami had ever mastered this exhalted level of _zanpakutou _power. Not even his Grandfather, with all his _shikai_ ruthlessness had managed to make that jump. Yet Keitarou had dangled the opportunity and Seimaru could not help but feel excited. That he would be the first Endou to bring his power to such a peak – and that when he had, nobody would dare oppose him ever again.

"Seimaru-sama?"

The door opened at that moment, revealing the sentry on duty who bowed his head respectfully as he waited for his master to respond. There was an element of fear in the man's politeness, and Seimaru already found that he liked it – knowing he held these people's lives entirely in his hands now, and that, since the imprisonment of Misashi some days earlier, he now had no disapproving shadow glaring over his shoulder, acting as a silent inhibitor to all he wanted to do.

The estate had felt it too – the shockwaves of Misashi's sudden arrest. Nobody had contested it – not Sumire and, a faint smile touched Seimaru's lips, not Eiraki either. And though the hated Uncle still lived, Seimaru had comforted himself with the fact this was only a temporary state of affairs.

Just until he reached a level whereby nobody could question him.

Just until he could kill Hirata, Misashi could live.

But of course, killing Hirata was also tricky.

He sighed.

Hirata was in District One, and more, in possession of proof that could yet cause him trouble before the Council of Elders. Seimaru was not sure whether it was Midori or Hirata himself who held the letter, but he strongly suspected it was Hirata. Otherwise, perhaps, Midori would have taken it and acted on it for her own ends – but although Seimaru was sure it still existed, the Shihouin princess had not yet produced it before the Council. She had not approved of his inauguration, but nor had she stood out against it. And, had she had the evidence, Seimaru felt sure she would have done so without hesitation.

Yet she had not. So the evidence was elsewhere. And that elsewhere meant, most likely, the Academy – in the hands of the hated Hirata.

"What is it?" He asked the man-servant now. "Tell me quickly – I don't have time to waste on allowing you idleness."

"Yes, sir." The sentry bowed again. "There is a man to see you, sir. A kinsman, sir, of your honoured mother, Lady Riku. He has travelled far, my Lord, in hopes to speak to you in person. He seeks an audience…and claims you called him to the main estate."

"A…kinsman of my mother?" Seimaru started, then, "What name does he give?"

"Minazake Roukei-sama, my Lord." The sentry responded promptly, and Seimaru's eyes narrowed.

"Minazake-dono, is it? Very well. Send him in. I shall deal with him myself."

"Yes, sir. At once." The sentry withdrew smartly, and the next moment the door opened again, a tall, lean figure striding in and pausing before the young Clan leader. He bowed, a dark, neatly groomed tail of hair falling over his shoulder as he did so.

"My thanks for entertaining my whim of coming here like this, Lord Seimaru." He said softly, and at the familiar lilt in his voice, Seimaru reached forward, grabbing the man by the shoulders and hauling him up so that he could meet the other's gaze. As he did so, relief and anger flooded through him and he thrust the visitor away from him, indignation in his gaze.

"Your whims indeed." He muttered. "Why did you not write to tell me of your delay? Five days have passed, and not a word…and now…"

He paused, staring at the other man.

"Minazake Roukei." He whispered. "Who is this?"

"As your man told you, my Lord. A kinsman of your lady mother." The visitor's eyes twinkled and he reached into the rich fabric of his patterned reddish _obi_, producing a folded sheet of _washi_ paper which he held out to his companion. "I apologise for the delay in my return, Seimaru-sama – but in order to make the connection firm, Riku-sama had to locate a line in her family to which I could believably be connected. Minazake Roukei was her second cousin – his immediate family are all dead, including him, conveniently, since he came to die as an infant and was only recorded in the family documents as a by-note. Riku-sama has located the record of his birth, however, in the archive at Hokujou and has passed it to me along with a letter confirming who I am. His date of birth correlates closely enough to my own for there to be few questions raised."

Seimaru took the folded sheet, glancing at it then,

"And your hair?"

"I stained it black after my first meeting with Riku-sama, since Endou-ke hair is generally black." His companion shrugged. "I think it suits me – though I admit it gives me rather a more unusual look than I had first imagined."

Seimaru pursed his lips, gazing over the other man from head to foot.

His Clan attire he had obviously also acquired from the North, he realised, from one of the several high quality tailors that populated that region of Seventh District and cut from fine fabric that had clearly been carefully hand-dyed into its rich brown hue, the edges woven and embroidered with claret thread in the form of the hunting bird – the spiritual emblem of the Endou-ke. Beside Seimaru's own elegant and formal dress as Head of the Endou Clan, the other's seemed somewhat more subdued, yet the young leader knew at a glance that it had been put together by a professional and from expensive imported silks. The _obi_ was of a red so deep it was almost mahogany in hue, and across this was a more unique Endou emblem – the hunting bird with the moon behind it in shadow.

It was not a crest that was represented at the current Endou court, nor one that had been seen there for some time, yet Seimaru knew it was the image identified with his mother's proud branch of the clan. It could only be displayed so openly with the direct order and consent of a member of that family – and as he recognised this, Seimaru realised too that it meant Riku truly had agreed to play a part in the deception.

She had claimed the imposter as her blood kin, and if she had done so, it was unlikely anyone else would raise any objection.

Besides, Seimaru realised, even though his companion was an outlawed, exiled, disinherited scientist, not for the first time he could see the true noble grace and elegance in the lean man's bearing. His thick hair, usually muddy brown and tied casually was now coloured black and, for the first time in their acquaintance had been properly groomed and fastened with a silver clasp depicting the hawk head of the Endou-ke. In fact, had it not been for those same, distinctive, mocking eyes, Seimaru would have doubted that it was his servant who stood before him. The grey-coated scientist had disappeared…and a Clansman now stood ready to take his place.

Despite himself Seimaru was a little unnerved by this realisation.

"That attire suits you, Aizen." He murmured. "You were born Clan, and even denied that heritage, you can hold yourself still as a noble son. Perhaps the colours are wrong for your bloodline, but still, the bearing is right."

"Such a thing offends you, sir?" Keitarou seemed concerned. "It is, after all, a façade. Simply an appearance…designed to fit the progression of your plans. It seems that Riku-sama is also eager for you to succeed – hence once she understood the reason for my coming, she acted accordingly. But I am not Clan. I have not been Clan in almost my whole life. I wouldn't like you to think I thought otherwise."

Seimaru paused, then sighed, shaking his head.

"No." He said frankly. "On the contrary I was considering how you will, I think, pass the scrutiny of the Endou council in this way. Delayed you might have been, but if a few days have allowed you to gain my mother's approval, then those few days were well spent."

"I again apologise for any distress or inconvenience it caused." Keitarou bowed his head once again. "It was not intentional, but I felt any form of letter might bring you more trouble – as I am, after all, supposed to be virtually a stranger to both you and this area from this point on."

"Minazake, huh." Seimaru clicked his tongue against his teeth. "I will try to remember. Minazake…Roukei. It does roll off the tongue, I must admit."

"I don't concern myself with what I am called." Keitarou admitted. "Names mean little to me now. But when Riku-sama suggested this persona, I admit, I accepted it with speed. After all, my true name is 'Keitarou'. And while the kanji is different, I thought that I might easily become 'Kei', and therefore reduce the chance of confusion."

"As usual, you think ahead and all around a problem before solving it with ease." Despite himself Seimaru smiled. "All right. Now you are here, we have much work to do. All has gone as you assured me – Grandfather's death, the investigation, my inauguration – and all without incident. You have proven yourself to me and I trust that the next stage in our plan will also go as smoothly."

Keitarou's expression became thoughtful.

"Misashi-sama is…no longer a concern?" He asked quietly, and Seimaru shook his head.

"He's at my pleasure in the Clan prison. Alive, but not in any position to cause me grief." He said cruelly, amusement glittering in his pale gaze. "His wife has done nothing but cry and keep to her quarters. And Eiraki…has done what an obedient, dutiful, terrified whelp of a girl does when her Clan leader gives an order. She has stayed in the annexe and has not ventured out of it even once. Her servants report to me regularly, and all report the same. That Eiraki has not tried to leave her lodgings, nor shown any visible reaction to her father's incarceration. She has better sense than her brother."

"And you are still willing to sully the hand of your blood cousin with a fiancé of my calibre, my Lord?" Keitarou questioned. Seimaru snorted.

"A foolish question. It benefits me, so of course I am." He said flatly. "You said, after all, that you could win over the girl. And, that in return for my allowing you full custody and jurisdiction over the District boy to do with as you please…you would eradicate Grandfather and ensure that both Hirata and that annoying scrap of evidence he thinks he has against me were well taken care of."

"Yes." Keitarou nodded. "Shouichi-sama is already a closed matter. As for Hirata-sama."

He smiled, his unusual eyes becoming calculating as he considered.

"Eiraki-hime is a caged bird and as a stranger, and I will show her a potential form of escape." He said quietly. "You cannot go to District One, and you cannot kill Hirata-sama by your own hands unless he comes here to fight you. As a Clan Leader, you cannot now cross even into District Eight without it being seen as a potential advance guard of war. Yet I doubt very much that, given your family history, Eiraki-hime will show you trust, even if she shows you obedience."

"Such a thing doesn't need to be said." Seimaru muttered. "Our families have hated each other since Father and Uncle were boys. There will never be trust between us of any kind. Hence why I keep Misashi-jisama's life dangling in front of the girl. I will not kill him – not yet – but she doesn't know that. And for now it's the best way to keep her obedient to my commands."

"But if I, a stranger_,_ can win Eiraki-sama's trust, then perhaps it will be different." Keitarou said composedly. "If Eiraki-hime were to believe that I too was somehow in danger from you, I'm sure I could lure her into following my lead. Here, Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama are little more than caged animals. But if they were to be allowed to leave…"

"You want me to set them free? So they can go to Hirata and demand his help? Perhaps to raise an army of Shihouin or Yamamoto to fight against me?!" Seimaru was dismayed, and Keitarou shook his head, faint amusement in his eyes.

"That will not happen." He said lightly. "Eiraki-hime will act on my instructions, and they will be according to your will. They will, of course, seek Hirata-sama. That would be the primary objective. You told me, after all, that Hirata has…evidence against you?"

"Against us both." Seimaru said blackly. "Hence why I'm so tied in what I can do."

"But Hirata-sama would, surely, trust his own sister with the evidence of which you are so afraid, my Lord?"

Keitarou made the suggestion softly, and Seimaru's eyes widened.

"And you think…Eiraki would trust you enough that…"

"I don't see why not." Keitarou nodded. "If she sees me as her ally, why would she not trust me?"

He shrugged.

"From there I can easily obtain and destroy it – or return it directly to your care so that you can do so yourself. And as for Hirata-sama,"

His smile widened.

"Either he will die in District One, at the hands of someone who is not connected with you. Or he will return to District Seven and you will be able to eliminate him yourself." He said lightly. "Either way, the end result remains to your liking. You are, after all, a noble Gotei Shinigami. He is just a student – and, from your words, can barely hold a sword."

"How…at the hands of someone…?" Seimaru's eyes became slits, and Keitarou shook his head.

"It is a technique that is a secret between the exiled Urahara. I cannot speak of it, even to you." He said glibly. "It is of no threat to you – you are far too strong as both a fighter and a man to succumb to such a base trick from an untrained exile. But Eiraki-hime is a weak, unschooled child."

"You won't tell me what this technique is?" Seimaru looked suspicious, and Keitarou shook his head.

"I cannot. If ever the secret is divulged, the trick no longer works." He said softly, and though he met Seimaru's gaze clearly, the Clan leader had a nagging sense that he wasn't being told the whole truth. "But I assure you, if I can gain Eiraki-hime's trust…then all will be well. You need not worry that she will raise an army. Whether she consents to it or not, Eiraki-hime will be acting in your name and according to your interests."

Seimaru was silent for a moment. Then he gestured to the door.

"Then it is time I introduced you formally to your fiancée." He said finally. "And allowed you to get to work at obtaining the feeble girl's trust. I suppose I don't need the details of a skill that cannot hurt me, since if you kill Eiraki, or she is killed through these acts, so be it. Make her useful to me, and use her how you see fit. I want Hirata – either dead or alive – and I want to hang his corpse from the battlements. So long as, in the end, I am the only one left standing – that is all I ask. Like Grandfather before me…I do not wish to be hampered by useless relatives."

Keitarou inclined his head slightly, and Seimaru led the way into the corridor, pausing only to instruct the sentry on duty that nobody was to enter his study until he returned. He then swept down the hall, aware of his companion in his slipstream as he made his way through the gloomy Endou manor house to the door that led to the annexe.

"Eiraki now makes her home here." He explained, as he caught Keitarou's startled expression out of the corner of his eye. "Just as my fiancée was imprisoned here to keep her out of trouble, it is easier for me to keep an eye on my troublesome cousin if she is isolated and away from the influence of those she knows. All her maids are strangers to her – none are people she can trust. She realises it, I think – that she is being watched and that I will punish any wrong step."

Faint amusement touched his features.

"In light of that, getting her to trust in you or any kind of escape scheme may prove difficult."

"I will do my best." Keitarou responded lightly. "After all, if I do not continue to remain useful to you…perhaps one day Seimaru-sama may choose to cut _me_ adrift also in such a fashion."

"Ah, but you have the sense to see that, and therefore the willingness to act and obey." Seimaru responded, as guards hurried to open doors for them to enter the closely surrounded building. "That is why you are useful, Aizen. Or no, from now on, I must call you Minazake so as not to arouse anyone's suspicion."

His gaze became sly.

"It is a step down in birth for you – from nephew of the Clan Leader to second cousin of the Clan Leader's mother." He said mockingly, but Keitarou merely smiled.

"On the contrary, it is a step up from exile and abandonment." He said evenly. "And it is just a façade, therefore pride and shame aren't really involved. It's another experiment to me, that is all. An experiment to see if I can fool your kinsfolk and achieve our goals. I believe I can – but it's always nice for a scientist to prove a hypothesis."

"Then the next part of your experiment lies through those doors." Seimaru gestured towards the _hime_'s chambers, striding up to them and banging loudly on the wooden divide.

"Eiraki! I am come to see you. Attend me at once – I have a visitor to speak to you."

There was the sound of a flurry inside the room, then the door clicked and slid back to reveal a young, dark-eyed maid who bowed low before the young Lord.

"Where is my cousin?" Seimaru demanded, and the maid scuttled back so that the two men could see into the parlour beyond. Eiraki had been seated by the window, ostensibly reading a book, but at the sound of her cousin's voice she had got to her feet, apprehension in her vivid blue eyes as she glanced from one guest to the other.

"Seimaru-sama." She whispered, then bowed her head. "I'm sorry if I have inconvenienced you."

"You inconvenience me by existing." Seimaru told her cruelly. "But for the time being, I have use for you, so don't snivel and grovel at me so and pay attention."

He stepped aside, allowing Keitarou to enter the room fully.

"This is Minazake Roukei-dono – a cousin of my mother's family and the man to whom I expect you to be from this point betrothed." He said matter-of-factly. "It isn't a choice – it is already decided and will be formally announced now that Minazake has _finally_ arrived in District Seven."

He paused to send Keitarou a dark glare, and Keitarou bowed his head.

"My abject apologies, Seimaru-sama." He said softly, his tones suddenly more subdued and gentle than Seimaru had ever heard them before. "I was held up on the way, and then…"

"Shut up." Seimaru cut across him, inwardly marvelling at how easily his servant could slip into a new character even in those few moments. "Your excuses don't matter to me. You are here, at least. I trust you don't mean to further offend me by refusing the hand of my cousin, even though she is as you see?"

"I am at your service, Seimaru-sama." Aizen raised his gaze sombrely, then turned towards Eiraki, lowering his head once more.

"It is my pleasure, Eiraki-hime." He added. "To finally make your acquaintance at last."

* * *

  
_**Author's Note: Kibana**__  
This is the guy who brought the message across the border to Tokutarou about Midori when she first escaped from District Seven in 2nd Manu. He was born in District Eight, and so has no underlying loyalty except to Misashi as his immediate master. And even though he's good at being humble and well-mannered - he's actually a soldier who used to serve Shunsui's uncle until his rebellion against Tokutarou's authority. _

_At that point he left District Eight to protect his family and became a mercenary soldier - one who caught the attention of Misashi because of his foreign birth. Misashi being unable to train himself ensured that his chief servant was able to act on his behalf...and having a man of foreign blood ensured he had no ties to the Endou-ke, therefore was more likely to remain loyal to him alone._


	37. Caged Bird

**Chapter Thirty Six: Caged Bird**

"Are you going out again, Kei-nii?"

Shikiki poked her head around the door of the makeshift laboratory, apprehension and dismay in her aqua eyes as she registered her guardian's unfamiliar apparel. "You went so far away already – are you leaving me again so soon?"

"I'm only going to pander to the Lords of the Endou and get them to give me their trust." Keitarou turned, holding his hand out to her and Shikiki's mournful gaze lit up as she ran across the chamber's cold floor towards him. "I'm sorry, Shikiki. You feel I'm neglecting your training, don't you? But I promise, you are still important to me. And even if I do have to leave for a few days together, I will always come back. We will still continue, just as we were doing before…and once things improve, I hope, in better surroundings than this dark, dank place."

Shikiki sighed, gazing up at her companion pensively.

"I think you look funny with black hair." She said soberly. "I think it's a bad omen, that you coloured it that way."

"A bad omen?" Keitarou stared at her, then let out a low chuckle. "Really? And do you add that to your skills too, then? You can turn back time within your barriers – and reject reality with your magic. Can you also see the future, Shikiki?"

"No." Shikiki reddened, shaking her head. "It's not that. It's just…"

She reached up to finger a stray lock of her own messy hair, then,

"The Endou-ke have black hair." She said gravely. "Like Seimaru-sama, and I don't like him. I think he's a mean person, Kei-nii. And…and I don't like that you're wearing clothing like he does. In brown and red and with those ugly birds all over them. They're bad birds, after all. Birds that pick apart other animals when the gods come to take them away, or birds that swoop and kill other birds. I've seen them over the village. They're all mean birds and it makes me sad."

"Are you worried about me, then?" Keitarou crouched before her, meeting her gaze at eye level as he rested his hands gently on her shoulders. He was in a good mood today, she realised, the consternation and stress of the past few weeks having dissipated in light of a new challenge and secretly she had been both glad and worried to see it. Keitarou was still a difficult man to predict and, although he had not ever hit her, she knew now that that was not because he wasn't capable of it. So far, she remained in his favour – but deep down she feared angering him and seeing that coldness resurface in his pale eyes.

She nodded now, glancing at the floor as she shuffled her feet awkwardly against one another.

"I don't want to lose Kei-nii too." She whispered, and at that, Keitarou snorted.

"I am not going to die, Shikiki." He said firmly, clasping her shoulders tightly then releasing them with a grin. "I promise you that. I won't be killed. I am stronger than that – and people have hunted me for a long time. I may as well hide in plain site, after all, as in the shadows."

"But…" Shikiki faltered, chewing down on her lip until she could taste blood.

"Yes?" Keitarou asked softly, and Shikiki sighed.

"Dai-nii stained his hair black and then he died." She admitted uncomfortably. "And so…I don't like Kei-nii…with black hair."

"Not all people with black hair get killed or kill." Keitarou told her evenly. "And if it puts your mind at rest, I'll tell you why it is I know I won't die."

He reached out to touch the child on the tip of her nose.

"I am more powerful than anyone in this District." He murmured. "I have never been trained, nor registered, and nobody knows about my abilities. It caused the downfall of one powerful bigot and if necessary, it can prove the end of another, too."

"I don't understand." Shikiki's eyes became big with confusion. "What's a bigot? And why did they fall down?"

At her innocent question, Keitarou laughed, shaking his head.

"No. Not like that." He said, amused. "A bigot is someone who hates for no reason except their own warped ideals. They hate people who aren't like them, and work to make their lives difficult. And I was talking about Shouichi-sama, Shikiki. Seimaru-sama's grandfather and the former Head of the Endou-ke."

He paused, then,

"Shouichi-sama was several times as strong a Shinigami as Seimaru-sama yet is, but I will work with him to change that." He said contemplatively. "So long as he knows that, he will remain our friend. Yours as well as mine – he knows you are important to me and he will not hurt you so long as I keep giving him what he wants. But Shouichi-sama was a strong Shinigami and I took that Shinigami and removed him from the equation. There is nobody in this District who is my equal. Nobody. And therefore nobody will kill me – no matter how hard they try."

His eyes narrowed.

"Not even Seimaru-sama." He murmured. "And if he tries, he will be the next Endou to die in mysterious circumstances."

"Kei-nii, did you kill somebody?" Fear gripped Shikiki's heart, and Keitarou nodded.

"I took revenge." He said matter-of-factly. "For Daisuke's death, and for the death of other members of my family. For your family too, Shikiki. This time I only killed one man, in the end – and it was a man who killed so many in his turn. Now he can't kill any more people – do you think, then, that what I did was bad?"

Shikiki did not answer straight away, turning this over carefully in her mind before she did. Then she sighed.

"I don't like when things die." She said cautiously. "But he shouldn't have hurt Dai-nii. That made Shikiki sad…and Kei-nii, too. So…if he can't hurt other people, now…maybe it's all right that Kei-nii killed Shouichi-sama. So long as…so long as nobody comes to kill Kei-nii because of what you did."

She hesitated, then flung her arms around him and was comforted to hear his laugh, feeling him return the hug with a warm one of his own.

"I love Kei-nii." She whispered. "And I don't want anything bad to happen to you because of those people."

"I know, and I'm not going to get caught or unmasked." Keitarou assured her once again, sounding in that moment like the warm, gentle Keitarou who had first reached out and offered her shelter four years before. "So don't worry about me. You stay here and work hard on your barriers. The more you do, the happier I'll be. Besides…"

There was a moment of silence, then Shikiki heard him whisper something in her ear.

"Soon I hope to have a playmate for you." He murmured. "Someone else whose power I hope to evaluate and, perhaps, enhance."

"A playmate?" Shikiki was startled, pulling back to stare at him in surprise, and Keitarou nodded, putting his finger to her lips.

"Shh. That's a secret." He warned her. "A special secret you mustn't tell anybody. But yes. Soon. Very soon, I hope."

His lips twitched into a smile, but it was the cold, conniving smile that Shikiki did not like.

"A young man from the Districts, just like you." He concluded. "A young man who's going to help me finalise a lot of years of precious research."

* * *

This time tomorrow the carriages would be here.

Juushirou strolled through the grounds of the Academy, winter cloak wrapped tight around his frail body as he took in the faint signs of frost coating the outermost branches of the surrounding trees. Most had dropped their leaves now, in readiness for the bleak season ahead, yet even though the colours of the spring and summer were behind them, Juushirou still loved this time of year. Winter was grey, and as he now knew, grey suited him. It was a part of him, just like the _haibyou_ cough and the lank white hair and the name that even now still held the faintest hint of a curse in its three carefully chosen kanji.

Nobody at the Academy had ever asked Juushirou why the number fourteen featured in his name, and even if they had, he would not have been able to answer. That there was a legend with a curse – that the number fourteen was a cursed number shrouded by death in the ancient stories of District Six…for the first time he had begun to hope that he had staved back those ominous predictions and taken firm control of his own life. He had never asked his father if that was the reason for his name – he had never had to. It had been unspoken between them – a name given in grief as they had buried his mother on that cold December day. But Juushirou had resolved himself that he would not be taken by the Ukitake curse. He was different. He was stronger. He was a shinigami.

And tomorrow he would enter District Eight, an honoured guest of the ruling family with an invite to the Lord's winter wedding.

True, he mused, they would all be there with him. Hirata, who had delayed his decision to the last minute, unsure whether his being so close to the border would incite Seimaru to cause trouble for Shunsui's family. Kai, who had no reason to cross Seventh to go home, yet who had resolved that where Hirata went, he would go, taking seriously his vow to help protect and train the younger boy in the Shihouin's dedicated way. After all, he had said with a grin, it was good politics for a Shihouin heir to be seen at a Kyouraku function.

There was also Ryuu, of course, and Mitsuki – Juushirou had heard from both that Guren had been relieved at having an acceptable reason to prevent them from crossing into District Seven to reach District Six. He had therefore apparently charged them with representing the Kuchiki-ke at what Juushirou was fast realising would be a very significant social function. And Sora, as Tokutarou's cousin, would also be there – reluctant, perhaps, but determined to do her duty by the older brother figure she had adored and join her own kinsfolk among the other guests of honour.

Finally there had been Enishi, and Enishi's decision had been as simple and straightforward as Juushirou had come to expect from the oldest member of Class Three. He had simply grinned, clapped Shunsui on the back and assured him with all warmth and friendliness that if he was wanted, he'd be glad to attend, and that was that.

Naoko was the only member of Class Three not going to the wedding, Juushirou reflected, pausing to watch a couple of fluffed up birds as they tried to find a sheltered place in the sparse wood of the tree. She had been invited – and Mitsuki and Sora had both tried to convince her to come. But, try as they might, she had held firm. She would be wanted at home, she had said primly, and that had been that.

Later that day, Juushirou had heard from Sora – who always seemed capable of finding out anything – that Naoko's older sister was due a baby in the winter months and, though Naoko was no healing spirit and despised tending to anyone, she had chosen to go to keep the older girl company in her month of confinement.

Juushirou had not seen Naoko in that light before – compassionate rather than forceful and judgemental, but he had found himself respecting her for it. It was, after all, a thing girls did – a province that he didn't rightly understand, but, from his own family past, one which was both of great significance and fraught with danger. Naoko's sister would doubtless be glad of the company.

Juushirou wondered absently whether it had only been Anika there to support his mother as she had prepared to bring him into the world. Kaede had always relied heavily on the kindness of Juushirou's aunt Tomiko, as well as Chihiro as she had grown older. But Juushirou did not know how to ask questions about his own birth…and even if he had, only Anika, surely, would be willing or able to answer them.

He sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it. Raiko was as much a wraith in his memories as ever, but at least now he felt his connection to her a little more clearly. He was Raiko's son and Hidenobu's son and both of them still lived inside of him. And now he was Kaede's son…and, perhaps, he'd become Genryuusai's, too, in the last six months. They too had left indelible impressions on his life – impressions that had allowed him to get to this point and still be ready to fight.

"Guess who!"

A pair of hands suddenly clamped themselves over his eyes and Juushirou, startled out of his wits by the suddenness of the intrusion stumbled, falling back and bringing his assailant down with him. The other boy let out a yell as they both tumbled onto the cold, damp earth, followed by a chuckle of amusement and the white haired boy scrambled around, glaring at the intruder indignantly.

"Shunsui! What are you trying to do, scare me half to death?"

"You seemed away with the fairies. I guess more so than I realised." Shunsui hauled himself into a sitting position, ruefully rubbing his back as he did so. "You're heavier than you look, Juu-kun. Remind me not to pull you on top of me again."

"If you're bruised, it's your own fault." Juushirou retorted, then he relented, offering a sheepish grin. "But you're right. I was thinking. About everything that's happened this year, and my family, and…everything, I suppose."

"Are you really okay not going home to see them this winter?" Shunsui became serious, getting to his feet and hauling his companion up with him. "I know that you spend a lot of time here, but with it being your birthday…"

"It will be the first birthday I don't spend with my kin." Juushirou nodded. "And that does feel a bit funny, when I think about it. But…it's not as though I'm going to be spending it on my own."

He shrugged.

"I'm going to be with friends." He added. "So I think it will be fine. In a few weeks I'll be nineteen, after all. Nineteen is only a year off adulthood, and besides…"

He pursed his lips, looking pensive.

"Sougyo no Kotowari means that going home is always going to be risky, now." He admitted. "I'm not the Juushirou I was before I went to the Academy. Maybe…I've changed even since before Father's death, but I'm understanding those changes a lot more now. My natural reiatsu has always been high, but now it's being trained and…well, even if I work to suppress it, there's always a chance I might bring danger to my home without meaning to. The Hollow that killed Father came because of me – it was me it had found and it was me it tried to hunt down. Then there wasn't anything I could do about it – but if it happened again, I'd like to be able to act and protect them. I'm not quite at that stage yet…so for this winter, I think, it's fine if I don't go home."

"Well, so long as you're sure." Shunsui grinned. "Because I am glad you're coming, both for the pleasure of your company as well as for all the logistical reasons you're so fond of. But my world – my home – isn't exactly a home like yours is. Be prepared for that, all right? There are nice people in it – but that doesn't make it cosy and affectionate like your place in District Six. Formality dogs everything, whether you want it to or not. Don't be disappointed, huh? It won't match up to the Ukitake-ke, so I hope your expectations aren't too high."

Juushirou laughed.

"You have a topsy-turvy way of viewing things, sometimes." He observed. "But that's part of your charm, I think. Most Clansfolk would consider my home a hovel and my family untrained. I'm glad that you're not like that. I wouldn't want to change them and I'm not ashamed of where or who they are. But…I think, given that you feel that way, I won't be disappointed by District Eight. As you said, there are nice people there. Nice people make a home, no matter how big the estate."

"Well, nice people _and_ my extended family." Shunsui sent him a look of foreboding. "Who maybe aren't all quite as cuddly as Nii-sama or Okaasama are. Be prepared, okay? I'll jump hard on anyone who's disrespectful to you – but just so as you know, not all of the Kyouraku-ke are sane or reasoned beings. And not all of them approve of even Nii-sama, let alone me having friends without titles longer than their given name."

"Warning noted." Juushirou nodded. "Don't worry. That's just like being at school – and it hasn't phased me yet."

He frowned.

"It will be all right, to take Sougyo with me?" He asked softly, and Shunsui nodded.

"That is one thing you needn't worry about. Zanpakutou are commonplace among Clansfolk." He agreed. "Even if the Kyouraku have specific rules about the Gotei, there are other Kyouraku training to summon their swords. Like Nii-sama, they may not ever reach a high level. But it won't be thought of as strange. To do it as a District kid and a second year here is unusual – but to have a sword at nineteen isn't. Not to Clan."

"Kai-kun said that Midori-sama was sixteen." Juushirou nodded. "I remember now."

"You should come and finish your packing, then." Shunsui took him firmly by the arm, leading him across the grass. "Even if I know you like the winter, it's not good for you to be out in the cold for too long and even worse for you if you keep Yasuhiro waiting tomorrow morning. You're travelling with me, after all, in Nii-sama's carriage. Let's not do anything to annoy the gorilla retainer before we start, okay?"

Despite himself, Juushirou laughed.

"Yasuhiro-dono is a bit intimidating." He admitted. "I found it hard to speak to him on the trip back from Inner Seireitei."

"He's all right, really. But serious about his duty." Shunsui nodded. "Kyouki-sama gave him to Nii-sama when he first came to live with them as a sort of bodyguard as well as a manservant. Just in case. And there were attempts to abduct Tokutarou-nii from there. After I was in Uncle's custody, I think there were even assassination attempts, too. That's why Nii-sama brought Yasuhiro back to District Eight and kept him as his chief retainer. He's loyal – he'd never sell Nii-sama out. And that matters most, in Clan. Having people who are on your side."

"I suppose it's a serious matter, succession." Juushirou's expression became grave. "Like in District Seven…Shunsui, do you really think Shouichi-sama was murdered?"

"Positive of it." Shunsui said grimly. "How or by who, I'm not quite clear. But yes. It's too convenient. It must've been a damn clever plot to fool the Unohana – but even so…I'm sure that's what it was. Shouichi-sama was tough as old boots. He wouldn't have simply fallen and died with a whimper like the reports are making out."

"Then you think Seimaru is still scheming?"

"Another absolute yes."

"Will that end up being trouble for District Eight?"

"No more than usual, I imagine." Shunsui reflected. "Not while Kyouki-sama is there to back Nii-sama up. Uncle dabbled with the Endou, Father and Nii-sama preferred the Shiba. And so it still is. The Kyouraku and the Shiba are tied together – and Kyouki-sama would kill Seimaru if he crossed too many lines and broke too many rules."

"Kyouki-sama doesn't seem like the kind of person to kill." Juushirou objected, and Shunsui sent him a rueful look.

"That's naïve." He scolded. "Of course she is. She's a Clan Head. She's ruthless when she has to be, just like Nii-sama is. That's why I'm not cut out for it. I don't want to kill anyone. So I'll stick to Hollows – those, I think, I might just manage to take on."

He grinned, giving Juushirou's arm a tug.

"But that's all irrelevant. Political stuff aside, I want you to have fun." He reflected. "And more, I want _me_ to have fun. So we'll do that. Okay? All of us. Even if the wedding is full of family and formality."

"Okay." Juushirou nodded. "Now exams are over and our rankings have been posted, I think we all deserve that."

He sent Shunsui a rueful grin.

"I upped my percentage this time, and you still beat me."

"Only by one mark, though." Shunsui pointed out. "And if I hadn't done all that studying, you would've beaten me. So…it's your own fault for encouraging me to work harder."

He smiled sweetly.

"Don't you regret it, now?"

"Not really." Juushirou shook his head. "It keeps it interesting, and besides…if you really are going to be a Captain with a _haori _one day, you should be top of the class."

"I guess we'll see." Shunsui said noncomitally. "I don't think I'd mind too much if it was you who took my top slot."

He shrugged.

"Anyone else…maybe now, that would bother me, to be honest. But not if it's you. I quite like it when you shock people – and you're not the kind of guy to gloat."

"Are you two spending all day outside?" Kai's head appeared around the door of the main building at that moment, an impatient look in his golden eyes. "Kyouraku, you said you were going to get Ukitake, not go strolling in the grounds with him. We're trying to coordinate plans for tomorrow – will you get a move on?"

"Sorry, Kai-kun. My bad." Juushirou owned. "But we're here now. Let's head upstairs and discuss it properly, huh? After all, I suppose we'll be leaving early so the sooner we know what the plans are the better!"

* * *

Fresh air.

Keitarou stood for a moment in the cobbled courtyard of the Endou estate, taking a deep breath into his lungs as he savoured the brisk chill of the early winter breeze.

It had been some time since he had been able to move so freely above ground and with so little suspicion cast his way. Despite Shikiki's premonition he had been accepted almost at once, Seimaru having put enough fear into his council that they would agree to anything he suggested and, as Keitarou had come to realise, Riku's reputation was held almost in as much fear and esteem. To have written confirmation in her own hand was as good as any letter of introduction to the corrupt administration of Seventh District, and so he had not been questioned even by the most cynical among the nobility. He was a kinsman of Riku's summoned here to marry Eiraki in order to rehabilitate Riku's bloodline and enhance Seimaru's own power.

The irony of it was not lost on the canny scientist. Here he was, in a foreign land and with a false name yet, for the first time, tasting the life that had been denied him by the Council of Elders a century earlier. But for that decision, he knew, he might well have entertained a political marriage or become part of the Urahara administration. Yet it was the Endou who had sheltered him - and Seimaru for whom he would use his talents.

At least, so far as that went.

So far Eiraki had resisted meeting with him, providing excuses of unsettled health via her maidservants as reason why she could not entertain her new fiancé in person. Yet Keitarou was not fooled. Fear and caution had driven her to act to protect herself – and he would need to find a way to break those defences down. Young and gullible he might believe her to be – but she was also an Endou, and well aware of the intrigue that surrounded her Clan.

"Minazake-dono!"

As he crossed the courtyard, unfamiliar cape flapping against his fine Clan clothing, a voice accosted him and he paused, turning to send the speaker a quizzical look. For a moment he racked his brains, trying to remember which fool member of the Endou administration this was, and then, at length, the name came to him. He bowed his head, dark tail of hair falling over his shoulder as he did so.

"Good morning, Raiden-sama." He said softly, as the red-faced man bustled across the ground, his wide form squeezed firmly and tightly into expensive fabric that seemed to have been stretched to fit his broad frame.

"Are you heading to see the Lady Eiraki?" Raiden looked doubtful, a troubled look in his eyes. "Surely...Minazake-dono...I realise that...however..."

"Raiden-dono?" Keitarou eyed the older man quizzically, confusion in his gaze. "I was summoned here on the instruction of Seimaru-sama to be formally betrothed to Eiraki-hime. Should I then be forbidden from seeing or speaking to her? Surely not."

"No...no. Not at all." Raiden shook his head hurriedly, discomfort in his gaze. "But Minazake-dono...take careful heed of Seimaru-sama and his instructions. Obey them to the letter. He is a strong man and a bold one, but he does not forgive those who step against him. Not even those who have repented their actions - as we have lately seen."

Keitarou turned his gaze towards the annexe, a thoughtful look on his face.

"So I have heard." He murmured. "So I came here, as fast as I was able, to obey his command. To leave my family stronghold and enter foreign territory...to try and repair the dishonour done to my family through the exile of the Lady Riku and to reform bonds with Seimaru-sama and his court. He has been gracious and kind to extend a hand of peace to me after so long forgotten on the fringes of the Clan. You have no idea, Raiden-dono, how much of an honour this is - for me to walk here among you without you staring at me in fear or mistrust."

"The incident with the Lady Riku was unfortunate, but some years past. Time heals wounds, so they say." Raiden reflected, completely missing the sardonic humour in his companion's words, and Keitarou smiled.

"Yet perhaps not all in Seimaru-sama's heart, according to your warning?" He pressed softly. Raiden looked once more discomfitted, shaking his head.

"We have all realised that he means to follow in his Grandfather's footsteps and be the kind of great leader that the Endou needs to stay strong." He said gruffly. "But that leadership comes with ruthless sacrifice. Eiraki-hime's Lord father is imprisoned - we none of us know where or how, or what his condition is now. Seimaru-sama takes the girl's safety seriously as a personal concern. Would he be content, then, to let you see her without an official chaperon present?"

Keitarou was silent for a moment, then he spread his hands.

"I have Seimaru-sama's leave to hold discourse with my fiancée. Nothing more, nothing less." He said finally. "I have no intention of indecent behaviour towards her - I know she is still young, after all. On the contrary, I seek to put her mind at rest. I am a stranger here, after all. If I am to marry someone close to the Clan leader, I should do all I can to strengthen that connection."

"You are a stranger here." Raiden repeated the words almost ominously, and Keitarou's eyes narrowed.

"Are you trying to warn me or threaten me, Raiden-sama?" He asked innocently. Raiden shook his head.

"Neither. Just simple advice to tread only where the Lord tells you to tread." he said frankly. "That is the only path for an Endou in central administration - Seimaru-sama has already made that clear."

"Then I will endeavour to do just that." Keitarou bowed his head again in acknowledgement. "Thank you for your advice, Raiden-dono. I will keep it firmly in mind. Good day."

With that he turned on his heel, continuing briskly towards the stone-walled building before Raiden could expand any further on his cryptic warning.

_A man afraid of something. Seimaru, most likely - and with good reason. But perhaps me as well. He does not know me - I am from the North, so far as he knows, from a branch of the Clan isolated since the exile of Lady Riku to Hokujou. Now I'm here...to marry the daughter of a man locked in chains. It must cause some unrest, the swiftness with which this has happened. And Misashi-dono's life is not really of interest to me. Still...there is a possibility he could recognise me, so it is better he's confined for the time being. It allows me an anchor, at the very least -a way into the heart and trust of a vulnerable young girl._

"Minazake-sama."

Eiraki's ladies greeted him in the entrance hall, and Keitarou mustered up a gallant smile, bowing his head to each in acknowledgement.

"I would like to see Eirake-hime, if I may." He murmured. "And speak to her a while, with her permission."

The maids exchanged looks, then one of them spoke.

"Eiraki-hime has…not asked for visitors, sir." She said hesitantly, and Keitarou nodded.

"I know. Three times already she has declined to see me." He agreed. "But I'm afraid I must persist. If this continues, both she and I may feel Seimaru-sama's wrath – and I fear for her safety as well as my own."

The second maid nodded.

"We are instructed by Seimaru-sama to allow you entrance." She said firmly. "And his orders supersede those of Eiraki-hime. We will admit you – please, follow me."

"Sakiko, are you sure…" The first maid faltered, and got a dark glare for her trouble.

"Hime or not, you know our instructions come from higher, Yuriko." Sakiko said flatly. "Seimaru-sama wishes Minazake-sama to be able to meet with his appointed fiancée. Eiraki-hime puts herself and us in danger by continuing to shut herself away."

She smiled at Keitarou once more.

"It is customary, after all, for an affianced _hime_ to receive her future husband without objection." She added. "In District Seven, Eiraki-hime is a _hime_ but she is not a person of political significance. She has no right to complain about the decisions of her menfolk – and we will not let her anger Seimaru-sama by trying to be brazen."

Yuriko flushed red, clearly uncomfortable, but she did not speak up a second time and Keitarou found himself led through the winding stairwells and long halls to the suite of rooms that had been turned over to the young girl. They were appointed in the finest manner, with every finishing that a pampered _hime_ could want, yet Keitarou still knew this was Eiraki's prison. And, as he met the girl's frightened gaze across the room, he realised too that he had become a second gaoler – she feared him just as she feared Seimaru.

_Well, I can deal with that. Unlike Seimaru, after all, I understand how people work._

He bowed his head towards her in the same formal, gentle way he had the first time they had met.

"Good morning, Eiraki-hime." He said softly. "I hope I am not inconveniencing you by my visit."

Eiraki faltered, then slowly bowed her head, and Keitarou's smile widened.

"Thank you." He said to the two maidservants. "You have no doubt duties to attend to – I will not keep you any longer."

Yuriko's eyes widened at this clear dismissal, and she opened her lips as if to protest at the idea of leaving a young girl unsupervised with her betrothed adult fiancé, yet Sakiko was too quick for her and had grabbed her firmly by the arm, sending her a warning look.

"Please summon us if you require anything, Minazake-sama." She said simply, bowing in return then forcibly hauling her companion from the room.

As the door slid shut behind them, Keitarou found himself alone with the young Endou princess for the first time and an uneasy silence hung heavily over the room.

"I am glad to finally have a chance to speak with you directly, Eiraki-hime." It was Keitarou who spoke first, crossing the room towards her and noting the tension in her slender frame as he did so. She was a child, he realised, yet she was starting to show the first signs of womanhood and, though Seimaru had dismissed her as a wretch of a girl not worth anything, Keitarou could see that, in a few years, she would probably blossom into a very pretty individual. Unlike Seimaru, her eyes were not pale and insubstantial in colour, but were a vivid sky blue and were full of a mixture of emotions that gave her feeble form a strange sense of life. Her features were delicate, if touched by apprehension and melancholy at the situation in which she had found herself. Fleetingly Keitarou wondered whether the rumours were true and that she, of all the Clan, bore Yayoi's appearance in her young face.

She was robed in the attire of a high ranking Clan _hime_, with an elaborate kimono folded in shades of pink and embroidered with delicate, tiny flowers at the sleeves and hem. At the waist, a wide brown _obi_ pulled the garment together. It too was woven with the most intricate of floral designs, and her long dark hair was pulled back from her face, swept up in the style of an adult Clanswoman although Keitarou knew her fourteenth birthday had only recently passed.

She was Seimaru's puppet, and he had dressed her for the occasion. Wry amusement struck Keitarou's heart at this. A girl dressed up as a lady – yet one who, if Seimaru had his way, would never live to see that come about.

She had not responded to his greeting with more than that forced bow of the head, and he eyed her keenly.

"Are you, perhaps, afraid of me?" He asked lightly, noticing the dismay in her expression at his gentle question.

"I am hurt, Eiraki-hime. So far you have avoided my company on three separate occasions, and now you cannot even give me a good morning greeting. It pains me that I should cause you such displeasure, just by showing my face."

"I…" Eiraki faltered, and Keitarou took a few steps more towards her, pausing just a short distance away. If he wanted, he could touch her now, yet still he kept that space between them. She was like a frightened kitten, and it would not do to either bring out her claws or cause her to bolt for safety.

"Will you always be afraid of me?" He questioned instead. "Is the possibility of our forming any kind of friendship foiled because it was your cousin who recommended our match?"

Eiraki was silent for a moment, then she shook her head.

"Father told me to obey the Head of the Clan, and so I will." She whispered. "I gave Grandfather my word that I would marry if he decided it, and now he is g…gone, it is for Seimaru-sama to decide my fate. I am n…not afraid of you, Minazake-sama. I…I just…"

She trailed off, and Keitarou smiled.

"Minazake is so formal, and I am not used to hearing it." He said honestly. "My name is Roukei. Kei. You may call me that, Eiraki-hime – since I am forward enough to call you by your given name, and I will feel guilty if you do not reciprocate."

"But…you are…some years my senior in all regards." Eiraki's eyes widened, and Keitarou shrugged.

"Nonetheless in blood you outrank me." He said matter-of-factly. "And besides…I would prefer it. If you call me Minazake it forms a wall between us. I don't want that to be the case, Eiraki-hime. Even if you hate the sight of me now…I hope in time you won't."

He glanced at his hands.

"I am not used to being spoken to with formality." He admitted. "And I would much prefer it…if you would call me Kei."

Eiraki swallowed hard, then,

"All right." She murmured. "I will…try to call you…Kei-sama instead."

There was still apprehension in her blue eyes, and Keitarou pursed his lips.

"Ah, but you are still uncomfortable." He observed. "Perhaps you think I might molest you, when you are still so young."

Eiraki's cheeks flushed red at the forwardness of his question.

"I…I…"

"Shh." Keitarou reached across to put his finger on her lips, and she flinched back instinctively, eying him with wide, frightened eyes.

"I have no intention of tainting your honour." Keitarou said quietly. "You are not yet a woman, and I am a patient man. Neither of us choose to marry, after all – we are both in this at the mercy of your Lord cousin."

"S…Seimaru-sama…ordered _you_ to marry me, too?" Eiraki looked startled, and Keitarou nodded his head.

"For political convenience, he saw it as a wise decision." He lied glibly. "For you and I to be so paired and therefore our children well beneath his control. For I am as snared by him as you are – he is too powerful an individual to even think of defying."

Eiraki eyed him for a moment, then she sighed, and Keitarou saw tears glittering on her lashes.

"I did not know." She murmured. "I thought you…had chosen…had asked…because you are kin to Riku-basama, and…your family wanted to return representatives to the centre of court. I thought that…and Seimaru-sama…so I thought it was because I…cannot…refuse."

"I have no blood kin to want such a thing." Keitarou said bluntly. "They are all long dead. I am the only one left. I was summoned here – I follow Seimaru-sama's instructions, and that is all."

"Alone?" Eiraki stared, and Keitarou felt the first inkling of a thaw between them. "But…Riku-sama…?"

"A lady I have met but twice in my life." Keitarou's words were rich with irony. "And that is all. My mother, my father, both long dead and me...well, this is the first time I have ever been in the centre of the Endou administration or a position of this level."

Eiraki gazed down.

"I really thought you had chosen to marry me." She whispered. "Because I'm Seimaru-sama's cousin, and because there is no way I can currently refuse any of his commands."

"I'm sorry, then, for the misunderstanding." Keitarou's features became grave. "I know you are worried for your Father's safety, Eiraki-hime."

Eiraki's head shot up at this, alarm in her gaze.

"You…know about Father?" She whispered, and Keitarou nodded.

"All do." He said simply. "That he has been confined indefinitely in an unknown location. It must weigh heavily on you, whether or not he is well."

"So long as I do not displease Seimaru-sama, I believe he will be well." Eiraki said softly. "But…not knowing…it makes me afraid…"

She bit her lip.

"But I must not say such things." She murmured. "It is not safe. I'm sorry."

"You can say them." Keitarou spread his hands. "They are not surprises to me, nor things I will repeat to any other. Seimaru-sama is a ruthless individual, after all. I know, because I have been a victim of his power and justice myself."

He paused, debating the gamble, then making up his mind.

_Nothing ventured, nothing gained. To obtain trust I must give it – if she betrays it, I will simply kill her._

"I carry a secret – a secret that, if revealed, would probably end in my death." He continued out loud. "Seimaru-sama knows this secret. Because he knows all of my history – I can never escape his grasp."

He moulded his features into a haunted expression, all the time watching out of the corner of his eye to see whether the young girl believed him.

She was hard to read, he reflected ruefully, just as her Father was known to be. Yet she was still very young, and more, isolated and alone in this austere place. That was his opening – and he knew he had to take it, regardless of the risk.

"A secret?" At length Eiraki spoke. "A…bad secret? Something…evil?"

"A secret that endangers me." Keitarou agreed. "If I were to trust you with that secret, Eiraki-hime, you would also hold my life in your hands. But if you ask it of me, I will tell you – if I trust you, perhaps then you'll learn to trust me."

"I…" Eiraki faltered, and Keitarou gazed at her expectantly.

"It's your decision." He said softly. "Even forced into this situation, I don't want you to think that I intend you harm. If it will make you trust me – then I will put myself in your hands and trust that you will not betray me."

Eiraki's expression became thoughtful, then, for a split-second he saw fleeting decision cross her gaze. She nodded.

"Very well." She said quietly. "I will hear your secret, Kei-sama."

Keitarou gazed at her, taking in her sudden composure, and inwardly he was amused at her attempt to be more grown up than she was.

_She truly is a frightened little girl forced into a predicament by her crazy cousin and ineffective father. But I can help her. And she can help me. So I will pursue this. And I will take the risk._

Out loud he said,

"I would not have you call me Minazake, since that is not my true name."

"Not…?" Eiraki stared at him, disconcerted. "Then…you are not…of Northern descent within our Clan? I heard my maids talking, and they seemed to think you were some part Kyouraku – but…surely…from Riku-basama…"

"They are not entirely wrong. My mother was half Kyouraku and I have Kyouraku blood." Keitarou shook his head. "But my bloodline is not Endou and the connection to Riku-sama was fabricated for her own and Seimaru-sama's nefarious ends. I am not a true part of your Clan, Eiraki-hime, and do not deserve for you to look at me as such. I was one originally taken in by Shouichi-sama and, now that he is dead, I no longer have anywhere to hide. My true name is Urahara. I am one of the exiled Clansfolk – one of those hated beings whose heads the Council would like to see on spikes outside the gateway to Inner Seireitei."

Eiraki's eyes became wide with fear and she shuffled back, staring at Keitarou in alarm.

"An…Urahara?" She whispered, and Keitarou nodded, allowing his features to become sad.

"So you fear us too." He murmured. "Although it is my people who have been slaughtered, not those belonging to your Clan. There are scarce few of us left now…those of us whose only guilt is bearing a blood connection to the scientists who broke Council Law a century ago. Because of those mistakes, we're all tainted till we die. But we are still people, Eiraki-hime. And we still have lives we want to lead."

He frowned, remembering Daisuke.

"My cousin was killed not long ago." He added. "And I could do nothing except bury his body. Tomorrow it may be me they come for – only Seimaru-sama has protected me. But because of it, I am not free. I am his servant – his slave, perhaps. Just as you are – I have no choices of my own. I act on his whims, just like you. We are both puppets, after all."

Eiraki looked contrite.

"I'm sorry." She said slowly. "I should not…I didn't mean to react that way. I hadn't thought of the Urahara…in quite that light before."

She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"I don't know much about it." She said honestly. "People have told me that your kin were evil, so I believed them. But…but my kin are evil too, Kei-sama. My Grandfather was a cruel man. As you rightly say, my cousin has my Father imprisoned – perhaps in pain or worse – and seeks to kill both him and my Mother if I do not do as he commands me. Many, many people have been killed because of the Endou – I'm starting to see that this Clan is steeped in blood and I…I do not like it. So who truly is the villain? I don't know any more. I don't know…"

She got to her feet, moving restlessly to the window and gazing out over the lands below.

"Perhaps _I_ am, for going along with it." She said honestly, and Keitarou was genuinely surprised by the adult perception in her words. "I begin to think now that Nii-sama…"

She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she swung around, and Keitarou eyed her in interest.

"Nii-sama?" He asked, feigning ignorance. "You have an older brother, Eiraki-hime?"

"I…don't know, now." Eiraki buried her head in her hands. "I mean…yes. He lives. But he is exiled. And I…should not speak of him. Father would be angry if I did…and so would Seimaru-sama."

"And what did he, this brother, to make himself so detested?"

"I don't know." Eiraki admitted. "And sometimes I think…Father didn't want him to be exiled. Even though he always says that we shouldn't worry about Hirata-nii and that he had left the Clan I…don't think so, sometimes. But…Seimaru-sama hates him. And would kill him, if he were to return. So…"

Keitarou's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Is he strong, your brother?" He asked softly, and Eiraki shrugged.

"He wasn't." She confessed. "At least…he was stronger than I was, and he…he had power, everyone said that. But he was…not the same as Seimaru-sama. And so…nobody took notice of him. Then…Father sent him away. To District One. To train. And after that he…he did something to defy Seimaru-sama. I don't know what, but…since then…even though Endou are forbidden from entering District One, my brother more or less makes it his home."

"And he no longer writes to you?"

"I have not heard from him in over a year, and all letters I have sent are stopped at the border and returned to me." Eiraki's tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I have given up. But I can't think he isn't my brother…I just…don't know if he still is."

Keitarou got to his feet, coming to stand at her side.

"You should not be here." He said frankly. "You and Sumire-sama…while Misashi-sama is imprisoned, you are in danger too. He would not want you to be manipulated. He would want you to leave."

"But how can I leave? With Father in such danger…" Eiraki shook her head, and Keitarou looked grave.

"My cousin who died sent his wife and sons to safety before him." He said quietly, and now he could not keep the genuine emotion from his tones. "He knew there was danger, but he chose to stay here even so. So long as they were safe, he was content. I'm sure therefore that Misashi-sama would feel the same – that so long as you and your Lady Mother were safe – he would have less to concern him."

"But…"

Eiraki faltered, and Keitarou put his finger to her lips once more. This time she did not pull away, and Keitarou knew he had gambled and won – even tentative and hesitant, he had begun to gain her trust.

"I will help you." He said softly. "I will find a way for you to leave this place once and for all."

"But what will happen to you?"

"I will remain here, cover your tracks and then, when the time is right, I will slip away too." Keitarou said seriously. "If I can discover where your father is held…then maybe I can help him too."

"Why would you risk yourself, though? I don't understand?"

"I saw my kin die and could not prevent it." Keitarou said frankly. "I'm therefore bound to make amends by helping someone in the same situation. Besides…"

He frowned, shaking his head.

"So long as Seimaru-sama is in charge, none of us will be free." He said regretfully. "I did not know till now that you had a brother, nor that he was to be trained in District One. That makes things different – it gives me hope. Perhaps…if you could reach your brother…perhaps then we would have a way to fight. After all, a daughter cannot inherit the Endou-ke. But a son…a son can."

"You think…Hirata-nii…" Eiraki stared at him, clasping her fingers tightly around his arm, and Keitarou nodded.

"While you are here, you're Seimaru-sama's puppets." He said gravely. "But even though Seimaru-sama could easily kill your father, he has not. _This_ must be the reason - I was a fool not to realise it before. You have a brother, and whilst things are as they are, that brother will not act to save you, since he might cause your deaths. But if you could reach him and talk to him – then what? Would he not come, then, to free his Father and save his Clan from destruction? So long as you have a brother who lives, Seimaru-sama would surely not dare kill your Father. If he did...if he did..."

Eiraki's eyes became huge as she pieced the fragments of his paper trail puzzle together.

"Hirata-nii would be the heir to the Clan." She whispered. "Grandfather and Seimaru exiled him, but the Clan has not officially disowned him because Grandmother…Grandmother favoured him a little, I think. And Father said...to Seimaru-sama himself one time...that the day Father died would be the day Hirata would become Seimaru-sama's heir. Seimaru-sama would not want that...for Nii-sama to come back and rebel against him, even turn the Clan against him...but..."

She faltered, then,

"I do not know much about the place he has gone to in District One. Only that strong Shinigami are trained there." She admitted. "Do you think...in that place...my brother could learn to be strong enough to fight Seimaru-sama and win?"

Keitarou's eyes became slits.

"If he did not, why would Seimaru-sama still keep your Father alive and you in this pretty prison cell?" He said softly. "If he did not fear Hirata-sama...why would he not act?"

Eiraki digested this for a moment, then she nodded her head.

"You are right." She murmured. "You must think me such a child for not having realised it before. Even Seimaru-sama has said that Hirata-nii wishes to act against him...even he has said it to me, so therefore Seimaru-sama _must _fear something my brother has. Something he can do. Something, maybe, he's learnt in that place Father sent him to."

She frowned, and Keitarou saw real resolution glittering in the vivid blue eyes, showing a flicker of the inner strength that her retiring nature had so far managed to overrule.

"We _will_ leave here, then. Mother and I. And we will take this message to Hirata-nii ourselves." She said decidedly. "With your help, Kei-sama, somehow we _will._"

She hesitated, then,

"Father has a servant by the name of Kibana Hiroto." She said softly. "He is now demoted to being simply a member of Seimaru-sama's retinue, on account of Father's disgrace – however, he is not born in this District and is loyal only to Father. When Father was first put in irons, he sent me a cryptic message by way of a maidservant that if I needed him, I was to get word to him somehow. I think…if we were to speak to him…he would know a way to leave this place."

"Kibana Hiroto?" Keitarou repeated the name to himself, idly wondering if Seimaru knew about this and whether the maid who had protested about his entering Eiraki's chambers was the same one who had carried the missive behind closed doors. "And he is a man of arms? A soldier?"

"Yes." Eiraki nodded. "Kei-sama, you must be discreet in speaking to him – I do not know if he is being watched or if his being left alive and free is an attempt to snare him into treason in my Father's name. But I have heard Father say that Kibana-dono carries the seal of the Kyouraku-ke and was once a retainer in Eighth District before their civil war. I think…he is able to cross the barricades and get beyond the border. And…if that is true…if we could reach the Kyouraku then I…I think we could get word to my brother in District One. Tokutarou-sama despises the Endou – but he has good relations with the Yamamoto."

"You are far, far cleverer than Seimaru-sama realises." Keitarou reflected, more than half sincere. "All right. I will follow your guidance and do as you say. I will find Kibana Hiroto-dono, don't you worry, and between us we will engineer a way to spirit you and Lady Sumire from the dangers of this court."

He smiled.

"And when it is over...when it is all over...I will make sure that you are no longer a prisoner. Whether you become my wife or whether you do not – I am decided. For your sake and for the sake of my dead kinsfolk."

"And when that happens, I will find a way to end it too." Eiraki promised softly. "With Niisama's help, I'm sure I can find a way to stop the persecution of the exiled Urahara. Because...now I know...in which Clan the most true evil lies. You aren't the one who should be hunted, Kei-sama. If I can, as an Endou-hime, I will put it to rights. Bury the past, and somehow…let you move on too."

Keitarou's eyes glittered with triumph and he nodded, reaching across to touch her on the shoulder. It was only a light touch, but from within the depths of his sleeve the blade of his knife glittered faintly, and as his fingers brushed against Eiraki's arm, something small and finely glittered shot from the tip of the weapon, burying itself deep into the girl's chest. As the two made contact, Eiraki flinched, starting and putting her hand to her heart as though she had been suddenly stung by an insect.

"Eiraki-hime?" Immediately Keitarou dropped his arm, all concern as he raised his gaze to meet hers. "Are you all right?"

"I..." Eiraki coughed, rubbing her chest and looking confused. "I feel as though a wasp stung me...but I...do not see one. And...through the folds of my kimono, I..."

She faltered, shrugging her shoulders.

"I am too much on edge." She said sadly. "I imagine even the insects want me dead, now."

"The sooner that you leave here the better, then." Keitarou got to his feet. "I will leave you now, but I will keep my word. I will find a way and a means to help you escape this place and I will return here when I have further news. For both of our sakes, this must remain between us – but whatever else occurs, I will keep my word."

He bowed his head towards her, then turned, withdrawing from the chamber into the hallway beyond. Once the door was shut behind him, however, a faint smile touched his lips.

_Insects indeed. Well, I suppose she isn't far wrong. My weapon may be considered such, in some circles, after all. _

He leant up against the wall, closing his eyes as he focused his energy on the tiny fragment of metal he had left inside the girl's ribcage. Though it only buzzed faintly against his wits, it was enough for him to reach out to Eiraki and, if he so wanted, he knew he could use it to plant suggestions into the girl's thoughts, subtly manipulating her to his advantage.

_A minute, thin slither of Chudokuga's shikai - nothing of the level I used to rip the hearts from the Endou guards. I don't wish to kill her - just monitor and use her to the best of my ability. Now she knows my secret, after all, and this is the best way to ensure she shares it with nobody. She is not spiritually strong, despite how hard she pretends to be, therefore such a tiny piece should suffice. This way I can withdraw it at any time – it's safer, should anyone suspect. After all, I won't need to use the full thrust of my Bankai to use her effectively, and killing her is Seimaru's interest, not mine. Killing powerless little girls is not my preferred pastime - a waste of blood and energy and certainly not worth my full attention. _

_  
_He sighed.

_  
Still...now I can report back to him directly. He can let them go, now. They will find Hirata, and I will ensure the boy and his proof are brought back to District Seven so as at last I can continue with my work more freely. And also...the District shinigami._

His smile widened.

_Already I'm looking forward to meeting him. This boy is undoubtedly too a piece of the puzzle...little by little it'll all start to weave together soon. Once everyone who should be is drawn into my web...then things should start to move more quickly._


	38. District Eight

**Chapter Thirty Seven: District Eight**

The sun was setting over District Eight by the time the carriage drew up outside the big manor house that housed the Head of the Kyouraku-ke and his immediate family. As the horses were reined in, Juushirou stifled a yawn, peering out at the immense estate that greeted them. In the fading light, it seemed even more grandiose and foreboding, and he swallowed hard, realising that, in comparison to the apartments in Inner Seireitei and even the Academy itself, this was truly almost a palace in its own right.

At his expression, Shunsui grinned, leaning across to nudge him with his elbow.

"I told you." He said unecessarily. "A house but not a home. You see now? Far too big to be anything else."

"I'm not quite sure it's even a house." Juushirou gathered his wits, shooting his friend a sheepish smile. "That seems...far too much of an understatement, to be honest. I'm trying to find a word that sounds big enough - but I'm not sure there is one."

"The Kyouraku are an old military Clan. You know that, I've said it before." Shunsui nodded. "But they're also a very rich Clan, too. Still, in comparison to Ryuu-kun's exalted people, I'm sure this is common fare. You'll come to see, Juu, that Clan really do have more money than sense."

He got to his feet, smiling in acknowledgement as a smartly dressed retainer hurried to open the carriage, preparing the steps down to the ground below.

"We should go. People will wonder why we're taking so long, otherwise." He said frankly, reaching out to grab Juushirou by the arm. "Unless you want to sleep in the carriage - in which case..."

"I think...that sleeping in here might be more normal than sleeping in there." Juushirou admitted. "But all right. I'm coming."

He paused, turning to glance at the final member of the group. Hirata had remained silent as they had crossed the border, his blue eyes clouded with deep thought and Juushirou had wondered what exactly was going through the young boy's mind. That they had moved closer to his homeland was without a doubt, yet Juushirou realised that there was a lot of land still between them - a lot of distance between Hirata and the people he loved.

"Are you coming, Hirata?" He asked softly now, and the younger boy seemed to stir from his daze, casting his companions a sheepish look as he nodded his head.

"Yes. Sorry. I wasn't really concentrating - I hadn't realised we'd arrived."

"Well, we are here." Shunsui ushered them both down the steps before leaping deftly down beside them, meeting the retainer's horrified expression with an unrepentant grin. "So wakey wakey, all right? Nii-sama will expect your best behaviour, after all - he doesn't often entertain Endou-ke, so you should make a good impression from the start."

"I'll do my best." Hirata nodded. "Tokutarou-sama is kind to include me in the invitation, after all."

"You're not your Clan." Juushirou said firmly. "None of what's going on over there is to do with you."

"No. All of it is." Hirata sighed. "But for the time being, there's not much I can do."

"Shunsui!"

A friendly voice from the gates of the hall made the trio turn as a tall, well-muscled man strode across the grass towards them, a warm grin on his handsome features. His messy dark hair was pulled back in a tail, but it seemed more a matter of necessity rather than out of any formality and several stray ends stuck out at all angles. Green eyes sparkled with life and mischief, yet they were open and honest and lacking in any kind of preoccupation or ulterior motive.

To Juushirou he was somehow familiar, yet try as he might he could not place where he might have met the man before. Across the newcomer's shoulders was slung a white garment which could have been a _haori_, yet it was so different from the ceremonial ones he had seen at the Council meeting that the District boy found himself wondering if that was truly what it was. Unlike Retsu's, which had heavy sleeves and a clear shape, this _haori_ was more of a cross between a _kataginu_ and a _montsuki,_ yet somehow lacking in the full style of the ones he had seen so far.

At the sight of the newcomer, Shunsui's features broke into a rueful grin and he took a few steps forward, allowing the taller man to clasp his hands in greeting.

"I wondered if you were going to roll in, though now I've heard you're on the straight and narrow I was looking forward to seeing it for myself." The man spoke in a casual, friendly manner which, to Juushirou's mind belied the expensive nature of the robes he wore below his white cloak. "It's been a while, after all - though Sora-chan's been thorough in her reports to me, and I wanted to see the result for myself."

"Hakubei-dono." Shunsui bowed his head slightly, mischief in his eyes, and Juushirou's eyes widened as the older man laughed, swiping at Shunsui's tousled head playfully as he shook his head.

"No formality. Not from Toku-nii's brother." He said firmly. "You've never been one to stand on ceremony, so don't start now - else I'll have to beat the Kyouraku out of you myself."

His glance strayed to the bewildered Hirata and non-plussed Juushirou, and his grin widened.

"Well? Introduce me to your companions? They're looking at me as though I was let loose from an insane asylum, and that won't do."

Suddenly, Juushirou's eyes widened.

"Shiba-ke...?" He murmured, and the stranger laughed.

"Ah, you're a bright one." He said warmly. "You must be Ukitake Juushirou, I think - the District boy, yes? I've heard a lot about you - and since white hair isn't so common on young ones like you, I imagine you must be him. Am I right?"

"Y...yes, sir." Juushirou agreed, startled. "That's right."

"Shiba Hakubei." Now the stranger was grabbing Juushirou's fist, shaking it firmly before letting it go. "Pleased to meet you - and welcome you to the brotherhood of Shinigami, since my mother's spoken of you in her letters and it seems you quite impressed her. That's no mean feat, so I'm keen to see what kind of things you'll bring to the Gotei - and whether you can drum some of them into the wastrel here."

He patted Shunsui on the head, then glanced at Hirata.

"And you?"

"Endou Hirata." Hirata managed, staring up at Hakubei in a rather dazed fashion. "Pleased to meet you, Hakubei-dono."

"Endou, huh." Now Hakubei's clever features became grave. "I see. Yes, I knew that Shunsui and Sora had a playmate from the Seventh."

He clapped his hands down on Hirata's thin shoulders.

"Hang on in there." He said firmly. "We're all, after all, on the same side you are in the end."

Hirata's eyes became huge behind his glasses, and Hakubei grinned, releasing his grip.

"Well, Toku-nii did say he didn't think you'd be here before dusk." He reflected. "But you were the last - your young companions are already here and welcomed. Won't you let me take you to join them? I came out for some fresh air, but it seems my timing was good."

He winked at Shunsui, then,

"I'm not really the formal party type." He owned. "Sometimes it's good to just get a breath of fresh air."

"Hakubei is the Captain of the Tenth Squad." Shunsui explained, reaching out to tweak the older man's _haori_ as he did so. "He's Sora's second brother - the eldest, Ryuusei is being trained to take over from Shouki-sama in District Five."

"But...you're already Gotei? Even though your brother...is not?" Hirata was surprised, and Hakubei chuckled, nodding his head.

"See, Tenth Squad is a sub-squad. It doesn't have Council privileges and it operates as a second string outfit." he said casually. "My brother is the heir to the Clan, therefore the squad he will inherit is Fifth. I'm just the second son, but I have pretty good skills, so I was accepted to lead the Tenth. That's how the Gotei is, at the moment. Eight squads with voting rights, four who don't. But those of us who don't are still connected to the Clans who do - so it's not such a harsh divide after all."

He shrugged.

"Nii-sama and I don't always see eye to eye on everything." He acknowledged. "So it may not always work in the future. But for the time being, it pans out fine. And it means young Sora has a choice of two squads to go into when she comes of age and graduates - that is, providing she chooses to stick with Clan after all."

"Most people do." Shunsui said flippantly. "Except in Eighth, where Shinigami are a rare breed."

"That's because you have a tendency to idling away your time, huh." Hakubei shot Shunsui a knowing look. "But I've heard old man Genryuusai's struck a change in you – perhaps one of these days you'll come home with a sword of your own, too."

"Perhaps." Shunsui agreed good-naturedly. "You never know – they say, after all, that miracles can happen."

He glanced at his two companions.

"We'll go in and see Nii-sama." He said firmly. "He'll be waiting for me at least, and I'm sure he'll be glad to see you both as well. Hakubei, no doubt we'll see something of you too while you're in District Eight – for now we'll take our leave, all right?"

Before the older man could reply, Shunsui had looped a casual arm around each Juushirou and Hirata's shoulders, steering them towards the lights of the manor house. Behind them, Juushirou could hear Hakubei's amused laughter, and he cast Shunsui a quizzical glance.

"I hadn't realised that you had such a close rapport with Sora's kinsfolk as well as with Sora." He observed, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Kyouki-sama's children are quite friendly as a rule, and it's hard not to like them." He admitted. "Ryuusei's got more of a sense of responsibility about him overall – well, when he's around I don't forget to call him Ryuusei-dono, let's put it that way. Hakubei's a bit more casual. Before he got Tenth Squad, when they'd visit, he used to say that Eighth District was the best place for sake in all of Seireitei – and he'd goad me into trying it too."

"Yes, of course. Hakubei-dono goaded you into it." Juushirou eyed his friend sceptically, and Shunsui laughed.

"All right. I probably didn't need the persuasion." He admitted. "But really, you don't need to worry about him in the slightest. He's like Sora. Friendly as they come and absolutely unbiased when dealing with people. I like him for that reason – although I wouldn't say we had a close friendship, I never minded socialising with Nii-sama's Shiba kin."

"I thought he seemed nice." Hirata observed, and Juushirou nodded.

"He did." He agreed. "But now I know who he is, I'm not surprised. He reminds me of both Sora and Kyouki-sama…it's easy to tell what Clan he belongs to."

"It would be nice if more Clans were as open as the Shiba." Shunsui said regretfully. "But as it is, we just have to make do. Try not to run scared from the bright lights, you two – there's bound to be a bunch of people milling all over the shop since a Clan Leader's wedding is a big deal occasion. My kin will no doubt be coming in from the hills to jostle for Tokutarou-nii's attention – even though behind doors they still bitch about his connections to District Five."

"You really don't like your family that much, do you?" Hirata remarked, and Shunsui shook his head.

"Aside from Nii-sama and Okaasama – and well, maybe Rae-hime as well, now – I wouldn't care if they never came to call." He said honestly. "But at times like this, there's nothing to be done but suck it up and face it head on. They like me, even if I don't like them – and Nii-sama'd be cross with me, if I caused a rift."

At that moment they stepped into the main entrance hall of the Kyouraku estate and Juushirou stopped dead, a gasp escaping his lips as he took in his surroundings. Though he had thought the dining room in Inner Seireitei grandly decorated, he now realised that he had been wrong, for in this high-celiinged chamber was every sign of grandeur wherever he looked. Tapestries hung from the walls, woven in a distinct, delicate style and Juushirou was sure he could see the glitter of gold thread laced in among the floral designs and displays. Flowers were clearly very important to the Kyouraku, for Juushirou was aware of them everywhere he looked – carved into the ceiling arches, engraved into the polished mahogany that divided the wall panels and painted and stitched into every picture that brightened the already elaborate scene with yet more evidence of high living. Two massive stairways curled up from the centre of the room, leading to landings flanked with balustrades above, and Juushirou was sure he could see more steps to yet another tier beyond that.

At the head of the stairs, robed in the formal attire of a Clan Leader and with his red-hilted sword at his side was Tokutarou, and at the sight of them he let out an exclamation, hurrying down the steps two at a time as he came to greet his brother.

"I almost thought you'd gone rogue and escaped." He scolded. "People have been asking for you, Shunsui – and there's only so many times I can lie about the quality of the roads from District One."

"We're here now, so calm down." Shunsui advised him levelly, offering his senior a grin. "But thank you for the advice. If there are people looking to get their claws into me, your warning may have given me time to make a quick escape out the back."

"You're not escaping anywhere." Tokutarou told him firmly, grabbing him by the arm and hauling him back before the other could make good on his suggestion. "My heir is not going to play hooky – especially not considering the occasion."

"Spoilsport." Shunsui grimaced, and Tokutarou turned to Hirata and Juushirou with a smile.

"My apologies. I meant to welcome you more warmly than this." He said sheepishly. "Juushirou I know – and you must be Endou Hirata – who I've not yet had the pleasure of meeting."

"Yes, sir." Hirata bowed his head solemnly. "Thank you for accepting my presence here. I realise that it is something of an imposition, and…may cause you inconvenience, considering the current situation."

"There are a lot of people who dislike the Endou, especially at present." Tokutarou agreed gravely. "And I count myself among them most of the time. But you're not an ally of the man who cursed my brother last summer, are you, Hirata? From all I've heard, quite the opposite is true."

Hirata's head shot up, surprise in his blue eyes, and Tokutarou smiled.

"Midori-sama is fond of you, and I know you relinquished your Endou crest to Genryuusai-sama in order to continue your education in District One." He said softly. "You made a choice to exile yourself from your Clan then, and on account of that decision, I welcome you here now. Besides, you're Shunsui's classmate and his friend. That counts for something with me too, you know – I don't believe in judging you by the behaviour of your family."

A faint smile touched Hirata's lips.

"Thank you." He said softly. "I know that more than anyone District Eight has borne the brunt of first Grandfather and now Seimaru's actions - over the last few years especially."

Tokutarou's lips thinned.

"There's seldom good news from the border and even with our aid the refugee camps are struggling with hunger and disease." He agreed gravely. "But we persevere. And we keep hoping that one day there will be a change in Endou policy and a new line of thought in District Seven."

Juushirou saw a serious look cross Hirata's face, but the young boy did not reply, and Tokutarou turned to the District student, offering him a warm grin.

"On a lighter note, I was instructed to have this for you on your arrival in District Eight." He said lightly, pulling something from the folds of his brown Clan _haori_ and holding it out. "I hope it is to your liking – it was crafted to the dimensions Shunsui sent me, so I trust that it will be a snug fit."

Startled, Juushirou took the wrapped bundle, carefully loosening the fabric and pulling back the flaps to reveal the black-polished scabbard, the wood carved, cut and smoothed to perfection by the expert craftsmen of District Eight. As he slipped his fingers around it, he noticed the glitter of silver and he turned it over, his eyes widening in surprise as he registered the elegantly monogrammed kanji for his family name, surrounded by a narrow, delicate border of what almost looked like the swirl of waves. He stared at Tokutarou, lost for words, and the Clan leader laughed.

"A Clansman's _zanpakutou_ has his name on the sheath, so as everyone knows from where he comes." He said lightly, tapping Juushirou on the shoulder as he did so. "_Your _clan is Ukitake, is it not? Everyone should know that, too – since it's a name you carry with pride."

Juushirou grasped the sheath more tightly, nodding his head.

"Yes." He said firmly. "Yes, it is. Thank you, Tokutarou-sama. You're right."

"Thank Shunsui, not me. I just followed orders." Tokutarou winked at his brother, who shrugged.

"Happy birthday, albeit early." He said flippantly. "Now you can stop wrapping the poor thing in blankets and give it a proper place to sleep, can't you?"

"Right now it's inside the bundle of stuff I brought with me for the holiday." Juushirou coloured slightly at this, shaking his head. "I'm not sure where that is…Tokutarou-sama…?"

"It will have been taken you your room." Tokutarou advised him. "And I'm going to spirit Shunsui away now to do the right thing by his relatives, but I'll have someone take you to it. Hirata, you too – you've had a long journey and it's a little while yet before the evening meal will be served. Take a while to unwind and settle in – change your clothes and relax. You'll have plenty of time to see the rest of the house, after all."

He raised his hand in a gesture, and a young housemaid emerged from a side door, her cheeks flushing pink as she met Shunsui's gaze. She bowed hurriedly, sending Tokutarou a questioning look.

"Yes, Tokutarou-sama?" She asked, and Juushirou stared, recognising the soft lilt of a District One accent.

"Kyouko-san." He said softly, and Kyouko started, then offered him a shy smile, nodding her head.

"Ukitake-san." She murmured, bowing her head once more. "Welcome to District Eight."

"Kyouko, if you could take Juushirou and Hirata and reunite them with their luggage, I'd be grateful." Tokutarou said, and Kyouko nodded her head briskly.

"Yes, sir. At once." She agreed. "Would you please follow me?"

"You two know each other?" As they slipped through the seemingly endless passages, Hirata sent Juushirou a confused look, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"Kyouko-san is Megumi-san's friend. The one Shunsui helped escape from District One." He agreed. "I knew that Tokutarou-sama had taken her on as one of his house-staff – but you look much better than you did, Kyouko-san. I almost didn't recognise you."

"I like my life here." Kyouko reddened. "And…but…you're a guest of Tokutarou-sama and Shunsui-sama, so you mustn't call me Kyouko-san. Kyouko is fine – I'm just a maidservant, that's all."

"And I'm just a boy from the District coast." Juushirou grinned. "But if that's how you want it, I'll try to remember."

"I do." Kyouko nodded. "Nobody here but Shunsui-sama, Tokutarou-sama and Yasuhiro-dono know that I came from District One because of Megumi…or anything that happened to me there. I've tried to put it behind me."

Hirata's expression became haunted.

"I'm sorry, Kyouko-san." He said gravely. "My Clan are at fault for your friend's death, after all."

"Your…Clan?" Kyouko started, staring at Hirata for a moment, and then her eyes widened in dismay.

"Endou-ke?" She whispered, and Hirata nodded.

"Yes, but exiled." He agreed, a slight note of bitterness in his voice. "Seimaru despises me more than he ever did you or Megumi-san, I assure you – and he'd much more likely want to see my corpse than he would yours. I'm Endou by name but at the moment by name alone. I'm not your enemy – but all I can do is apologise for what Seimaru did to your friend."

Kyouko sighed, the tension seeping out of her body.

"Megumi's own actions also got her into trouble." She admitted. "If she had not played such a dangerous game…but it's over now, and can't be changed. I miss her still – but I can't undo what was done to her, so I try to move on as best I can."

She inclined her head in Hirata's direction.

"I accept your apology on Megumi's behalf, Endou-sama." She murmured. "You look like him, but your eyes are not the same. His were cold eyes – killing eyes. Yours are not…and I am sure that if you were an enemy, Tokutarou-sama and Shunsui-sama wouldn't have you here."

"My name is Hirata." Hirata said simply. "And I prefer not to be called by my Clan's name."

"Hirata is our classmate. Shunsui and mine." Juushirou explained. "He's always been on our side, Kyouko – never on the side of the people who killed Megumi-san. You can trust in what he says, I promise."

"If he's a friend of Shunsui-sama…" Kyouko pinkened. "My life now is a good one. I'm happy and I have friends and stability here in District Eight. All of that is thanks to Shunsui-sama's kindness – so if he believes in Hirata-sama, so do I."

With that she skipped on ahead to open the door of the chamber, and Juushirou and Hirata exchanged looks.

Clearly Kyouko's gratitude for Shunsui's kindness had spilled over into genuine affection – no, perhaps more a level of idolisation, Juushirou reflected as the maid stepped back, allowing them both to enter.

"I must return to my other duties." She said apologetically. "But if you need anything, you can easily summon someone with the bell since they're all connected to the servant quarters and we'll attend you as soon as possible."

She bowed her head, a smile on her face, then withdrew from the chamber, leaving them both alone.

"Well, Shunsui wasn't kidding." It was Juushirou who broke the silence. "When he said that it wasn't exactly a cosy place. But even though I thought I was prepared…Hirata, I really am not. Even the apartments in Inner Seireitei, even the Academy…none of it has prepared me for staying in the main house within a Clan heartland. You're going to have to help me work out what is what – otherwise I'm going to be a complete nuisance until the day I leave."

Hirata let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

"Kyouraku-kun would probably rather you were yourself, rather than trying to worry too much about etiquette and Clan attitude." He reflected. "But you're right in one respect. The Kyouraku have a bigger main house than I had realised – they're a more powerful Clan than Ojiisama ever gave me reason to believe."

"Size is power, huh?" Juushirou observed, and Hirata shrugged.

"Not necessarily." He admitted. "But having power means being able to put on a show. They're not as influential as the Kuchiki-ke or the Shiba-ke – but they're not weak. I wonder if that's down to Tokutarou-sama, or if it's all about history."

"Well, so long as they're strong enough to keep District Eight peaceful, I imagine that's all that matters." Juushirou dropped down onto the floor beside his bundle of belongings, carefully setting the sheath down on the floor as he began to unfasten the rope ties that had held it all together. "I'm not even going to ask how much this scabbard cost – I'm almost sure it was more than my family's entire annual income, to be quite honest."

"It is finely crafted." Hirata sank down beside him, touching the sheath with his index finger, then nodding. "It will last a long time, I think, since whoever made it knew what they were doing."

"Then its time for the acid test." Juushirou lifted Sougyo no Kotowari from the bundle, carefully unwrapping the blankets and tilting it slightly so that the evening sun glinted off the silver blade. "He keeps teasing me, but Shunsui is right. It shouldn't be swaddled like this – so if it fits the sheath, so much the better."

He touched the tip of the blade to the opening of the scabbard, then paused, offering Hirata a grin.

"I can feel it." He admitted. "Sougyo, I mean. It's as though it knows its getting a new resting place – it's tingling and prickling with excitement."

Hirata sent him a confused look.

"You know, I've never heard anyone talk about their sword like you do yours." He admitted. "Seimaru sees his as just a weapon, and Ojiisama did too. Obaasama's slept but though she was never far from it, she never mentioned it having thoughts like that. But you…with Sougyo…you do. As though it really is alive – not just a weapon but a being in its own right."

Juushirou sighed, sliding the weapon into the sheath and tapping the wood absently.

"Is that odd?"

"No." Hirata shook his head. "To be honest, I hope…if I ever have a _zanpakutou_, I'll be able to sense those things about it, too. It makes it seem like you really care for your sword, Ukitake-kun. That you have a real bond with it, and it with you."

"I think that's true." Juushirou nodded. "It's impossible to explain it, but it's there, at the edge of my awareness, like a part of me but also a part of itself. When it's released, the _reiryoku_ floods over me like a tsunami – but right now, while it's asleep, it's just the faintest of sensations stirring within its seal."

He smiled.

"And it's a fine fit." He added. "Sougyo seems to approve, and so do I. I must thank Shunsui properly later – I haven't had a chance to, yet."

He set the sword aside, then,

"And we should probably do as Tokutarou-sama suggested, and change clothes." He added. "Since neither of us should be seen in a place like this in our messy school uniform."

"What will you wear?" Hirata looked blank, and Juushirou laughed.

"When I stayed in Inner Seireitei, Tokutarou-sama had clothes prepared for me to wear to dinner that night." He responded, unpacking the delicate grey fabric from his pack. "And he insisted I kept it, since he thought I'd have need of it again. Now seems to be a good time – I won't disgrace anyone if I'm at least dressed smartly to begin with, right?"

"I suppose he already anticipated you'd be here this winter." Hirata pursed his lips. "I wonder if he expected trouble from home even before Grandfather's death."

"Mm." Juushirou recalled the conversation with Tokutarou and nodded. "I think he did. He warned me about District Seven and that there was danger there. But at that point Shouichi-sama was still alive…and all seemed stable."

"Then a few days on he was murdered." Hirata said flatly. "And that changed."

"You still think that way, huh?" Juushirou eyed him keenly, and Hirata nodded.

"I know it." He said simply. "I know Seimaru. And I know Ojiisama didn't die by accident. They just can't prove that he didn't, that's all. The Unohana don't believe in making accusations without firm proof. Seimaru's taken advantage of that fact…somehow. But either way the end result is the same."

He sighed.

"My being here might be a bad thing." He said pensively. "But it might also be a lure."

"You think Tokutarou-sama would…" Juushirou trailed off, and Hirata shrugged his shoulders.

"Perhaps." He admitted. "And if he has, I won't blame him. The way he spoke to me downstairs…makes me think that he hopes somehow I'll be strong and take control of my Clan. But at the moment I don't see how I can take on a Shinigami with a _zanpakutou_ at release level. Also, with Father in…whatever position…"

He trailed off, looking troubled, then,

"Tokutarou-sama probably knows that." He owned. "And so is resorting to plan B. If he can bring Seimaru here, he can arrest him…and bring before the Council a case of Endou intimidation tactics. That must be what he's thinking. That if I'm here, Seimaru may come. And if Seimaru comes…he'll be in breach of Council law. It's forbidden for a Head of a Clan to visit another land without prior permission unless the two Clans are officially allied by a written treaty. No such thing exists between Eight and Seven. In the past, Seimaru coming here would have been a lesser thing. But now he is Head of the Endou…he has to obey that law too. And he can't come here just on a whim. If he does, it will be a Council issue – and I'm sure Tokutarou-sama will pounce."

"So you're the bait in the trap." Juushirou frowned. "Do you think Shunsui knows that?"

"I think he might suspect it." Hirata agreed. "But it's all right, Ukitake-kun. I came here knowing it, too. I had already made up my mind that I would risk it and come – if it meant I was a political pawn and a lure for Seimaru, so be it. I want him dead, you see…and I'm not sure I can be strong enough to kill him."

"Hirata!" Juushirou stared at his friend, aghast, for the young boy had stated his intentions calmly and matter-of-factly, as though describing a planned holiday trip. At his expression, Hirata smiled faintly, spreading his hands.

"All Endou are like that, in the end." He murmured. "I'm not like Seimaru, but I'm not immune to my heritage, either. None of us are. You don't survive in District Seven if you aren't aware it's kill or be killed. Since the start Father intended me to grow strong and kill Seimaru. I've so far not succeeded, even though I am getting stronger. If I'd managed it sooner, then maybe…Ojiisama wouldn't have been murdered. Perhaps I could have challenged Seimaru and beaten him and have Ojiisama accept me on the basis of that win. Perhaps Father wouldn't be imprisoned now. Perhaps…"

He faltered, and Juushirou could see tears in the younger boy's eyes.

"Perhaps if I had a _zanpakutou_." He whispered. "I could help my family more."

"Hirata…" Juushirou sighed, reaching across to put a comforting arm around his companion's shoulders. "Stop it. You're not to blame for what's happening there and you're working as hard as you can. Everyone knows that. I'm sure Misashi-sama knows it, too. You've done nothing wrong…Seimaru is the villain here, not you."

"Mm. Perhaps." Hirata agreed dolefully. "But I should still be more useful. I'm living free and away from all the trouble, but who knows what they're going through in District Seven. Father. Mother. Eiraki…I'm not there to help any of them."

Juushirou was silent for a moment. Then,

"I brought it with me, you know." He said softly, and Hirata turned, eying him in surprise.

"It?"

"The letter." Juushirou nodded. "The one you gave to me after everything with the Shihouin-ke."

"You brought it here?" Hirata paled, and Juushirou nodded again.

"I couldn't leave it behind, just in case it got found." He said grimly, slipping his fingers into his _obi_ and pulling out the folded sheet of _washi _parchment. "And I wasn't sure whether there'd be anywhere here to hide it. But I think…Shunsui may have provided me with the answer."

His gaze strayed to the sheath, then,

"That's designed to fit my sword, but I noticed when I put the blade in that it's been put together in a specific way." He added. "Sougyo's confirmed it, too. To make the shape fit inside but keep the outside finish smooth there's a slight gap between the outer casing and the inner lining. I think I can fit the letter in there – and nobody would look for it in Sougyo's sheath. So I think…that's what I'm going to do."

"I see." Hirata's features relaxed. "That is a good idea. You're right – it's not an obvious place, and if you're as aware of your sword as you seem to be, Sougyo no Kotowari would always be guarding the letter, too."

"I promised your father my sword would help you." Juushirou grinned, patting Hirata on the back. "This way it can and nobody gets hurt. I'm sure even Sensei wouldn't object to that."

"No, I guess not." Hirata managed a grin of his own, and Juushirou was secretly glad to see it. "And I'll try my best not to worry. Even if Seimaru did come for me, you have the letter. He probably thinks Midori-sama has it, but if he knows that it's not with me, he'll be more cautious in how he acts. It's a gamble but the only way I have at the moment of keeping my family safe."

"I doubt he'll go after Midori-sama." Juushirou reflected. "After their face off, I wouldn't think he'll go near her."

"Me either." Hirata agreed. "At least, that's what I'm hoping."

He sighed, stretching his arms over his head.

"We should change." He added. "And try not to dwell too much on my Clan's issues. Especially you, since this is the first Clan holiday you've had, and I want you to enjoy it. The Kyouraku are a nice Clan, after all – you should make the most of the experience while you can!"

* * *

Time was moving at a snail's pace.

Shunsui cast a rueful glance out of one of the chamber windows at the darkening sky, stifling a sigh as he forced his attention back towards his second cousin's long and interminably boring dialogue about political connections in the west of the District. All around him, members of his Clan had already jostled for his attention, and despite himself he felt more than a little claustrophobic.

"And so in the end, there was nothing to do but arrest the lot of them." The cousin concluded, offering a self-satisfied smile which told Shunsui that he had no regrets about locking up anyone who had crossed his path. "Since they couldn't absorb even the most basic of manners, we had to interrogate them under armed guard. They still denied it, of course – thieves generally do – but they'll probably get a long spell in one of the cells for their trouble."

"You should be careful." Shunsui advised absently. "You don't want to overcrowd your manor prison, Ryousuke-dono. And if you don't have enough people to manage your land, you'll find your harvests and exports grind to a halt…and that won't please anybody."

"Yes, well, I know that." Ryousuke sighed, the irony of his companion's words lost on him. "But even so, crime is crime and must be punished in whatever way the law says. Between us I'd hang them or slice them down, then at least they wouldn't be filling cell space…but Tokutarou-sama is against such punishments for petty theft, and so…it's as you see."

He looked hopeful.

"Perhaps you could talk to him for me? After all, you are far more conveniently placed than I am to put such a suggestion."

"Well, I could." Shunsui pursed his lips. "But I don't think it'd do much good. You see, Ryousuke-dono, I agree with my brother's policy on this. And besides, not all poor folk want to be thieves. Some of them just have no other way of getting food or water for themselves and for their families. Perhaps if you looked at it from that angle, you might find a way to cut down on the thefts and improve your region's productivity – that would surely make Nii-sama look favourably on your family."

Ryousuke shot Shunsui a confused look, then,

"You have a radical way of thinking, even now." He murmured. "Are you sincere?"

"Quite sincere." Shunsui nodded. "The happier your common folk, the better they will work for you and the more loyally they'll stand by you. It's simple common sense – you reap what you sow, as the saying goes."

"Well…" Ryousuke looked doubtful. "I'm not so sure. I realise that you've been in the close company of some of these District types of late and perhaps it's given you an odd perception of them and their capabilities. But the average peasant barely knows how to write his own name and he's not much good for more than menial labour. To reward that ignorance with benevolence seems extreme – I'm afraid I don't see the benefit to our Clan at all in such an action."

"Favour from the Clan Leader is always beneficial, though, isn't it, Ryousuke-dono?"

Hakubei's voice broke through the conversation at that point and both turned, Ryousuke stiffening at the sight of the Shiba Captain.

"Hakubei-dono." He said softly, bowing his head although his tones indicated that he had little interest in talking with foreign Clansfolk. At the reaction, Hakubei grinned, offering the man a wink.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Kyouraku business, but I have an urgent need of Shunsui-dono's company and it can't wait." He said apologetically. "Will you excuse us? My mother has sent me with an errand, and as you know, my mother is quite an insistent woman."

"Then we shouldn't keep her waiting." Shunsui responded, bowing his head in Ryousuke's direction. "We'll no doubt continue this another time, Ryousuke-dono."

With that he turned, following Hakubei across the chamber, and once out of earshot he grinned.

"Thank you for that." He said warmly. "I needed rescuing. Does Kyouki-sama really want me, or was that a ruse?"

"A ruse, though I'm sure she'd find any number of reasons to prod and poke at you if she wasn't already busy interrogating the Shihouin and Kuchiki _bocchan_ about the Academy." Hakubei gestured to the other side of the hall. "But as it happens, I wanted to speak to you and it connects a little with what she's saying to them. It's about your neighbours – you probably won't be surprised that there are Shiba-ke here as much to find out about the Endou as they are for your brother's marriage."

"I'd already surmised as much." Shunsui nodded. "Nobody attends any event without an ulterior motive, after all."

"Yeah, well, right." Hakubei nodded, pushing open the door and stepping out into the cool night air. "So we'll talk out here for a minute, if you don't mind. Okaasama is being circumspect for once in what she says to those two – but it's her impression, and mine too…that they probably know something about the Urahara exiles that are being chased down across the border."

"Kai, almost certainly. I'm pretty sure that Shihouin Midori has been trying to obtain information on them as well, since she wants an alliance for her Clan with my brother." Shunsui nodded. "Ryuu I'm not so sure of. The Kuchiki may be concerned, but they don't tend to talk about things so I wouldn't know. Possibly he doesn't, either. Even as second degree Clan, I don't think Ryuu knows an awful lot about Kuchiki Council concerns."

"But the Shihouin boy?" Hakubei's eyes narrowed. "I heard a story that he was wound up in the Shihouin disgrace but escaped by the skin of his teeth. Is that true?"

"No." Shunsui shook his head, offering Hakubei a rueful smile. "You are digging deep – do you then mistrust Midori-sama's interest in an alliance? Or are you worried it might offset the one that already exists between Kyouraku and Shiba? Because Kai-kun is my friend and I can vouch for him. He knew of the things that went on then – it would have been impossible once Midori-sama killed our Hohou instructor for him to have been oblivious. But he was attacked and almost killed by the conspirators – and he's had to face a lot since the Clan almost collapsed. He's not an enemy and he certainly isn't working with the Endou – unless, of course, you mean Hirata, in which case that's another story."

"Ah yes. Hirata." Hakubei pursed his lips. "He's smaller and scrawnier than I imagined. I'd heard about this young'un who'd allied himself with the Shihouin and defied his Clan – but I find it hard to visualise that one doing it."

"Appearances are deceptive." Shunsui agreed. "But Hirata is stronger than he looks. Spiritually and mentally, anyhow – I can't say as much for his sword training, since to be honest it still sucks."

Hakubei grinned.

"You don't like me asking questions about your friends, do you?" He observed, and Shunsui shook his head.

"They're not suspects in any Council intrigue, nor for the Gotei to bother." He said frankly. "That isn't why I invited them here."

"You must know, though, that Toku-nii will have ulterior motives for having allowed so many people to come?"

"Yes, I'd realised. But from my perspective, they're my friends and that's all." Shunsui said evenly. "I'm sorry, Hakubei. I like you and I trust you, but I'm not going to give you unfounded gossip about the people I live with half of the year. They're also people I like and people I trust – and it doesn't matter what Clan they do or don't come from."

"You really mean that." Hakubei reflected. "Yet still I'm a little glad. Sora said you weren't such a flyaway specimen now, and she's right. You've found some roots, so I'll not try and dig them up."

He grinned.

"One last question, though." He added. "About the District boy. Ukitake."

"About Juu?" Shunsui was startled. "He's not even from a Clan…what about Juu?"

"There's a rumour that he has information – inside information – about the Endou-ke and everything else." Hakubei said softly. "And you seem to be his closest friend."

Shunsui snorted.

"You're right. Juu is my closest friend." He said matter-of-factly. "And he's smart and studies hard and has taken the Academy by storm. But he's a District boy, Hakubei. What would he know about Clan politics? All of that's way out of his league and nothing to do with him – if you think that, you're way off base."

"I'm not that simple." Hakubei tapped Shunsui on the head. "Nor is Okaasama. She discussed it with him a little, when he was in Inner Seireitei. He was aware of the events surrounding your being cursed by Seimaru's sword at the very least. Most significantly, he told her that you weren't pulling him into it – but trying to keep him out. I'm fairly sure Toku-nii and Okaasama know a good deal of what you know. But the District boy – maybe he knows more."

"Hakubei…"

"He's close to the Endou boy, after all. Isn't he?"

"Yes, but…"

"At the Council, Okaasama saw him speaking with Misashi-dono." Hakubei pressed. "A man who is now confined…presumably because of information he has regarding his Clan's new leader."

"Misashi-dono did speak to Juu." Shunsui nodded. "That's no mystery. He gave Juu a message for Hirata that his family was safe."

"And he risked his Father's anger to tell a District boy such an insignificant message?" Hakubei arched an eyebrow. "When he hasn't spoken to his son for months in case it puts his position in danger? Don't be naïve. You're smarter than that."

"That's what Juu told me." Shunsui said levelly. "And I believe him, so that's that. Juu's my good friend – he has no reason to lie to me and no political allegiance to warp his way of seeing things. He's a District boy, like I said. He has friends, not allies – and forms bonds, not diplomatic treaties. Don't judge him on Clan level, Hakubei. He's not like us. He's not as tainted."

"Well, you should know." Hakubei eyed him doubtfully, but Shunsui managed to meet his gaze, suspecting that he had probably lied but even so, he was unwilling to bring Juushirou into danger. "Okaasama thinks otherwise – that he might even be in possession of important evidence – but that's just her theory and she might be wrong."

"Since I spend more time with him, I imagine I know better than Kyouki-sama." Shunsui said primly, and Hakubei grinned, ruffling his fingers through Shunsui's wavy hair.

"All right, I get the message." He said frankly. "I'm done with the interrogation now. I'm sorry, Shunsui. Sometimes duty overrules good manners."

"You have good manners?" Shunsui laughed despite himself, pushing the older man's arm away. "Obviously duty overrules them a lot, since I've never seen them."

"Too long spent on manoeuvre has eroded my social skills." Hakubei admitted. "But you'll know about that soon enough yourself, I imagine, since Toku-nii said you've accepted the fact the _haori_ will be yours when you graduate Genryuusai-sama's Academy."

"Mm. I guess so." Shunsui agreed. "Though my manners were never great to begin with, if I'm completely honest."

He sighed.

"This whole break isn't going to be all about the Endou and the Urahara, is it?" He asked plaintively. "Nii-sama's getting married – please tell me there'll at least be some fun and a party."

"No doubt, considering this is Kyouraku land." Hakubei chuckled. "Don't look so sorrowful. Things will settle down. And if they're as you say – if nobody knows anything – people will stop asking questions, too. It's only for the safety of everyone that they are, in any case – don't dwell on it too much, okay?"

"Wasn't going to." Shunsui said dismissively, but he already knew that he would.

_Evidence Juu has. Just what I suspected. Almost certainly Kyouki-sama's right, and he really hasn't said anything because it's something he can't say. Something he's promised Hirata, like before – something between the two of them. Something involving the Endou-ke and evidence – probably the letter that linked Seimaru to the Shihouin and the reidoku scandal._

His brows knitted together.

_Be careful, Juu. If you can't tell me then you can't, and I promised not to be too overprotective, so it's not my place to ask. But if you don't confide in me then it's harder for me to cover for you all the same. If I'm right – and if Kyouki-sama is right – you'll be putting yourself in danger. And I only hope that it's danger we can intercept before it becomes beyond our control._

* * *

Midnight.

Above the stables, an owl hooted, and a soft winter breeze blew against the loose beams, causing an eerie whistling sound in reply to the hunting bird's call. Within, horses stirred restlessly, unable to properly sleep in the chill of the night, and in the blackness, a single figure darted between building to building, intend on a specific goal.

As he reached the furthermost stable building - empty as it now was for Shouichi's horse that had been tethered there had already been moved elsewhere - he paused, listening intently for any sign that he had company. It was a grave risk, after all. It could be a trap, or it could be something else. It could be a way to ensnare his unfortunate master yet further...or it could be a pathway to freedom for the kin Misashi loved so much.

For that reason Kibana had taken the risk. Misashi was relying on him - he wouldn't let the Lord down.

He settled himself in the shadows, his hand loosely resting against the hilt of his weapon as he prepared himself for a potential ambush. He did not have the spiritual senses that some of his comrades did - this alone had made him safe in District Seven despite his foreign birth, for he was a soldier but would never be a shinigami. For a moment he remembered the impromptu fight against one of the weak members of Seventh Squad, and he curled his lip, inwardly berating his carelessness.

He had been lucky, that time. In the melee and confusion of Seimaru's return and Misashi's imprisonment, the death had been overlooked and even ignored. Seimaru did not care for the Shinigami he now commanded, after all - a corpse was an inconvenience and survival among his men was a right earned by the fittest, not gifted to those who could not keep their grip on their blades. Kibana had not come under suspicion, yet he had taken no chances, keeping his head down and making no demur when Misashi had been chained and led away to his cell. He had felt it was betrayal, ignoring the plight of a man who he had come to respect more than any master he had ever served. Yet Misashi had so ordered it. And he would obey.

For the sake of the Endou-ke's future, he would obey.

"Well, so you are here already."

The voice was soft, yet it cut through Kibana like a knife and he instinctively pulled his weapon from its sheath, glancing around him for any sign of the speaker. He heard a soft chuckle in the darkness, then saw a faint flickering of light, the eerie glow glinting off the newcomer's appearance and giving his eyes a ghostly, unreal appearance. For a split-second Kibana felt sure he had seen eyes like that somewhere before...but then the moment was gone, and the intruder was offering him a smile.

"Kibana Hiroto-dono, I presume?" He murmured, and Kibana got to his feet, his grip on his sword not relaxing for a moment.

"You are a soldier, just as Eiraki-hime told me." The other man shook his head, his tone slightly chiding. "But I am not here to fight or kill you. My name is Minazake...if you received the Hime's message, then you'll know why it is I have come."

"Minazake-dono." Now Kibana recognised him, and he sighed, sliding his weapon back into its sheath. "I'm sorry. In the darkness..and with all so ill at ease..."

"I know." The other's expression became troubled. "Which is why we must be careful where and how we speak. I don't know if the horses act as spies for the Lord Seimaru - but I would not be surprised if they did."

"Me either." Kibana acknowledged, a wry smile touching his lips. "Then even in this short time you have a good grasp of how things work in the main house."

His companion nodded.

"As you say." He agreed sadly. "Though I am surprised you agreed to meet with me. I am an unknown to you - it could easily have been a trap."

"I believe in Eiraki-hime's sincerity and know she would not betray her Lord father." Kibana said simply. "If she trusts in you, Minazake-dono, so do I."

"Then our conversation will be shorter and easier." There was a second flicker of light, and Kibana realised that somehow the nobleman had set light to the two basic torches that flanked the walls. He opened his eyes wide in surprise, and Keitarou laughed, putting his finger to his lips as if to indicate the other man should not say anything.

"I have very basic kidou skills, as befits a man of my blood." He said softly. "But Seimaru-sama does not know this and I would rather he did not discover it. My family are, after all, nothing but pawns in a bigger puzzle where he is concerned. And for the time being, it's better he sees me that way."

Kibana glanced at the torches, noting how the red flame flickered brightly yet did not reach across to set fire to the walls of the stable itself.

"I would not call those basic skills." He acknowledged. "I'm a man with no spiritual abilities to recommend me, so my judgement is very much one of an outsider. Yet I have seen shinigami cast spells, Minazake-dono. I think perhaps you missed your calling."

"I was not allowed to train for a sword on account of my bloodline." There was a faint bitterness now in the other man's words, and Kibana sighed.

"I'm sorry. I meant no offence."

"You've caused me none. The truth is the truth, after all." Keitarou shrugged his shoulders. "For now, the past is irrelevant. We're here to discuss the future."

"Yes." Kibana nodded. "And I know what my aims and objectives are. But what drives you, Minazake-dono? Simple revenge on Seimaru-sama for the isolation of your kin? Or is it more than that?"

"Revenge is a good motive. Especially when you're the last of your line and there's nobody else to take up the fight." Keitarou smoothed down the rich fabric of his _hakama_, contemplating this carefully. "It's simmered for a long time, but its about ready to burst into flame. Just like my kidou, Kibana-dono. It's been well controlled and hidden away for the time that I might need it the most. My family were killed by this branch of the Endou, imprisoned and humiliated because they were no longer deemed important. I would like to correct that situation."

He shrugged.

"You are Misashi-dono's servant." He continued. "I am no such thing. Misashi-dono is an unknown to me, after all - since he was locked away before I arrived here. However, I have an interest now in that family. Eiraki-hime is a prisoner here, and I can't abide that fact. She and Sumire-sama should be set free...and then, if its possible...to change everything. There's only one way to do that...one way to bring things back into line. You see it too, I think...hence that's why you're here. To leave this place completely - and find one who can put things to rights."

"You mean Hirata-sama, don't you?" Kibana lowered his voice, unsure even about speaking the name, but Keitarou nodded.

"Getting to him, though, that's the problem." He said with a sigh. "But Eiraki-hime thinks you may know a way - to get them to safety, at the very least - and to alert Hirata-sama of what's afoot. Maybe rally some kind of rebellion...and put things to rights here once and for all."

"And then, perhaps, you might marry Eiraki-hime and return your branch of the Clan to power and favour?" Kibana asked cautiously. At this, Keitarou laughed, amusement in his unusual, mud-slurried eyes. He nodded.

"I wouldn't be sincere if I lacked any personal motivation." he agreed. "She is a young girl, yet, but she has strength and I like her. In time, I believe, such a thing would be acceptable to both her and to me. I would be able to put right the wrongs done to my family, and I would also be able to ensure she was safe and protected from Seimaru-sama and his wrath. Because he intends to kill her, Kibana-dono. Even though he brings me here, he intends to do away with both her and Sumire-sama when the time is right. Misashi-sama too, I'm sure. Perhaps that will be my fate also, when he's finished with his little puppet show of diplomacy. There is no time for us to be playing games and contemplating future politics...if we do not act, there will be no future. Seimaru-sama intends to do what his Grandfather did before him. Eradicate everyone else who could possibly contest his claim and rule supreme."

"And you believe this because Riku-sama still remains confined, and because he has brought you here to act as his tool, despite the fact you and he share a closer blood connection than you did with Shouichi-sama?" Kibana asked. Keitarou nodded.

"Blood is thinner than it seems." He said cryptically. "There is no family connection between my people and his, now. That was ended a long time ago. I thought that I would lack for allies here, and that there was no hope...but I've been proven wrong and I am glad of it. I don't know whether you will trust me - or if its even fair of me to expect it. But if we can work together at the very least to get Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama to safety...to alert Hirata-sama...then if we can only do that, it will be enough."

Kibana was silent for a moment, then,

"My Lord Misashi warned me not to act recklessly." He said at length. "He said to go along with Seimaru-sama's orders and to keep myself out of trouble. I don't know if he would sanction me working with a disgruntled kinsman in such a way. However..."

"He is not here to give you an order." Keitarou pointed out softly, and Kibana nodded.

"That is also true." He said gravely. "And I must decide for myself how to act. When I first came here, I had no money and no hope of obtaining any. My family and I travelled here penniless and starving after the civil war rent holes through District Eight - and yet I was lucky and found employment as part of Misashi-sama's guard. From that point he gave me more and more of his trust - I do not want to betray him. To spirit Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama away might bring anger down on his head - may even see him killed. But..."

He paused, then,

"I think he would still want me to accept your proposal." He admitted. "Even if it puts me at risk of death or worse. You are right when you say I have a way to cross the border - from my days in the army there, I have my Kyouraku seal and have used it in the past for the same purpose. I also know District Eight's trackways and paths better than anyone else in District Seven - and every covert way to the border that might elude the guards of the Endou-ke. I can't offer you more than simple swordsmanship in terms of protection, and I have no position here by which to create a diversion. But I can help them escape. And if that's what needs to be done, then I will."

"You can leave the diversion to me." Keitarou's expression became thoughtful. "So its agreed, then? From this point we will work as allies to free Eiraki-hime and her Lady mother?"

He held out his hand, and for a moment Kibana hesitated. Then he nodded, grasping the other's thin fingers in his and shaking them firmly.

"It is agreed." He said solemnly. "Somehow, for the sake of this whole District, we must prevail."

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**  
_Since this came up in a review recently, I think it best to clear this up:  
__  
I'm not writing Shunsui and Juushirou in a shounen-ai/yaoi manner. It's not that I have any problem with that concept, I just don't write shounen-ai or yaoi stories and to me Juu and Shun's friendship is friendship and nothing else. They're tied together by their twin spirited blades, but that's all. I've portrayed them being very close to one another and Shunsui somewhat protective of Juu - but that isn't meant to signify anything xD._

_That said - and I know I've had conversations with CERTAIN non-mentioned peoples about this - I don't mind if people want to read slash into my work or interpret the pairing in a different way from the way I do. I just want people to know that I will not be actively writing Meifu in that vein at any point. _


	39. Charade

**Chapter Thirty Eight: Charade**

The barracks were heaving that morning.

Kibana squeezed and jostled his way through the gathered group of men, his gaze flitting from face to face as he struggled through the crowd to the cobbled walkway outside the main doors. There were far too many people here, he realised – Seimaru had increased the number of men at arms immediately within his reach but this had not meant an increase in the accommodation or facilities and as a consequence, all chaos had been let loose among the military personnel. For Kibana, who had been forced to leave his family home and enter the soldiers halls simply to keep his wife safe, it had been a difficult transition – and even more so now that a three berth chamber was now sleeping six or seven men, crammed in on the floor from wall to wall between door and tiny frosted window. The one advantage had been that so many bodies forced together had made the chamber warmer, since no fires burned above the ground floor of the military barracks and with the onset of winter, Kibana was not the only one starting to feel the cold.

He stifled a shiver, even as he stepped out onto the frost-gilted cobbles. A cloud of white steam coated the air that he breathed out and he sighed, knowing that winter was the one thing more than anything he hated about being in District Seven. Although the distance between the two Districts was minimal, his homeland had always been famed for its mild winters and early springs – and it was times like this, when the already savaged landscape was looking bleaker and full of despair that he longed for the endless green and patterned flower displays of District Eight.

But there was no time for nostalgia. His mind flitted back to the conversation the night before and he frowned, gathering his resolve. He would see his homeland soon enough, after all. He would see it – or die in the attempt of reaching it, with two very precious burdens in his care.

"Kibana!"

The voice made him start, swinging around half-guiltily to see the tall, sinewy figure of the shinigami lieutenant watching him disdainfully from across the courtyard. Hurriedly he bowed his head, seeing the sneering look cross the other's face at the gesture.

"You don't have time to waste on those things." He said sharply now, crossing the stone quickly despite the icy surface and grabbing Kibana's arm in a vicelike grip. "You're to come with me. Seimaru-sama's direct order – he's called for you by name."

"By name?" A hundred fears flooded through Kibana's heart, but somehow he kept his composure, offering the lieutenant a blank look. "Why would he do that? Surely with so many soldiers at his beck and call, he has no need of remembering us by name?"

"_You_ he remembers. _You_ in particular he knows." The lieutenant's eyes seemed to bore into him, and Kibana found himself wondering whether the whole of the late night conversation had been overheard after all. Fleetingly he wondered if Keitarou had betrayed him – or if there had been another, hidden in the hay lofts, straining to pick up every word that was said.

And then the lieutenant spoke again.

"You've been summoned to stand guard at the council meeting today." He said frankly, already making for the far side of the courtyard towards where the imposing manor house itself stood. "Seimaru-sama is aware, after all, that you are familiar with the protocol and routine of such a duty. And, he wishes to have you exactly where he can see you while the new recruits are being assigned and trained. You are a capable soldier, hence you've kept your life – so far. But he does not have reason to trust you and so you cannot be given over to teaching youngsters the skills you know."

He gave Kibana's arm a harsh tug, almost pulling the soldier off his feet on the slick surface, and Kibana saw the malicious glitter in the man's eyes. Even so, relief crashed over Kibana's heart – maybe it was all right, then. Maybe, still, Seimaru did not know of the plots taking shape beneath his feet.

"So far you've been obedient to Seimaru-sama's wishes, and for that he's grateful." The lieutenant – one of Seimaru's third degree kinsman, Kibana decided – continued, not waiting for his companion to offer any opinion of his own. "This is a good test for you to face, before the people of District Seven's council. You are a foreigner and you belonged to a traitor's retinue – these things count against you. But if you can prove good and loyal service to Seimaru-sama, then he will forgive these things and overlook them. So he has commanded me to tell you – and hence, so you have been summoned to stand guard today."

The lieutenant's eyes narrowed to mere slits.

"It is a privilege given to few, to be so singled out by a Clan Leader." He added softly. "Your history speaks well for you – you're a trained killer with a ruthless reputation and that is the kind of man Seimaru-sama seeks to have in his army. If you are a wise man, you will take the opportunity and rebuild your career from this point forward. You have no other options, after all – there is nobody else here who can offer you patronage and employment as a hired sword."

Kibana did not respond for a moment, then he once more bowed his head.

"As Seimaru-sama commands." He said quietly, and the lieutenant laughed – a cold, shrill sound that seemed to be made all the more bitter by the chill of the winter wind.

"You are surprisingly docile for one who came here as a mercenary." He remarked. "I had heard that – that even seeing your master led away in chains did not incite you to rebel. Seimaru-sama was impressed by this, Kibana – that you saw the futility of such an act and sought to preserve your interests above your former commander's. It was a wise choice – to recognise the shift in power. It is up to you whether you continue to choose wisely."

Kibana remembered the blood of a shinigami adorning his blade, and said nothing, though inwardly he longed to draw his weapon and strike this arrogant, presumptious nobleman with the sharp side of his sword.

But, he knew, such an act would not help him. It would more likely see him killed, in fact, for the weapon that hung at this man's side was a true_ zanpakutou_ – and despite his obnoxious attitude, the one who bore this weapon was one who knew how to fight.

_And if I die here, what becomes of the plan? For Misashi-sama's sake, I must act as he has. Think things through. Wait. Be restrained and cautious. And make sure that in the end the ones I seek to protect are protected. That is my brief and the only thing that should concern me. Everything else I can overcome…everything else I will obey, whether I like it that way or not._

"Yes, sir." He said aloud, hating himself for submitting but knowing it was his only choice. "I will do as Seimaru-sama asks of me. That is my duty, after all, as a soldier of the Endou-ke retinue."

They had entered the main hall by this point, and the lieutenant released his grip on Kibana's arm, his own black and white uniform flapping against his legs as he led the way briskly along the narrow, winding corridors to the upper chamber where the Endou council were called to meet. Kibana had indeed been there before, in recent months, whenever Misashi had ordered him to be present. But the oppressiveness of the place still struck him even as he joined the other armed officers, standing wordlessly in line as the lieutenant cast his disparaging gaze along the members of the group.

At length he nodded, then gestured for them to stand back as the doors opened. The majority of the council were already in session, Kibana realised, his heart jolting slightly as he wondered again whether this was Seimaru's idea of a sadistic trap and he had been lured here to be hacked down by those that remained loyal to or scared of the new Lord of the Clan. Then he met Keitarou's gaze for the briefest of moments, shrouded as the man was in the darkness of the outer ranks, and he felt reassured. There was something about this stranger – something unquantifiable, yet something that gave him hope. Perhaps it was simply that he was no longer worrying about this alone – or that in this outsider he had found someone else who cared what happened to Seimaru's kinsfolk and District.

"Stand back." The lieutenant's sharp command rapped out and hurriedly Kibana did as he was bidden as, robed in a rich claret cloak pinned at his throat with the hunting bird of the Endou in gleaming gold, Seimaru strode between them, flanked by more soldiers in a show of evident power and control. He was late with design, Kibana realised dryly – he was making them wait for him the way Shouichi had often made him wait in the past six months.

Did he realise that he emulated his grandfather? Perhaps it was on purpose, but Kibana felt sure that it was not.

_Like tyrant, like grandson, perhaps_.

Still, he kept his thoughts to himself, following only the signal of the lieutenant to follow the Clan leader into the chamber. As the big doors were rolled shut behind them, Kibana stood up straight, his gaze unfocused and distant as he pretended not to pay attention to the council session.

It began with a bang, for Seimaru was clearly in one of his legendary short tempers and for the first hour an ill-humoured debate was bandied around the echoing chamber as one by one he put down the requests from land holders to lower taxes and scathingly singled out individuals for their apparent failure to gather their usual annual dividends. At one point his fingers hovered near to his _zanpakutou_, and despite his hardened attitude Kibana had flinched, knowing enough of Seimaru's firesword to know that he did not want to be caught up in its legendary curse.

But apparently someone had advised the new Clan leader that drawing his weapon in the crowded council chamber would be a bad start to his incumbency, and though he continued to rage and rant from person to person, Yojinmozu by some miracle stayed in its sheath as he preferred to savage his retainers and kinsfolk with the sharp edges of his tongue instead.

And then, from the gloomy corners of the chamber, Keitarou got to his feet, his hand raised in an indication that he wished to speak. Despite himself, Kibana stared at the nobleman in surprise and confusion, yet Keitarou did not meet his gaze, instead waiting as Seimaru whipped round towards him, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

"What do you want, Minazake?" He demanded, his tones cold. "Do you feel now that you are enough one of us here that you can start advising your seniors and betters on matters of Endou government?"

"No, my Lord." Keitarou bowed his head low, but not before Kibana saw the faintest flicker of something in those odd eyes. Had it been amusement? Kibana dismissed this almost at once, for there was nothing funny about Seimaru's bristling, angry form bearing down from across the room. Even with basic kidou skills, Kibana was sure an unarmed man would stand little chance against Yojinmozu's sadistic fury.

"Then what is it you want to say? Are you, perhaps, feeling unwell? A call of nature, maybe?" Seimaru's tones were mocking now, and, glad that the attention was shifted towards one who was not their own, a few clansfolk began to smirk and snigger in their corners. Kibana felt sick at their easy betrayal of their comrade, but Keitarou did not seem to be phased by it. Instead he bowed his head further, then,

"It is a matter of little import, Seimaru-sama. Only, I was led to believe that if I came here...I would be...my family would be...once more included in the taxation divisions and dividends. And that...with your grace...the land that once belonged to my family might be in part returned to me as your kinsman by your mother's noble blood."

Silence greeted this remark, and Seimaru reeled, as if it had been the last thing he had expected. From across the chamber, an Endou Kibana did not know by name shot to his feet, indignation in his gaze.

"That land was granted to my kin by Shouichi-sama and I have the documentation to prove it!" he exclaimed. "It is not a treaty that can be so easily reneged upon! Your kin were cast out from it, Minazake-dono."

"And yet it was on that assurance that I returned here in the first instance." Keitarou's expression was one of perfect surprise. "I was led to believe that..."

"You may have returned here and you might have felt Seimaru-sama's mercy or pity enough to be allowed to attend council. Even so far as to be given Eiraki-hime's hand in marriage." The other cut across him hotly. "But you do _not_ have any right to the land my family were given in good faith by Shouichi-sama for services rendered twenty years ago! I will not relinquish it, Seimaru-sama - not unless he takes a sword and fights for it like a proper Endou should."

A nasty sneer touched his expression.

"Except we all know that Minazake's people were debarred from sword training on account of their connections." He said derisively. "And I've no wish to so easily adorn my sword with his entrails."

"Are you questioning the honour of my Lady Mother's line?" Seimaru demanded, and in a flash the protester had paled, shaking his head hurriedly.

"No, my Lord, not at all." he said quickly. "But the kin that surrounded her - it's well known that their grasping and greed led to her being so wrongfully imprisoned for such a long time."

"My Grandfather's judgement, then?" Seimaru was every bit the stalking shrike now, eying up his prey ready for the kill.

"No, my Lord, I just..."

"Ah, enough of this." Seimaru shook his head, turning his attention back to Minazake. "Wretched as his claim is, it stands. You have no claim to any land, Minazake. Your people forfeited and that isn't reversable. If that's all you have to say, stand down - I will not grant you what is not yours to claim."

"But Misashi-sama led me to believe..." Keitarou began softly, and then faltered, seeming to realise he'd made a mistake. Kibana winced inwardly at his cohort's gaffe, for at this Seimaru reacted instantly, marching across the chamber and grabbing Keitarou by the fabric of his kimono. Dragging the leaner man forcibly from his seat, he pulled him down the rows of benches to the centre of the hall, and a deathly hush fell over the gathered peers.

It was as though they had assembled to watch the end of a hunt, Kibana thought darkly, and now they would stand and stare as the wretched creature was ripped to shreds before their gaze. Seimaru certainly had that gleam in his eye...and Keitarou, the man who did not have a sword, was entirely at his mercy.

For a moment nothing moved, then Seimaru released his hold, and Keitarou fell to the ground, scrambling to regain his composure as he stared up at the Clan leader in dismay.

As he did so, Seimaru drew back his right foot, kicking Keitarou in the jaw and sending the other man sprawling into the front row of seats, causing exclamations to rise up from the nearest group of noblemen. None of them moved to help their fallen companion, though. All were transfixed, as though their lives depended on them keeping their seats.

Well, perhaps it did. Kibana felt sick to his stomach once more. This was, after all, how Endou justice was dispensed. Another trace of the dead Shouichi's ghost had just reared itself visibly in his young, ambitious successor.

For a moment Kibana was sure Seimaru would kill the fallen Clansman, but then, at the last minute he seemed to stop, shaking his head with a mixture of resignation and disgust.

"You will never, ever say that name here again." He spoke in low tones, clearly fighting to keep back his anger. "My uncle is gone. You may consider him dead as far as this council goes. He will never stand in this chamber nor give his views here so long as I rule this Clan - and I will rule it, God help me, no matter what any of the rest of you think about it. I will eradicate anyone who thinks otherwise - I am my Grandfather's successor and I have no compunction about shedding lives if the need arises."

He bent down, hauling Keitarou to his feet. Kibana could see that already the man's mouth and cheek showed bruises, and a faint spill of blood trickled from a split lip, making a stark contrast with the man's ashen complexion.

"You are dismissed for today." He said nastily, his eyes boring into his companion's as if trying to burn the fire of his curse into the other man by will alone. "I do not wish to see or hear from you for a full twenty four hours - else I might be compelled to stifle your voice for good."

Somehow - Kibana did not know how - Keitarou regained his balance, slowly and unsteadily bowing his head towards the angry Clan leader.

"My sincere apologies, Seimaru-sama." He whispered. "It will not happen again."

With that he was gone, and, very slowly, the room began to settle back down.

But Kibana could not settle. What he had witnessed had made the situation all too clear.

_Seimaru-sama is an enemy that Minazake-dono can't fight alone any more than I can. He may have kidou skills, but he is no match for the leader of his Clan. And I...I'm a soldier. Alone, I have nothing at all to offer in the way of power or influence. What I've decided may bring Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime into danger, but still...but still..._

Unseen by the men of the court, he slid his fingers surreptitiously around the hilt of his blade, remembering again the blood of the shinigami as it had trickled down the weapon's shining surface.

_I must take this risk. I must try, for their sake and for the sake of Misashi-sama. Between us, perhaps, we can do what alone neither one of us can. Between us - perhaps - we can defy the Lord Seimaru and bring hope back to District Seven._

* * *

There was a light frost coating the grounds of the Kyouraku estate as Shunsui led his group of companions out into the chill air, their footprints making dark indentations in the glittering surface as they followed the long winding pathway across the main courtyard to the gardens beyond.

They had risen early, even Shunsui for once leaving his bed without too many protestations and, after breakfast had slipped out of the house before Tokutarou or Kyouki could find some responsible socialising duty for them to attend to. Consequently they were now out in the biting fresh air, yet Juushirou did not find it overly cold. On the contrary, he found the brisk chill in the air both invigorating and revitalising, and as he drew a deep breath into his battered lungs, he realised that unlike the slightly damp, frozen nature of his own homeland, District Eight's winter weather was crisp, dry and clear. There was no morning sea mist here, nor any need to wait for it to clear before venturing out into the hills and valleys. It was a picture perfect landscape, touched by the most delicate highlights of the current season.

It was winter, yet even so, it was winter in gentle moderation. Juushirou was aware of vivid blue in the sky overhead and, battling bravely against the elements, soft blue and lavender blossoms raised their heads towards the weakened rays of the pale sun. Interspersed among the bare silver-grey branches of the deciduous trees were the darker green sprays of the evergreen varieties and Juushirou was struck at how different and yet how beautiful his friend's homeland was from his own.

"It's cold this morning." Enishi's voice broke through his musing, as the tall boy shivered, pulling his heavy Yamamoto-ke cloak more firmly around his broad frame. "I thought it was meant to be warm in District Eight, Kyouraku - were you exaggerating after all?"

"No, but this is still winter." Shunsui seemed amused, shaking his head. "This is about as cold as it ever gets here, though."

He cast Juushirou a grin.

"None of that beautiful snow that covers your hills in Sixth, Juu-kun...we rarely ever get snow in this District except for on the peaks of the border mountains with District One."

"I think that's a shame." Mitsuki observed in her soft voice, soft cream cloak fluttering slightly in the cool breeze. "I love waking up to find that the world's gone white and you can see all the tracks of the animals disappearing into the forests."

"Winter is a beautiful time in District Six." Ryuu agreed. "But most of all because of its starkness compared to our spring. Your territory may be fine, Kyouraku, but I defy you to produce anything of the splendour of Kuchiki sakura trees when the spring starts to break through the frosts."

"Ah, I've heard much about that." Shunsui nodded. "And you're right. We don't have the same kind of displays here as you probably do there. But in the spring and especially into summer, this whole area is smothered in colour. You can barely see the leaves for the flowers - I imagine you wouldn't see the sakura even if they were trying to bloom here."

"Shunsui's right." Sora stretched her hands over her head with a sigh. "In the summer, this place is the most beautiful on earth. Going home to Fifth always seems drab and dull after we've spent a week or two here with Tokutarou-nii."

"Yet there are still flowers, even now." Juushirou bent to touch the petals of one of the nearest flowers, surprised by how delicate they felt. "Despite the frost, they can still bloom."

"They're stronger than they look...they'll withstand the storms and the hail as well if they have to." Shunsui grinned. "The Kyouraku like that blossom. They call it the Yuukirin - the Flower of Courage. It only blooms in Eighth District, so if you squint at all those laboriously grand tapestries in the main hall, you'll see it woven into the borders of pretty much every one. It flowers in adversity, and so it's as symbolic to my family as the sakura is to the Kuchiki."

"I thought that your Clan's emblem was a Gokurakuchou-ka." Ryuu looked startled. "Is that not the flower that adorns the badge of your Clan, or am I mistaken?"

"The Bird of Paradise Flower." Juushirou looked pensive. "I think Ryuu-kun's right. I'm sure I've seen it too, between the swords of your Clan's emblem."

"It is." Shunsui agreed. "But it doesn't bloom all year around like the Yuukirin."

He smiled, brushing his fingers self-consciously against the chain of the pendant that hung around his neck, slipping it out from beneath the heavy fabric of his Clan attire and tilting it so that the sun glinted off its golden surface.

"The Gokurakuchou-ka has a meaning of obtaining everything." He added. "To bring everything into these hands...that's the motto that it's tied to and has been since the Kyouraku-ke first established itself generations ago. The swords were added later - as a sign that if it didn't come easily, we would take it by force and proud swordsmanship - an attitude I hate, by the way, but one that seems fitting for a Clan with such a strong military history. The Yuukirin is more of an unofficial badge of honour - since the Kyouraku have had several periods of adversity in their history. And flowers...are very important to a samurai Clan. Now and then."

"I didn't know it had that kind of meaning." Juushirou looked surprised, and Shunsui nodded.

"There's your brief history lesson from your native tour guide." he said playfully. "Now you know."

"All the Clans have flowers that are symbolic, not just the Kyouraku." Hirata, who up till that point had remained silent put in, and Kai, at his side, nodded his head.

"Hirata's right." He agreed. "In ancient history, before reading and writing was as prevalent as it is now, that's how the great Families identified themselves to others - with coloured banners and a spray of this or that blossom at their breast. Ours - the Okina-gusa - has remained now as the badge Nee-sama's adjutant wears as part of his Gotei uniform, although it isn't a part of the current Shihouin crest."

"I seek nothing." Shunsui mused, and Kai nodded.

"Exactly that."

"Do you know what _all_ these flowers mean?" Sora stared at Shunsui in confusion, and Shunsui shrugged.

"Flowers matter when they can convey messages." He said simply. "I picked it up as a child - the Kyouraku take flowers seriously, I told you. They're part of a would-be samurai's education - to know the meaning of a blossom is as important as waving a sword to some warriors. And...in my case...preferable since it doesn't involve killing anyone. So I suppose I paid a little more attention to that side of things than some of the other values my Uncle tried to teach me."

"That's kind of neat." Juushirou looked wistful. "District clans don't have any kind of thing like that."

"Well, not all of the Clans pay great attention to their flowers these days." Ryuu said honestly. "The Kuchiki venerate the cherry blossom, but their official Clan flower is, I believe, something quite different."

"The camellia." Mitsuki dimpled. "Sixth Squad uses it, but you're right. The Kuchiki-ke doesn't, not these days. They prefer the beauty and grace of the sakura. Although the camellia fits the Clan a little better, in my opinion - since I think it means noble reason."

"I don't know what flower the Yamamoto-ke might have had." Enishi admitted, and Sora shook her head.

"Me either for the Shiba. Okaasama has a flower for the Gotei, but I don't know what it is or anything about it." She owned. "I haven't really paid attention, so I suppose we've lost that element of our history, too."

"What about the Endou, Hirata?" Juushirou asked, and Hirata shrugged his shoulders.

"Our flower means courage." He said bitterly. "Like Kyouraku-kun's Yuukirin. But I can't say it fits my family in even the slightest way. It does appear, though, on the badge of some lines of the Endou-ke. And Ojiisama did adopt it for Seventh Squad, since most of the squads are using Clan flowers as a form of immediate identification now. It's the shoubu - the iris."

"Shoubu, huh." Enishi grinned, and Kai snorted.

"For that reason alone it should be kept as the Endou-ke flower." He said dryly. "Forgetting the meaning - the name seems to sum it up far better."

"And there _is_ courage." Juushirou patted Hirata's shoulder reassuringly. "We've all seen it, Hirata - in the last two years at school with you."

"I'm not _that_ brave." Hirata coloured, but there was faint pride in his pale blue eyes. "But thank you. I appreciate the comment at least."

"So it's just Juushirou without a flower." Sora observed. "That seems kind of a shame, somehow."

"District families never needed that kind of symbolism, I suppose." Juushirou shrugged his shoulders. "I had no idea the Clans took botany so seriously, to be honest. It never occurred to me that they meant anything except a sign of beauty or pride."

"Well, since you're one of us now, we should find you a flower, too." Kai teased. "Since you've walked the elevated halls of the Council and carry a _zanpakutou_ in a Clan monogrammed sheath. You're as good as a Clansman now, aren't you? The Ukitake-ke should have a flower, too."

"I don't know about that." Juushirou began, but Shunsui laughed, nodding his head.

"Kai-kun's right. And here's a good candidate." He said with a grin, bending to touch his finger to a small, delicate bell like flower in brilliant snow white. "In most places, these don't bloom until after Shougatsu. But here, they bloom all through the winter, just like the Yuukirin. And somehow that makes me think of you, Juu-kun - since you're a winter baby, and I consider you a snowflake at the best of times."

"The snowdrop?" Mitsuki looked surprised, and Shunsui nodded.

"Exactly." He agreed. "I can't think of a better flower to adorn the Ukitake-ke."

He deftly severed the stem of the flower, holding it mock-formally out towards his bewildered friend, who hesitated, then took it gingerly between his fingers.

"Thank you, but I don't quite understand." he admitted, and Kai grinned.

"The snowdrop is a white flower and a wintery flower, like you." He said evenly. "But I think Kyouraku chose it for another reason. It has a meaning too, Ukitake. It means 'hope'. And I don't think anyone could argue with that meaning for you and your family - do you?"

"Hope?" Juushirou's eyes widened, and he gazed at the tiny, delicate blossom anew. "That's why?"

"Kai's right." Shunsui nodded his head. "The snowdrop carries the meaning of 'hope'. And you carry that meaning, too, for all of the District kids - current Academy students, and future ones, too. You're their beacon, blazing a trail for them to follow. And that's the hope that Yama-jii has, too - that he'll train enough Shinigami to keep the Hollows in check and stabilise this world for generations to come. So that's your flower, Juu. Without a doubt - that's your flower. Winter, white and hope. It couldn't be any other."

A faint smile touched Juushirou's lips, and he nodded, slipping the stem of the bloom into his _obi_.

"Then I'll accept it with pride." He said solemnly. "As the flower of the Ukitake-ke from this point on."

He glanced around him, his gaze falling momentarily on Mitsuki, and he frowned. Although he had resolved not to pursue it, he could not help but notice how pretty the faint colour that the cold wind brought to her cheeks made her, nor the relaxed, happy sparkle in her soft grey eyes. She was a _hime_, beyond his reach and no matter how much he battled, he would never break through that divide. No matter what people said...he would always be District, and she would always be Clan.

_Just like Etsuo-san and Shunsui - an unbreachable divide. Even if I am 'hope' - some hopes are a stretch too far._

"But I'm not a Clansman. Not now, and not in the future." He said aloud, a faint note of wistfulness in his tones. "No amount of flowers or swords or anything else will change that."

"In the future, it won't matter." Mitsuki seemed to have read his thoughts, for she spoke seriously, meeting his hazel gaze with her own. "It's already starting to change - in the future, the Clans won't control the Gotei as much as they do now. And they won't be able to segregate people based on their bloodline."

"That's dangerously optimistic." Enishi grimaced. "But I hope you're right, Edogawa. I'd like to see it that way, too. After all, I don't want to be a Yamamoto squad Shinigami simply because I have Yamamoto blood. I'd like to be able to fight alongside people I consider friends, not people who are my kin."

"I feel the same." Sora nodded. She cast Mitsuki a rueful smile, then, "I can't fight alongside Mi-chan, since I'm no healer, and she's no fighter. But even so, I'd rather be a part of a team with a good chemistry, not just a Shiba squad member because I'm a Shiba descendant. I don't think that system works at all - I've heard Okaasama mutter a few times about family members she'd quite happily offload onto other squads if she felt she had the right to do it."

"Well, you can all come join Eighth squad when I get the _haori,_ and do all my work for me." Shunsui said lazily, casting her a mischievous grin. "Juu can be my Vice Captain and do all the paperwork. Enishi can be my third seat and the squad battering ram for when I can't find the key to the sake cabinet. Sora can man the gossip network and Mitsuki-chan can take care of everyone's injuries. Hirata can train everyone in Kidou, and Kai can train people in hakuda and the other Shihouin skills. And Ryuu-kun..."

"I will join Sixth Squad." Ryuu said firmly, shooting Shunsui a defiant look. "Not because I have to, but because I wish to. That is all."

"Shunsui's joking, in any case." Sora said with a sigh. "He knows that he wouldn't be able to have Mi-chan or Shihouin in his squad, because they've obligations elsewhere."

"You almost sound sad about that idea." Kai looked surprised, and Sora shrugged.

"You and Naoko always fight, but even so, I think Class Three have a great chemistry overall." She owned. "It would be nice to fight together after graduation too, don't you think so? After all, it's rare for mixed Clans to form friendships like this - but I really think we have."

"We have, thanks to this one." Shunsui patted Juushirou on the head, and he twisted away, shooting his friend an embarrassed glare.

"Stop it! It's not down to me, it's down to everyone!" He objected. "And besides, even if we graduate and enter different squads, it's not as though that has to stop us being friends. It's a long way off yet - but even when it does come, the whole point is for the Gotei to work together, isn't it? Different squads should be able to get along and interact. If we're split among lots of squads, well, maybe we can cooperate together and help Soul Society that way."

"Beautiful Juu reason, as ever." Shunsui chuckled. "You know, I would seriously love to see you presented with a squad _haori._ I don't know how or in what circumstances, but I would like to see it anyway. Just to see what you did in a position of authority like that."

"I doubt it will happen." Juushirou said pragmatically. "And besides, right now all of that is irrelevant. You were showing us around your manor grounds and gardens - or did you forget?"

"Fine, fine." Shunsui held up his hands in mock-surrender. "We'll continue on. Although it's a shame, in a way, that you can't see it in full flourish. Maybe we'll have to have you here one summer too, so you can."

He pursed his lips.

"Where I grew up is actually prettier than the land here." He owned. "Or it was, before the refugee camps overtook everything. Now it's quite tragic there on all levels, and it makes me a bit sad."

"Where you grew up?" Mitsuki was startled. "That wasn't here, then?"

"No, at my Uncle's manor to the west." Shunsui shook his head. "From when I was six till I was fourteen. That's where I met Saku."

He grinned.

"Don't get me wrong, I hated living there. But it was fun when I slipped out, because there were lots of places to play and hide and just have fun."

"Your Uncle was a power-mad crackpot. Okaasama's said so." Sora said frankly, and Shunsui nodded.

"Pretty much." He agreed. "But he's long gone now and with Nii-sama's marriage, I guess the Clan will finally be seen as properly stable. I'm surprised at how many relatives have turned up for this wedding - I guess there are a lot of hardline purist Kyouraku breathing a sigh of relief that Nii-sama is marrying a proper blooded Kyouraku and not looking outside of the Clan - no offence, Sora-chan."

"None taken. I never expected to marry him anyhow." Sora smiled, but Juushirou could see the wistful glitter in her green eyes. "He's still Tokutarou-nii to me, after all, and that's fine. I'm not going to slash Rae-hime's robes or plot her downfall or anything. From the little I've seen and heard, she seems quite nice - so I suppose it's all all right after all."

"She has the right bloodline, but fortunately she also has a personality and a brain." Shunsui reflected. "Rare things in Clan marriages - Nii-sama's quite fortunate overall."

"Shunsui-dono? Shunsui-dono, here you are."

An unfamiliar, slightly shrill voice prevented any of the others from answering, and Juushirou turned to see a slightly built girl of about sixteen summers, thick chestnutty hair pulled back from her face in carefully styled curls. She was robed all in pink, except for the _obi _that held together the expensive fabric of her unmistakeably Kyouraku kimono, and in her hand she held an ornately carved fan which she flipped open and shut as if to emphasise her entrance. It was a funny thing to be doing on a winter morning, Juushirou thought, waving about a fan - but he shrugged inwardly, dismissing it as another Clan oddity that he did not understand.

He glanced at Shunsui, seeing a fleeting look of annoyance dart across his friend's normally casual dark brown eyes, and he frowned.

_Not a relative he likes, then...although from what he's been saying, I don't think there are too many that he does._

"Nami-chan." Shunsui spoke now, eying her in resignation. "What are you doing out here this early in the morning? It's cold - you don't have a cloak."

"I was looking for you, since my brother wished to speak with you about something political." Nami's gaze flitted around the group, pausing for a moment on Juushirou, and the District boy was left in no two minds about her disdain for him by the coldness in her glance. "But you seem to be...rather engaged at present, out here with these people."

"These are my friends from the Academy, Nami-chan." Shunsui said patiently. "As you should remember, since it was mentioned last night at dinner when Nii-sama welcomed them all to the Eighth District."

"Mmhm." Nami pursed her lips, then, "Will I tell Ryousuke-nii a specific message, then? It is tiresome being go-between with the two of you."

"Then perhaps your message should be to tell Ryousuke-dono to come speak to me directly." Shunsui said levelly. "Although we already spoke last evening. And he shouldn't be sending you out in the cold when you're not properly robed for it...your mother would throw a fit if she saw you right now, blue and shivering across our grass just because your brother sent you on an errand."

"It can't be helped." Nami's expression became slightly sullen. "Since Nii-sama inherited Father's land last spring, if he gives me an instruction I have no choice but to obey him."

"Then it's _my_ instruction he doesn't use you as his errand girl." Shunsui said matter-of-factly. "You can tell him that. And also that I'm on holiday and I have no interest in settling his political matters for him, since if he's going to be in charge of his own region, he shouldn't expect either Nii-sama or I to constantly be holding his hand and telling him what to do. That's the soonest way of causing problems, after all."

"That was a bit harsh, Kyouraku." Kai reflected, and Shunsui shrugged.

"It's also the truth." He said calmly. "Ryousuke-dono is twenty and capable of making his own decisions, after all."

He sighed.

"And _I'm_ still technically six months underage for all of this." He added. "A grown adult shouldn't be relying on a junior to resolve his crises."

"A Clansman is never too young for responsibility, Kyouraku." Ryuu said bluntly. "A Kuchiki is raised from the cradle to understand the needs of his Clan and to act appropriately. And you are keeping your kinswoman in the freezing cold - you should at least offer her your cloak, if you are afraid of her catching a chill while speaking to you."

"I'm not cold." Nami shook her head hurriedly, although Juushirou could tell she was lying, for she was still blue despite the faint colour that touched her cheeks at these remarks. "I'm quite all right, thank you...Kuchiki-dono?"

"Kuchiki Ryuu." Ryuu inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement.

"There are Kuchiki-ke in your class, Shunsui-dono?" Nami was suddenly far more animated, the slightly resentful glitter in her eyes replaced by a sparkle of eagerness and she grabbed Shunsui by the sleeves. "I did not know - please, excuse my rudeness for interrupting you and your companions."

"You shouldn't be so surprised, Nami-chan." With a sigh Shunsui removed his cloak from his shoulders, wrapping it around the younger girl's shivering body. "Ryuu and Mitsuki are both Kuchiki-ke, whilst Kai is Shihouin-ke and Enishi is Yamamoto-ke. And you know Sora, of course...Nii-sama's Shiba kinswoman."

"Ah yes. Sora-hime." Nami's expression stiffened slightly, but she bowed her head in Sora's direction, and Sora smirked.

"Nami-dono." She said, her tones faintly mocking the forced formality of Nami's robotic gesture. "It's been quite a while since we last spoke. I suppose your presence here indicates that your family have quite recovered from our last meeting?"

"Sora?" Mitsuki stared at her friend, aghast. "Were you fighting members of Kyouraku-kun's family?"

"Fighting?" Sora shook her head. "No, of course not. Tokutarou-nii wouldn't sanction that."

Her lips twitched into an amused smile, but Juushirou was struck by the coldness in her green eyes and how unlike the normal, easy-going Sora she now looked.

"But Nami-dono's late and honourable Lord Father once approached Okaasama with the suggestion of a marriage arrangement between her brother and I. Which, naturally, I decided to turn down."

"You spoke to Nii-sama in a quite unforgivable tone, considering your age and position." Nami bristled, clutching Shunsui's cloak to her as though it was armour shielding her from the Shiba girl's disdain. "A simple and honourable refusal would have been sufficient."

"All I said was that I wasn't looking to make that kind of marriage match." Sora said coolly. "It was Hakubei-niisama who put your brother in his place - a fact I don't think you've quite forgiven him for, judging by the frostiness in your quarter towards ours last evening. Okaasama noticed, you know - that Ryousuke-dono did not pay respects to her as the Head of the Shiba-ke."

"My brother is a Kyouraku landholder. He owes no obeisance to your kin, now or ever." Nami seemed ready to start a Clan cat fight there and then, and Juushirou began to think he should do something about it. But before he could speak, Ryuu had stepped between them, casting Sora a glance before turning his attention to the irate Nami.

"A broken wedding contract is always cause for distress." He said softly. "As is a rebuttal if it comes in the wrong vein. Clans are different, Nami-dono. The Shiba are a blunt-spoken people and the Kyouraku, perhaps, are not. But in times such as these, it is better to bury the grudge and move forwards. After all, for the sake of your Clan, you may be called upon to reform those alliances in the future - bridges should not be so easily burned."

"Ryuu-kun." Mitsuki stared at him, as Nami's cheeks slowly turned red. Ryuu nodded.

"As Clansfolk, we are all aware of it." He said simply. "That it is not easy to forge a happy marriage contract."

"I didn't know you had it in you, Kuchiki." Enishi broke the daze, clapping a hearty hand down against the younger boy's shoulders. "You're right, of course. Clan marriage proposals are numerous and it's not worth getting bent out of shape when one falls through for whatever reason. Besides, Nami-dono, Sora probably wasn't old enough to wed then. She's only seventeen even now, after all."

"Clan _hime_ can marry at sixteen, if they so choose." Nami recovered her dignity, shooting the tall boy a look of frosty disdain.

"I didn't choose." Sora said matter-of-factly. "Genryuusai-sensei suggested I go to the Academy, and so I did. I want to be a Shinigami, not just the arm ornament of a powerful lord of the manor. It wasn't anything personal against your brother - though I think he's a complete idiot. It was something I wanted to do - to be like Okaasama as far as I could, and bear a _zanpakutou_ for Soul Society and District Five."

"Sword fighting is hardly ladylike." Nami retorted, and Sora shrugged.

"Nor am I, so it fits." She said frankly. "Your brother wouldn't have had any pleasure allying himself with me - not even to say he was a closer kinsman of Okaasama than Tokutarou-nii...nor to ingratiate him with Tokutarou-nii by placating the Shiba. I'm not a trophy _hime_, Nami-dono - we're not raised like that, in District Five."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Nami bristled, and now Shunsui took a hand, taking his cousin gently by the arm.

"We are here for Nii-sama's wedding, not to dig deeper rifts between individuals." He said quietly. "Sora, that goes for you too. Not on my Clan's land. Whatever your personal feelings about it, the deal never went through and you haven't any reason to hold onto it as long as this. Nami-chan, nor do you. Ryousuke-dono will no doubt have several pretty _hime_ vying for his hand now he's in command of his land in his own right, and he wouldn't have been happy with a wife like Sora, that's obvious. So let's bury this one and move on, all right? For Nii-sama's sake, it's not appropriate behaviour."

Sora flushed red at this, seemingly chastened, and Nami bowed her head, a slightly sullen glitter in her dark eyes.

"If you say so, Shunsui-dono." She murmured, and Shunsui nodded.

"I do say so." He agreed. "Now, run along and tell Ryousuke-dono to look after himself. All right? I intend on showing my friends around the estate properly and that will likely take me until lunchtime."

Nami looked reluctant to leave so easily, her gaze falling pensively on Ryuu and then flitting back to Juushirou for a brief moment.

"Shunsui-dono, is that the one people have spoken about?" She asked, and Juushirou stiffened, for she had spoken as though he was neither there nor able to properly answer for himself. "The boy from the Districts who allegedly raised his sword?"

"It's not alleged." Though he knew he shouldn't intervene, something in the white-haired boy's pride made the words come tumbling out and Nami swung back towards him, staring at him in surprise. "And my name is Ukitake Juushirou, Nami-dono. I know we haven't yet been formally introduced – but if you have a question about me, I'd rather you asked it of me directly – since I _am_ capable of speaking for myself."

"Now now, Juu-kun." Shunsui held up his hands in a placatory manner, but Nami's eyes flashed with indignation.

"I have nothing to say to District people." She said, affronted. "I was speaking to my cousin – who is heir to the Kyouraku land and therefore far higher in rank than you. Interrupting our conversation is ill-mannered and disrespectful – and even if you are low-born, nobody here will tolerate it."

"Speaking about someone when they're right there before you is also ill-mannered." Juushirou said quietly. "And since the question you asked was about my _zanpakutou,_ I seem the one best placed to answer it."

He slid his fingers around the hilt of the weapon he now wore self-consciously at his side, pulling it deftly from its new home and resting it on his arm as he held it out for her inspection. As he did so, he felt the defensive wash of waves stir inside of his heart and he knew that In'you too had taken the girl's dismissiveness as a slight to their own sense of pride.

"This is the sword, so you see, the story is true." He added evenly. "Sougyo no Kotowari is my _zanpakutou_…and I'm sure that, being Clan born, your spiritual power is enough for you to recognise it as a true shinigami blade."

"How dare you!" Nami began, her eyes widening in fury, but this time Shunsui was there, his hand on her arm.

"Juushirou is my close friend, Nami-chan." He said lightly. "And as you see, he bears the blade you've heard of. So now you know, don't you?"

"But…this boy is…" Nami turned bewildered eyes on her companion, who nodded.

"A resident of District Six." He agreed. "From a family who much love and appreciate him, and who support him in everything he does."

"He is District." Nami said disdainfully, and Shunsui sighed.

"So were we all, once upon a time." He said flatly, and Nami stared at him, aghast.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you never think that there might have been a time before the Clans? A time when the Kyouraku were just another family?" Shunsui eyed her keenly. "All greatness comes from somewhere in the first instance. And besides, Juushirou is my friend. District he may be, but at the Academy, such things are irrelevant. He's someone I would trust with my life and beyond it – so I'd appreciate it if you would treat him with the same respect you afford me as Tokutarou-nii's heir."

Nami was silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she sighed.

"I had heard Genryuusai-sama had some unusual ideas about training people." She said archly. "Now I see them clearly for the first time in the flesh."

Her gaze flitted to Sougyo no Kotowari.

"That may be a _zanpakutou_." She murmured. "But it does not make its wielder Clan. I will say no more about it, Shunsui-dono – but you would be better advised to choose your friends more carefully – as best befits the designated heir of the Kyouraku Clan."

With that she removed the cloak from her shoulders, handing it solemnly back before bowing her head towards him and disappearing off across the grass. A moment of silence followed her departure, only broken by Enishi's heavy sigh.

"Ukitake, are you all right?" He asked softly, and Juushirou nodded, sliding his weapon back into its sheath.

"Yes. I shouldn't have risen to her – I'm sorry, Shunsui. I made an awkward situation for you – but I didn't like her talking as though I wasn't really here. It's fine for her not to like me – but to talk across me…I didn't like it at all."

"You really do have Kuchiki pride, sometimes, deep down inside." Shunsui sent him a resigned grin, tossing the heavy winter cloak back over his own shoulders as he did so. "But it's all right. I'm the one who should apologise, since I said none of my family would treat you badly and I'm already being disproved. But don't let Nami get to you. She's been raised that way and doesn't know any different, after all."

"Her family are bigoted and attracted to status more than anything else." Sora curled her lip in derision. "You needn't worry about gaining their respect, Juushirou. They're not worth the effort."

"You really do have some history with them, don't you, Sora?" Kai observed. "What did you say, then, to create that kind of hostility?"

"Exactly as I gave it before." Sora shrugged. "I was fifteen, I didn't like Ryousuke-dono and I made it clear I didn't want to marry. Hakubei-nii consolidated the rebuttal by telling Ryousuke-dono that he'd sooner slit both my throat and his own than let me marry such a grasping idiot – and so the discussions lapsed."

"Hakubei-dono…really said that?" Hirata stared, and Sora nodded, a faint grin touching her features.

"Yes." She agreed. "He's quite direct, my second brother – he and my eldest brother had an argument about it, and I think it fired him up into drastic action. He was determined that any match would be unsuitable between us. He told me that he'd brain me if I was fool enough to accept it – but I'd already resolved to refuse. I'd trained with both my brothers and Tokutarou-nii growing up, so I decided there and then I'd be a shinigami like they'd studied to be. It was a bit of a whim but, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense for me to follow that line and continue to train with a sword instead. When Mother spoke to Genryuusai-sensei, he said that having me as a student would be a good thing – for the Academy and for me, since he wanted more female students and he thought I had potential. I knew the place anyhow, since I'd visited it with Papa several times before. So it was decided, and that was that."

"But you could have done both." Juushirou objected, and Sora snorted, shaking her head.

"Not really. Not if I'd married Ryousuke-dono." She said firmly. "He's not a Shiba nor a Shihouin and he doesn't understand that women are more than just trinkets to be prettied up and posed according to the next big occasion. To be honest, I'm not too fond of most of the Kyouraku-ke for the same reason – there are clever women in the Clan but not many of them ever get to do anything worthwhile."

"I'm hurt." Shunsui pulled a mock-wounded expression. "And you like Tokutarou-nii well enough."

"He's half Shiba." Sora defended herself, colour rising in her cheeks at this. "And you let that alone, because here of all places I don't want it discussed."

She sighed.

"And as for you…I suppose…even as a Kyouraku, you're different from the most of them." She admitted. "You're more like Tokutarou-nii in the way you look at others – perhaps even more accepting than even he is of what people really want to do for themselves. So I didn't mean you, Shunsui. You're probably the only pure-blood Kyouraku male that I'd ever have any time for."

"Clan marriage contracts are a lottery." Mitsuki murmured. "They can be happy, like my parents were. But they can also be a prison sentence and sometimes a _hime_ isn't given a choice in who she's sent to marry. You're lucky, Sora – in your family, you got asked your views. In mine, probably, that wouldn't happen."

Ryuu's expression became grave, and he nodded.

"Most Kuchiki are betrothed from infancy – both boys and girls alike." He agreed soberly. "And unless some great event happens to change that, they will be so tied together when they reach adulthood. It doesn't matter if they have met before or even if they hold each other in any regard. Marriage is a tool for the good of the Clan – to preserve the purity of bloodline and keep the dynasty strong. Therefore it is decided by parents and Clan elders – not by the children themselves."

"You almost sound as though you regret that, Kuchiki." Kai said bluntly, and Ryuu stiffened, casting his classmate a dark glare.

"You would not understand, being a Shihouin." He said coldly. "Whether your Clan bother with matrimonial honour or not is a matter of debate."

"Thankfully, I'm not planning on being married – honourably or otherwise – for quite some time." Kai grinned, not seemingly put out by Ryuu's observation. "Nee-sama is changing a lot of our old and outmoded customs, too, having almost been forced into an unwanted match herself – so I think she'll advocate my having that choice."

"The Kuchiki-ke should learn from the Shihouin-ke, then." Mitsuki murmured softly, and Juushirou bit his lip as he saw her fleetingly glance his way. "Since not every Kuchiki marriage is a just or reasonable one. You should know that best, Ryuu-kun…you shouldn't criticise Shihouin-kun or Sora-chan's Clans for allowing them a say in what they do."

"I wasn't aware that I was." Despite himself Ryuu looked discomfited and Juushirou remembered what Mitsuki had told him that day during the summer break. "I was just observing how our Clan operates, that's all. I did not say at any time that it was the best system. Only that it was the one Guren-sama advocated and the tradition we have long followed."

He shrugged.

"I don't intend to marry, as it happens." He said frankly. "It is far too complicated a process and I have no desire to be tied in a cold union with a woman I later despise."

"Kuchiki-kun." Hirata's eyes became huge at this unexpected statement, and Ryuu offered him a faint, slightly bitter smile.

"I was betrothed as a baby, but that betrothal faded when the young girl died of fever." He said softly. "My parents, being unable to agree on anything since my last sister was born have never settled on engaging me to another, although as their only son they both parade me around in front of Guren-sama as much as possible. Although, thankfully, they now have less to do with that decision than they had before."

"You sound as though you don't like your parents very much." Enishi said, startled, and Ryuu's lips thinned thoughtfully.

"I do not like nor dislike them. They are people who exist in my life, but to whom I have no tangible connection of any emotional kind." He said at length. "Such parents are proof that arranged marriage does not create a family. When I first came to the Academy, I was perhaps more ignorant of this. But – and particularly of late - I have come to the conclusion that there is more to being part of a family than simply the pride of the Clan."

"Well said." Shunsui grinned, clapping his hands down warmly on Ryuu's shoulders. "You're obviously being infected by the general Academy influence, but I'm glad to hear you say something like that, Ryuu-kun. There's hope for you, if you can see it now – that not everything that's done by the Clan is the right thing."

"I knew that anyway." Ryuu said acerbically, detaching himself from Shunsui's grip. "I had already made up my mind that, if Mitsuki left the Clan, I would continue to acknowledge her as my family even if my other kin disapproved. My sisters and I do not often agree – and my parents are never in the same room at the same time if it can possibly be avoided. But unlike Mitsuki, I am a true Kuchiki and I won't forsake my Clan. So I will follow Guren-sama's lead and enter his squad – and even if I do not intend to marry, I will be a shinigami that is worthy of the family to whom I belong. That is my decision and has been for some time now. You do not need to patronise me, Kyouraku."

"The more I hear, the more glad I am not to be Clan." Juushirou said honestly.

"Although that still doesn't excuse my cousins being rude to you." Shunsui responded. "Still, either way, the matter is hopefully closed now. We should keep going, because a moving target is harder to hit – and once Nami gets back to the main house, everyone will know roughly where she saw us."

He glanced at Ryuu.

"You should probably be careful too, Ryuu-kun, if you're really fixed on not being politically married." He added, and Ryuu stared at him, bewildered.

"What does that mean?" He demanded, and Shunsui grinned.

"You saw her reaction, didn't you? When you spoke up in her defence?" He asked. "Nami is a glory hunter and the Kuchiki-ke are the greatest prize of them all. Her eyes changed – everything changed when she realised who you were and where you were from. All this like and dislike, compatibility stuff doesn't really register with her or her brother – all they've been trained to see is power, position, status and wealth. If she could net herself a Kuchiki husband then she'd have pulled off a coup – and you're quite a pretty catch, you know, for most young girls. Plus, you're still only about my age, so that makes you only a few years older than she is. Far more interesting a prospect than netting an old man only looking for an attractive _hime_ with whom to pretend he's still young."

"We barely spoke two words together." Ryuu objected, his cheeks blazing red at Shunsui's words, and the Kyouraku heir let out a low chuckle.

"You'll see." He said forebodingly. "I know that girl and I know how she works. It was there – in her gaze. She's earmarked you and she won't forget that easily. We should move on before she finds a second mode of attack."

"I think you're exaggerating, Shunsui." Sora scolded. "Kuchiki's right. The girl was only here a brief moment, even if her family are exactly as you say."

"I stand by what I said." Shunsui shook his head. "Nami's found a target and locked onto it. And, at sixteen, she's determined enough to push for it as hard as she can. Why do you think she made it so clear marriage at sixteen was acceptable for a _hime_? She's come to this wedding looking for a potential husband of her own – one who can rise her up the ranks of Seireitei society."

He reached across to tap Ryuu on the shoulder once more.

"Just keep your eyes peeled." He advised. "Since I doubt now that she's seen you she's going to give up easily."

* * *

"I have to say, my Lord, that you kick rather harder than I expected."

As he pressed the crushed ice to his cheek, Keitarou cast his companion a rueful look, amusement glittering in his eyes. "In fact, had you kicked me with much more force, you might well have broken my jaw. As it is, I'll bear bruises for a while."

It was later that morning and, with the closing of the council session, the two conspirators had reunited in Keitarou's hidden laboratory; a place they knew their conversation could not be overheard by any but the sleeping Shikiki.

"Wasn't that the point?" Seimaru arched an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest as he gazed at the scientist unrepentantly. "This was your own idea, after all. Don't expect a Clan leader to be gentle, Aizen - especially not me. If I kick, I kick to shatter bones. You're fortunate. I stopped myself before I trampled you to a pulp."

"Well, the bruises will serve as tools of sympathy when I go call on my fiancée tomorrow morning, at least." Keitarou nodded. "It was well done, Seimaru-sama, and I am not complaining. I have borne worse pain, after all."

"I won't pretend I didn't enjoy it." Seimaru smirked, leaning up against the wall as he contemplated. "And the look on that stupid soldier's face - every last expression of his laid bare for me to see. He thinks he can hide it, that one, but I know that he's still my uncle's man. What you told me only confirms it - that he's been so easy for you to sway."

"Yet you will trust with my plan, Seimaru-sama? You will let him take Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime and leave the manor?" Keitarou asked, and Seimaru nodded.

"I have come to see the merit in your scheme." he acknowledged. "Since I have learned - only recently - that Tokutarou's wedding over the border has included some interesting guests. Your District target, for one - take him and do with him as you will. But also...if my information is correct - my prodigal cousin. District Eight is much closer than District One and although our relations are hostile, there is no formal document banning all Endou from entering. I of course cannot trespass there now - but you, in your current guise..."

"I can. And with your blessing, I no doubt shall." Keitarou let out a low chuckle. "Yes, my Lord. This morning was very well done. Your anger poured fear into the hearts of many of your kinsfolk, and any doubts Kibana had about my motives will have been firmly and clearly dispelled. I am a kinsman you like not at all - and a man with a grudge to repay. He also has a grudge - though he took special care to tell me that he was not ordered by Misashi-sama to help Sumire-sama or Eiraki-hime escape."

"Which probably means that he was, but it suits me, so I won't care." Seimaru responded dryly. "Until I have Hirata - and Hirata's evidence - I cannot kill my Uncle. And I want to kill him - both of them. I'll make ornaments of them both, when I have them both within my grasp...I look forward to that day, and believe, at last, it is finally coming closer."

"Yes. And with the District boy here, I will be able to perfect _reidoku_ and make it properly safe." Keitarou nodded. "Everything begins to come together."

He smiled.

"A little longer - a little more patience." he said softly. "And I will deliver to you everything that I promised."

* * *

**Author's Note: Flowers!**

_Early chapter as I'm away this weekend!!_

_I don't know whether people are aware of this, but each of the Thirteen Gotei Squads have a flower as part of their badge (known as a taika, or squad flower). The flowers mentioned for the Clans in this chapter are the ones belonging to the squads in canon - and are as follows:_

_Gokurakuchou-ka (Bird of Paradise Flower) - Eighth Squad - "To obtain everything".  
Okina-gusa (Anemone) - Second Squad - "I seek nothing".  
Tsubaki (Camellia) - Sixth Squad - "Noble reason".  
Matsuyuki-sou (Snowdrop) - Thirteenth Squad - "Hope".  
Shoubu (Japanese Iris) - Seventh Squad - "Courage"_

_Kai and Enishi's comments on the name of Seventh's flower are a Japanese double-meaning. The word 'shoubu' in Japanese can also mean a challenge, a fight, or a contest (literally, to win or lose) although the kanji is different from the kanji used for the flower. I'm sure Kubo Tite thought about this, though, when giving it as Komamura's squad flower._

_The Yuukirin is a made up flower._

_And Mitsuki's cloak is cream because Ko said so. :P._

_Finally - even from Kibana's perspective, I have kept to labelling Keitarou by that same name since even though Kibana doesn't know Keitarou's true name, I have a lot of characters and didn't want to confuse my poor readers more than absolutely necessary..._


	40. Shoubu

**Chapter Thirty Nine: Shoubu**

"Kei-sama! You came here…Are you all right?"

As Keitarou stepped into Eiraki's chambers, an anxious voice greeted him and even as he bowed his head, the young girl came hurrying towards him, grabbing him by the sleeves as she tried to assess his condition for himself. He raised his gaze, and as he did so, Eiraki let out a further cry, reaching out a thin, delicate finger to gently touch against the rich purpling of her companion's cheek.

It was the next day, and, thanks to the ice, Keitarou's bruises had come fully to the surface, evidence of his tussle with Seimaru in the council chamber the day before. It had been a small price to pay, Keitarou had reflected that night, though it had caused Shikiki too some amount of distress on seeing her guardian's wounds, and he had had to promise her several times that what he was doing would not put his life in any danger. But there was a difference between the frightened village girl and his wary, skittish fiancée, so for a moment he did not speak, allowing her to absorb the damage for herself.

She was worried, then. That gratified him, for he was aware of the gentle buzzing of her consciousness against his. The fragment of his weapon still dug deep into her heart, after all – and, standing this close to her, he could read her reactions and emotions as clearly as if they were his own.

At length she spoke.

"I heard a rumour." She said softly. "That you questioned my cousin in the council and were beaten for your trouble. I did not think…that such a thing would be true. But…you are come here now, with bruises…"

She faltered, and Keitarou sighed, sinking down onto the cushions beside the window.

"I said one word too many." He admitted, schooling his battered features into a look of regretful contrition. "And by doing so, I hope I have not jeopardised everything. I am sorry, Eiraki-hime. I was careless…and he was not."

He reached up a gloved hand to his cheek, then,

"I was lucky. He was somewhat distracted – one more kick and my entire face would have been in pieces."

Eiraki flinched, horror glittering in her vivid blue eyes, and Keitarou felt again the faint buzz of anxiety against his senses. So she had seen it before, then, Seimaru's split-second, hair-trigger temper and the sadistic manner in which he carried out his assaults. Perhaps her thoughts were also on her father, he reflected – and for the briefest split-second he remembered Daisuke, bleeding and broken in the Endou-ke's freezing cell. He frowned, more disturbed by the memory than he liked to admit, and he pushed it aside, focusing his attention back on the matter at hand.

"I am sorry." He repeated. "That I'm even still alive is probably a miracle in itself."

"A miracle or a mistake, I want to make him regret it." Eiraki said softly. "I have thought about it a lot, Kei-sama. About your secret and the hold my cousin has over you because of it. This has just made me more sure that everything I've been taught is a lie. The Urahara exiles aren't the bad ones. Grandfather just wanted to get rid of them…and now it means Seimaru-sama has power over those of you that are left."

"There are very few of us. I may even be the last." Keitarou spoke seriously, lowering his tones so that only she could hear him. "And if anyone was to find out my true name…if anyone was to know who I really was…"

He trailed off, eying her carefully for any sign of reaction, and was pleased to see distress and resolve flicker across her gaze.

"I will not betray your secret to anybody. Not even if I die concealing it." She said firmly, no wavering in her tone despite the apprehension Keitarou knew was in her heart. "You are my ally, after all. A _hime_ should have allies she trusts and who can put their trust in her. Otousama would think the same. That I should trust you…and we should help each other find freedom from Seimaru-sama's grasp."

She sighed, smoothing down her skirts.

"You have…managed to speak to Kibana-dono?" She murmured, and Keitarou nodded.

"We are of similar mind and we both agree what must be done should be done at once, before Seimaru-sama has a chance to get wind of it. My actions yesterday may have made it even more pressing…though from all I have seen and heard, Kibana-dono is a capable soldier – enough, perhaps, that he can protect you in a way that I cannot."

"I trust Kibana-dono. Father always has and I do too." Eiraki agreed. She rubbed her chest absently, then sighed. "But all this tension is making me uneasy. If we are to go, we should go. It is as you say…the longer we wait, the more chance we have of being discovered. I believe it, Kei-sama – that if we can find my brother, he's the only one who can kill Seimaru-sama and restore things to how they should be. But from here we can't do anything. From here we're caged birds, not hunting birds…and that's not how Endou should be."

So the wench had Clan pride, even beyond everything. Keitarou made a careful note of this fact, nodding his head and offering her a smile.

"Kibana is to speak to your Lady mother at his first opportunity. Today, I believe, from the scrap of parchment that was jammed into the runners of my chamber door. It was not a letter by any means, and I may have misinterpreted it – yet I believe I have not. I will meet with him one more time, and we will plan quite clearly how to do this. And then you will be a free bird, Hime-sama. Not a caged one."

"_I_ will be?" Eiraki faltered, then, "Kei-sama…you…really wouldn't come with us? Even…after what happened to you in the council session? If Seimaru-sama found out…if he knew…he'd kill you. And…"

"I will be careful, but you know I have to stay." Keitarou shook his head. "I must, because someone must be here to cover the traces of your disappearance. Besides, I promised, didn't I? To find out where Misashi-dono was and try to help him. And…and I have lived a long time with the threat of death over my head, Eiraki-hime. A long, long time. I am sure…I will live a little longer."

Eiraki was silent for a moment, and Keitarou was surprised to see the tears glittering in her bright eyes.

"Then promise you will come as soon as you can." She whispered. "Because I will want to know, Kei-sama. I'll want to see that you are…all right."

"Then I will promise." Keitarou nodded, marvelling at how easy it was to latch on to the tormented emotions of a frightened, lonely young girl. "I will not be killed, and when things are quieter, I will come after you. But for now, you are the focus. I am less important. You and your Lady Mother are the ones who most of all must be got away from this place."

"I'll raise an army if I have to." Eiraki swore, and Keitarou shook his head.

"Find Hirata-sama. Speak to him." He said quietly. "Listen well, Hime-sama. I have heard something that may be of use."

"Something?" Eiraki looked startled, and Keitarou nodded.

"A rumour among dissatisfied nobles is simply that, quite often. You must not speak of it since I don't know that it is true." He murmured. "But your brother is said to have something that Seimaru-sama wants – some evidence by which he is forcing Seimaru-sama to keep your Father alive. I do not know what this evidence is, exactly…but I have heard that it is in the form of a letter. Like I said, I don't know precisely, but…Eiraki-hime?"

For Eiraki had paled, her hand going to her mouth at his words.

"Hime, what's wrong? Did I say something to distress you?"

"No. No, not that." Eiraki shook her head, offering him a faint, feeble smile. "No, it's just…Nii-sama did something to displease Seimaru-sama and Nii-sama has been able to live in exile as he has, without Grandfather or Seimaru-sama being able to touch him. More, Grandfather brought Father back into the heart of the council, and Seimaru-sama has not killed him, even though…even though he wants to do so. Hirata-nii may be the reason. Perhaps Seimaru-sama is afraid of fighting him. But perhaps there is something else. Because my brother was not strong enough to fight Seimaru-sama's will when he first left here. But he defied Seimaru-sama and did so without retribution. I believe the rumour is true, Kei-sama. I believe…this proof exists."

Excitement glittered in her eyes.

"Proof with which maybe Seimaru-sama could be overthrown." She whispered, and Keitarou nodded.

"Another reason why I should stay at court." He responded. "If you can speak to your brother and explain to him our reasoning, I'm sure he'd part with this proof, after all. And if you could get it to me…if it was in my possession…"

"Then you could attack from the inside, whilst we attacked from without." Eiraki whispered, and Keitarou saw a fleeting glimmer of killer instinct surface briefly in the young girl's eyes, taking him entirely off-guard as a matching swell of determination flooded through the fragment of metal buried deep within her heart.

_Eiraki is an Endou too. Like Seimaru. Like Shouichi. Like the old woman. Perhaps like this Hirata, too. They are all of them the same, deep down. Their cores are those of killers, no matter how nicely they dress or speak or how innocent they may seem. Even this one has the power to spill blood in her family's name. Even this one is potentially a killer._

Keitarou smiled, reaching across to pat Eiraki on the shoulder.

"We will succeed, I think." He said lightly. "If you have such determination, and your brother can be brought to our cause."

Eiraki nodded, rubbing her chest again slightly and then raising her gaze to his.

"Kei-sama, you haven't told me, yet." She murmured, and Keitarou eyed her in confusion.

"Told you?"

"Your true name. You said it wasn't Minazake, and that you were a member of _that _Clan. But…if you are not Minazake Roukei-dono, then…I do not know how to truly call you. And I should like it, even if I can't use it. I should like very much to be able to know your name."

Colour flooded her cheeks at this shy confession, and Keitarou laughed, slowly nodding his head.

"You can always call me Kei-sama." He assured her. "My true name is Keitarou, and my assumed one is Roukei. We are both Kei, you see? Kei is my true name – you have been using it correctly all along."

"Kei…tarou." Eiraki whispered the word slowly, then, "I see. So you truly are Kei-sama? Even though everything else…is a lie?"

"Yes. I suppose so." Keitarou agreed. "Though the only ones who have ever called me simply 'Kei' are my mother and the close cousin who was killed at Shouichi-sama's hand. It is a very _intimate _name, after all."

"Intimate?" Eiraki could not go any redder, and Keitarou chuckled.

"You are young just yet." He said. "But in time, you will not be. In time, perhaps, we can talk about those things. Our engagement is forced – and I do not want a forced bride. But if you still wish to call me Kei-sama when this is all over, Eiraki-hime…and if you do not mind sullying your Clan blood with an unwanted Urahara – then I will not object. Hime of my Clan marry at sixteen, after all – in two years from now, if things go as we plan them to – I would still be honoured to have you become my wife."

Eiraki lowered her gaze, yet Keitarou felt a flicker of pleasure cross the girl's confused heart and he knew beyond all doubt that her attachment to him was genuine.

_Children have such simple, malleable emotions. They think everything will stay the same forever._

Keitarou glanced at her flushed features for a moment, then,

_  
But she shows signs that she will grow to be pretty, and it would benefit me too, after all, to keep her on my side. Perhaps I will induce Seimaru to spare her – that is, if I have no better ideas. She is young and gullible, but she has all of her Clan's dark ruthlessness deep inside of her. She would not shame me, I don't think…my little Princess Eiraki._

Out loud he said.

"I should go, before people wonder at the nature of our conversation. Unwed men and young girls are a poor combination even if forced together how we were."

He smiled.

"I will meet with Kibana and somehow will convey to you word of our plan." He added. "I believe Seimaru-sama means to attend a Council session in Inner Seireitei in the next few days – and will probably remain there overnight. If that is the case, that will be our best time to strike out – when the shrike is far from his thornbush. Have faith in us, Eiraki-hime. I will see to it that you and Sumire-sama leave here…and leave here unscathed."

* * *

It was a brisk morning.

Juushirou stepped out into the frosty grounds of the Kyouraku estate, taking a deep breath of chilled air into his lungs with a satisfied sigh.

No matter where he was, he still loved winter. And, more than any other, this day - his nineteenth birthday - was particularly special.

Absently he found himself thinking about his family and whether they were all all right back home in District Six. Chihiro would probably be keeping them all in order, he mused, and Hiroyuki making sure that none of the younger ones got into the same scrapes and pranks he had when he had been younger. Shinkei would no doubt be driving Kaede crazy by climbing in and out of windows like a monkey, whilst in the last letter he had received from his old teacher, he had had a brief note from his brother Rouhei whose kanji was improving now in leaps and bounds.

The younger ones - ten year old Miyabi and eight year old Yuuya - would probably be missing him, he reflected sadly - Miyabi especially had a tendency to cling on to him in the place of the father she had lost weeks before her sixth birthday, but Juushirou knew that Kaede would have spoken to them and explained that he had had an important invitation from an important friend. And as for his final brother, the solemn, serious fifteen year old Sanjirou, Juushirou had been surprised to receive a letter from him alone, asking question upon question about the _zanpakutou_ and begging him to bring it home soon so that his family could see it.

It had made the District boy review again the level of his achievement. Among the Clansfolk he now spent most of his time with, holding a _zanpakutou_ was a normal state of affairs. But to his family, most of which had never even seen one in sealed form, it was something exceptional.

_I suppose I have separated myself from them a little in that way._

Juushirou pursed his lips, a faintly wistful expression in his hazel eyes as his fingers brushed Sougyo no Kotowari's hilt.

_You and I forged a bond, but in doing so, I made myself different from them - in a way that can't ever be undone._

The sword hummed with sympathetic energy, and despite himself, Juushirou grinned.

_But that doesn't mean I'll let it come between us in any other way. They're still my family, after all. And I'll make sure I make them proud of me, no matter what I do._

"Ukitake!"

A voice across the crisp air made him turn, surprise on his features as he saw Ryuu hurrying across the frosted grass towards him, uncharacteristically flushed and out of breath as he reached his classmate.

"Ryuu-kun." Juushirou frowned. "What's the matter? You look worried - did something happen?"

"No, not yet, and I intend to keep it so." Ryuu's tones were full of foreboding, and he shook his head. "I came here in search of sanctuary - you are up early this morning, I see?"

"Yes. The sun woke me, and I thought I'd come outside and take some air before breakfast." Juushirou nodded. "Hirata was still fast asleep, so I didn't want to disturb him by staying in the room."

He eyed his friend quizzically. "Why sanctuary? From what?"

"That girl." Ryuu's expression darkened. "Kyouraku's cousin...Nami-dono. It seems he was not joking."

"Nami-dono?" Juushirou blinked. "You mean the young girl who accosted us the other day? Wait, you mean Shunsui was right? She really does have her sights set after you?"

"It seems so." Ryuu grimaced. "Since then I have evaded two invitations to dine with her family on the excuse that I have a prior obligation to eat with the Kyouraku heir, but even that apparently is not enough to discourage whatever crazy spirit has possessed her. I am in the habit of rising early, as you know, and I had thought to check the library here, since Tokutarou-sama said it was quite fine for us to do so. I was minding my own business, reading a very interesting text about the application of Raikouhou in battle situations when she interrupted me."

He rubbed his temples, and Juushirou laughed.

"I see." He said, amused. "So she's decided that she's going to secure a Kuchiki fiance before she goes home? And you just happen to be the convenient target?"

"It seems." Ryuu sighed. "I am, after all, the only Kuchiki of eligible age and status at this gathering. I am unattached - and I have never before so sorely wished to be otherwise, to tell you the blunt truth. I have no good way to deal with women in general, Ukitake - but women who seek political advantage through marriage are opponents that flummox me completely. I confess that I do not know what to do about her."

"So you made your excuses and ran away here?" Juushirou led the way to the sheltered bench beneath the branches of a spreading willow tree, sitting down and indicating for Ryuu to join him. "Well, you seem to have succeeded. Although...surely you should just tell her that you can't enter into those kind of decisions without consulting your kin? After all, didn't you say that Kuchiki marriages can't be detemined by the individuals themselves?"

"They are not, usually." Ryuu agreed heavily. "But I am only recently turned twenty, Ukitake. In technical terms, that now makes me an adult. Although I have not been officially received in District Six as such, I am assumed to be in a position to make my own decisions. And I have decided against matrimony - now, and perhaps always."

"Twenty?" Juushirou blinked, staring at his friend as if seeing him anew. "But...you mean your last birthday...was..._that_ birthday?"

"Yes." Ryuu smiled faintly. "Shirogane-senpai and I are much the same age, although you can see by the differences in our development that the Clan does not hold us in equal regard. My family spent a lot of time arguing over whether or not I should be sent here to be trained at all, so I am not surprised you had not realised it. But I was eighteen when I began the first year - and now I am twenty. I am perhaps nine months younger than Houjou - no more than that."

"I hadn't realised at all." Juushirou looked sheepish. "I'm sorry. I feel we missed something big and important by not paying more attention."

"No. I was happier with it that way." Ryuu shook his head. "Since people have always asked me why I was not at the same stage of training as Shirogane-senpai, considering we are of equal blood and age. He is now a Vice Captain, whereas I have yet to hear my sword speak. So it is easier...to just let people assume I am the same age as you or Kyouraku."

He shrugged.

"I did worry that I might be the eldest in our year, but both Houjou and Shikibu are older than I am." He added. "That relieved me greatly...at school I feel much less pressure on me than at home, so I just allowed things to coast by without bothering to point them out clearly. Birthdays are birthdays and they are really quite insignificant in the bigger picture."

He pursed his lips.

"You will not tell Shihouin this, I trust?" He added softly. "So far as he is aware, we are the same age - and I do not wish to give him more to criticise me on."

"I don't get in the middle of you and Kai-kun." Juushirou assured him. "But I see. I suppose that makes it more difficult for you, then. Although you could still tell Nami-dono to apply to your kinsfolk...though then they might try and get you to accept it, I suppose? I don't know much about this whole Clan marriage thing, but it seems an arbitrary lottery to me. Anyone is as good as anyone else so long as the bloodline fits."

"You have summed it up quite correctly." Ryuu looked rueful. "I confess, Ukitake, I like talking to you. It would confound my sisters and horrify my parents, but I feel that, when I tell you something, you consider it as a whole. Kyouraku has often said it and I believe he is right. Your perspective on things is quite a good one - I have come to value it greatly."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Juushirou reflected, a grin on his face. "So far as I'm concerned, we're friends - and that's that. I know - now - that there are a lot more complicated social Clan rules I'm not a part of. But at least while we're at school, I think it's all right to be just that - friends without worrying about politics. And I'm glad you feel that way too."

Ryuu pursed his lips.

"Ukitake, tell me. What are your intentions towards Mitsuki?" He asked seriously, and Juushirou coloured, staring at his friend in confusion.

"Mitsuki?"

"I understand her feelings." Ryuu nodded. "But I am not sure, entirely, of yours. And while I realise that there are things blocking you - I would like you to tell me frankly. How do you view my cousin? Truly? If Clan were not to be an obstacle?"

Juushirou dropped his gaze, fleeting memory of that forbidden summer kiss crossing his mind, and for a moment he did not answer. Then he sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I am...probably in love with her." He admitted awkwardly. "Probably, because I've never felt these things before and I don't have anything to compare it with. But...it seems that way to me."

Ryuu nodded slowly.

"I see." He said thoughtfully.

"But I understand, Ryuu-kun. She's Clan. I'm not. So it's all right. I won't be shaming your kin any time soon."

"You may do as you see fit, Ukitake." Ryuu got to his feet, pulling his companion up with him. "I am not in any position to stand in your way."

"But..." Juushirou stared, and Ryuu shrugged.

"I am one person in a big, powerful Clan." He said simply. "And I have a very small, insignificant voice there. But at school I don't feel so stifled. There, I feel that my voice is heard, and that gives me strength for the future. I come to believe in Genryuusai-sensei's ideal - and that one day, those barriers will break. If you choose to break them - both of you - I will stand in support of you. Even if it angers my Clan, I am decided on that fact. You are both people I care for greatly. And I believe it is normal, is it not? To wish happiness on those you care for?"

At Ryuu's simple, awkwardly phrased speech, Juushirou faltered, then a smile touched his own lips.

"Thank you." He said quietly. "I don't know what may or may not happen in the future. But thank you, Ryuu-kun. It means a lot, especially coming from you."

"My family do not understand many things that I have come to learn in the past two years." Ryuu said gravely. "And the crisis in the Endou-ke tells me that if they do not learn them, at least a little, they too will eventually crumble under the strain. The world is moving on - we must also move with it. And there is nothing in my mind separating you from us. You are as we are - Clan or District, the Academy has proven that much."

He shrugged, suddenly looking self-conscious.

"Besides, though it may be warped and faint, you have Kuchiki blood." He added frankly. "I do not know, precisely, by what means Kuchiki Raiko was my kinswoman. But she was, at the very least, somehow connected to my Clan."

He smiled.

"Perhaps I will try to discover how, when it is once more safe to return to my homeland." He mused. "Such questions are intriguing, after all."

"Kuchiki-dono!"

A shrill voice broke the cold air, and Ryuu instinctively tensed as Nami came running across the grass towards them, a tall, slender figure in her wake. As she reached them, Juushirou cast Ryuu a sidelong glance.

"Kuchiki-dono, here you are!"

Nami ignored Juushirou completely, offering Ryuu a dazzling smile. "I was lucky to find you, since my brother wanted to speak with you and I promised to formally introduce you both today."

"Your brother?" Ryuu somehow managed words, and Juushirou's gaze shifted to the young man with her. He was obviously Ryousuke, the new Kyouraku land-holder who Sora had narrowly escaped becoming engaged to, and as he looked at this newcomer, Juushirou realised that the decision had been the right one.

He was an attractive man, but his cold, slightly pompous expression marred his natural Kyouraku good looks, and his brown hair was tied back with a clasp that was ornate enough to be bordering on the ridiculous. He was robed in expensive pinks and greys, in far more showy style than either Tokutarou or Shunsui favoured, and Juushirou knew that this was a young man who liked to be noticed and recognised for his bloodline.

_Couldn't be more different from Sora, then. Good thing that never went through, in the end. It would only have finished in tears._

"Good morning, Kuchiki-dono." Ryousuke bowed his head now, his gesture overly graceful and as his curly tail of hair flopped over his shoulder, Juushirou found it hard to smother a smile, for the greeting was conducted with the utmost seriousness. Ryuu hesitated for a moment, then returned the gesture with a slightly more stilted one of his own.

"Kuchiki Ryuu." He said quietly. "And you must be Kyouraku Ryousuke-dono, then, I imagine. If you are Nami-dono's esteemed older brother."

"You are correct." Ryousuke was pleased. "I am glad to finally have a chance to speak with you. Obviously, being a close friend of our noble heir Shunsui-dono,"

At which point Juushirou had to swallow hard to avoid snorting with laughter, for the idea of Shunsui as a noble heir amused him no end,

"You have had many other engagements and constraints on your time since arriving here. But I am happy to at last speak with you face to face. It is, of course, an honour to greet a Kuchiki kinsman to our humble District under any circumstances, but that your Clan grace us with your presence for the wedding of our Lord causes much joy in many quarters."

Juushirou absently wondered what quarters - a glimpse of Ryuu's face told him that his friend did not entirely agree.

"Tokutarou-sama has been good to offer my cousin and I the opportunity to attend." The Kuchiki responded now, a faint reserve in his tone. "I am not well acquainted with the Kyouraku-ke, but I believe District Eight to be a quite beautiful place, and was anxious to see it for myself."

"You flatter us greatly." Ryousuke was really pouring on the praise now, and Juushirou could see the discomfort prickling in Ryuu's aura. In that instant he understood the pressure his young friend had been under since the moment he had been born - that, as a Kuchiki, he must always keep face and maintain the reputation that so many other Clans looked up to. And, as a Kuchiki, he had been surrounded even as a child by the ambitions of others all reaching out to raise their own position though his family's name.

Something in that realisation made him determined to intervene, and before he knew what he was doing he had stepped forward, bowing his own head and offering Ryousuke a smile.

"My apologies for interrupting, Ryousuke-sama, but Ryuu-kun and I have a pressing morning breakfast engagement and we must leave shortly." He said softly, keeping his tones low and respectful. "Otherwise we should be late."

Ryousuke stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time, and a look of annoyance crossed his features as he scanned the District boy's simple apparel, obviously looking for any sign of a Clan insignia.

"Who or what are you?" He asked at length, ice dripping from his words. "And what gives you leave to interrupt a conversation that does not involve you?"

"My name is Ukitake Juushirou." Juushirou said simply. "And I am sorry for the interruption. Only, Ryuu-kun and I are expected - and must beg your permission to leave this conversation for another, more suitable occasion."

"Ukitake Juushirou." Ryousuke repeated the name as though what he was saying was disgusting and offensive, casting Nami a sidelong glance. "Nami? What is this Ukitake Juushirou...?"

"Shunsui-sama's District associate, Nii-sama." Nami's nose wrinkled. "Apparently."

"District." Ryousuke's lip curled. "And as such, he dares to speak before his betters? No, more...he dares to speak of a Kuchiki noble with such a familiar turn of phrase?"

Juushirou saw Ryuu bristle, but before the Kuchiki boy could speak, he found words spilling once more from his own lips as his own sleeping Kuchiki pride rose to the surface.

"Ryuu-_kun_ is my classmate and my friend. As is Shunsui." He said coldly. "And I was under the impression that Nobility were supposed to be well-mannered individuals."

"How dare you speak to my brother that way!" Nami's eyes became huge, but Ryousuke held up his hand, slowly shaking his head.

"I have heard of this one." He said thoughtfully. "The Distict whelp who bears a _zanpakutou_. The radical project of Genryuusai-sama's Academy."

He glared at Juushirou, drawing his weapon from its sheath and extending it to tap against the black scabbard that hung at Juushirou's side.

"Well? This famed sword is _that _one, I presume? The one cloaked in a Clan sheath yet wielded by a dirty peasant boy?"

Juushirou felt the flare of Sougyo no Kotowari's spirit rouse up in indignation at such dismissive treatment, and he closed his right hand around the weapon's hilt, pulling the beautiful silver blade carefully out into the cold winter air.

"As you see." He said quietly.

"Ukitake, this is no place to draw your sword. Ryousuke-dono, please, sheath your blade." Ryuu seemed to realise that the glowers the two were exchanging were colder than the frosty air, and he held up his hands, anxiety in his grey eyes. "Kyouraku would not want it - for you to fight with one another."

"Nobody's going to fight." Juushirou said simply. "I was just showing that my weapon wasn't dirty or inferior - and that it was exactly as people have reported it. It has pride too, after all. As do I."

"What kind of pride does a District boy have?" Ryousuke was mocking. "Especially one who doesn't even use his sword. You have a useless trinket that you don't know how to wield, is that it?"

"Ukitake was trained to release level by my cousin, Nagoya Shirogane." Ryuu was getting annoyed too, now. "The current adjutant of Sixth Squad and my honoured Uncle's chosen second in command. He does not train those who are inferior - I would not have you criticise the skills of my Clan."

"Kuchiki-dono, I meant no..." Ryousuke faltered for a moment, then shook his head. "But even so, surely, to train one such as this...surely that more than anything else is a slur on your noble family's pride?"

"I am not a slur on anyone's pride, least of all the Kuchiki-ke." Juushirou felt his reiatsu buzzing inside of him, and a faint prickle of electricity ran the length of the sealed blade as if Sougyo no Kotowari too was eager to burst into its released form and begin to fight. "Nagoya-senpai was a hard but fair _shishou_ and he trained me to the best of his ability. Ryuu-kun is right. Insulting me also insults him - and insulting us both insults the Kuchiki-ke as a whole."

"Then lets see, shall we, what a dull peasant brain can possibly absorb, even one trained by a great Shinigami prodigy such as Nagoya-dono." Ryousuke's expression became nasty and Juushirou was aware that his body had shifted into a battle stance. "Stop speaking, and show me with your weapon what you can do."

He lifted his blade, and in that moment Juushirou realised it too was a _zanpakutou_, although from its feeble aura of _reiryoku_ he knew that what Shunsui had said was true and that none of his kinsfolk were overly capable with a released sword.

"Ryousuke-dono!" Ryuu exclaimed, but Ryousuke took no notice, flicking his weapon round so the tip pointed towards the sky.

"_Yaiba o nobase, Harizurugi._" He murmured, and as Juushirou watched, the weapon stretched and sharpened into a needle point tip, its surface glittering in the cold winter light.

Juushirou hesitated for a moment, feeling energy ripple once more through his weapon at the challenge laid down by the other. Somehow he knew that Harizurugi had screamed its defiance and that Sougyo no Kotowari was aching to respond, pulling at Juushirou's wits as it yearned to release its own power and proclaim its own standing for all to see. Slowly he nodded his head.

"_Nami kotogotoku, wa ga tate to nare_." He murmured softly, even as he heard Ryuu's protestations somewhere, dimly at the back of his awareness. Light glimmered around the sealed weapon as he moved his left hand to cover the guard, allowing the particles of his blade to separate gently under his careful touch. He had worked hard, after all, since the day he had stood before the Council. And he had learnt that, with careful thought and focus, he could divide his weapon without causing it to explode like it had done in Genryuusai's office the first time.

"_Ikazuchi kotogotoku, wa ga yaiba to nare_." He continued, gripping the second hilt of Sougyo no Kotowari's released form as the whole weapon continued to blaze with golden light, hazing its true form from view.

"_Sougyo no Kotowari!_"

_"Hadou no Ichi: Shou!"_

As the glittering light faded from Juushirou's weapon, a sudden thrust of kidou burst across the gardens, knocking Harizurugi from Ryousuke's startled grip.

"What are you boys doing!"

Kyouki's voice descended upon them all like a sudden shock of cold water, and Juushirou froze, suddenly aware of where he was and what he had been about to do.

"Releasing _zanpakutou_ without clearance to do so is a very serious offence - you should both know that." The Clan Leader walked between then, and inwardly Juushirou felt ashamed of having let himself be goaded into drawing his sword. "Juushirou, seal your blade. You too, Ryousuke. This is unseemly from both of you - do it now."

Slowly Juushirou did as he was bidden, staring up at Sora's mother even as Ryousuke went scrambling for his own weapon. There was a moment of heavy silence, then Kyouki cast Ryousuke a glance.

"Your cousin Tokutarou would not approve of this." She said softly. "You are not my kinsman and I cannot discipline you for your actions, but take my warning nonetheless. If you continue to act recklessly now you are a landholder for your Clan, you may find yourself placed under restrictions. A leader cannot be rash. Learn it."

"Kyouki-sama, I..."

"I am done with you. You and your sister should go, before I change my mind and draw Gekkoushin to drum in my instruction." Kyouki's voice lacked all of its usual friendly warmth, and Juushirou shivered involuntarily even as he saw Ryousuke's faint defiance wilting before the older woman's stern gaze. Without another word he sheathed his sword, taking his sister by the arm and withdrawing from the scene.

Once they were gone, Kyouki sighed, her gaze flitting to Ryuu.

"And you should have stopped it. A Kuchiki child should know better than to let two idiots spar with swords in a place like this."

"Ryuu-kun tried, Kyouki-sama." Juushirou bit his lip, guilt in his gaze. "I didn't listen. Ryousuke-sama didn't listen, either. Ryuu-kun tried to prevent it, but...we paid him no heed."

"Ah." Another silence, then Kyouki clapped a hand down on Ryuu's shoulders, startling him.

"Then I am sorry." She said softly. "Though perhaps you need to work on being more forceful - since one day you may have to separate squad recruits."

"Yes, Kyouki-sama." Ryuu murmured, completely stripped of all his usual Clan pride by the sudden shock of her appearance, and Kyouki nodded.

"And Juushirou."

She paused, then sighed, shaking her head.

"What did the Council tell you about that sword? About its use - about its purpose?" She asked lightly, and Juushirou's cheeks blazed red. Kyouki nodded.

"Yes. I thought you remembered." She murmured. "Yet even so you allowed yourself to draw it - why? Do you not see the danger in playing games with a blade such as that?"

"I...wasn't intending to fight him." Juushirou spoke slowly and haltingly, unable to raise his gaze. "But he said...things. And Sougyo...wanted...and..."

"Who is in charge of your weapon, then? You, or it?" Kyouki cut across him, and Juushirou flinched.

"I am, Kyouki-sama." He whispered. "I'm sorry. It was my fault."

Kyouki grimaced.

"It's hard to stay angry with one who can look so contrite." She owned. "But even so, Juushirou, you must learn not to let your sword rule your head. Even if it wants to fight, you must learn to tell it no. Do you not know, after all, the amount of reiatsu you possess? With time you will wield a very dangerous weapon, and we all know that as a fact. But even now...at the level you already are...did you not understand that you could have killed that young idiot even without realising it?"

"Killed...?" Juushirou froze, staring at Kyouki in horror, and Kyouki nodded.

"You are far, far more powerful than he is, and you do not have full understanding or control yet of what that weapon can do." She said quietly. "Had you realised why I knocked Ryousuke's blade from his grip but didn't attempt the same with you? It's not because your sword splits into two when its released, but for another reason entirely. At the Council, your weapon absorbed the lightning Shouichi-sama fired at it, and wanted to send it back at him. Then, you stopped it - then you were in a rational state of mind. But now, with your pride fired up - had I fired kidou at your weapon, the result could easily have maimed your opponent without you even having to make a move. You must be more careful. You must learn to think."

"Ukitake's sword has a power such as that, Kyouki-sama?" Ryuu asked softly, and Kyouki nodded.

"It does." She agreed. "And until he's learnt how to make it an asset, it will always be a danger."

She hesitated, then held out her hands, and Juushirou stared at her uncomprehendingly.

"You are not my Clan either, but I take some responsibility for you since Tokkun is so fond of you already." She explained, offering him a slight smile. "Given that fact, I think it best that Sougyo no Kotowari stays with me for the time being, don't you?"

"Stays...with you?" Juushirou echoed, and Kyouki nodded.

"Until you've calmed your pique a little and realised this isn't a playground and you're not carrying an_ asauchi_." She agreed. "You're lucky - with my influence, there won't be any further repercussions from this, and no harm was actually done. But next time might be different. So, your sword please, Juushirou. It will be quite safe with me. Gekkoushin will give it some strong advice - while you can think carefully about what its really for."

"But..." Juushirou faltered, his mind flitting to the precious letter stashed away inside the dark scabbard. "I'm sorry, Kyouki-sama. I didn't mean to...but...that...I...I haven't had my sword very long. And...if you take it..."

"I mean what I say." Kyouki's eyes twinkled, but there was a firmness in her expression that made it clear she was not going to be swayed. "Your sword, please."

"I...I understand." Slowly, and not without regrets, Juushirou held out the black-sheathed blade, bowing his head towards Kyouki in apology. Inwardly he berated himself for his foolishness, but he knew that, deep down inside, if he made a fuss now both Kyouki and Ryuu would become suspicious.

_So all I can do is act as though it's the sword I'm worried about losing, and hope they don't notice anything unusual about the sheath. Hirata is going to kill me, most likely, but with any luck they won't even look at that. With any luck...please, Sougyo. Somehow, if you can, watch over that letter and keep it from prying eyes!_

His gaze rested on the sheath for a long time, then he sighed.

"And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a nusiance."

"He was somewhat defending me too, Kyouki-sama." Ryuu said gravely. "I will also think on what you said - and hope that next time I can intervene more effectively should the need arise."

At this, Kyouki smiled.

"For a Kuchiki, you're a good lad." She reflected. "And if that's the case, then it's settled. The matter is over - but don't think that means you can forget it. Mistakes are learning curves, after all."

She grinned, reaching out to pat Juushirou on the head.

"And though it seems inappropriate after my lecture - Happy Birthday, too. Shunsui mentioned it was today - try and make the rest of it less eventful, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." Juushirou reddened once more. "I will. Thank you."

Kyouki winked at them, then, turning on her heel, she was gone, setting a brisk pace across the gardens as she headed back towards the house.

Ryuu and Juushirou exchanged glances, and Ryuu sighed.

"I had forgotten today was your birthday." He owned, and Juushirou shrugged.

"It's as you say. Birthdays just mark years." He replied sheepishly. "Besides, I've got it off to a not so good start. I'm sorry, Ryuu-kun. I'll listen, next time."

"Will Sougyo be all right, separated from you?"

"Mm." Juushirou nodded. "I think...Kyouki-sama meant it, when she said Gekkoushin was going to give it some pointers. Perhaps it will be a good thing...in any case, I can't say I don't deserve to have things end this way."

He shrugged, looking troubled.

"For now, let's head in." He suggested. "I want to talk to Hirata, and it must be almost time for breakfast. The others may be up and around - and I'd like a slightly quieter rest of the day!"

* * *

"I am still not sure of this."

Sumire pulled her shawl more tightly around her shoulders against the winter wind, turning to glance at her visitor as she did so. "I understand your reasoning, Kibana, and I know my husband's will. But to risk his life…to take that risk…"

She faltered, shaking her head, and Kibana could see the strain that the last several days had taken on her. Since Shouichi's death she had lost weight, her features worn and tired and creases forming on her brow as she had struggled to adjust to the cascading events of Seimaru's accession. She knew, Kibana realised, that her life too was in danger. Her life, Eiraki's life – as well as Misashi's, confined somewhere in an unknown cell in unknown conditions. Yet even so still held herself proudly and Kibana felt a flicker of admiration for the strength of the woman's spirit. She was not broken, yet, although Seimaru believed that she was. Her husband was missing and her daughter intertwined in Seimaru's scheming – but she had not given up completely.

"I want to find a way to help Misashi." She murmured now. "If there is one. By staying here, I may learn something – by leaving I may anger my nephew enough to make him kill one of the people I love. It is a grave risk, Kibana. You understand that…it is not a decision I can take lightly."

"I know, my lady, and I also understand your concern." Kibana nodded. "I have been able to move undetected so far, but it cannot last much longer. But we are not alone in this. We have an ally – from an unexpected source."

"An ally?" Sumire started, casting him a startled look. "But…what do you mean? What kind of an ally? Kibana, in this climate, to trust anyone is…"

"Minazake-dono." Kibana said softly. "Eiraki-hime's fiancé."

"Minazake?" Sumire's brows knitted together. "A stranger…a man about whom we know nothing. Even with the desire to help Misashi, Kibana, surely…"

"He has a grudge against Seimaru-sama and came here in order to find retribution." Kibana said quietly, drawing closer to her as he checked to make sure nobody else was in the arbour. "I have seen Seimaru-sama's contempt for him first-hand – whether he is Riku-sama's kinsman or not, there is no love in that connection."

"And no doubt he sees benefit in marrying my daughter, too." Sumire said astutely. Kibana nodded.

"But Eiraki-hime does not seem ill-disposed towards that idea, either." He said simply. "And he has so far provided me – us – with much useful information. He admitted to me that he had things to gain from the alliance – that to marry Eiraki-hime would restore his position in the Clan. But he also seeks vengeance against Seimaru-sama's line. And to that end…that we should seek out Hirata-sama…"

"Hirata?" Sumire's eyes widened, and she grabbed him by the shoulders, glancing around her in fear. "You should not dare speak my son's name – not now, with things like this!"

"He is the only hope this Clan has for the future. Misashi-sama said as much to me before he was locked away." Kibana said firmly. "He also said…that if his life had to be the sacrifice, so be it. To put this Clan to rights, and bring everything back how it should be – he was willing to take that risk. He told me that if there was a chance to get you and Eiraki-hime away, I was to take it – and I will. I'm resolved, no matter what the danger. Minazake-dono has uncovered the fact that Hirata-sama is currently not in District One, but in the neighbouring District Eight as a guest of Tokutarou-sama's family. It may be a trap, but if it is true, District Eight is a place I know. It is much closer at hand than District One and an opportunity that we should not miss. Eiraki-hime has agreed and Minazake-dono has offered his support in covering our tracks. The final word is yours, Sumire-sama. Will you come with us, to find your son?"

Sumire was silent for a moment, and Kibana could tell she was turning over all the risks in her mind.

"As a wife, more than anything, I fear my husband's death." She whispered, her voice catching slightly as she worked to suppress her emotions. "I love Misashi and I do not want to think I may not see him again. But…he is right. You are right. I cannot let my own feelings get in the way of what must be done. Our son – is the only other with the potential and power to claim the leadership of this Clan. If he could…if he was able to challenge Seimaru, defeat Seimaru…then the Clan would accept it as a legitimate change of power. And then…everything would be all right. Even if…even if it costs Misashi his life, that would still be what he would want me to work towards. I know it without asking him."

"Then you will come?" Kibana's expression became one of hope, and Sumire sighed. Slowly she nodded her head.

"Yes." She said, her word little more than a breath on the wind. "For the sake of my family, Kibana – I will come."

* * *

"So that's how it is."

Juushirou sank down onto the floor with a sigh, casting Hirata an apologetic glance as he did so. "I'm sorry, Hirata. I was foolish and I didn't think about what I was doing. But I couldn't make a fuss then or demand the sheath back without the blade - that would've seemed really odd and Kyouki-sama's really smart. So I...I had to give it to her. And...we'll just have to hope...she doesn't look too closely inside."

Hirata bit his lip, and Juushirou could see the flash of emotions cross the boy's pale gaze. Then he sighed, folding his night robes and settling himself down opposite his companion.

"What's done is done." He said heavily. "I'm sorry too, in a way. I've dropped a huge burden on you with that letter from the start."

"I agreed to take it." Juushirou shook his head. "It was my responsibility. You don't need to be sorry."

He grimaced.

"I'd rather you were angry and yelled at me. I'm angry." He admitted. "I don't like it at all. My sword is out of my control - which is strange enough as it is, but more than that, the entire safety of your Clan is tied up inside that scabbard and...I do something careless and..."

He trailed off, burying his head in his hands.

"All I can do is pretend I'm bothered about losing the sword." He concluded heavily. "Which isn't a lie, since I don't like the feeling of being pulled apart from it like this. But at least, if I focus everyone's attention on Sougyo...maybe if I do that, nobody will think about where Sougyo sleeps. And.."

"We should stop talking about it." Hirata said firmly, shaking his head. "I am angry, Ukitake-kun. Not precisely at you, but that the situation is like it is. But it is like it is. And we can't change it. And if I...if I got angry, people would...they'd notice. They might...even figure something out. So...so we shouldn't talk about it. So far as I'm concerned, your sword got taken from you. The scabbard is a thing, not anything of importance except that it's Kyouraku-kun's gift to you for today. So right now, all we can do is follow what you just said and hope that it won't be long before Kyouki-sama decides to give it back."

"Give what back?"

The door swung back, making the two boys jump almost out of their skin as Shunsui lounged up against the doorframe. "What, you didn't hear me coming, either of you? It must've been a very engrossing conversation."

"Did you hear it?" Hirata asked softly, and Shunsui frowned, shaking his head and coming into the chamber proper.

"No. Should I have done?" He responded lightly, and Juushirou sighed, flopping back on the floor.

"I did something stupid and Kyouki-sama confiscated my _zanpakutou_." He said miserably. "She won't give it back, and now it's somewhere with her instead of here with me."

"She took Sougyo-kun away from you?" Shunsui's eyes widened. "What did you do?"

"He released his blade because one of your cousins was provoking him." Hirata murmured, and Shunsui arched an eyebrow.

"A cousin? Which cousin? You'll have to be more specific since they're most of them idiots." He responded.

"Ryousuke-sama." Juushirou said heavily. "And I was at fault too, Shunsui. He goaded me, but I didn't think. I just did it...and then Kyouki-sama was there...and...now..."

"The sword is in detention. I see." Shunsui pursed his lips. "And this has got to you, right?"

He sighed.

"Well, of course it has. It's your birthday and she just took your new toy away from you. That's mean, even by her standards. Even if you did do something stupid, I daresay Ryousuke deserved it. And I'm not condoning releasing your _zanpakutou _like a moron anywhere people provoke you. But..."

His voice softened.

"You feel it, don't you? Being separated."

"Yes." Juushirou nodded, feeling faintly guilty for half deceiving his friend but knowing without looking at Hirata that he could not say anything more. "I do."

"Right then."

Shunsui sighed again, shaking his head.

"I suppose if that's the case, I'll have to go speak to her. I don't guarantee it will do any good..." As hope flickered in Juushirou's gaze. "But I'll at least try. Since I don't like to see you frown and stress on your birthday - I'll see what I can do."

With that he was gone, and Hirata sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Kyouraku-kun doesn't know, does he?" He whispered, and Juushirou shook his head.

"He doesn't. Nobody does. Only you and I." He replied quietly. "But if he can...talk to Kyouki-sama...well, if he can, so much to the good. I don't want to put people in danger, Hirata - so lets hope that he can!"

* * *

_**Author's Note: OC Names: The Council of Elders.**  
I realised I haven't done this yet for Third Chronicle and a few more characters have been introduced whose names I'd like to share with those who are interested. (Any not, please, skip this section xD). Obviously, Midori was explained in the last story, and there's no point in me adding Retsu to this xD.  
_

_Members of the Council of Elders not yet given:_

_**Yamamoto Hashihiko** _山本橋彦 _  
Yamamoto is obviously a canon name and means 'base of the mountain'. Hashihiko's first name has no special significance - the characters mean 'bridge' and 'boy/man'._

_**Urahara Nagesu** _浦原歎守_  
Urahara is another canon name, and means something like 'bay meadow' or 'original beach'. It's worth mentioning, however, that the word urahara in Japanese actually means 'contrary' or 'the reverse', just with different kanji.  
Nagesu's given name is made up of the kanji for "grief" or "lament" and the kanji for "protect."  
_

_**Shiba Kyouki** _志波享気_  
I already explained Shiba in 2nd Manuscript. Kyouki's name means "Fun Spirit". It could also mean "Crazy Demon", however...._

_**Kuchiki Guren** _朽木紅蓮_  
In keeping with the theme of the Kuchiki and their love of colour in names, Guren's name means "Crimson Lotus."_

_**Endou Shouichi **_延藤翔一_(deceased)  
I explained Endou in 2nd Manuscript. The two kanji for Shouichi's name mean "flight" and "first." _

_**Endou Seimaru** _延藤勢丸._ (current)_  
_Seimaru's given name kanji mean "military strength" and "round"._  
_  
**Kyouraku Tokutarou** _京楽特太郎_  
The name Kyouraku means "City Pleasure" although the word kyouraku in Japanese actually means 'enjoyment' (with slightly different kanji). Tokutarou's given name means "Special Great Man." _


	41. Blood Midnight

**Chapter Forty: Blood Midnight**

"He's going to be quite a young firebrand, that one, as far as I can see."

Kyouki perched on the window ledge of Tokutarou's study, casting her surrogate son a rueful grin as she watched him sorting through the final details for the wedding ceremony.

"I hope you don't mind me somewhat stealing your thunder - but I thought it better I stopped them, considering it was a matter of swords."

"In that regard, Kyouki-sama, you have far more experience than I do." Tokutarou paused to offer her a rueful grin. "Thank you. Though Ryousuke should know better than that, and as for Juushirou..."

He sighed, shaking his head.

"He's not going to be easily kept down, that's for sure. And in some ways it's admirable." He reflected. "But in other ways he's playing a dangerous game. He's already angered Seimaru over the border with his principles and his courage. Now he's flaring his District pride to stupid kin of mine that can't keep their mouths shut. I'm not sure whether to admire him or fear for him - since it's a dangerous world that he's starting to unlock."

"Well, part of the trouble is his sword, of course." Kyouki set the black-sheathed weapon down beside her with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Sougyo no Kotowari is young, untrained and full of eagerness to engage in battle. Juushirou is also very young still, without all of the grounding that most _zanpakutou _wielders have drummed into them at an early age. He will learn, providing nobody cuts him down in the meantime. But a chance to cool his heels won't do him any harm. He doesn't need a weapon while he's at your wedding, after all."

She chuckled.

"Gekkoushin has already had plenty to say about it." She added, amused. "My _zanpakutou_ doesn't tolerate any nonsense from young fools wanting to blood their colours before they're ready. She'll soon put Sougyo no Kotowari firmly in its place - and it'll think twice then before letting itself be so easily drawn out next time. I guarantee it."

"Gekkoushin is a hard taskmistress." Tokutarou grinned, a sheepish look in his own eyes. "She disdained training me almost completely - but I remember the rough ride she gave Ryuusei-nii and Hakubei when I was growing up in District Five. If she's going to take Sougyo no Kotowari's immaturity to task, then I imagine you're right. But as for Juushirou's own..."

"I can do less about that." Kyouki admitted. "He's not an arrogant child, nor a heedless one. But he is naive and principled and even now is unlike any other shinigami that has ever been registered by the Council. I think...I will speak to Genryuusai-sama, when the new term begins. Clearly the boy needs further mentorship - and of a level higher than what he already has. Shirogane-kun seems to have trained him well, but there is still a lot for him to learn, especially given how dangerous that sword is. If I hadn't intervened when I did, Tokkun, I think Ryousuke would, at the very least, have been nursing a nasty wound. At worst..."

She trailed off, letting out a sigh.

"I know Genryuusai-sama has worked with him to some extent." She added. "But even though his control of his reiatsu is within better limits, Tokutarou...that boy is dangerous. To himself and to others so long as he can release this sword as he sees fit. There was lightning in his aura today - lightning and storm glittering across the weapon and even as I approached I could hear the roar of waves. There might have been a nasty incident. A very nasty one indeed. Hence I took the sword away...to give him a chance to think things through."

"Then probably it was the right thing." Tokutarou reflected. "I'd prefer it if my wedding went off without a hitch."

"Are you nervous?" Kyouki's voice became teasing, and Tokutarou shrugged his shoulders, offering her a wry smile.

"Isn't everyone, before they make such a commitment?" He asked. "Yes, to a certain extent. I believe it will go well, Kyouki-sama. My kin approve and there's no animosity between Rae-hime and I...nor between her and my brother, which relieves me. On the contrary, Shunsui seems to have quite taken to the idea of having her as a sister in law, which has been a huge weight off my mind. So yes, I think all will be well. It's just..."

He shrugged, shaking his head.

"A premonition, perhaps." He said at length. "Of something I can't quite pinpoint but which is there all the same."

"A premonition." Kyouki pursed her lips, looking pensive. "Relating to your unruly neighbours in District Seven?"

"Most of my uneasy feelings come from that direction. Yes." Tokutarou nodded. "But I suppose we'll see. Perhaps I'm being too paranoid - time will tell."

"There's no such thing as too paranoid when dealing with that Clan." Kyouki said bluntly. "The young boy Shunsui is fond of is one thing, but as for his relatives..."

She shook her head.

"Put it this way. If ever the Council see fit to take action in that District, I will be heading the queue. And if they come here, Tokkun, demanding their missing boy...I will certainly stand at your side to repel them. They are an odious bunch and I would not cry to see them completely destroyed. Especially that young idiot Seimaru."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Although to finish Shouichi off with such ease suggests he's_ not _an idiot after all."

"Yes. That concerns me too, providing the guilt truly is in his quarter." Tokutarou sighed, rubbing his temples. "But for the time being, I can only do what little I can do here. For the refugees and for my own Clan. I'll marry Rae-hime. I'll make the usual post-wedding progress around the District and pick up what information I can while on my travels. And I will defend my people as far as I am able. More than that..."

"More than that is beyond your remit as a Head of Clan." Kyouki assured him. "It's all right, Tokkun. If the worst comes to the worst, I'll shake Guren-sama until he agrees to deploy forces to deal with it."

"You would, too." Despite himself, Tokutarou was amused by this, and Kyouki nodded.

"Of course I would." She said firmly. "The Council is not a neutered body of officials and if it needs to act, it will have to act. I'm here and watching very carefully. The slightest step out of line, and I will be ready. Trust me. The moment Seimaru pushes too far, I will be there. And Gekkoushin and I will teach him and his sword a lesson he will be very unlikely to regret!"

"That sounds like a warm, objective attitude, Kyouki-sama."

Shunsui pushed back the door of the study at that moment, bowing his head towards the two Clan Leaders with a smile of amusement on his face. "I'm glad that we have such peace-loving allies to rely on in difficult circumstances."

"You pipe down, you young idiot." Kyouki grinned, getting to her feet and swiping the young nobleman playfully across the top of his head. "What are you doing anyhow, barging in here without knocking? Tokkun and I could've been hard at work negotiating some important treaty – it might have been top secret, for all you know!"

"Then you shouldn't leave doors unlocked." Shunsui was unphased, carefully sliding the door back behind him and leaning up against the panelled wood. "Besides, Tokutarou-niisama tends to tell me about things these days. So even if it was top secret, it probably wouldn't matter if I listened in."

"Why are you here, then, Shunsui?" Tokutarou looked quizzical. "I would have thought that with the Clan here and your friends too you hadn't any free time to spare on infiltrating my study."

"Well, possibly." Shunsui pulled a face. "I really just came to speak to Kyouki-sama, to be honest. About…well, that, if I'm completely blunt."

He gestured towards the sealed and sheathed Sougyo no Kotowari, and Kyouki frowned.

"I'm not returning it to him just yet, Shunsui." She said with a shake of her head. "He didn't mean any harm by it, but he could've caused harm all the same. In this environment, if his pride's going to be so easily sparked…it's too risky to let him have his head with his sword."

"Perhaps, but Yama-jii has never taken it off him even when he's been debarred from using it." Shunsui said earnestly. "And…"

"Yama-jii?" Kyouki cut across him, her eyes widening first with surprise, then amusement. "Oh, is that what you're calling Genryuusai-sama? To his face? Or aren't you quite that foolish yet?"

"I did, once, but he was kind and overlooked it." Shunsui looked sheepish. "In school I try and remember to call him Sensei. Out of it, he doesn't seem to mind Yamamoto-jiisama. But Yama-jii – strictly behind closed doors."

He shrugged.

"Anyhow, he's always let Juu keep Sougyo with him. He's said things about the tentative nature of shinigami bonding with their swords in the early few months and so even when the sword was relegated to the dorm, it was still technically in Juu's care. I realise he did a stupid thing – he gave me an overview and from the expression on his face I think several folk have told him in no uncertain terms how stupid it was. But…"

He faltered, his gaze drifting to Tensonshin hanging on the wall over the desk.

"I think it's important they stay together as much as possible, else they'll never learn to work together as a proper team." He said at length. "And with Juu, it's important – that he can do that, with the amount of _reiryoku_ he's packing into that skinny body of his."

"I see your point, but even so, for now I'm keeping the sword." Kyouki shook her head. "Gekkoushin will deal with the _zanpakutou_, I – and apparently, you too – have dealt with the boy. I won't hold on to it for long, don't worry – not long enough to seriously damage their connection's fragile development. But Shunsui, that_ zanpakutou_ is capable of killing people. And without training, that might accidentally happen."

She sighed.

"I'm protecting him as much as I am everyone else." She said heavily. "So I'll be the bad guy and I'll stay strict. Juushirou is a special boy. He has a special blade. It brings with it particular responsibilities."

Shunsui glanced back towards Tensonshin again, then he nodded.

"I suppose that's true." He owned. "An uncontrolled _zanpakutou_ is a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. I'm sorry, Kyouki-sama. Just…Juu's calmed down now, and he looks all folorn that you took his sword from him like you did. He acknowledges he did wrong – but even so, it's his birthday. I thought maybe you'd have been a bit more gentle on him, considering that."

"Shinigami life isn't tailored around birthdays, and nor is making big decisions." Kyouki shook her head. "Everything in perspective, Shunsui – everything in context. That was something your poor father didn't learn – sooner you do the better for your Clan."

Shunsui was silent for a moment, and Tokutarou noticed the boy's gaze flit a third time towards Tensonshin.

"Something wrong, Shunsui?" He asked softly, and Shunsui started, then shook his head.

"Not really." He responded carefully. "I just…don't quite think Tensonshin should be here. It just…doesn't seem the right place for it to be."

"Not here?" Tokutarou was startled, eying his brother in surprise. "But…may I ask why not? This was father's _zanpakutou_ – a shell of that _zanpakutou_, and this place was Father's study. You know my reasons for keeping the blade here – why do you think it shouldn't be here?"

"Because Tensonshin doesn't like it, I suppose." Shunsui shrugged. "That's all. I'm sure it'd rather be somewhere else – not in the place where its master was cut down."

"Aren't you confusing your feelings with a dead sword's?" Kyouki asked gently. "I know this was where Matsuhara died, Shunsui – and that you witnessed it. But even so…"

"It's not my confusion. I know my feelings on the subject and if it bothered me, stepping in here, I just wouldn't come." Shunsui shook his head. "But Tensonshin lost more than I did in that fight, you know. So I think you should take that into account."

"What are you talking about?" Tokutarou's brows knitted together. "Father is dead. Tensonshin is dead. This is…"

"Wait a minute, Tokkun." Kyouki held up her hand, fixing Shunsui with a penetrating look. "Tell me, Shunsui – why do you think Tensonshin dislikes being here?"

Shunsui sighed.

"You'll think I'm crazy." He confessed. "But I thought I heard it crying once. That's all."

"A dead sword can't cry…can it?" Tokutarou protested, and Kyouki shrugged.

"I've never heard it." She admitted. "But then, I'm not a Kyouraku. Perhaps it matters."

"I've never heard it either, in all the time I've been in this study." Tokutarou pursed his lips. "Shunsui…you'll have to explain more clearly."

"Once, while you weren't here, I was looking at some old family documents in here." Shunsui moved across the room to where the blade hung on the wall. "And it started…well…glowing, I suppose. Although it wasn't really a normal kind of glow – it was like…divine light all around the blade. And when I touched it, I could hear crying. But that was all. It didn't speak to me…I just thought that maybe it wanted me to know it didn't like being in here."

Kyouki's eyes became huge.

"Divine light. Heaven's Reverence." She murmured. "Matsuhara's blade in shikai form – it glittered and shone exactly as you just said. But Matsuhara…never released his sword for you, did he, Shunsui? He never showed you his weapon – he couldn't have."

"He didn't." Shunsui shook his head. "Tensonshin showed me itself. At least…"

He sighed, then tentatively reached out his hand to take the sword down from its display, removing it gingerly from the sheath. For a moment nothing happened, then the faintest prickle of light ran across the blade, and Tokutarou smiled.

"It looks that way." He admitted. "I don't understand, but I also know that dead swords don't glitter on their own. Perhaps I really don't know enough about swords after death – I didn't think that there was anything left."

"What is left isn't much. It's malformed and broken – it can't reach out and speak." Shunsui said sadly. "But it was sad when Father died and this place is a memory of that. So please, Nii-sama,"

He held the sword out,

"Put it somewhere else now. Even if it can't be saved or fixed, at least don't make it stay in the place it lost its master any more."

"All right." Tokutarou took the weapon, and the faint glimmer of light faded as he set it down on the desk. "Though perhaps it should stay with you, if it likes you as much as all that."

Shunsui shook his head.

"Tensonshin isn't my sword." He said. "It belonged to Father and I…I'm not him."

He smiled sheepishly.

"Besides, you knew him. Father. You remember him properly. Tensonshin should stay with you."

" It should probably hang in the mausoleum, near to Father's tomb, then." Tokutarou looked thoughtful. Somewhere near to Father, rather than me. But even so...Shunsui, it reacted to you, so..."

"I know. But that was all it was." Shunsui shook his head. "And I...don't need to have the sword to understand its message, after all."

"The message being that doing nothing is as much a crime as acting out evil?" Kyouki asked softly, and Shunsui nodded.

"I suppose…something like that."

Kyouki smiled, meeting Tokutarou's gaze across the desk.

"We should not mention this before your skittish Clan, else they'd take it as an omen of good fortune and sew Shunsui into the _haori_ before he'd even finished his second year of studies." She said playfully. "But this is a good sign to me."

She stretched out her fingers to brush the hilt of Sougyo no Kotowari.

"This is the first _zanpakutou_ belonging to that particular group of students, after all." She continued. "But I wouldn't be surprised…if it wasn't to remain the only one for very much longer."

Shunsui's features flushed with colour, and Tokutarou let out an exclamation.

"Shunsui? You mean…he…now…already…?"

"Not yet. No." Shunsui held up his hands. "I won't pretend I'm not aware of…of things changing, but right now…no. Please, Kyouki-sama. It's not like Juu and nor am I. I'm not ready yet…to summon my sword."

"But you've heard the spirit speak?" Kyouki pressed, and Shunsui sighed, nodding his head.

"The night after Tensonshin glittered." He admitted reluctantly. "Although I suppose…that was in a way both the first and the second time."

"And you didn't say anything?" Tokutarou rubbed his temples. "Why am I always the last to know these things?"

"Because like I said, I'm not ready." Shunsui said categorically. "It has to be at my own speed, Nii-sama. Juu has proven that. I'll tell you – when it's time to tell you, and when I know what I'm supposed to. But right now that time isn't here. So…let it go. All right? Let's not discuss it any more. I came here to ask about Juu's sword – not to speculate on my own."

"I suppose that's my bad. I'm sorry." Kyouki held up her hands in surrender, though to Tokutarou she didn't look particularly contrite. "Well, I'll stop causing you trouble and get back to my own quarters, I think. For the time being, Shunsui, you can tell your young friend that Sougyo stays with me. But if he behaves himself and doesn't get into silly fist fights in the meantime – I might be persuaded to return it in a couple of days time. We'll see."

"All right. I guess that's fair." Shunsui sighed, but nodded his head. "I'll tell him that."

He bowed his head slightly, then withdrew from the study, and as the door shut behind him, Tokutarou let out his breath in a rush.

"I had no idea." He murmured. "He really doesn't tell me half of what's going on, does he?"

"Well, probably it's for your own good, so as you don't fret or wonder about it too badly when he's away." Kyouki said wisely. "Leave it to him, Tokkun. This time – this Shunsui – you can trust in. He's grown up, now – you're right about that. He's an heir you can be proud of and in six months or so he'll come of age. Have faith in him. When it accepts him and allows him to summon it, his _zanpakutou_ will be the strictest judge of all, I'm sure. Now he's reached this point, when and whether he ever receives the _haori_ is now between him and that blade."

* * *

The sky was clear that night, despite the crisp chill of the winter weather.

Across the midnight horizon, the dark shape of an owl flitted across the moon, its eerie cries sounding almost ghostly on the faint breeze.

Kibana bit his lip, fingers resting tentatively on the hilt of his sword as he waited impatiently for his companion's signal.

It had been a simple plan to concoct in the end, he mused, relying on all of Keitarou's guise and skill to ensure that the maids usually on duty around Eiraki's chamber were otherwise engaged and that none of them would notice if the young princess managed to slip her cage. A spare maid's uniform had been sneaked into the room by the one maidservant who had shown Eiraki any loyalty, and though Kibana worried about her reliability should Seimaru put pressure on her, he had not had any choice but to accept it. Keitarou had told him that his job was not to worry - and to see to getting the two fleeing women away from the Endou estate. As for how they would slip through the security patrols, that would be his business, and he had laughed as Kibana had expressed concern for the dangers involved.

"I am useless with swords, but I know a little chemistry." He had said lightly, humour in his odd eyes. "Enough to make sure those who stand guard at Sumire-sama's apartments take a longer nap than usual. Seimaru-sama will be in Inner Seireitei till the day after tomorrow, and it could not be more perfectly times. We must act now, Kibana. Now or we never will. It will be tonight. Trust in me. All will be well."

The hour was upon them now.

Kibana sighed, forcing his attention back to the matter at hand. Outside the gates of the estate he had secured two horses, fastened only with loose loop knots so as to allow them a quick getaway into the night. He had taken every precaution that his soldier's mind could think of, yet even so he felt certain that, until they had reached the dusty back roads that led to District Eight, he would not be able to relax.

Inwardly he said a prayer to whatever deity had so far guided him, hoping that Misashi would approve of the choices he had made.

_  
And if we never meet again, my Lord, I will hope that you have trusted your daughter and your wife well to my protection._

"Kibana-dono?"

A soft voice in the gloom alerted him to the fact that he had company, and he turned to see the slim figure of the young princess, dowdily dressed and unfamiliar with her long hair pulled back into a customary serving girl's style. Yet even without her usual adornments, somehow that evening Eiraki appeared more resolved and adult than Kibana had ever seen her, and he stepped forward to greet her, bowing his head solemnly before her.

"Eiraki-hime, I'm at your service." He said softly. "You managed, then, to safely slip your attendants?"

"Yes, I did." Eiraki looked anxious, Kibana realised, and as he raised his head, he saw her look over her shoulder. "I did exactly as Kei-sama told me, but even so...even so..."

She grabbed Kibana by the arm, pulling him further into the shadows.

"I'm worried." She whispered. "About the maid...the one who helped Kei-sama get the clothes I'm wearing now. This morning I saw her...she was talking to people and I...I worry..."

Fear seared through Kibana's heart at this and he swallowed hard.

Was it a trap, then? Had Seimaru laid the seeds and then left, so as not to be implicated in the bloodbath that was to follow?

But he did not speak this thought out loud, merely drawing his sword from his sheath and tapping the blade against his leg as he forced himself to calm down.

"As soon as we can, we will leave this place." He said gravely. "And as much as I can, Eiraki-hime, I will defend you. That is why I'm here and you can have faith in me. I'm no weak fighter and I am not afraid of guards wielding blades. But listen. If a fight ensues, you must clear the area. You're small and light and you know your way around - in the darkness it should be easy for you to slip away. That being the case, there are horses tethered outside the main gate. You must reach them. Understand? If we are attacked..."

"Kibana!"

At that moment an arrow seared out of the sky, the vibration of its sweep through the air catching Kibana off guard as it drove mercilessly towards where the young princess was standing. At the last minute he pushed her aside, then the next moment something small and silver came like a hunting bird of prey through the night sky, glancing the barb off course and sending it harmlessly into a nearby tree. The silver object also thudded against the unfortunate tree's lower branch, and half in a daze, Kibana realised that the missile had been a small, silver knife.

"What the hell are you doing?" Keitarou emerged from the darkness, cloaked and hooded and with the equally huddled figure of the anxious Sumire in tow. "And what is this? There are guards all around this place - I thought I told you that you must not let any in your barrack awake!"

"I did not. These are...others." Kibana pushed Eiraki hurriedly behind him as he realised the truth in his ally's words. From the darkness five, then ten armed men, each robed in the attire of Endou retainers emerged, some with bows and some with swords drawn ready to strike. Yet all of them were strangers to him - nonetheless. Had they been lying in wait for this to happen? The maid probably had betrayed them, in the end - out of fear or desperation, or maybe the lure of a reward.

Either way, it was not worth dwelling on it now. The threat was here in front of them, and Kibana realised that in their midst, one archer already had his bow cocked towards them, a second arrow idly clutched between his fingers.

So he had been the one to fire at Eiraki.

In that moment he made up his mind.

"Minazake-dono, take them! Take them and get them away from here!" He exclaimed, sword raised as he put himself between his charges and the advancing soldiers. "I at least have a blade to wield - if you get hurt, Eiraki-hime will never forgive me!"

"And leave you to sacrifice your life alone? It's noble, but I won't let you." Keitarou had already pulled his _tantou_ knife from the tree, shaking his head. "I'm no sword fighter, but I can slash and carve with the best of them if need be and I'm not going to just run away and hide. I'm sighted here as much as you - I may as well fight alongside you as best I can. Two of us is better than one - and Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama need you to navigate. Otherwise..."

Kibana bit his lip, then,

"Hime-sama, remember what I told you!" He called, even as the armed men began to close in on them. "Take Sumire-sama and do as I told you! If all is well, I will find you...but go! Go now! Before it becomes more dangerous - go!"

To his surprise and relief, the young girl did not hesitate, reaching out to grasp her bewildered mother's hand in hers before pulling her into the darkness. In that split-second he had seen her turn, glancing at Keitarou with a melancholy in her azure eyes, then the illusion was broken and as a couple of swordsmen struggled to break away into the night after them, he pushed it out of his mind, launching himself forward with a yell to clatter his weapon down against the advancing foe.

"So the wench Sakiko was right. There was treason afoot tonight." His opponent, a soldier he knew only by sight from Seimaru's armed retinue leered at him through the gloom, whipping his weapon around and driving it forward towards Kibana's fighting arm. Kibana leapt nimbly aside, sweeping his own blade from left to right across the other's chest, the tip tearing through the fabric of his upper uniform and slashing cleanly through the middle of the Endou insignia woven into the brown and burgundy cloth. The soldier swore, twisting his arm around to bring another strong swing of the blade across towards Kibana's ribs, and this time it was all Kibana could do to push him back. As he did so, he was aware of a swift gust of air against his back and he twisted around, striking his blade out just in time to whip the silver weapon through the gut of a young man who had tried to sneak up on him from behind. The juvenile fell with a groan, blood pooling from his wound, and Kibana found himself feeling faintly guilty for having cut down one so young.

_  
Just following orders, like we all are. But this is beyond all rationality - a soldier fights and a soldier kills to defend an ideal. He does not falter._

He stole a glance over towards Keitarou, making out the cloaked figure faintly silhouetted against the trunk of the tree. At his feet lay the crumpled form of another man, but Kibana did not have time to dwell on this for the first soldier had come at him again, this time cutting his weapon through the air towards Kibana's neck. Kibana darted back, managing to avoid the swing by a hair's breadth but in doing so he did not see the driving barb of an arrow speeding through the air towards him.

With a thud and a sudden shock of pain the metal point embedded itself in his gut, and he swore, a string of expletives that he would never have dared release in front of the two ladies. Grabbing the wood end of the shaft, he yanked it free, agony ripping though him as he felt the metal and wood divide beneath the torn flaps of his skin. Blood stained the fabric of his clothing, but he gritted his teeth against the pain, managing to use the pommel of his sword to first wind and then knock unconscious the guardsman whose sword had given him so much trouble.

Without a moment of hesitation he drove the sharp point of his blade home through the fallen man's heart, his mercenary instincts alive and alert to the danger of leaving a witness who had so clearly seen his face. Even as he drew the weapon out, shaking it to remove the residue of blood, he knew that the man had already stopped breathing and, for that brief moment, he had succeeded.

But even so, they had wounded him all the same.

He stood over the fallen form, breathing hard and clutching at his midriff with his left hand as he surveyed the scene around him. To his surprise, he realised that where there had been fifteen soldiers a minute earlier, there were now only heaped forms on the ground, and, shadowed in the moonlight stood a cloaked figure, something silver glinting beyond his grip. They were like tiny threads of a spider, Kibana realised with a jolt, drawing slowly back into the shadows as if summoned by some unseen force, and at his gasp, Keitarou turned, meeting his gaze across the ground.

There was a moment of silence, then Keitarou laughed.

"They are sleeping. That's all." He said softly. "I told you, didn't I? That I have some knowledge of chemistry. I have put them all to sleep."

Kibana was not sure that that was what he had seen, but the burning pain in his gut was too much for him to really focus on it and he let it go with a sigh, swallowing against the burning bile rising in his throat. At his lack of reply, Keitarou's expression changed and he crossed the ground swiftly, a murmur of dismay touching his lips as he registered the blood staining the other's attire.

"So they hit you, even so?" He asked quietly, and Kibana nodded.

"I was careless. Lost attention for a second." He whispered, wincing as he leant up against the trunk of a tree. "The head...is still there. I'll be okay - I think - but its bleeding a lot and...I....will frighten the ladies if I...go to them like this."

Keitarou was silent for a moment, eyes thoughtful. Then he reached across to loose Kibana's _obi_, glancing briefly at the wound beyond the ripped fabric before sliding his fingers into the folds of his cloak and removing a small glass vial. Pulling it open and tipping several drops of the liquid onto his hand, Keitarou's thin fingers deftly brushed against the tear in Kibana's abdomen. Something cold stung briefly against the soldier's skin, and then there was a sudden, dizzying burst of pain. He gasped, stumbling, and Keitarou drew back, looking apologetic.

"I didn't mean to make it worse." He said quietly, holding up his hand to reveal a blood-stained barb in the midnight moon's glow. "But if its out, it might stop bleeding. What I touched you with is a minor anaesthetic - it won't last forever, and it will take a moment to kick in. But I applied it where the arrow wound was - so it should help hold back the pain. I don't have time or knowledge enough to do more than that - but at least, I hope, this very little will suffice for long enough to get beyond Seimaru-sama's reach. After all, you need to be able to ride. And...if you can't do that..."

"I have to still ride." Kibana swallowed his pain, bowing his head towards his companion as he acknowledged the truth of his companion's words. He slipped off his _obi,_ reversing it and retying it so as the blood stain was less visible and the torn fabric was hidden from view."And I mustn't frighten the ladies by appearing in pools of blood. Thanks to your help, I will make sure I succeed...we've both risked too much now to do otherwise."

"We may well not meet again." Keitarou spoke pensively. "Though I'd like to think otherwise, this is a dangerous business after all. So I will trust it all to you from this point and focus my own attentions here on Misashi-sama and covering your tracks. It may cost both my life and Misashi-sama's, in the end...so don't let me down - all right?"

"I understand." Kibana nodded, realising that the nobleman understood the danger better than any of them of his having chosen to remain behind. "I won't betray you or them - you have my word!"

With that he turned, tracking his way painfully into the darkness.

The path was not a difficult one, and though the wound stung and throbbed, he found that by focusing his attention on the task ahead he could put the majority of the unpleasantness out of his mind. Little by little Keitarou's unknown potion began to dull the immediacy of the pain and, by the time he drew close to the place he had stationed the horses, he found that he could walk with only the very barest of dull aches hindering his progress.

Relief coursed through him at this - with the arrow head removed, after all, the wound would surely heal quickly and they would be able to make good progress. He had been careless, but in the end, it wouldn't make any difference. He had shed more blood today - he would at least make sure those sacrifices hadn't been in vain.

_I will ride, not walk, after all. I should be able to manage that, at least. If they are where I hoped...if so...and if they are not caught then...we will make it. I will make sure of it, Minazake-dono. We will escape._

* * *

Well, it had been a little more messy than he had hoped.

Keitarou sighed, wiping the specks of blood from the surface of his _tantou_ knife as he walked slowly between the fallen bodies of the unfortunate Endou-ke retainers. Despite his words to Kibana, they were all dead - necessary sacrifices set aside by Seimaru for the purpose of making the escape as believable an event as possible. All wars had casualties, after all - and in this case, they were not of a level where anyone would miss their inferior power.

_Just tools, in the end. Puppets. Stage dressing._

A faint, humourless smile touched Keitarou's lips at this thought, pausing over the body of the young soldier Kibana had downed. He was still alive, groaning and clutching at his wound, and Keitarou pursed his lips, staring down at the young man with no remorse or sympathy in his pale eyes.

_This one is a child still - probably the same age as the hopeless whelp Kibana and his companions have gone to flush out. A boy of sixteen, perhaps - no more than that. New blood in the armed forces conscripted to fight for his Lord in the name of the Endou Clan._

"Well, you fought bravely, didn't you." Slowly Keitarou knelt at the young boy's side, putting a hand on his shoulder and the youth's eyes slid towards him as a shudder ran through his body.

"Mina...zake...dono." He managed, and Keitarou's eyes narrowed.

So the whelp knew his name - or at least, the name he had taken to using.

"Seimaru-sama would be most proud of you." He said gently, slipping the _tantou_ knife carefully from his sleeve and moving his right arm so that it was out of the youngster's line of sight. "You fought like a man, even for one so young. You should be happy, you know. You did exactly as he ordered you. It was well done."

"But...Mina...zake...dono. What...you...now..."

The boy was tiring - weakening, and Keitarou could already see the shadows creeping across the young eyes. He sighed, shaking his head.

"Your final duty remains undone, however." He murmured softly, and with a deft flick of his wrist he brought his knife forward, slashing it deftly and quickly across the child's throat. His swipe was so quick that the soldier did not even flinch, his eyes glassy and cold even before Keitarou sat back to regard his fallen form once more.

"Your final duty was to die for your Lord, boy." He said frankly, wiping the fresh blood on the brown sleeve of the young boy's shirt before standing. "And now, your work is complete. Rest, wherever it is you spirits go when your bodies turn to dust. You have no further orders now."

He turned, heading slowly back towards the manor building. At the back of his awareness, he could feel the faint buzzing of Eiraki's fear and anxiety, and he knew that, somehow, Kibana had managed to reach them. They would now be travelling far from this place - in search of Seimaru's prey.

_  
And also, in search of mine. The District boy with the sword that will help to turn reidoku into a stable form and make my plans for revenge against the Clans a step closer to becoming reality.._

Keitarou pursed his lips.

_  
Well. Let the games begin._


	42. Refugees

**Chapter Forty One: Refugees**

There were two days until Tokutarou's wedding.

Juushirou walked slowly along the long hallway between the main breakfast room and the salon, a troubled look marring his features as he considered the mad hype of activity that surrounded the manor even now. That so many things needed to be taken into account and arranged, he had had no clue - for him, weddings were family affairs but without all of this pomp and ceremony attached to it. Tokutarou, it seemed, did not just want to seal his connection to Rae-hime but also to make sure everyone noticed his doing so - and that by the image he was striving to create, that Eighth District were strong and prosperous and able to put on a high level celebration.

Well, it was probably true, if it came to it. Juushirou sighed, rubbing his temples. Since his birthday he had steered well clear of Shunsui's family as best he could, finding sanctuary in the gardens, or, when the wind was too cold, in the library with Ryuu or Hirata, skimming over interesting records and discussing the term ahead. It had been a 'safe' subject for all of them - for Hirata was worried about his kinsfolk and Ryuu avoiding the topic of arranged marriage as far as he could go.

As for Juushirou, the uncertainty over Sougyo no Kotowari's sheath and its hidden secret continued to prey on his mind. Although Hirata had not mentioned it directly again, Juushirou had realised all too clearly the real implications of his carelessness. He had found himself staring up at the ceiling late into the night, remembering what Genryuusai had told him about his impact on others and then, in another moment, his promise to Misashi to use his weapon to help Hirata and to keep him safe. In a single moment of idiocy he had put both of those promises on the line.

Still, nothing had come of it yet. Shunsui had relayed Kyouki's message to him with apologies and sheepish regret, but Juushirou had been faintly comforted by the fact that neither Kyouki nor Tokutarou seemed to have spent too much time examining the sword or its sheath. Although he had not been able to press Shunsui exactly for the information he had truly wanted, Juushirou held on to the hope that Kyouki's concern would remain with Sougyo no Kotowari's wild spirit. And, that soon she would relent in her judgement and return the weapon to its proper owner.

In the meantime, all he could do was bide his time and try not to voice his worries out loud. In the melee of wedding preparation, he had found that to be more easy than he had supposed, since as the date drew closer, more and more seemed to need to be done.

Yet even though his friends were here with him, Juushirou felt somewhat isolated from them. This was their world and he knew better than ever now that he was not a part of it. No matter how much they liked or trusted him - he could never live his life surrounded by such empty pomp and pageantry.

_Shunsui was right, in the end._

He paused at one of the long, angled windows, resting his hands against the ledge as he gazed out to where Sora and her eldest brother were discussing something in animated tones.

_This is a house but not a home. A cold, empty world yet surrounded by colour and finesse. Everything you need and nothing you need all at the same time. Coming here, I really understand it for the first time. Clan is nothing. Because it's nothing, they work hard to make it seem like everything. What I have in District Six is more than most people in this class have. In the end, I'm the one who's priveleged. I'm the one who's really rich. Shunsui's been right all along. This is not a world I want to be a part of. _

"Juushirou-kun?"

At that moment he was aware of Mitsuki at his right hand and he turned, offering her a faint smile.

"Are you seeking sanctuary too?" He asked playfully, and Mitsuki smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

"For a Kuchiki wedding, it would be far worse." She said philosophically. "But yes, it doesn't suit me either. So many people buzzing about, so many concerns and worries and everything else."

She glanced out of the window, then,

"Poor Sora. Because Tokutarou-sama is her kinsman, she's dragged into this far more than we are. Ryuusei-dono expects her to robe in full Shiba regalia for this ceremony, and to act as a formal witness and representative of her Clan while Tokutarou-sama's bond with Rae-hime is being formed. But if she had the chance of it, she'd be miles away - it's hurting her to be here, and Ryuusei-dono doesn't understand that at all."

"Sora's not big on formality in general. I can imagine she hates the idea." Juushirou nodded, and Mitsuki sent him a fond, slightly resigned look.

"Sora's in love with Tokutarou-sama." She said simply. "But since you didn't know how I felt even towards you, I can understand that you didn't notice it with her, either."

Juushirou was silent for a long time, then he grinned.

"I leave that to Shunsui." He admitted good-naturedly. "But then, I suppose its even rougher on Sora to be here accepting this whole situation without her Clan dropping weight on her shoulders."

"And Ryuu-kun is still trying to escape the attentions of a determined young Kyouraku-_hime_." Mitsuki let out her breath in a rush. "It's times like this that I'm glad, Juushirou-kun. I'm glad I'm different and that people view me as slightly odd. It means I don't have those pressures - and more than anything now I don't want them."

She eyed him for a moment, then,

"You could never live in this world, though, could you?" She asked lightly, and Juushirou shook his head.

"For all the success my father had before my mother's death, it was still a long way from this level." He agreed. "And this isn't my world. There's nothing substantial here to cling on to. I understand far more now why Shunsui hates it so much. It's not the people he has around him - Tokutarou-sama and Yoshiko-sama are both good people and I know he values them a lot. It's everything. All of it. The pressure and expectation - the image of nobility. It's all false, really, isn't it? It's insecure people strutting and posturing to make their voices heard in the crowd."

"Yes." Mitsuki nodded. "Which is why the Clans have taken so long to acknowledge District children at the Academy. They'll still take longer, even now the first step has been taken. The truth is that not all Clansfolk are gifted in any way. Some are very gifted - and some are not. They worry that you and people like you will ruin their facade."

She grinned, reaching up to touch his straggling white hair.

"I like it even less now than I did before." She reflected. "Perhaps, when I become a true healer, I will find a way to avoid spending too much time with the Kuchiki as a whole. Father...will always be there, of course. Ryuu-kun, too. But otherwise - I should like to be in a place where you're comfortable being too, Juushirou-kun. Since we're friends and everything - I'd like that very much."

Juushirou's cheeks pinkened slightly, and he shrugged.

"I don't think more than two steps ahead of me." He owned. "The future and the Gotei will have to take care of itself. Right now Kyouki-sama still has my _zanpakutou_...its not the best possible start I could've made to my shinigami career."

"Little mistakes are little mistakes, though. Everyone makes them." Mitsuki assured him. "And besides, Ryuu-kun said it was for his benefit, too. I'm glad, Juushirou-kun. Ryuu-kun is strong but that is a particular weakness of his. He carries the Kuchiki name very heavily, sometimes. And he feels his duty far more than is good for him. I don't want him to end up unhappy because of it, and now the decisions are mostly in his hands."

She sighed, stretching her hands over her head.

"I wonder how Naoko-chan and her sister are doing. I hope they're well. Babies are unpredictable, after all - and Nao-chan may seem tough, but she adores her sister more than anything else."

"I'm sure that with the level of skill available in District Four, both are doing fine." Juushirou laughed. "It's the one place, after all, I wouldn't expect there to be any complications."

"True enough." Mitsuki nodded. "Oh well. In the meantime, she escaped all of this - though I'm quite happy being here, in truth. Even if the wedding is crazy - I'm here with people who are my friends, and that's a nice feeling in itself."

"No young Kyouraku men have tried to snag you as their bride, then?" Juushirou teased, and Mitsuki laughed.

"No. None." She said composedly. "Although Kyouraku-kun did promise me that if anyone tried it, he'd tell them I was his fiancee to get them to leave me alone. But it seems the reputation of my eccentricity has spread even this far. Which suits me. I don't intend to marry, after all. I told you that already. My mind is set."

"You wouldn't regret it?"

As they walked through the halls, Juushirou paused to open the door to the rear rose garden, leading the way outside into the brisk December air. "It's a big thing to say, at just turned eighteen. That you'll never, ever marry. You might change your mind. You might want to have a family of your own. You shouldn't make decisions so quickly, Mitsuki-chan. I won't hate you, after all, if things change. Our worlds are not compatible - there's no reason to sacrifice potential happiness for something that can't be overcome."

"Really? I'm quite sure I will overcome it." Mitsuki said calmly, gazing out at the frost-tipped grass. "Somehow. Since we had that talk in the summer - since we discussed things then - I've felt at peace about it. All of it. I know that what I've decided is the right thing, and I'm going to stick by it. I'll be a healer, and in one way or another, I'll be by your side for as long as I can be. Even if, in the end, work drives us apart - that's the happiest future I can see right now, and I don't think that will change."

Juushirou sighed, but before he could respond, there was a yell and a young boy came barrelling out of the undergrowth, followed by a second youngster of much the same age. Both were dressed in Clan clothing, and Juushirou realised they were young members of one of the many Kyouraku branches, but try as he might he could not identify the slight deviations on the family logo to know which precise one. The boys were no more than five or six years old, and as one tumbled over on the grass with a shriek, Juushirou realised they were most likely twins, since their appearances were close enough to one another to make them seem more than just brothers.

"You should be careful." He told them, as the second one skidded to a halt, seemingly noticing them for the first time. "You might hurt someone, running around like that."

"You shouldn't speak to us. You're only District, so we don't have to listen to you." The second one said rudely, and Mitsuki's eyes widened at the bluntness in his tone. Juushirou ignored it, however, shrugging his shoulders and offering them a grin.

"Well, if even a _District_ person can see it, you must be being particularly foolish, mustn't you?" He said lightly. "I don't suppose your parents would like it, either, if you turned up back with them with mud and blood all over your clothing...would they?"

The second boy flushed red, even as the first one scrambled to his feet, letting out a yelp as he put weight on his left foot.

"Are you all right?" Mitsuki was anxious, and the boy glared at her, poking out his tongue.

"I don't have to answer you, so there." He said frankly, and Juushirou frowned, striding forward and grasping both boys gently but firmly by the arms.

"Right then." He said softly, as both began to wriggle and struggle to free themselves from his grasp. "You can look down on me if you like and you can call me names - I don't mind, because that's all they are. But you're not going to be rude that way to someone who's only concerned about your well being. If you really have any Clan pride inside of you, you'd know that being rude to a lady is a bad thing and that you shouldn't do it. Mitsuki asked you a question. You should remember your manners and answer properly, since she's only showing you concern."

Despite himself, the young boy gaped, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"Well?" He said softly. "Mitsuki asked you a question. Will you answer her now, like a Clansman would?"

Silence fell over the boys at this juncture, then, slowly, the first boy mumbled,

"I'm all right, thank you. I just fell funny on my foot."

"Well, then be careful." Mitsuki crouched down, reaching across to pat him on the shoulder. "Though I'm glad to hear it. Where is your nanny at the moment? She'll need to clean you both up before your parents see you."

At this the youngsters exchanged looks, and Juushirou grinned, letting them go. At this they took their chance, haring back off into the gardens before they could be further reprimanded.

"They like to slip away from her." Juushirou reflected. "Well, I suppose that makes sense. When I was their age, Mitsuki, I always wanted to slip away from Anika and go swimming, even though it was forbidden for me to do so. And I'd always wind up with a cold if I spent too long around the water, so then Father would be angry. Kids are kids, even if they're Clan kids. It's sort of nice to realise that, in a way."

"But to have that attitude from the start." Mitsuki shook her head. "I'm sorry, Juushirou. They're young boys who don't even know what they're saying. That their parents have taught them to think that even when they're so little..."

"It's all right. It's Clan, after all." Juushirou shrugged. "I'm prepared for it. It won't change overnight."

"You were good with them, though, even so." Mitsuki reflected. "I guess I can see what kind of a big brother you must be."

"I like kids. Even rude ones." Juushirou laughed. "With a family like mine, it's pretty much a survival requirement."

"Mm." Mitsuki looked thoughtful, but she said nothing more, changing the subject instead to the winter weather.

"I never thought to spend so much time outside without freezing and shivering and wanting to go in." She observed. "It's cold here, true enough, but brisk and I like it."

"Tropical winter, almost." Juushirou agreed. "And out here, for the most part, there's no mad politics going on."

"We could bring some, if you liked." As they crossed into the main area of the garden, Shunsui accosted them, Kai and Hirata in tow. "Here you are. We were looking for you! Sora's been nailed by Ryuusei-dono, Ryuu's buried himself boringly in some book in the library and I left Enishi discussing kendou techniques with Hakubei near the manor training arena. But I've managed to slip away from Tokutarou-nii and the madness and I intend on making good on my escape. Kai and Hirata are game, so how about you two come with us?"

"Escape? Escape where? How?" Juushirou looked blank, and Shunsui grinned.

"Saddle up some horses and take a ride out into the country." He said mischievously.

"You know I've never ridden before." Juushirou protested, but Shunsui shrugged.

"It's child's play. You'll pick it right up and if you ride one of the docile mares they won't buck or throw you for being inexperienced." he said wisely. "Besides, it'd be a good experience for you."

"Kyouraku and I both ride pretty well, it seems." Kai added. "So if you wanted, we could help you - though it'd be a bit pitiful if you had to ride with one of us."

"Besides, when I told Kyouki-sama where we were going, she relented and gave me this." Shunsui pulled something from beneath his cloak and Juushirou's eyes widened at the sight of his sheathed _zanpakutou_. "Since there are some dangerous areas, I convinced her you'd need it for self-protection. So long as you don't release it, she said - you can have it back. But that's only if you come with us. What do you say?"

Juushirou reached out, taking the sheath in his hands. He turned it over, gripping the weapon hilt and carefully sliding it out, his gaze running along the edges of the scabbard as he did so. To his relief, it did not seem to have been forced or disturbed, and as his grip tightened around his sword, he saw the same relief mirrored in Hirata's blue eyes. A wordless message passed between them, then Juushirou nodded his head, returning Sougyo no Kotowari to its resting place with a sigh.

"I say I'm coming riding, by the looks." He reflected. "Let's go."

* * *

It was about an hour since sunrise now.

Eiraki stood at the top of the hill, gazing down with sightless eyes on the rough, uneven terrain that they had crossed. It had been an all night ride through tracks and sliproads that she had never had any idea even existed, and from the moment Kibana had descended upon them, anxiety in his dark eyes, they had seemed to do nothing but push on towards the unknown. Kibana's navigational knowledge had come into its own then, for to the frightened young girl it had seemed impossible to differentiate one turning from another. Yet the soldier had never hesitated, not even once, and though by the time the speeding horses had drawn close to the border she was about ready to beg for them to stop, he had driven them forward with an unrelenting urgency.

Eiraki knew why. Even though they had managed to evade the soldiers, people would soon realise that they had gone. They would be pursued – perhaps had already been – by Seimaru's angry forces baying for their blood, and there was no time for any hesitation. If they were ever going to reach District Eight, it had to be by the time the sun rose, for their flight crossed open terrain and would have been more difficult to conceal by day.

Despite the darkness, though, Eiraki had seen for herself for the very first time the heavy cost of her Grandfather's purge on her family's District. She had travelled a little into the country before, as a small girl, when her Father had taken them all for a short while to one of the other manors after a particularly bad fraternal squabble with her late uncle Mibune. Then she had seen the villages thriving, and she even had fond memories of being able to buy cloth from one of the village markets after excitedly telling her mother it was the 'exact colour of the sky'. Her nurses had later used the fabric to stitch a kimono for one of her dolls, and she had held it deep in her heart as one of her happiest childhood recollections.

Yet the land was now devastated and torched, huge swathes of destruction where there had once been huts and, on occasion, a wandering, lost beggar – more than half in the next world already with ghostly eyes and a thin, skeletal frame.

She was no longer a child in mind, even if she was still in body, and she knew that this had been Shouichi's doing. Her mind flitted briefly to what Keitarou had told her, and she bit her lip, realising that he had spoken the truth. The hunt for the Urahara had killed many people and destroyed the livelihoods of many more. Shouichi had sought to destroy anything he did not like or understand – things, perhaps, he had feared. And Eiraki had seen the ghosts haunting her family's once proud territory as she and her mother had fled for their lives through the night.

Keitarou was still there, she knew, and she fervently hoped that he was all right. He had taken a risk to protect them – a risk that may yet see him killed as a traitor to Seimaru's regime. But even so, he had fought for them regardless. Even so, he and Kibana had managed, between them, to get them to the border and then, to freedom.

The sun had been rising over the horizon as they had reached the guard patrols and the heavily fortified divide between Districts Seven and Eight. The sight of so many armed men in grey and pink colours had sent fear coursing through Eiraki's tired, traumatised heart, but Kibana had merely reined in his horse, indicating for Sumire to do the same with theirs. As men had approached them, Kibana had pulled something from his _obi _– dirty and stained with something brownish, yet recognisable as the crest of the Kyouraku-ke.

_It was as good as a key. Just possessing that family's crest was enough to allow us through._

Eiraki bit her lip, remembering the change in the guards' attitudes as they had seen the carved, polished emblem. She had known that Kibana was a District Eight native, and that he had been a soldier. But that he had belonged to a distinguished Clan regiment in the past had completely escaped her knowledge. Yet the crest he carried had left the guards in no doubt – and they had been allowed to pass.

They had ridden more slowly once inside District Eight. Kibana, who had not spoken much at all through out the journey seemed less keen to kick his heels to his steed and race across this land the way they had raced across Seven. Nor had he headed for the refugee camps that she had heard the guardsmen talking about. Instead, as the sun had risen fully in the sky, they had found themselves near a cluster of abandoned homes, windswept and grey yet enough shelter for tired travellers looking for a place to rest.

Eiraki could not rest, however. She was exhausted beyond normal exhaustion, but she also knew that she would not easily be able to sleep so long as that night's ride was still emblazoned so vividly in her young brain.

Tears touched her eyes.

_Otousama. Kei-sama. Please say we can see you both again._

She clapped her hands together softly, bowing her head towards the horizon as she drew fervently on whatever little faith she had remaining.

_Please keep them safe until we meet again. Please don't let Seimaru-sama take anyone else's life._

She turned, making her way slowly down the hill towards the ramshackle hut. The horses grazed nearby, released from their tethers, and the blanket from beneath Kibana's saddle now acted as a windbreak between the cold outside and the relative shelter within.

"Eiraki-hime, please do not wander far alone."

As she stepped back inside, Kibana offered her an anxious look. "This is foreign territory, and as yet we have not made a formal approach to the Kyouraku-ke. I believe…if I could speak to them, I could convince them to provide sanctuary. Tokutarou-sama is a good-hearted soldier and an honourable Lord who does not wage war on women or children. But in the meantime, it is better we stay together as much as possible."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." Eiraki sank down on the floor, an apologetic look on her face. "I suppose I really don't know what to do. I don't know how to gather food or water or…or do anything, really. I've never even left District Seven before today."

"Nor have I." Sumire said gravely, and Eiraki noticed Kibana's cloak wrapped around her mother's shoulders to preserve warmth. "Come sit with me, Eiraki-chan – we'll shed less heat that way. We're entirely reliant on Kibana-dono's memory and knowledge for the next few days."

"I'm at your service." Kibana bowed his head, yet Eiraki saw a faint flicker of pain cross his gaze as he pulled himself slowly to his feet. "In which case, I will see to starting a fire. It's been a long ride but even here the day is cold. I wouldn't have you taking a chill from the experience – and so I…"

He faltered, a grimace marring his features as his left hand went suddenly to his midriff. As he did so, Sumire let out an exclamation, her eyes widening in alarm.

"Kibana-dono! You…you're bleeding!"

Eiraki's heart stilled in her chest, noticing for the first time the seeping stain that had spread across Kibana's dark clothing. In the blackness of night, it had not been visible but now, with the light of day streaming through the cracks in the wood, it was all too obvious. Kibana had ridden with an injury at breakneck speed in order to get them to this location – he had probably sustained it getting away from the manor, and more, Eiraki realised with sudden cold dread, the stain that had covered the Kyouraku crest had been…

"Blood." She whispered, but Kibana shook his head, offering her a smile.

"It's nothing. A flesh wound. Please, do not concern yourselves." He said firmly. "I'm a soldier and I've battled with worse."

He turned towards the entrance of the hut with resolution, but before he could make even the two steps distance he stumbled and swayed, then fell headlong onto the hard ground with a heavy, sickening thump.

"Kibana-dono!" Eiraki only just stopped herself from screaming his name, as Sumire threw back the cloak, hurrying down by the fallen man's side. She rolled him over, murmuring in consternation for the soldier had lost consciousness completely. From the greyish sheen of his skin and the layer of sweat that covered his brow, Eiraki could tell that it had not been a flesh wound at all, and fear crept over her once more.

"Okaasama." She whispered, and Sumire's brow creased as she reached to loosen Kibana's _obi_, pulling it away and revealing the tears and blood-marks that lay beneath.

"He took this defending us." Sumire murmured, voicing Eiraki's fears aloud. "At the manor, one of Seimaru's men did this. And yet he rode…it's been bleeding out for some time. It's coloured the fabric right through, Eiraki – and its absorbed most of it, but he's lost a lot of blood along the way. A wild ride like that one…it can't have done him any good."

"But…what can we do?" Eiraki felt the tears of panic pricking at her eyes once more. "If he's hurt like this…Okaa-sama, what can we do?"

"We're not going to panic. Your Father wouldn't panic." Sumire did not raise her voice, but there was a firmness in it that Eiraki was not used to hearing. "Kibana did this for our sake. We're now going to do what we can for his. In this land, Eiraki, we are not fine ladies or princesses with influence of any kind. We are refugees and we have nothing but ourselves to rely on. I don't know District Eight any more than you do. But I believe it to be a prosperous land – and because of that, there must be a settlement of some kind near here that can provide help. These huts wouldn't have been abandoned because of poverty, so that means the village must have moved for some other reason. Misashi used to speak about it – about farmers changing their land for better crops or to graze their animals with more success. Since District Eight is not poor, I'm sure that must have happened here."

She tore a strip from her gown sleeve, folding it in half as she dabbed at the still bleeding wound.

"At the very least we need water. He's running a fever and I need to wash this wound clean, even if there's nothing more I can do to treat it."

She frowned, and Eiraki knew what was coming next.

"You were outside. Did you see anything that might do? A spring? A river? Any place from where we might get water?"

"I…" Eiraki coloured, shaking her head. "I wasn't really looking…I…"

She scrambled to her feet, her gaze flitting to Kibana as she did so. He was breathing more quickly, she realised – how had she not noticed before that the man who had been guiding them had been doing so with such a wound concealed?

"I'll go now." She said aloud, though the thought struck fear into her young heart. "I'll go find help, Okaa-sama. Kibana-dono has the Kyouraku crest, so surely someone must help him…musn't they?"

"Take it with you."

Sumire pulled the blood-slicked crest from Kibana's cloak, holding it out and after a moment of hesitation, Eiraki took it, trying to still her revulsion as she registered anew the thick blood stains that covered it.

"With it, we got into this District." Sumire added. "With it, I'm sure someone will come to Kibana and help him. Keep it safe, Eiraki, and be careful. If you can, seek someone who wears District Eight's colours and do not reveal to them your name. Simply tell them you are a serving girl and a soldier in your company has taken injury. Understood? Do not reveal who you are – no matter what!"

"I understand." Eiraki's expression became solemn and she gripped the crest once more to her chest. "I'll do as you say, Okaasama. Somehow, I'll do as you say!"

* * *

"You know, Juu, for your first time on horseback, you're not doing all that bad."

As the group of students rounded the end of one of the floral trackways, Shunsui drew his steed alongside Juushirou's placid mare, casting him a playful grin. "I knew that if you put your mind to it, you could use your winning ways on a horse."

"Shut up." Juushirou snorted, slowly shaking his head as he indicated the leather reins clutched tightly between his fingers. "We're going at snail pace and even so I don't feel all that safe. I've never ridden before and now I know why – it's bumpy and uncomfortable and I'm certain that if we go even a bit faster I'll end up sliding off the beast completely."

"Well, if you got into serious difficulties, we could always rescue you." Kai reined back his own mount, overhearing the last of this conversation. "But Kyouraku's right, Ukitake. Considering it's your first time."

He shrugged.

"My first time consisted of my father dumping me on top of a young mare and me screaming and screaming to be let off." He added ruefully. "It must've been the quietest horse ever, because it didn't even bat an eyelid while I was starting a tempest on its back. I was only four at the time, mind you – I felt like I'd climbed a mountain."

"Four year old Kai-kun? Aw. I bet that was cute." Shunsui laughed. "As for me, I didn't begin with horses till I ended up at my Uncle's, so I was a later starter than you. I didn't really think much of it until I realised that if I wanted, I could use the horse to outrun the people supposed to be keeping an eye on me. At that point, I bothered to hone the skill. I'm glad, now. It's a nice option to have, after all."

"It's a very Clan skill." Hirata put in his soft addition to the conversation. "Though until Midori-sama made me, I didn't ride either. My eyesight made me nervous of being on a horse – but since I rode that once without my glasses, I decided that I would probably be all right riding with. That was breakneck speed and terrifying – but I realised if I could do that, I probably wasn't going to die from just sitting on a horse and trotting."

"Well said." Kai's eyes twinkled with humour. "And what about you, Edogawa? Isn't it normal for a Kuchiki to ride a white horse – surely a bay is somewhat out of character for you?"

"I'm not getting married, Shihouin-kun." Mitsuki said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "And in case you'd not realised, only Ryuu-kun rises to your Kuchiki bait. So you needn't try to tease me – I won't react the same as he does."

"Sorry." Despite himself, Kai looked sheepish. "I guess that's true. You're different from him – which is something you should consider a definite advantage. Besides, I haven't forgotten that you helped me after Tomoyuki tried to slit my guts open. I didn't mean to tease you – I don't consider that the Clan rivalry extends to you."

"I don't consider there to be a Clan rivalry." Mitsuki flashed him a faint smile. "I don't like them. Besides, I'm hardly much of a Kuchiki, in any case."

"If we continue on this track, we're going to start on the path towards the refugee settlements." Shunsui glanced across at the landscape, a frown touching his clever features. "Nii-sama doesn't really want me going there without a specific purpose. To be honest, I'd rather not ride there with Hirata - no offence, Hirata, but I think it would be a pretty bad idea."

"I know." Shadows touched Hirata's pale eyes and he nodded. "Even though I want to...I'd like to do something to help them. Right now...going there would be too...if Seimaru had someone there in wait for me..."

He shook his head.

"Again all I can do is nothing." He said bitterly. "Because I'm not strong enough to do anything else."

"Yet." Kai said firmly. "You've come on a hell of a lot since you came to stay in District Two. And you'll come on further, too. In the last exams you ranked joint third with Kuchiki in Kidou and second behind Kyouraku in Hohou. If you work more at your sword skills, you'll bring your ranking up. That's your real weakness. You're not weak overall."

"But to fight Seimaru I need a sword." Hirata responded evenly. "Father taught me to use _kyakkou_ when I was small, so I've been attuned to kidou for a while. And as for hohou - well, that's speed and light and manipulation of those two things. It's not unlike _kyakkou_ either, in that way, so I find it...well...logical."

"Then we'll brush up your sword skills." Kai told him with a grin. "You are getting better. Don't take it to heart."

"I hope that...I might stop kenjutsu altogether from the beginning of next year." Mitsuki pursed her lips, and Juushirou cast her a startled glance, almost toppling off his mount as he turned to stare at her.

"Stop? Altogether? Drop the class completely?" He demanded, and despite herself Mitsuki giggled, nodding her head.

"Don't fall off on my account." She scolded gently. "Yes. Retsu-sama says that to properly train me, she needs to have more timetable space and Genryuusai-sensei has agreed it. So long as..."

She pursed her lips, then,

"So long as Father signs the discharge that Retsu-sama and Genryuusai-sensei sent to District Six, I will be allowed to stop learning Ouyoudou from third year." She whispered. "And use that time instead to devote to my healing training."

"But...how will you summon a _zanpakutou_, then?" Juushirou looked blank.

"I guess healers have a different way of bringing forth their swords." Kai said thoughtfully. "You heard Kazoe at camp, right? His blade exists to defend us, and its not really a combat blade. Surely most Unohana _zanpakutou _aren't weapons but healing implements. Probably from the training Edogawa undertakes from now on, she'll find a way to summon the right sword to match the techniques she uses. _Zanpakutou _are tied to shinigami souls, after all."

"Kai's doubtless right." Shunsui agreed. "I can't see that Mitsuki-chan would summon her sword in the same kind of intense training situation you had, Juu. She's different. We're all different. If our _zanpakutou_ really are all personally attuned, well...they'll probably be awoken in entirely diverse ways."

"Perhaps I can summon mine without needing good sword skills, then." Hirata looked momentarily hopeful, then he sighed. "Oh, but I'm an Endou. And Endou-ke swords are hunting birds, and fighters, and so on."

"You might be different." Juushirou suggested, and Shunsui laughed.

"Maybe Hirata is a dove." He suggested mischievously. "Bringing peace instead of death."

"If that dove could bring down Seimaru with its peace, I'd take it." Hirata admitted. "It's on my mind a lot at the moment - what's going on over there."

Juushirou flinched, glancing down at the sword now securely tied to his _obi _once more.

"Having no news is worrying." Kai admitted. "But then, it's not necessarily good to receive news, either. Play it by ear, Hirata - try not to worry. Midori-nee is trying to find things out, you know that - and I suspect she's not the only one. Since I'm fairly sure that she and Tokutarou-sama have been in cahoots lately..."

"Yes. Something like that." Shunsui nodded. "But we probably shouldn't talk about this here. It's dangerous."

He indicated the surrounding trees.

"We're in District Eight territory, but that doesn't mean the trees don't have ears." He continued. "Nii-sama hasn't found any spies among the refugees - and on my visit to the camp, I found a lot of miserable people whose lives had been thrown into disarray by Endou idiocy. But that doesn't mean there aren't one or two. And considering that the camps are that way,"

He gestured,

"We should take the path to the left and ride out towards the river. The scenery used to be prettier the other way, but now there's not much to see there - and providing Juu and Hirata don't want to go swimming in it, I think the river bank is a nicer route to ride along before we turn back. The path is even there - even Juu should be able to manage it without sliding off the horse."

"We're not going swimming in any river." Juushirou reddened indignantly. "That was a one off camping accident, not a new hobby!"

"It wasn't nice." Hirata shivered. "In this weather, too, it'd be even worse. Heavy boots and thick cloaks to drag us under the current - and a cold wind to chill us to the bone. If it's all right with you, Kyouraku-kun, I'm not desperate to go too close to the river."

"We'll not be close enough for any accidents. I was teasing." Shunsui assured him with a chuckle. "But the river is as good a route as any. It loops around and then puts us back on the main path towards home without tracking through too many rural settlements. The people there get annoyed, sometimes, if rich people trample too much through their hard toiled land - and Nii-sama is quite strict about things like that. We don't inconvenience our populace - so this way we'll be able to avoid that."

"The Kyouraku really do think about the people here all the time, don't they." Mitsuki murmured, and Shunsui nodded.

"They haven't always." He admitted sadly. "My Uncle exploited ones in his vicinity horribly, and before that, Father let a lot of things fall by the way. But Nii-sama was raised with Shiba ideals as well as Kyouraku ones, and he wanted to win over District Eight when he came to take up his inheritance. And, of course, I support that. Besides, the more that the neighbours hurt theirs, the more resolved Nii-sama is to stick up for ours. He hates the Endou - present company excepted - so works hard to make sure his policies can never be confused with theirs."

"My uncle and my grandfather both allied with your uncle to overthrow Tokutarou-sama's claim." Hirata agreed. "I remember...at the time...all the whispering about it and the representatives that came from the border with Eight. Then there were skirmishes and...the border was closed off like it is now. Tokutarou-sama won his fight - and held onto his Clan."

"That's it." Shunsui sighed heavily. "Not pleasant memories, but over now, thank goodness!"

He pressed his heels gently to the horse's flanks, turning the beast slightly, then,

"We'll cut through here. The willows are less pretty at this time of year, but at least its a nice path to ride through even so. There are some abandoned villages over the rise, and we can stop there and tether the horses for a little while. It's probably a good idea to stretch legs before making the ride back. Especially yours, Juu, since you're not used to this and you'll be stiff tomorrow otherwise."

"I probably will be anyway." Juushirou said heavily. "But all right. To be honest, I'd be quite happy to get off for a bit. If...someone helps me down. I'm not sure how to do that, except the obvious falling-on-my-rear technique. Which...wouldn't be very nice."

"We'll see you down." Kai laughed. "Don't worry. You've really done pretty well, considering. Think of it as another Clan skill you've begun to master, huh?"

"I can't see it being a very useful one back home, but I suppose so." Juushirou eyed the reins doubtfully. "Oh well. At least I can say it's an experience."

"How much further, Kyouraku-kun?" Mitsuki asked, and Shunsui waved his hand ahead of them.

"Just through those trees." He replied. "We'll tie the horses at the edge of the forest and leave them for a little while. If we walk down through the abandoned village, there's a new one just beyond it with a winter market, and we might be able to get something warm to eat and drink from the people there."

"From a...village market?" Mitsuki stared, and Shunsui nodded, eying her quizzically.

"Yes...why? Don't you want to?"

"No, it's not that." Mitsuki shook her head hurriedly, holding up her hands. "It just surprised me, that's all. That you'd come out with no guards and go into the villages just to buy food like that. Do they...will they know who you are? Or..."

"Maybe. Maybe not." Shunsui chuckled. "I spent quite a bit of time exploring some of these areas when I was younger, so there are definitely places that I wouldn't go now. But I can't remember ever causing anyone particular offence in this area - so I think we'll be all right."

"Either way, a walk to the village sounds good, and hot food and drink even better." Juushirou said ruefully. "I'm all for it."

"It's fine by me, too." Kai nodded. "Hirata?"

"I've no objections." Hirata shrugged his shoulders. "It is chilly when the wind blows, and it might be nice since we've not eaten since breakfast."

"Then it's decided."

Shunsui pulled his horse to a halt, nimbly dismounting and looping the reins through the lower branch of a nearby tree. Kai followed suit, and as Hirata and Mitsuki took care of their own mounts, both the Kyouraku and Shihouin heirs came to Juushirou's side, Kai grasping the leather thongs between his fingers as Shunsui offered his uncertain friend a hand.

"Kai's got her still." He explained. "So it'll be fine."

"Ookay." Juushirou faltered, then obediently swung his leg over, letting out a yelp as he almost fell headlong. Somehow he righted himself, and as he grasped Shunsui's arm, the older boy laughed.

"Dramatic, but successful." He teased, helping his companion down onto the frozen turf. "Well, there we go. The village is only a short walk beyond here - follow me."

"Kyouraku-kun..."

As they began to mount the rise, Mitsuki stopped, a frown creasing her pretty features. "Kyouraku-kun, please, stop for a moment. I...something...is funny here."

"Funny?" Shunsui was startled, and Juushirou sent the young girl a concerned look.

"Mitsuki? What do you mean?"

"I don't know, exactly." Mitsuki's brows knitted together and it seemed as though she was attempting to lock onto something. "Just...fleetingly then...I felt....something."

"Trouble?" Hirata asked softly, and Mitsuki shrugged.

"I don't know." She repeated. "All I felt was...a wave...of...uncertainty and pain. Somewhere in this vicinity."

"In the abandoned village?" Kai demanded, and Mitsuki nodded.

"Yes. Somewhere there. Right ahead."

"But it's empty, isn't it? That's why it's an abandoned village." Kai looked non-plussed. "Edogawa, are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Mitsuki was already taking the path towards the cluster of ramshackle buildings in the distance. "I know this is a detour, Kyouraku-kun, but...can we...please..."

"If you think someone's in trouble, Mitsuki-chan, then we can." Shunsui said grimly. "Even if Kai's right and it doesn't make sense - you're better than a radar when it comes to things like this. And if someone's had an accident or something..."

"We should help." Juushirou said firmly. "Mitsuki and Shunsui are right. If somebody is injured up there, no matter who that person is..."

Before he could finish his sentence, however, there was a rustling of branches and a figure appeared at the top of the rise, dishevelled and plainly dressed as she stumbled over the land towards them. As she came, they could see blood on her serving maid's uniform, and immediately Juushirou took a few steps towards her, anxiety in his hazel eyes as the girl - yes, she was a girl, and not yet a woman - tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground.

"Looks like Mitsuki was right." Shunsui said grimly. "Come on. We should check this out."

"It's not...that's not..." Mitsuki faltered, but she was given no opportunity to protest, for Juushirou had grabbed her by the arm, pulling her towards the young girl who, as they drew closer, was shaking with either cold or shock or both.

"Are you all right?" Kai raised his voice, and at the sound of it, the youngster raised her face. Shock and disbelief flooded her grimy features, and her lips parted, forming a single word between chattering teeth that was so faint they could only just make it out.

"N...N..N...ii-sama?"

As she did so, Hirata let out an exclamation, caution thrown to the wind as he hurried forward, dropping down at the girl's side and ripping his cloak from his shoulders to wrap it around the youngster's shivering ones. The young girl let out a stifled sob, throwing herself against his body, and Hirata hugged her gently, the confusion and bewilderment of his friends reflected in his own gaze.

"It's Eiraki-chan!" He murmured. "It's...my...sister!"


	43. Sanctuary

**Chapter Forty Two: Sanctuary**

A moment of silence greeted Hirata's exclamation, then Juushirou stepped forwards, consternation in his gaze.

"Hirata? This girl...is your sister? Eiraki-hime?"

"Yes." Hirata's eyes were equally clouded and he hugged the crying girl more tightly as she buried her head in his shoulder, body shaking with the force of her tears. "But in the last place I expected to see her."

"And in the last condition too, I imagine." Shunsui's voice had become grave, and he handed the reins of his horse to Kai, stepping forward. "She was stumbling over the rocks - is she hurt? Or...?"

"Eiraki-chan?" Hirata's eyes widened at this and he held his sister at arm's length, gaze running over her grimy, blood-spattered attire anew. "Are you all right? Are you injured? Is this...?"

"It's not my blood." Eiraki drew a shuddering breath into her lungs, shaking her head slowly. "I didn't...it isn't...me."

"Then you didn't come here alone?" Shunsui asked softly, and Eiraki gazed at him in fear, rather like an animal caught in headlights. Hirata sighed, patting his sister reassuringly on the shoulder.

"It's all right, Eiraki-chan." He said softly. "These are my friends from the Academy. They're not going to hurt you or anything else, I promise. They're people I trust - and they want to help you just like I do."

Eiraki faltered for a moment, then nodded her head.

"Okaa-sama is with me." She murmured. "We both...came."

"Then Sumire-sama is the one who's hurt?" Kai asked, and Eiraki shook her head.

"N...no." She responded. "It's K...Kibana-dono. Because he was p...protecting me, he...and now he's...but...Okaasama sent me for help and...I didn't know where to...to go."

"Kibana." Hirata's gaze clouded. "But not Father?"

Eiraki shook her head again.

"He's...still in District Seven." She said unsteadily. "Seimaru-sama has him confined but...I do not know where. Nobody does. Only that he is a p...prisoner and that is all."

"But at least still alive, by the sounds of it." Shunsui said frankly. "Hirata, who is this Kibana person? I feel as though the name is familiar, but I can't think why it would be."

"Father's chief retainer and manservant. A former soldier from District Eight." Hirata explained. "It seems that even with Father not there, he still...acts in his name."

"He said that it was h...his duty to see us to safety. That Father would w...want it." Eiraki was still clinging to her brother as though afraid to let go. "And Kei-sama said..."

She faltered at this, shaking her head.

"Never mind."

"Kei...sama?" Juushirou looked blank, and Eiraki shook her head again.

"Nothing." She whispered. "Kibana-dono is hurt, though, Nii-sama. It's a...a bad wound, Okaa-sama says. A slash across his gut. He rode with it - he must've done - but he collapsed when we reached here and neither Mother nor I know District Eight enough to know where to go for help."

"That's what I sensed. This…Kibana-dono…is somewhere nearby?" Mitsuki's soft voice broke through the conversation at this point, and Hirata glanced up, relief flickering at his senses as he registered the look in the Kuchiki girl's soft grey eyes. Eiraki nodded.

"Just over the rise." She said softly. "In a small, abandoned hut. Okaasama is with him...but I don't want to leave them long. It might...not be safe. The Kyouraku-ke...don't...like...Endou-ke, after all. They might...not want us here."

"You can put that out of your head now, Eiraki-chan." Shunsui shook his head, striding forward to put his hand gently on her head. "Because I can speak for them and I will, if need be. You are welcome here. You and your mother both. You're claiming sanctuary, after all, correct? There's no doubt in my mind that your claim will be accepted."

"But..." Eiraki stared at him with wide eyes, and Shunsui grinned, bowing his head towards her mock-formally.

"Kyouraku Shunsui, at your service." he said lightly. "My brother is the Clan Leader here. And he already said, some time ago, that while he couldn't interfere in your District's affairs, if you ever fled to him as refugees, he would offer you safety here. So you can relax, Eiraki-hime. My family do not hate your people. It's Seimaru that we have issue with - not the Clan as a whole. You aren't our enemies, and we won't treat you as such. You're safe here."

At that, Eiraki let out a soft moan of relief, falling against her brother again as her legs went weak beneath her, and Hirata let out an exclamation, catching and supporting her as he gently lowered her to the ground. She gazed up at him, face pale and visibly shaking, but it was the relief and apprehension in her blue eyes that truly broke Hirata's heart.

"We need to send for help, then, in that case." He said softly. "I appreciate it, Kyouraku-kun. For you to say such things and so firmly - I appreciate it a lot."

"You and I are friends and these are your kinsfolk." Shunsui said simply. "We've managed to do little enough for them so far. Now, perhaps, that will change."

He glanced at Kai.

"You're the fastest rider, probably, so you should take the message back to the main house. In fact, I'll ride with you - so as to be sure the news is conveyed straight to Nii-sama as soon as possible. Especially if there's a man hurt."

"And the rest of us?" Juushirou asked. "Should we go to the hut, then, and wait for you there? If it's just over the rise it can't be far - and perhaps Mitsuki can help Kibana-dono in the meantime."

"I know where he is. I can sense it." Mitsuki had already taken a few steps towards the rise, and Hirata could see the urgency in her grey gaze.

"I don't know how much I can help him, but I can feel his spirit at the very least. He's alive, but he's in pain – and we shouldn't delay."

"Then we should definitely go and see." Juushirou suggested. "If Mitsuki says that, after all, then its what we should do. We shouldn't just stand here talking about it - not if he's hurting and Mitsuki can help."

"Are you...a healer?" Eiraki's eyes flitted across to Mitsuki, who sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"In training. I'm only a student - an apprentice at best." She admitted. "I've been training only a few months, and I don't know any but the most basic outlines of healing spells. But...I'll still try and make him comfortable, if I can. Retsu-sama would want me to do what I could - after all, that's why I chose this path in the first place."

"If there's anything you need us to get, Mitsuki, say so." Juushirou assured her, resting his hand briefly on her shoulder. "I'm not sure I recognise that many wild herbs in this District, but I can at least try and find water."

"Then it's decided." Shunsui nodded. "Thank you, Mitsuki. Juu. I'll leave you and Hirata to help Eiraki-hime. We'll find you all right – I can trace Juu's reiatsu anywhere, after all. And we'll ride quickly."

He smiled at Eiraki.

"So don't cry." He instructed. "It'll all be all right."

With that he grabbed Kai by the arm and the Shihouin boy nodded as they hared back towards where they had tied the horses.

"They will ride fast." Hirata murmured. "Can you stand, Eiraki-chan? I won't leave you out here, but I don't think I can carry you."

"I…I'm all right now." Eiraki struggled to her feet, still pale yet nodding her head in determination. "It was a long ride…a long night…and none of us have slept any since the night before. In truth, I didn't sleep much then, either – for fear of what might happen and whether or not we'd manage to get away."

She offered Mitsuki a hopeful look.

"Please, come and help Kibana-dono. He's been kind and loyal to us the whole time, and Father would want us to repay that kindness. He's a good man – if you can stop his suffering, then…"

"I will do my best." Mitsuki promised solemnly. "If it is within my power, I will try."

"Okaasama?"

As they reached the cluster of houses, Eiraki pushed back the divide of the nearest, stepping inside. At the sound of her voice, Hirata saw a figure rise from the shadows in the corner, grimy and dishevelled but undoubtedly familiar. His heart stilled in his chest at the sight of her, emotions only just being held back as he remembered belatedly that his family needed his help. His initial impulse to run to his mother for comfort was overlaid by a new determination to protect his kinsfolk, a resolve that grew stronger as the woman stepped into the light.

For a moment she paused, then her eyes widened with first surprise then joy.

"Hirata?"

The word was little more than a whisper, but even before he could nod his head, Sumire had darted forward, flinging her arms tightly around her young son. There were tears in her eyes too, Hirata could tell – yet she too was holding them back and he bit his lip, returning the embrace with a warm one of his own.

"Welcome to District Eight, Okaasama." He said softly. "I'm glad to see you – both you and Eiraki-chan."

"My son." Sumire held him at arm's length, her gaze searching every inch of his face for even the most fleeting change since the last time they had met. "I never thought that you would be here…so close to where we were. But how? Why? I don't understand?"

"The wedding of the Kyouraku lord." Hirata said evenly. "His brother and I are school friends, after all."

"But...so the rumour was true. You _are_ invited here." Sumire bit her lip. "But to let you ride...so close to danger. Hirata..."

"It isn't the concern of Tokutarou-sama to preserve my safety." Hirata said simply. "Nor anyone but my own, since I…I am an exile from District Seven."

He paused, and Sumire let out a slight, bitter laugh.

"So are we all." She murmured. "But if you _are _known to the Clan…perhaps…we are safe here after all."

"Shunsui's promised it." Juushirou spoke now, and as Sumire turned to gaze at him in surprise, the white haired boy bowed his head. "I'm sorry. It's not my place to speak, Sumire-sama – but Shunsui said it so I'm sure he meant it. You and your daughter are welcome here – your sanctuary will be accepted."

"Shunsui?" Sumire murmured faintly, and Hirata nodded.

"Kyouraku Shunsui - Tokutarou-sama's brother." He agreed. "Ukitake-kun is right, Okaasama. He's already promised you both safe conduct. You…and Kibana-dono, if he…is…able."

"Kibana." A stricken look touched Sumire's face and she turned towards the blanketed form on the ground, beside which Mitsuki was already kneeling. "Oh, and I almost…in the surprise of seeing you…"

She looked troubled, and Hirata rested a hand on his mother's shoulder, realising with a jolt that in their year and a half apart he had grown enough to meet her gaze on the level.

"Kyouraku-kun and Kai-kun have gone to the manor to report to Tokutarou-sama." He said quietly. "And to have them send help to where we are. There'll be time for us to talk about other things later, but for now…were you attacked? Eiraki said she wasn't hurt – are you?"

"I'm not, simply tired and worn from the stress of it all." Sumire shook her head. "Kibana is, however. He took a wound to his belly on our escape and though he didn't even raise a complaint during our ride, it has bled out quite considerably. On arriving here, he stumbled and collapsed…and I realised his wound was quite severe. He is somewhat feverish – I didn't know what else to do so I laid him down here and sent Eiraki to find assistance. But…if such a thing is even possible…"

She trailed off, looking helpless.

"We are Clansfolk." She murmured. "Neither of us are trained for surviving on our own."

"He is fevered, and his wound is bad." Mitsuki spoke softly at that moment. "But his life signals are still quite strong. He has lost quite some blood, but not enough yet to compromise his life…at least…so I think."

She frowned, biting her lip.

"I don't know if I can stop the bleeding alone, however." She admitted. "I have learnt the basics for that spell, but…I…haven't yet had a chance to use it."

"Is there a risk, if you try it?" Juushirou asked, and Mitsuki shrugged her shoulders.

"There is always a risk with all Kidou, hostile or healing." She said frankly. "But if I don't try, he will lose more blood. I…don't think I want to let that happen, Juushirou-kun. He's weak as he is, but stable enough. However…considering what Sumire-sama just said…"

"Can you help him, child?" Sumire moved back towards the injured man, as they all gathered around his bedside. He was not conscious, Hirata realised, and the pale, grey sheen of his skin seemed somewhat at odds with the flickering fever that caused sweat to bead against his brow.

"I can try." Mitsuki chewed down on her lip. "I'm only a trainee healer, but…I…can try."

"I'll go fetch some water." Juushirou suggested. "If he has a fever, he might want something to drink. And…"

"No…no." Mitsuki shook her head. "He mustn't drink anything – I'm not sure if the blade severed through organs and if it did, drinking anything might kill him. But…water would be helpful, Juushirou-kun. Water to clean his wounds and cool him down – since it might take a while for Kyouraku-kun and Shihouin-kun to mobilise people to come help. And besides, Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime are probably tired and thirsty too, from their trip."

"Right." Juushirou nodded, disappearing out of the hut and Hirata knelt at Mitsuki's side, aware that his mother and sister were watching anxiously.

"Is there anything we can do?" He asked quietly, and Mitsuki shook her head.

"Sumire-sama did the best thing already, in finding him somewhere quiet and still to rest." She murmured, even as her fingers began to glow with an odd bluish light. "They have been through a lot, Hirata-kun."

"Are we really safe here, Nii-sama?" Eiraki asked plaintively. "Will they really help us?"

"Yes. They will." Hirata nodded his head, slipping his fingers through his sister's and squeezing them reassuringly as he felt them slide back into their sibling roles. "I trust Kyouraku-kun and I know he keeps his word. If he says that, he means it. You will be allowed to stay here. All of you."

"It may bring trouble down on Tokutarou-sama's head, having high profile refugees suddenly arriving at his court." Sumire said quietly, and Hirata nodded.

"But the Kyouraku-ke are allied with the Shiba-ke, and the Shiba-ke are currently here in force." He responded evenly. "Seimaru is a crazy fool, but he's not that crazy as to launch an invasion into this place when both Tokutarou-sama and Kyouki-sama are within easy mobilisation. Kyouki-sama is a powerful Shinigami…very powerful, after all. Much more so than Seimaru is. He wouldn't survive, if he came here after you. Even he must know that…otherwise he'd have crossed this land to find me already, I'm sure."

"You've become a young man, in the time we've been apart." Sumire reflected softly, reaching out to tweak Hirata's growing tail of hair. "I can see it, now – your father's determination in your expression. It gives me hope, Hirata-kun. A good deal of hope. Your father has always put his faith in you...and now I can see it, starting to bear fruit."

"I'm still not as strong as he wants me to be. As you all need me to be." Hirata reddened, glancing away. "But I am trying, Okaasama. I am working hard. And everyone has helped me. Kai-kun and Ukitake-kun especially…to keep going forwards and keep trying to learn."

"Ukitake-kun." Sumire murmured. "Was that…the young boy who just left us? The boy from the Districts, whose _zanpakutou_ your Grandfather ratified before the Council of Elders?"

"Yes." Hirata nodded.

"Seimaru-sama was very angry." Eiraki murmured. "When Grandfather came back after that Council meeting. And then…Grandfather was dead, and still…nobody knows how."

"Eiraki." Sumire shot her a sidelong glance. "Your father doesn't believe it was Seimaru's doing, so you should take care in what you say."

"I don't care." Eiraki's gaze became stubborn. "I believe it was."

"As do I." Hirata said grimly. "Regardless of any evidence – there's no other possible culprit in my mind."

He sighed.

"But you shouldn't hold Ukitake-kun responsible for that." He added. "His_ zanpakutou_ had to be ratified because that's Council law. If Seimaru took things into his own hands after that…they're entirely different things."

"I don't blame Ukitake-san." Eiraki shook her head. "I blame Seimaru-sama. I blame Seimaru-sama for everything. He made me move into the annexe, and imprisoned our Father somewhere I can't see him. He forced me to become betrothed to someone I had never met and threatened me every time we spoke. I hate him and I want someone to kill him…soon, before he hurts more people."

She grasped hold of Hirata's hands.

"Nii-sama, will you come back to District Seven?" She begged. "Will you come and kill Seimaru, so we can have our home back and start to put things back together as a family?"

"Eiraki!" Sumire's eyes widened, and Eiraki turned to face her mother.

"This is why we came. To find Nii-sama and help Father." She said quietly. "This is why Kei-sama helped us to escape – and why Kibana-dono took injury getting us away from the manor. This is what it's all been in aid of. We can't just run away any more, Okaasama. This is our fight…we have to fight it too."

"Eiraki-chan." Hirata stared at his companion, then he sighed, reaching across to ruffle her messy dark hair.

"I don't like it, hearing you talk about death like this." He admitted. "Or killing people – its not something a child should be saying."

"I'm not a child." Eiraki's eyes hardened. "I'm not one now – I'm not allowed to be one, not any more. Since you defied Seimaru-sama, I've been the one paying your penance…so don't treat me like a little girl. I've done everything I could to protect Father and Mother since you went away. Now we have to do something about it."

Hirata was silent for a moment, then he shook his head.

"I know that." He said simply. "But it's my burden. Not yours. I'm sorry it's fallen on you, Eiraki-chan – but now you're here, you should rest. I understand what it is I need to do. I will not run away from it. And I will not put you or Okaasama in harm's way."

Eiraki stared at him, but she did not reply, for at that moment Juushirou reappeared with water, and Sumire got to her feet, moving back down beside the patient.

"I want to help him, too, if I can." She said softly, as Mitsuki shot her a startled look. "I'm sorry, child, I didn't catch your name but…if you can heal him, I will do whatever you ask of me to assist."

"Mitsuki." Mitsuki pinkened at this vote of faith. "E…Edogawa Mitsuki. And…thank you, Sumire-sama. If you are willing. I'm not experienced enough yet with healing techniques to staunch the bleeding and clean the wound simultaneously. If it doesn't trouble you to be doing such a menial task...it would help a lot."

"I'll help also." Eiraki decided, pulling away from Hirata and getting to her feet. "Okaasama is right – and Father would want us to help Kibana as much as he's always helped us."

Mitsuki bit her lip, then nodded.

"Eiraki-hime, would you then keep a cool cloth to his brow?" She asked softly. "His fever is rising, and it would help to bring it down."

"I will." Eiraki agreed, loosening her torn _obi_ and tearing the end from it as she folded it in half and then again. "I think I know how. When I was small, sometimes I had fevers – I think I know how to cool him down."

"What about us, Mitsuki?" Juushirou asked anxiously, but Mitsuki shook her head.

"For now, too many people will crowd him. And you ran for the water, so now your chest is aching too." She said without even looking up from her patient. "Take a moment, Juushirou-kun – listen and look out for help arriving. There's nothing else you can do here."

"That told us." Juushirou murmured, rubbing his chest ruefully as he cast Hirata a glance. "All right. We'll sit outside and look out for them coming back. I imagine Shunsui's coming with them, from what he said – so it shouldn't be too hard."

He glanced at Hirata, who frowned, then nodded his head reluctantly.

"All right." He agreed. "That's what we'll do. Though if your chest is hurting, Ukitake-kun, we shouldn't sit around too long in the cold air."

"District Eight air is fresh and cool – it doesn't seem to hurt my _haibyou_ at all." As they stepped outside, Juushirou shrugged his shoulders. "And my lungs are aching a little bit because I hurried, not because I'm feeling ill. Kibana-dono is the one who needs concern right now – not me. Besides, now we're alone, there's something…we haven't really discussed."

He frowned, and Hirata's eyes narrowed.

"The sword sheath." He murmured. "And the letter."

Juushirou nodded, pulling his _zanpakutou_ clear of its black resting place and holding the weapon out to his friend.

"I'll check now." He said evenly. "If you hold Sougyo for a moment. I should be the one who does, since I know where it should be and I'll know if its been disturbed."

"All right." Carefully Hirata took the glittering blade in his grip, the pale light of the winter sun glinting off its smooth surface. He sighed, touching his fingers gently to the metal, then,

"If I had something like this, I'd wind up staining it with the blood of my kin." He said slowly. "And perhaps, sometimes…I wonder if that's why I haven't really tried to reach it, yet. I've not wanted to face that fact – that if Seimaru is going to be stopped, who else is there but me? There's always been layers in-between until now, Ukitake-kun. Father. Ojiisama. Obaasama. But they're not there now. Even Father…may…may already be dead. Even if Seimaru says he isn't, nobody knows it for sure. And now there…is only me left. And I can't do anything but face it."

He chewed down on his lip, tasting blood, then,

"Eiraki asked me if I'd come home and slay Seimaru." He admitted. "And I had to tell her I'm not ready yet. I am clumsy and bad with a blade, but I think I've also been stopping myself from fully reaching out and touching whatever power is within me. Endou _zanpakutou _are not beautiful like Sougyo, Ukitake-kun. They're hunting, killing weapons. They damage those they stalk and they take pleasure in doing so. Even Obaasama's great silver Eagle was meant to have claws of steel that ripped through people's ribcages and plucked out their hearts. My Uncle's _zanpakutou_ was even worse – they say he'd go into a frenzy and slash and cut until all he left was a bloody mess of mutilated flesh. Seimaru's casts fire curses, and Grandfather's Hijirobaya froze through his enemies to the bone. Given all of those things…what might _mine_ be?"

Juushirou paused in his search, eying his companion for a moment. Slowly he shook his head.

"Yours will be _your zanpakutou_." He said quietly. "And it will reflect the kind of person _you _are, not the kind of people _they_ were. How many times have we said it? You're you, and not your Clan. Even if it _is_ a bird of prey, Hirata, it will carry itself with honour and with pride. It will fight to do the right thing – whatever that right thing might be. Because that's how the person who will wield it is. And that's what a_ zanpakutou_ is."

Hirata reddened, dropping his gaze.

"I wish that was true." He owned, and Juushirou smiled.

"It is." He said simply.

"But…what if I came to kill Seimaru anyway?" Hirata asked hesitantly. "What if I did that, after all?"

Juushirou lowered the sheath of the blade, fixing his companion with a serious look.

"For the sake of your family, you have to do what's right." He said gravely. "I don't like the idea of killing people, but Hirata, you know District Seven and you know what is at stake more than I ever will. In the end, those are things you have to decide. It won't change how I see you – because I believe that you'd only act that way if you felt it was justified to do so. You're not the kind of person to cause pain unnecessarily. So I trust you to do the right thing. And so does your Father. He has a lot of faith in you, too."

He grinned, holding his hand out for the sword.

"And the letter is still safe." He added, relief in his hazel eyes. "It's not been moved, I'm pretty sure. Whatever hard lessons Kyouki-sama gave Sougyo, she didn't pay a great deal of attention to its scabbard."

"Thank goodness." Despite his anxiety, Hirata found himself returning the grin with a faint one of his own.

"I'm sorry I was careless. If you want it back, I understand." Juushirou eyed him quizzically, and Hirata shook his head.

"No. It won't happen again." He said with certainty, handing back the sword. "And besides, if I ever do go to fight Seimaru…if I do…"

He faltered, then,

"Something has to be done, sooner rather than later." He said uneasily. "Most of my family are here now, and Father…Father is the only unknown. It may be that I'll have to use _all_ the weapons at my disposal. And it may be that, if that happens, I'll need the letter to be with someone I trust."

"Then it can stay where it is." Juushirou nodded, sliding the _zanpakutou_ back into the sheath. "We'll say no more about it. I think I sense Shunsui's reiatsu, after all."

He sighed.

"And we'll have plenty enough to explain to Tokutarou-sama's men without him finding out things that it might be dangerous for him to know."

* * *

"Well, I should be used to it by now."

Tokutarou turned away from the bedside with a sigh, casting his brother a resigned look as he leant up against the panel wall. "Whenever you go out, you bring trouble back with you. I should know this by now, shouldn't I? That letting you go anywhere is a bad idea."

"What else would you have had me do?" Shunsui demanded, dropping down beside the sleeping, feverish form of the District Seven retainer and putting a finger briefly to his brow. "He's still hot. If Mitsuki hadn't helped him, he'd probably have died. Your doctor as much said so – that he wouldn't have endured losing too much more blood. And as for Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama..."

"Oh, I know. I know." Tokutarou agreed, rubbing his temples. "In the circumstances, there was nothing else to be done. It's just the timing of it, that's all. In a couple of days, I'm getting married. Now I'm accepting refugees from my staunch enemies, and potentially inviting Seimaru to come cause trouble for us. It couldn't be worse."

"But you did promise." Shunsui reminded him softly. "That if something happened...if Hirata's family..."

"I did, and I intend to keep my word." Tokutarou nodded. "I haven't forgotten. Even if I'm not sure about Misashi-dono's current position or situation, I won't declare war on his wife and daughter when they've fled here under such danger in search of safety. I'm not that evil a person, Shunsui. This is my land, and I offer sanctuary to those fleeing District Seven. They're no different in that regard."

Shunsui nodded.

"For Hirata, it's a mixed blessing." He said with a sigh. "He knows, now, that his mother and sister are safe. But his father may be in even more danger because of it. And I got the impression that this guy...this Kibana...is someone he respects, too. I don't know anything about him, really, but..."

"He's Misashi-dono's chief retainer. He's come here before, to bring me messages." Tokutarou replied. "He used to be a retainer for your Uncle, then defected when your Uncle rose against me and fled to the Endou-ke's land to avoid retribution falling on his family. I assume they've since grown up or worse has befallen them, since it seems he made a conscious decision to risk his life on Misashi-dono's behalf this time. I have no doubt that, imprisoned or not, Kibana bringing them here was on Misashi-dono's orders. The question remains as to why now - whether it's coincidental or whether there was an intention to disrupt my wedding. But without any proof...without anything to suggest..."

"You're getting mighty suspicious in your old age, Tokkun."

The divide slid back to reveal Kyouki at that point, who paused, assessing the fevered patient briefly before nodding her head.

"Not that it's a bad thing, when dealing with your neighbours. However..."

"I don't think that Misashi-dono sent them here to cause you trouble, Nii-sama." Shunsui said honestly. "I think he was afraid for their safety after Shouichi-sama died. Hirata let slip on the ride back here that he'd heard once from his Father despite the sanctions and that the basic message had been that for now things were all right, but that it could change at short notice. Like Hirata's out of Seimaru's reach, I think Misashi-dono probably gambled to get Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime away too. Even if it cost him his life."

"The whelp is probably right." Kyouki agreed. "Whilst Misashi's involvement with Shouichi's plans was a grey area...Tokkun, I don't believe under any circumstances he would cooperate with any scheme of Seimaru's."

"Me either." Tokutarou shook his head. "But I do wonder if he sent them as provocation. To try and make District Eight - and maybe Five - aware of what's happening over the border. After all, if even high level Clan are fleeing for their lives..."

"Yes. It does imply serious trouble in District Seven." Kyouki nodded. "But that's been the case for a long time, if we're blunt. Since before that idiot Mibune got himself killed, if we're honest. Since they wrapped themselves up in your civil war here, and since they started ripping through their population and destroying anyone they found with spiritual ability. Besides..."

She paused, glancing at Kibana again.

"He carries the Kyouraku crest." She added. "A very specific crest held only by a particular regiment of Kyouraku guardsmen. He defected when your Uncle rebelled, isn't that what you said? Because to rebel against the sworn Head of the Clan was a betrayal of the terms of their duty. Many members of that regiment committed suicide rather than fight against you. Others slipped away into exile until they had a chance to right things. Kibana was obviously one of those and a man who takes his duty seriously. This is no slight wound, yet he must have travelled with it nonetheless. Even at the risk to his life, he sought to protect Misashi-dono's loved ones from harm. I believe that motive is probably his only one. And, possibly, Misashi's motive too."

"Well, either way, they're here now." Tokutarou reflected. "You think I've done right, then, Kyouki-sama? In letting them stay?"

"I think that you have no choice." Kyouki told him bluntly. "Aside from keeping your word to the imp here, could you really send a woman and child back to a land knowing that to do so would probably be to sign their death warrants? I know you, Tokkun. I know you can be ruthless with blades in a fair fight. But even so, I don't believe you capable of that."

Tokutarou smiled ruefully.

"You're right." He agreed. "They're here, and here they stay. Whether we'll learn much from them I'm not sure, but at least I'm sure neither one of them are Seimaru's spies. It's fairly obvious that they hate him, after all."

"Even so, keep Kibana here." Kyouki advised. "Restrict access to him and only allow those who need to see him to do so. He's stable now, after all, isn't he? Your physician has seen him and has treated the wound?"

"He operated on it a couple of hours ago, and cleaned and bound it." Tokutarou agreed. "The Kuchiki girl's first aid helped - probably saved him in the first instance, to be honest - and now he should come through and make a recovery."

"Then keep him confined here until you've had a chance to speak directly to him about what happened in District Seven." Kyouki advised. "This man carries your crest, and so still holds some allegiance to you in his heart, even though he now works for another Lord. He will tell you the truth, I'm sure. And then you will know the precise nature of what happened."

"It's a good point. And I shall." Tokutarou nodded. "You hear that, Shunsui? Other than you and I, and Kyouki-sama - nobody else is to come see Kibana without special permission from me. Not even – no, especially not those from District Seven. And if you do, and he's awake, I want to know about it as soon as possible."

"All right." Shunsui agreed. "And if people ask about him?"

"You can tell them that he is still quite sick and needs to be kept quiet so that he can recover." Kyouki said briskly. "It's not a lie, after all, and it will keep prying eyes out."

"In the meantime, I will talk to Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime, also." Tokutarou sighed. "Although where I'll find the time for it is beyond me."

"Leave it to me." Shunsui suggested. "Hirata's my friend, so they'll more likely trust me than you anyway. If I learn anything, I'll tell you - but it'd probably work better that way."

"Shunsui's right." Kyouki looked approving. "He's best placed for this kind of information gathering. Leave it with him, Tokkun. The informal approach is probably best, especially with such a scared young mite as Eiraki-hime. Poor child - she's still so young and she's not known for being particularly strong of character. All of this must've taken a heavy toll on her."

"Being reunited with Hirata at the very least will help." Shunsui reflected. "He's always said they had a close bond. I'm pretty sure when he first began at the Academy, Eiraki-hime sent him letters begging him to come home. They've been apart for a year or more – there's a lot to catch up on."

"All right." Tokutarou nodded his head. "That does make sense, and it takes a burden off me. Thank you, Shunsui. Although it will mean you explaining to the Clan why they are here. It can't be kept a secret – so if I delegate that to you, will you be able to manage it?"

"I will tell them it was entirely my whim." Shunsui said cheerfully. "And that you indulged it, because you're an honourable, chivalrous type who can't refuse to help ladies in distress. You can count on me, Nii-sama. I'll shut them all up quite quickly on the subject. After all, they still seem well-disposed towards me. Even though I philandered and drank my way through the landscape for a twelve-month – they have short memories for my bad behaviour and long ones when it comes to my bloodline."

"True on all counts." Tokutarou looked rueful. "Then its settled. Shunsui, I leave the entirety of this matter to you."

"Yes, sir." Shunsui grinned, saluting his brother playfully. "I'll go and report the information back to them now. And if I can borrow Yasuhiro – I'll have him assemble as many of the family heads as he can in the communal room downstairs, so that I can inform them of the current political shift. Is that allowed, or do you need him right at the moment?"

"Your need is probably greater." Tokutarou acknowledged. "Kyouki-sama, if you've a moment to help him – since I still have several thousand things to finalise before we even get to sealing the marriage."

"I suppose I could do that." Kyouki inclined her head. "Since you're asking, and since it's the whelp who needs the assistance. He has to learn sometime, after all, how to be a proper state Clansman. May as well be now."

"Then if that's the case, Kyouki-sama, can you stop calling me whelp, imp and whatever other affectionate nicknames you've devised for me?" Shunsui asked wryly. "At the very least, not in front of the rest of my Clan. Not if I'm supposed to be what you just said."

"All right. I get the message." Kyouki reached over to ruffle the messy brown hair. "So shall we go, then? Assembling your kinsfolk will not be an easy task and digging Yasuhiro out of whatever project he's involved in might be just as difficult. Sooner we begin the better…then maybe the shock will have sunk in before the wedding itself!"

* * *

"Truly, this morning, when we reached that village…I had no expectation that by this evening we would be reunited with you, Hirata."

Sumire pulled her wrap more tightly around her shoulders, casting her son a glance as she settled herself down on one of the cushions nearest the fire. "To encounter such kindness in this land was unexpected – I was even a little afraid of the reception we might receive. But even though I had heard it - Kibana had said that you may be in District Eight - I don't suppose I really believed that to be any more than hopefulness on his part or on mine."

It was now evening and, as the sun began to set outside, the two Endou refugees were relaxing as best they could in a private salon within the core of Shunsui's mother's part of the estate. When she had realised the situation, Yoshiko had soon offered her assistance, knowing that to throw the women loose among the mingling members of the Kyouraku and other Clans could create a political sensation. As a result, bathed, dressed in clean robes – albeit in the colours of the wrong Clan - and in the presence of a bright, roaring fire, both Sumire and Eiraki looked less like ragged runaways and more like the noble folk they truly were.

Hirata smiled faintly now, shrugging his shoulders.

"I think I'm more surprised than you, Okaa-sama." He admitted. "Though relieved, too. Relieved and worried at the same time – but that's better than simply being worried."

"We really can't bring you news of your father." Sumire said gravely, shaking her head. "Neither Eiraki nor I have seen or heard anything about it since his arrest. He _is_ still alive – if Seimaru is to be believed – but that is all we know. And we don't even know if that _is_ the truth at all."

"Everything at home is a pressure cooker." Eiraki put in softly, her vivid blue eyes distracted and preoccupied as she stifled a shiver. "And by coming here, we may have upset it further. Seimaru-sama was using Father's life as a way to keep Mother and I obedient and imprisoned. But we were persuaded…Father's own will was for us to leave District Seven. We came to find you, Hirata-nii. As I said before…we came for that reason."

"To ask me to fight Seimaru and take back the Clan?" Hirata bit his lip.

Sumire shook her head.

"Nobody is asking you to throw yourself into a battle you are not ready to fight." She said gently.

"But…isn't that the reason Father sent Nii-sama to Genryuusai-sama in the first place?" Eiraki demanded, and Sumire spread her hands.

"Yes." She admitted. "But with a long-term goal of achieving that end. Nobody expected things to happen as violently as they have in the past few months – Shouichi-sama's death rocked many boats, and now…everything is on a knife-edge. Your father was probably the only one even vaguely anticipating trouble to happen – he made it very clear to me long before Shouichi-sama's accident that he had done his best to make sure Hirata would not come back to District Seven for a long time. Genryuusai-sama originally advised him that training to wield a true Shinigami weapon may take four or six years and before we even sent Hirata to the Academy, we discussed this between us. It was his wish and had Yayoi-sama's approval."

"We don't have four or six years." Eiraki objected, and Hirata bit his lip.

"I'm sorry, Imouto-chan." He said slowly. "I have learnt things – many things. I know several good spells and my sword skills are improving little by little. But I'm not a genius or a prodigy. Even working as hard as I can…there's only so much I can do."

"But don't you realise?" Eiraki stared at him, tears in her eyes. "If we don't do something, Papa might die! Other…_other _people might also die! There's so much at stake, Nii-sama…we can't just sit and hide forever!"

"And we can't send Hirata to fight a battle he cannot yet win." Sumire said softly. "It would be exactly what Seimaru would want – to have the only other person who could ever challenge him dead and buried and no longer a part of the equation. That would be the end – of anything and everything. You know that, I think…tradition and law in District Seven dictate that an Endou heir must be male, and must be born through a male line."

Eiraki frowned, falling silent, but Hirata could tell that she was still not entirely convinced.

"I intend to kill him, Eiraki." He said quietly. "I made up my mind already that I will go and I will face him. I'm training hard towards that goal – with the help of the Shihouin and of Genryuusai-sama, I'm doing my best. And I know that time is pressing. I will work harder."

Eiraki sighed, slowly shaking her head.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, and Hirata was startled to see tears in her eyes. "I know it's not your fault. I know…none of this is. But…everything…is resting on you. Even if Father is willing to die for this, I…I don't want him or anyone else to. And…"

She faltered, coughing and rubbing her chest, and Sumire slipped an arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"It's been a long, traumatic time for both of us, but for Eiraki especially." She explained sadly. "Seimaru put many, many burdens on her – a forced engagement, sudden separation from Misashi and I and threats about his safety to keep her under his thumb. Even though this is Misashi's will, if something befalls him, she will feel to blame. For a girl of fourteen…it is a lot."

Hirata reached across, taking Eiraki's fingers in his.

"None of it is your fault." He said gravely. "None of it will be, no matter what happens. All right? Just like you, I'm sure that Seimaru killed Grandfather, and even if he didn't, Seimaru is the one to blame if anything happens to Father. Seimaru – and me, for not being strong enough yet to fight back."

At that moment there was a knock at the door, and Hirata turned, getting to his feet and moving across to open it. Juushirou stood on the other side, Kai in his slipstream, and at the concerned expression in their eyes, the younger boy managed a smile, stepping back to allow them entry.

"Shunsui's running around like crazy at the moment organising his Clansfolk to explain to them what's happened." Juushirou said, bowing his head towards Sumire and then Eiraki as he led the way inside. "He's asked us to make sure that, for the time being, you all stay right here and don't try to wander around too much. Hirata, you too – just in case, since there are some heated opinions in District Eight about things over the border. He's sure he can get their backing, since they're so fond of him in general – but until he has…its safer."

"Kyouraku can probably silver-tongue anything or anyone." Kai reflected pensively. "At least, when it comes to his kin. They really do seem to worship the ground he walks on – it's quite ironic, considering."

"You're a Shihouin." Sumire started, staring at Kai in surprise. "Are you then a near kinsman of Midori-sama, to whom my family already owe a great debt?"

"My sister's debt was the first, and she believes in repaying it as best she can." Kai acknowledged soberly, inclining his head towards them. "My name is Kai, Sumire-sama – I'm glad to at last meet you – and Eiraki-hime, also. Hirata's been worried…it's good to have you both safe."

"Your sister?" Eiraki's eyes became wide. "You are…the brother of the Shadow Cat Princess, whom Father helped to escape from our land?"

"Yes." Kai agreed. "Thanks to that, my Clan were able to recover from their wounds and move forward. Nee-sama believes in helping the Endou do the same thing. She considers the alliance between herself and Misashi-sama as strong as if it were ratified by the Council itself – and so do I mine with Hirata. I suppose that makes us both _your_ allies as well."

"Kai-kun has been helping me most of all with my sword techniques." Hirata added softly. "He's the top student in our year for _kenjutsu _and other practical skills – and he's been doing his best to teach me all the things I never learnt at home."

"You've been teaching him?" Hope glittered briefly in Eiraki's clouded gaze. "Then…Kai-dono…do you think…can you train my brother to fight my cousin and win? The Shihouin are known for their skills and their decisiveness in battle – can you teach Hirata-nii to be like that, and to take Seimaru down?"

"That's a very bloodthirsty outlook, Eiraki-hime." Kai eyed her for a moment, then he shrugged. "But I realise what's at stake. What I can do, I will do. Unlike a lot of Hirata's other friends, I'm well acquainted with the type of man your cousin is. The world would be no worse place without him."

"Kai-kun." Juushirou admonished at this point, and Kai cast him a sheepish grin.

"It's how I feel. You don't like him either." He pointed out, and Juushirou nodded.

"Not at all. But even so…"

"It is better to seek peace, but sometimes finding it is impossible without bloodshed." Sumire said sadly. "Ukitake-san – I know that you are from the Districts, where life may or may not be as complicated as life is within Clan holdings. Especially in terms of our family – what Kai-dono says is correct. It must come, eventually. When Hirata is ready, there probably is no other way forward. To save the Clan, Seimaru must be removed. He will not go willingly – he cannot be exiled. Therefore – though I feel about it as you do – someone must take his life. As a mother…"

She faltered, shaking her head.

"As a mother, I don't want to see my son stain his soul with blood." She confessed. "Nor do I want to see another mother grieving for her son. But there is no other way to prevent a worse catastrophe. Already too many have died."

"Seimaru has a mother?" Kai looked startled, and Sumire nodded.

"Riku-hime still lives, but remains imprisoned in a castle to the north of the central manor." She agreed. "She was banished there by my late mother in law for trying to overreach her power and remove my husband from the family completely. Yayoi-sama was a very determined woman, and Riku-hime learnt this the hard way. As yet Seimaru has not released her from her exile, but it looks likely that he's working towards that end. After all, he _has _brought a kinsman of hers to the court and seeks to ingratiate and subjugate that family line under his rule, if all reports are to be believed."

"Kei-sama isn't Seimaru's ally. He's _ours_." Eiraki murmured, and Sumire smiled.

"So it has proven, so far." She agreed. "But I'm sure that was not Seimaru's intention when he brought the man to our side."

"Kei…sama?" Kai's brows knitted together. "May I ask…who is this…Kei-sama?"

"Eiraki's fiancé." Sumire sighed, spreading her hands. "Minazake Roukei-dono. By Seimaru's will, although of course there's no talk of an immediate marriage. Still, I think Seimaru seeks to use Eiraki to legitimise his mother's shamed line. Fortunately for us, Roukei-dono has a certain depth of grudge towards the slaughter of his kin some time past – and so chose to help us to escape our shackles and flee here."

"We should not talk about him." Eiraki looked anxious, and Hirata saw her hand clutched once more to her chest. Her voice sounded faintly strained, as though she was frightened by what her mother was saying, and Sumire looked guilty, nodding.

"It's true. We should not." She agreed. "He's still there, and he may be in danger. I'm sorry, Eiraki. He has proven a friend and an ally and I don't wish to cause him harm. We shall not speak of him any more."

Her gaze flitted back to Juushirou.

"Instead, I would like to hear more of your friends, Hirata." She continued. "I have heard much in particular about this District Shinigami who forced even my old-fashioned father in law to concede."

Juushirou reddened at this, and Kai grinned, clapping him on the back.

"This is how you're going to be known from now on." He said teasingly. "Ukitake Juushirou, the District Shinigami."

"It's an unusual feat." Sumire agreed. "I don't know much about the arts of Shinigami – District Seven forbids women to be trained as such unless the circumstances are exceptional. Yayoi-sama was the only female Endou shinigami in many generations, and neither Eiraki nor I have any aptitude for such skills even if we did choose to learn. I've therefore kept clear of the political negotiations involving District children's rights. My husband seems of the opinion that any who has the skill should be able to use them properly, and for that reason he chose to have Hirata trained outside of his homeland. I don't know enough to know if I agree or disagree – but if you are my son's friend, Ukitake-kun, then that is enough for me."

"I appreciate that." Juushirou recovered his wits, offering the woman a grin. "Hirata is someone I consider among my closest friends, and not all Clansfolk are as understanding when it comes to my humble roots."

"I think they're stupid, then." Eiraki said suddenly, and Hirata stared at her, surprised by the uncharacteristic outburst. "Being born Clan doesn't mean anything. Being rich and powerful and able to kill people on a whim isn't special. I think it's fine if Nii-sama has friends who aren't Clan. I hate Clan. It's full of evil and murder and betrayal and…"

She dissolved into a sudden fit of coughing, clutching at her chest, and Hirata was immediately on his feet, hurrying to Eiraki's side.

"Are you all right? You rode all night in the winter air – did you catch a cold?"

"I'm all right." Breathless, Eiraki shook her head, pushing her brother away. "Just tired. Very tired. I hope your friend from the Kyouraku-ke is able to keep his offer of sanctuary, Nii-sama. After everything I'm ready…just to sleep."

"I think that applies to both of us." Sumire nodded.

"Tokutarou-sama is a good man. He will feed you and accommodate you because he keeps his word." Juushirou said seriously. "Shunsui too – he wouldn't have made a promise he didn't intend on following through with. He'll persuade his kinsfolk that it's the right thing – and he'll make sure you want for nothing while you're here."

"Ukitake's right." Kai nodded. "You can put your faith in Tokutarou-sama, Sumire-sama. My sister has had a lot of recent dealings with him and she finds him straight-forward and trustworthy. Even though now is such a busy time for him – all will even itself out."

"I don't think we meant to gatecrash his wedding." Sumire looked guilty. "Our thought was simply to leave while Seimaru was in Inner Seireitei clarifying certain elements of Endou finance with representatives of the Council of Elders. The two things seem to have unfortunately coincided."

"We'll blame Seimaru for that." Kai said wryly. "The Kyouraku can't speak openly in your favour – they can only offer you sanctuary as they would any other woman and child who fled for their lives. But I'm not so restricted, and I can speak. If District Eight is unable to provide for you in the long term, I will contact my sister and she will without doubt offer you safe haven in our homeland, with Hirata. Misashi-sama is Neesama's ally. Therefore you are her allies. Therefore she would not hesitate. Two does not border Seven and Midori-nee wouldn't care if she did offend Seimaru by taking you in."

"But then they'd have to cross District One." Juushirou pointed out softly. "Hirata had to renounce his Clan emblem and all contact with his people back home to stay at the Academy. Would the Yamamoto let them cross?"

"As refugees, I expect so." Kai nodded. "Though it is a point and I hadn't thought of it. The Yamamoto won't want to become more embroiled in this than they already are by Genryuusai-sensei's interdict. It might take time to get their agreement….but if it looked like being long-term, and if Misashi-sama managed to slip his captors and join you – you would all certainly be more than welcome in District Two."

"Thank you." Sumire offered Kai a warm smile. "Though I expect nothing less from the kin of one my husband speaks of so highly. He trusts the Shihouin-ke and clearly Hirata does too – so Eiraki and I will do so also. And if we cannot stay here for a long duration, we may avail ourselves further of your kindness."

"Shunsui's coming." Juushirou put in at that moment, and the next minute the door slid back, revealing the Kyouraku heir robed for once in all his Clan finery. At his entrance, Sumire bowed her head, and Shunsui laughed, holding up his hands.

"I might look like someone important, but I'm still just the Clan idiot." He said casually. "And I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion – though I see others already have. I just wanted to tell you in person that the Kyouraku-ke have accepted it. They have been persuaded that offering you sanctuary is the right and moral thing to do in the circumstances. I've sent Nii-sama's chief retainer to harry the cooks into preparing an evening meal for you to eat here, out of the glare of the mob downstairs – and maids have been sent to prepare guest quarters in readiness for your use. I trust all will be to your satisfaction, even at such short notice."

"A meal and a roof over our heads is more than we have the right to ask for." Sumire said gravely. "In the circumstances, we cannot repay your family's generosity of heart. But one day, somehow, we will, Kyouraku-dono. I promise…somehow, we will."

_**Author's Note:**_

_There was no Saturday chapter this week!_

_There was a very special reason though (I didn't just forget, promise!). Today (Dec 21st) is Juushirou's birthday according to canon sources and also it's exactly a year to the day that I started uploading Meifu's Gate Prequel onto the FFnet server. This has been going on for a year, can you guys believe it?_

Anyhow, sorry to anyone who I caused annoyance or worry with the delay xD There will possibly not be a Saturday chapter this week either, but things should clock back to normal after Christmas is over.

_  
Also..._

**I'd like to take this opportunity, being that it's a year and all, to thank everyone who's supported Meifu over the past twelve months. An extra-special Juu-Shun filled thank you too to all the people who've been kind enough to review the stories over that period - not only have I encountered some truly wonderful and slightly crazy Juu-Shun fans, but it's made it seem like I'm writing the story along with you and that's great motivation to keep going for as long as I have. Yep, thanks to you guys and your support, Meifu has been going on for a year. Arigatou Gozaimasu!**

_  
And finally...since this will be the last update before Christmas itself..._

**_Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it and to those who don't, Happy December 25th!_**


	44. A Hime's Heart

**Chapter Forty Three: A Hime's Heart**

So it was done.

Keitarou sat back against the wall of the hidden laboratory, idly tipping his knife from right to left as he considered everything that had happened. Outside, he knew, it was howling a blizzard that had already delayed the return of the Clan leader, but even so, he knew that Seimaru would be pleased. Everything was, after all, working exactly according to plan.

_  
It's interesting how such a thing can create such a lot of unrest in such a short space of time._

His lips pursed in malicious amusement as he reflected on the chaos that had ensued that morning, when the princess and her mother had been discovered missing. This had only been compounded as the frozen cold corpses of the fifteen or so unfortunates had been found in the courtyard, and the Endou-ke woke up slowly to the possibility of treason in their midst.

_  
They will all fluster and flurry, sending for Seimaru to return without knowing that this is all his plan as much as anything else. They are truly foolish, the men of this land. Truly foolish indeed. I had heard the Endou were hunting birds, but really, they seem more like headless chickens._

"Kei-nii?"

Shikiki pushed back the makeshift divide that separated her sparse sleeping area from Keitarou's main work area, padding across the cold slabs towards him. There was a question in her eyes, and Keitarou scooped up his knife, returning it to his _obi _as he held out his hand to the young girl. Relief flooded her gaze and she fan forward, hugging him tightly.

"Kei-nii, last night, something bad happened." She whispered, and Keitarou brushed her muzzy hair from her face, gazing down at her in surprise.

So the girl had felt it, then? The release of his weapon in the darkness? Even through the haphazard, confusing stone of the partly Sekkiseki walls, Shikiki had picked up the faint flare of Chudokuga's release?

Faint excitement stirred in his heart at this. She really was coming on!

"Something bad?" He said out loud, and Shikiki nodded, stifling a shiver.

"I was scared." She admitted. "I don't know what it was, but it didn't feel nice and I wanted it to go away."

"And did it?" Keitarou asked softly. Shikiki sighed.

"Yes." She said uneasily. "But...Kei-nii, how much longer must we stay here? Seimaru-sama is frightening, too, and...there's just Kei-nii and me, now."

"But I promised, didn't I? That you'd soon have a playmate." Keitarou chuckled. "Don't look like that, Shikiki. I know that you worry about me, but really, there's no need. Our staying here is only temporary, after all. Already I can walk above ground and be accepted among the Endou-ke even despite who I am. Soon that will be true for both of us. I will take you with me, after all. When everything is complete. I intend to help you make your barriers strong enough that you too will be accepted by the people there. And nobody will ever hurt you, then. You'll have a proper place to sleep and good food to eat - and you won't have to be frightened. All you have to do is trust me - and keep working hard exactly as I tell you."

Shikiki glanced down at her fingers, and Keitarou saw the glittering pink light flicker briefly across them.

"I couldn't save Dai-nii." She said sadly, guilt in her young tones. "I wanted to, but no matter how much I did, I couldn't. So I'll work hard, Kei-nii. I always will. Because...I wanted to help Dai-nii. And I want to help Kei-nii."

She sighed, lowering her hands.

"If someone hurt Kei-nii, maybe I could help him." She whispered. "Do you think, if I did that, then Dai-nii would be happy?"

"I think he would be extremely happy. And proud." Keitarou got to his feet, pulling the young girl to hers. "But Daisuke wasn't killed by you, Shikiki. He was killed by Endou Shouichi. What happened wasn't your fault and I'm not angry with you. Nor would Daisuke be. And I'm sure, if you do as you say and keep training and working hard - that's the best thing you can do."

He patted her on the head.

"Tomorrow I will leave here again." He added. "Perhaps I will be away a day or so. But it will be the last time I will travel far from the main house, so don't look so despondent. I promised you a playmate and I will deliver on that promise. When I come back, I won't be alone."

"What's he like?" Shikiki's childish curiosity overcame her apprehension, and Keitarou grinned.

"Hopefully someone who will prove very useful." He murmured. "But for now, I have to go and make my report to Seimaru-sama. Everything has gone according to our plans so far, after all - you needn't worry about anything at all."

With that he grabbed up his reddish cloak, pulling it around his shoulders and fastening it with the Clan badge that he had received from Riku on his visit to Hokujou.

"Stay strong." He told her gently. "I promise that you won't be alone here much longer."

With that he crossed the chamber towards the one normal section of wall, slipping into shunpo and dropping out of the flashstep in the halls of the manor house. Outside, despite the weather, he could hear the melee of guards and servants hell-bent on their errands and the unmistakeable flicker of Seimaru's distinctive reiatsu flooded his senses.

So the Lord had returned? Good. Delayed, but not by too much.

Kei smoothed down his faintly crumpled Clan _hakama_, striding purposefully along the hall towards Seimaru's study. As he had expected, the Clan leader was there, surrounded by officers from both his military and shinigami squads and more than one member of the Endou council, each one clamouring for his attention.

He took a deep breath.

"Seimaru-sama, I must speak to you on a matter of absolute urgency."

He spoke clearly and crisply, his voice carrying through the babble and at his sudden, unexpected interruption, there was quiet as all eyes turned to stare at him. From the midst, Seimaru shoved his men aside, moving forward so that his gaze met Keitarou's from across the hall.

"We're all here to speak to Seimaru-sama, Minazake." One of the council nobles complained, and Keitarou bowed his head apologetically towards the man.

"I realise that." He said calmly. "But I believe Seimaru-sama should hear my story first and foremost. After all, I imagine you are all here to report to him about the unexpected events of last night. And I have...some information that may be of use to him on that matter."

"Events of last night?" Seimaru's eyes narrowed, and he strode forward, grabbing Keitarou by the collar of his _hakamashita_ and holding him firmly, his glare penetrating right through to the man's core. "I've received harried, irrational reports from all areas that somehow, in my absence, my aunt and cousin have slipped my custody and have disappeared from District Seven. And! Although everyone seems to know this, I find that no complete regiment managed to set up an adequate pursuit last evening. Fifteen good soldiers are dead, and my kinsfolk are nowhere to be seen. Most likely they have reached the border. By hell, Minazake, if I find you had any knowledge or involvement in this..."

"On the contrary, sir, what I've learnt has only come by my ears this morning." Keitarou met Seimaru's gaze without confrontation, making no resistance against the other's strong grip. "Two maids talking in the halls not far from the apartments you have so kindly assigned me since my arrival here. A young maid named Yuriko seems to be missing a uniform, and when challenged by another, she claimed it was stolen from her. And more..."

He paused, his eyes becoming calculating, and he saw Seimaru's expression flicker with comprehension.

"Futhermore, it appears that Kibana Hiroto-dono is no longer in District Seven." He murmured. "And that the maid, Yuriko, saw him some time prior, covered in blood and heading for M...your unfortunate uncle's quarters, not long before that person was arrested and imprisoned. That was the day a shinigami died, I believe? I thought I should bring this information to you at once, so as you could act on it as you saw fit."

"Kibana? Killed one of my men?" The shinigami lieutenant was stricken, and Seimaru loosed his grip on Keitarou's clothing, shaking his head.

"Everyone is dismissed!" He exclaimed suddenly, making the most of the group jump with his unexpected raise in voice. "I want to know what Kibana was involved in and whether this was a plot by my Uncle to sieze power against me! Do you need further proof of that man's duplicity and treason? I want Kibana and I want him brought back here to answer to me. On his testimony, you will maybe see for yourselves what kind of a man Misashi-jisama truly is and how he seeks to ruin this Clan! Go, all of you!"

He swung around, flicking his finger at the lieutenant.

"_You _did not report to me the death of one of your men." He said, his eyes gleaming dangerously. "I leave Seventh Squad under your command most of the time, but do not forget that _I_ am your Captain - and I dislike such omissions of information."

"Seimaru-sama..." The lieutenant began, but Seimaru shook his head, shoving the man aside.

"You can redeem yourself by finding the girl, Yuriko, and bringing her to me." He said quietly. "Understand? Find her. I want to hear her evidence also."

His gaze slid back to Keitarou.

"You, inside my study. Now." He said flatly. "I want to hear by what source this information truly came to you. I can't believe it to be a coincidence."

Keitarou bowed his head.

"Yes, Seimaru-sama." He agreed quietly. "I will tell you whatever you wish to know."

As the crowd slowly dispersed to follow their leader's orders, Seimaru grasped Keitarou roughly by the arm, hauling him bodily into his study and shutting the door behind him with a firm click. As he did so, Keitarou was struck by how little it had changed since Shouichi had called it his own. It was barely different from the day he had lured the old man out to his death, and deep down the scientist was surprised. Seimaru had stamped his own mark in so many places - yet here, in the room that had been at the heart of Shouichi's government, he had made not even the slightest change.

_Almost as though it's a shrine to the dead man. Well, well. Seimaru did love his grandfather after all. How touching. _

A derisive smile touched his lips.

_I suppose we all have weak points. _

"That was a bold entrance." Seimaru was speaking, and Keitarou turned his attention back to the matter at hand. "To face so many people and make such announcements. Sometimes I think you like playing games as much as you do carrying out my orders, Aizen."

"I am disliked by you." Keitarou said simply. "If I was to suddenly appear, disperse a crowd and gain preference over them for your attention, people would talk. But if I brought information to you, then you would obviously want to investigate it. It seemed the most logical solution to the problem."

He grinned.

"Besides, the fate of a maid girl is not really my concern. Nor, I imagine, is it yours." He added. "If you kill her, or pardon her, it's all the same to me. The plan doesn't change."

"I noticed that all of the guardsmen I assigned you are conveniently dead." Seimaru sank down behind his desk, gesturing for his companion to repose himself as he did so. "My Lieutenant insisted on me viewing the corpses myself, considering the magnitude of the event. Only one or two of them died by a true sword blade, which I suspect as Kibana's work. The others..."

He paused, his lips thinning, and Keitarou could tell that he was scrutinising his companion's lean form carefully.

"They were killed by something else." He said quietly. "My men are foolish and they miss things. I am not so foolish. They were killed by some element of spiritual power. A sensation and a reiatsu I have not felt clearly before except once...lingering, faintly, in the atmosphere around my grandfather's body."

"Reiatsu, Seimaru-sama?" Keitarou's eyes widened in pretend surprise. "What kind of reiatsu? I thought nothing was detected at Shouichi-sama's death site - nothing of any particular significance, anyway?"

"No. Nothing of any significance. Nothing at all." Seimaru said blackly. "Only I was looking for it - for the proof that he had been taken down, and even I could not clearly discern it. I dislike Kidou and people assume I have no aptitude for that nature of skill - but I am still a shinigami and I still have good training behind me to justify my suspicions. And last night...Aizen, I want to know the truth from you, please. About what really happened. I know you were following my orders on both occasions - but I do not like things to be concealed from me. I am not an idiot, nor am I someone you should risk crossing. You may have killed my Grandfather, but you would not have so much luck silencing me. So tell me. What it was I saw on those corpses this morning that reminded me of my Grandfather's death."

Keitarou looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I am surprised you suspect even me of plotting against you, now." He said with a sigh. "Since suspecting everyone around him is what in the end killed Shouichi-sama. You have to know, Seimaru-sama, that you can only truly know your allies and your enemies by allowing them close enough to tell the difference. I believe we are allies. I would not act against you."

"Then answer my question." Seimaru said coldly, and Keitarou looked resigned. Slowly he slid his fingers into his _obi_, pulling out the _tantou_ knife and laying it down on Seimaru's desk.

Seimaru frowned, picking it up and turning it over, eying the neatly engraved spider that adorned the blade. The tiny chink of metal at the tip caught the light, and Keitarou was reminded of the spell he had cast on Eiraki-hime and the tiny fragment of _zanpakutou_ that even now was buried deep within the young girl's heart.

"A _tantou _knife? What about it? I just said, didn't I, that those men didn't die by normal means? Unlike Grandfather, they had marks on their bodies. Something burrowed into them - all of them - right through to their heart, with a very distinct trace of reiatsu lingering around each of them. And now I think of it, I'm sure Grandfather said the same...that in the past, people - Endou guardsmen - had died in similar circumstances. That someone had unleashed on them...something."

He set down the knife.

"One youth may have died by this blade." He added quietly. "But that is all."

Keitarou shook his head, retrieving the weapon and returning it to its hiding place.

"Sealed, you would not detect even the faintest trace." He murmured. "But by that blade, your men died. By that blade, your Grandfather died. By that blade, I stole all of their lives and I have no regret for any of them. By that blade, Seimaru-sama. By Chudokuga's blade."

"Chu...doku...ga?" Seimaru's demeanour changed, and he stared at his companion as if seeing him for the first time. "You...Aizen...that thing is...a _zanpakutou_?"

"I wouldn't say that." Keitarou's expression became cold. "I'm not a shinigami. I'm not accepted or registered by the Council of Elders. Most everyone who has ever clearly seen that blade released has died, Seimaru-sama. Some because I chose to release it to kill them, and some because it suits me best if nobody can bear witness to its existence. I am a spider in the shadows - that is the man that I've been forced to be by circumstance, but I find it suits me quite well."

He sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"I did not want to disclose it to you, since I have never left a clear witness to my sword's power and it puts me in a vulnerable position." He said regretfully. "For you to know...was never my intention."

"And now you intend to kill me, like you killed Grandfather?" Seimaru's fingers hovered over the hilt of his weapon, and Keitarou laughed, his expression suddenly lightening.

"Of course not." He said frankly. "I wouldn't even try. I'm not foolish either. I know what Yojinmozu is capable of and that, in a lot of ways, you're more ruthless than Shouichi-sama was. Besides, we're allies. Our aims and goals are the same. I only raise Chudokuga against betrayal. I don't use it recklessly. And so far I've employed it for your purposes - not my own. I killed Shouichi-sama on your orders, don't forget. Not on my whim."

"You had enough reason to hate him." There was still some wariness in Seimaru's gaze, but he slowly nodded. "Still, I see your point. But you should have told me. You should have told me from the start. That you carry a_ zanpakutou_ - do you not think that I might make use of this in other ways? Had I known you had such a thing, I could have used it more efficiently to my benefit!"

"It is already working hard in that respect, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou said calmly. "As we speak, Eiraki-hime and her Lady mother have met with Hirata-sama and our plan has slipped perfectly into operation."

He shrugged.

"Thanks to Chudokuga, Eiraki-hime is trapped in my web." He added. "A tiny fragment of my weapon remains within her body. Through that fragment I can keep a constant watch over her and her activity. Everything is as you hoped it would be. Hirata-sama is indeed in District Eight, and more, is not under particular supervision by the Kyouraku-ke. It should not be difficult for me to infiltrate their land and continue to the next stage of the plan - that is, if you still trust me enough to let me out of your sight?"

He eyed his companion quizzically, and Seimaru sighed.

"I am weary." He admitted. "From the Council and now this. There are few people worth trusting and fewer still I would trust in my immediate presence. I don't like secrets, so I wish to know, from now, everything that you do and in every way you use that sword of yours. You understand? Everything. True _zanpakutou_ or not - flawed or not - you are my servant and I still control you. You are Urahara-ke, and your safety relies on cooperation with me as much as my success relies on your actions. We are bound together in this now - I will not tolerate any further deceit."

"My sincere apologies, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou bowed his head low before the Clan leader. "I give you my word that I will not omit to tell you such things from this point on."

"Then the plan continues as it did before." Seimaru got to his feet, moving to the window. "You are dismissed."

He turned, fixing Keitarou with a piercing gaze.

"Perhaps now I understand a little how my Grandfather died, but I will ask no further questions about it." He said, his tone edged with a dangerous note. "It benefitted me, so as it stands, I am content. However, I want you to know, Aizen, your current choice is the right one. To remain my ally and to act with loyalty to me means to preserve your life and your freedom to move around. My Grandfather may have dispensed cold justice, but my _zanpakutou _has the power to curse any who cross my path. Even those who are spiders in the shadows. Fire kills, after all. And I will kill you, if you raise your hand against me. I will kill you as a traitor, exiled Urahara and hand your corpse to the Council of Elders. Do we understand each other?"

"We do." Keitarou agreed pleasantly. "Though since I have no reason for or intention of betraying you, Seimaru-sama, I should hope those words will never be ones I need to take to heart."

His smile widened.

"I will go to make the necessary preparations, then." He added softly. "To leave for District Eight."

With that he withdrew, closing the door softly behind him and heading back along the hallway towards the main entrance hall, red cloak flapping behind him as he began to work out exactly what he would need for the trip ahead.

_But now it is decided. If and when we succeed in this, Seimaru may prove to be a dangerous ally to have._

He frowned, reflecting on the conversation in minute detail as he walked. He had not wanted to reveal Chudokuga, and now that he had, he would have to tread more carefully.

_I must realise more clearly, at times, that Seimaru is perceptive enough to put threads of his own together. In the end...I may have to take steps to deal with that, before he becomes a true threat to my safety._

His brows knitted together.

_And before he jeopardises my true goal - my Seireitei revenge._

* * *

"…I simply don't quite understand his judgement on this matter."

The strains of a woman's voice drifted across the cool winter air towards the gardens, as two of the ladies of the extended Kyouraku-ke made their way between the main house and one of the many guest annexes that the estate boasted. "I realise there is a case for granting sanctuary, of course, but at this time, with so much at stake?"

"Tokutarou-sama can't be judged in this matter." The other voice, Rae's calm, gentle tones responded, firm and decisive as she replied to her companion's question. "I would have urged him to act as he has done – Shunsui-sama also. It's the duty of neighbouring Clans, after all, to provide safe haven for those persecuted in other Districts. As the wife of the Clan leader, I will have to become accustomed to such decisions – it is part of my duty, after all."

As the voices drifted away, Hirata sighed, leaning up against the trunk of the tree as he contemplated.

It was early, he reflected. Not long past dawn, and the frost on the ground was glittering in the early morning light. Rae-hime would soon be swept away by her maidservants to be dressed and pampered for the ceremonies ahead – and he knew that they would be long, complicated and with no expenses spared as Tokutarou prepared to make a statement to all around about the level of his status within District Eight. It was a day for celebration, yet celebrating was the last thing Hirata felt like doing.

Though Shunsui had made it out to be an easy matter, Hirata was fairly sure it had not been anything of the sort. His friend was kind, he reasoned sadly, and would gloss over the difficulties in order to make his kinsfolk feel welcome and accepted in his brother's land. But to convince a Clan who hated the Endou to willingly offer sanctuary must have come at a price – and Hirata wondered how much Shunsui had had to beg and plead in order to bring it about.

What had he had to promise his relatives, in order to gain their agreement?

Hirata had not dared ask, but he was sure it was a high cost all the same.

He stood upright, moving slowly across the gardens towards the main house.

He too was playing a part, now, after all. Although he was well aware that eyes were on him from all angles, he was playing the part of the innocent, unknowing exile – the young boy from District Seven who had renounced his Clan and who had not become involved in the political web of confusion that Seimaru had begun to weave. Often he wished he was still young enough not to understand – but he knew that was a futile, wasted hope. Eiraki understood, after all – at fourteen, she understood all too clearly. And at seventeen, Hirata too knew what was at stake.

His father's face flashed across his mind and he clenched and unclenched his fists, anger curling up inside of him.

_Right now there's nothing I can do. But even knowing that, it doesn't make it any easier to stomach. Is that because of what I have to do? Or is it just that I know there's nowhere I can run away to any more?_

"Nii-sama?"

Eiraki emerged from the trees at that moment, thick winter shawl around her shoulders and, beneath it, a soft pink cloak covered her body as if forming a fabric shield against the outside disapproval of other people. Hirata was sure that Eiraki knew just as well as he did – yet even so, he slid into his role as older brother, putting a smile on his face and holding out his hand to help her over the uneven tree roots that poked up from the frozen ground.

"You've risen early too." He murmured, and Eiraki nodded, pulling the warm wraps closer around her as she stifled a shiver.

"I don't know what it is, but even though there's no snow here, I feel twice as cold as I normally do." She said pensively. "Today is Tokutarou-sama's wedding day, isn't it? Today he will marry Rae-hime."

"Yes." Hirata nodded.

"I…I wonder if we truly are welcome to the wedding." Eiraki bit her lip. "Even as we are, with the kindness shown us – I wonder, Nii-sama. Should we even think about such things?"

"Tokutarou-sama has included you and Okaasama in his invitation now. To refuse would be rude." Hirata said softly. "We don't want to cause trouble here – not when so much relies on their goodwill."

"I know. It just all seems so surreal." Eiraki rubbed her chest. "As though I might wake up and find myself still in District Seven. Do you not feel that way? As though none of this…is truly real?"

Hirata was silent for a moment, then he sighed.

"To me it is all very real." He said grimly. "But I have had much longer to become used to it than you. Since the day I defied Seimaru a year and a half ago, I have been exiled. So I know…that this is real."

"Nii-sama, will you tell me?" Eiraki murmured, looking at him curiously. "What it was you did…that upset Seimaru-sama so greatly?"

"Don't call him ~sama!" A sudden, uncharacteristic flash of anger rushed through Hirata at this, followed by immediate remorse as he saw Eiraki's eyes widen in dismay. "I mean…there's no reason to, not now we're here."

"I know." Eiraki reddened, glancing down. "But I feel as though he's still watching me, even here. Even when I know he isn't – and it's just the two of us. Even so, Nii-sama – that's how I feel."

Hirata sighed.

"I shouldn't snap. It's different for me, after all." He said heavily, taking her by the arm and leading her slowly back towards the house. "As for what happened – Seimaru wanted to assassinate Genryuusai-sensei. He wanted me to be his puppet and help him to do it – but I refused him and I ran to District Two for help from Midori-sama to oppose him. He threatened to kill people if I didn't work with him, so I had no choice but to go for help. Midori-sama came – she's been kind to me in more ways than I can repay her. And all…all was settled. At least, then."

Eiraki's eyes clouded.

"I see." She said softly. "I wondered, you know. For a long time, because nobody told me what you'd done or why you'd become exiled. I…I didn't think you would just leave us and never come back, but I…sometimes I was afraid that you had. That you had run away from us because you had found a way to escape."

Hirata offered a faint smile.

"I can see why you'd feel that way." He reflected. "I'm not…well…I've never been that strong, really. I'd be more likely to just run away, wouldn't I?"

Eiraki faltered, then shook her head.

"I don't think so." She murmured. "Not now. Not this Nii-sama. I don't…really know you like this, Nii-sama. The person who's been on his own, learning how to fight…the person who's talked about protecting us and taking down Seimaru-s…Seimaru. I don't know what District One is like, or what you've experienced since you've been there. But I think…this Genryuusai-sensei must be a good person. Especially if he's somebody Seimaru bears ill will towards – any who have crossed Seimaru must be on our side."

She sighed.

"I'm happy." She said pensively. "But I'm also…sad. I feel like there's space between us – like you're moving away from me because you can. Hime can't really do anything at all, Hirata-nii. I'm realising that more and more, now. Okaasama and I – both of us are simply just there as pawns, aren't we?"

Hirata was silent for a long while, then,

"Grandmother was never a pawn." He reminded her. "She would've killed anyone who called her so, too. I don't know, Eiraki. Our Clan has a lot of problems at the moment and they aren't ones easily solved. I suspect…it will need all of us to solve them. Even if Father and I are the only ones who can inherit the Clan…"

Eiraki nodded her head.

"You're right." She agreed sadly. "It just seems like such a huge mountain for us all to climb."

"And whether the Endou-ke would even accept me as I am, at only seventeen." Hirata reflected. "Clan leaders are not usually recognised until they reach twenty. That was Father's aim, I think – that by that point, I would be trained and able to come take Seimaru on. He didn't anticipate all this so soon – none of us did, except maybe Seimaru himself."

"Seimaru killed Grandfather." Eiraki agreed. "Father said not, but I don't believe it and I don't know if even he does, deep down. Even though there is no proof – that's what I think. That's what…what I believe."

"Grandfather was as ruthless as Seimaru." Hirata shrugged. "Either way was walking on thin ice. Since Grandmother's death, the truth is none of us have really been safe, have we? If we even were before that point."

"I wonder how Kibana-dono is faring." Eiraki murmured. "He was badly hurt, I think – and he risked so much to help us. Yet everyone has said he must be kept quiet and alone – that we cannot see him until he is much stronger and better able to receive us. I'm concerned for him, Hirata-nii – have you been able to see him at all? After all, you're better acquainted with this Clan than I – and have bonds with its heir that Mother and I do not."

"Kyouraku-kun said that Tokutarou-sama had ordered him to be kept completely quiet." Hirata shook his head. "And that those orders were based on the report of his doctor, so I suppose we have to do as he says. I'm sure he's being well cared for, though. And we've heard no bad news – so probably he just needs time to recover."

He frowned.

_And probably Tokutarou-sama wants to speak to him alone, before anyone else has the chance to._

"I suppose so." Eiraki nodded, though Hirata could tell she was still troubled. "I just hate not knowing things, that's all. Things here, things there. People…Kibana-dono didn't tell us what happened after he sent Mother and I to find the horses. I know there were soldiers and there must have been a fight. But…Kibana-dono never told us anything. He just said we must take the opportunity and get away."

Realisation glittered in Hirata's blue eyes.

"You're worried too about the other man who helped you, aren't you?" He asked her. "The man Okaasama said had a grievance against the Endou-ke – the man Seimaru wanted you to marry."

Eiraki bit her lip, slowly nodding her head.

"He took a big risk to help us, and he too was there that night." She agreed hesitantly. "He would not come with us, Nii-sama. He said that he couldn't – that he had to stay and besides, someone had to discover where Father was being held. He hoped…if he could…to find out and find a way to set him free. But…but Kei-sama isn't like Kibana-dono, Nii-sama. He isn't a soldier. He's clever, but he's never wielded a sword – he's never been allowed to. And…and when we left him, there were soldiers…if Kibana-dono was hurt, I worry that…"

"That this Minazake-dono was also hurt."

"Or worse." Eiraki twisted her hands together. "Seimaru wouldn't think twice about s…sacrificing Kei-sama if he thought he needed to. I saw it, once…the bruises he took when he had displeased Seimaru just with one wrong word in a council session. And perhaps Kibana-dono has said nothing because…he fears to tell us the truth. He would keep such a thing a secret, I know…he would realise that it would be upsetting, to know someone died for our sakes like that. But either way, I _want_ to know. I want to know exactly what happened, Hirata-nii. I need to know…if helping us escape has meant the cost of his life."

She coughed, rubbing her chest again as a shiver ran through her thin form, and Hirata sighed, slipping his arm around her shoulders.

"It's cold out here." He murmured. "We'll go inside. Until Kibana-dono wakes or until we are allowed to see and speak to him, those things will have to remain unknown. I'm sure Tokutarou-sama will want that information, too…the exact circumstances of your escape and the current situation in District Seven."

"Yes." Eiraki agreed bitterly. "To make sure it correlates with the account that Okaasama and I have given."

Hirata gazed at his sister for a moment, realising that she knew far more than even he had realised, then sighed, nodding his head.

"Probably that, too." He admitted. "We're aliens here, Eiraki. Me as much as you. Though I'm grateful to the Kyouraku, I'm not sure of my ground here even so. Kyouraku-kun I trust – after two years together at the Academy I know he's someone I can trust. But he doesn't make the decisions. Tokutarou-sama does. So…probably you're right."

"Well, I haven't lied." Eiraki said simply. "So if that's the case, I don't mind. Kibana will simply agree with our account, since the one we've given is the true one."

"I never doubted that." Hirata assured her, and Eiraki managed a faint smile.

"I'm glad to be with you again, Nii-sama." She admitted. "Seimaru…he says such horrible things about you and about what he wants to do."

She glanced around her, lowering her voice, then,

"While we are alone, there is one more thing I must ask of you."

"All right." Hirata nodded. "What kind of thing? I'm listening and there's nobody else here."

"Before we left…there was a rumour." Eiraki's tones were little more than a murmur, and Hirata could sense the tension in her young frame as she spoke. "That the reason Father was locked up – the reason he hadn't been killed before the council – was because of something you'd done. Something you had…that made Seimaru afraid."

Hirata's eyes widened, and he stared at her in dismay.

"Something?" He managed, and Eiraki nodded, grasping him by the hands.

"A letter. Something like that. Something that could get him into trouble if he didn't do as you wanted." She agreed. "So instead he wanted to kill you first and _then_ Father – something that makes me think Father's life is safe even if Mother and I are here. Is it true, Nii-sama? Does such proof against Seimaru really exist?"

Hirata was silent for a long time, then he sighed.

"What if it did?" He asked softly. "A letter that incriminates the Endou-ke would incriminate all of us, not just Seimaru, surely? We are all connected by the same shame through our blood…if such a thing did exist, would it matter?"

Eiraki's eyes widened.

"It _does_ exist." She whispered, and Hirata's heart ached at the hope he saw flash into her desperate blue eyes. "Nii-sama, you really do…there really is…"

"I do not have any such proof." Hirata made up his mind, shaking his head as he gently pushed his companion away. "I'm sorry, Eiraki. There's nothing more I can say about that."

"You're lying to me." Hurt flickered in Eiraki's expression. "You do have it, yet you won't trust even me, your own blood sister with the truth? We're in this together, aren't we? Yet you won't tell me something about the fate of my own family? Not even to put my mind at rest that Father…and that there might be something that, even now, we could do?"

"I'm sorry." Hirata shook his head. "But I'm not lying to you, Eiraki-chan. I don't have any such letter. To keep such a thing among my belongings while relying on the kindness of the Yamamoto-ke would be dangerous and foolish, after all."

"But one does exist?" Eiraki demanded. "The letter does exist? Tell me the truth, Nii-sama…tell me the truth!"

She coughed again, and Hirata was aware of her struggling to draw breath into her body, tension running through her young frame as she faltered, stumbling slightly against the cold ground. Anxiously he reached out his arms to grab hold of her before she fell, supporting her until the spasm had finished, and as he gazed at her, he felt his fear growing.

Her skin was pale –ash pale, paler than he'd ever seen her before. Yet in direct, striking contrast her lips were touched with crimson, and Hirata knew that it was blood. His resolve, which had wavered for a brief moment, now hardened as he realised the burdens his sister carried were already too great to be added to by another.

"Eiraki-chan." As his concern wrapped itself around his heart, Eiraki drew a deep breath into her lungs, leaning her weight on him as she struggled to regain her composure. "Eiraki-chan, are you all right?"

"I…I'm just…tired." Eiraki found her voice at length, putting her finger to her lips, and Hirata found himself not at all reassured by the sudden hoarseness in her tones. "And worried – about a lot of things. That's all, Nii-sama. That's all."

She rubbed her chest again, and Hirata saw a faint flicker of pain cross her vivid blue eyes.

"And I don't like it…when you lie."

Hirata lowered his gaze to the ground, then,

"If evidence exists to condemn Seimaru, it is not in my hands." He said quietly. "That is the truth, Eiraki, and I swear to it by my Clan blood and by whatever honour you think I still have left. I don't have any such letter."

"Then you entrusted it to an ally? Another Clan? The Shihouin?"

"That would be dangerous, would it not?" Hirata chided her. "Which Clan is truly our ally, now? The Shihouin I trust, but with a weapon like that…? Would you give such a thing to a rival Clan and hope they wouldn't use it against you?"

"I…I suppose not." Eiraki sighed, and Hirata saw a little bit of the fight seep out of her. "But…you don't have it, Nii-sama? You promise me that you don't?"

"I promise." Hirata nodded. "If such a letter exists, it is not in my possession."

"I see." Eiraki rubbed her temples, and Hirata felt a second shudder ripple through his young sister's body, a spasm which she managed to suppress but even as she did, a second flicker of pain crossed her blue eyes.

Cold dread settled in the pit of his stomach as he remembered having seen Juushirou act in much the same way.

"You're tired and you shouln't be worrying about these things." He said softly. "Come inside, and sit quietly. I'll fetch the Kyouraku physician, and then…"

"No. Not that." Eiraki shook her head, sending him a troubled look. "I'm all right. Really. They don't need to w…worry about me. Not on Tokutarou-sama's w…w…wedding day."

She faltered, and Hirata was half afraid she was going to cough again, but somehow she stopped it, closing her eyes briefly and swallowing hard.

"Perhaps I have just taken too much cold air." She whispered. "I'll sit quietly inside – and that will be enough."

Hirata had his doubts as to whether it would be enough, but even despite his fear he was sensible enough to know that arguing with Eiraki in her current state would do no good at all. Instead he nodded, guiding his fragile companion into the building and along the hall to the front sitting salon. Juushirou was there, curled up in a corner reading a book, and relief crashed over Hirata's senses as he registered his friend's presence.

Surely of all people, Juushirou would understand?

"Ukitake-kun!" He exclaimed, and Juushirou raised his head, setting his book aside as he registered the anxiety in his classmate's pale blue eyes.

"Hirata…Eiraki-hime?" The next moment he was on his feet, for Eiraki had slipped to the floor, hand clasped to her chest as she fought to bring air into battered lungs. She coughed again, and Hirata was sure he could hear the faintest of wheezes as she struggled to regain her normal breathing rhythm.

"What happened?" Juushirou paused at Eiraki's side, casting his friend a dismayed look. "Hirata, shouldn't you send for the physician? Eiraki-hime looks white as a ghost, and coughing like that…"

"No." Eiraki managed, grasping at the District boy's arm as she shook her head. "I'm all right. Just c…cold. That's all. Please. I don't want to cause trouble on…on Tokutarou-sama's w…wedding day."

"Outside she coughed blood, Ukitake-kun." Hirata said softly. "It made me think…of your _haibyou_."

"_Haibyou_?" Juushirou looked stricken, then he shook his head, turning to meet Eiraki's gaze.

"Clansfolk don't have _haibyou_, and in this day and age it isn't contagious. It's inherited, not caught. I…I think." He said softly, although Hirata could tell that there was a flicker of doubt in the boy's hazel eyes. "I don't think that could happen, Hirata. Really. After all, I've been around lots of people ever since I was small – and nobody has ever caught _haibyou_ because of it."

"I'm all right." Bravely Eiraki struggled into a sitting position, shaking her head. "I'll just sit…sit quietly here, out of the wind. I think...perhaps the long, cold ride here has given me a chill after all – but if I stay in the warm, it will soon right itself."

"Even so, Hime, you should see a doctor." Juushirou responded.

"I'm all right. I don't want to worry anyone." Eiraki insisted. "Please. I'll just sit…here."

"Arguing will just upset her more." Hirata said sadly. "Though I don't like it, I don't see what else we can do. At least, in here its warm and comfortable. Perhaps that is the cause. Eiraki-chan has never been overly strong, after all – and her nursemaids rarely let her outside in the winter when she was small."

"Well, in that case I can think of one thing that might help." Juushirou got to his feet. "I'm at a loose end now – since I'm no active part of the wedding and I don't want to cause any more trouble with Kyouraku clansfolk by showing up where I'm not really needed or wanted. But I'm sure I'm not the only person that applies to – and in the circumstances, that may be the best thing to do."

Hirata stared at his friend blankly for a moment, digesting this cryptic speech then, as he read the expression in the other's gaze, comprehension flickered in his pale eyes.

_Edogawa-san. That's what you mean, isn't it, Ukitake-kun? Because she's not a doctor – not a healer, yet. But even so…if there's something wrong with Eiraki-chan, she'll know it right away. And if that's the case…then I can put my mind at rest. Edogawa-san isn't involved with the Kyouraku-ke, after all – or the wedding. If we were to ask her – it wouldn't cause any problems at besides, Edogawa-san is a girl. She may understand best – being a hime too – the things that trouble my sister._

He nodded his head.

"I think so." He agreed, and Juushirou offered him a smile. "I think that may…help. Eiraki-chan, please, stay here and rest...if you feel more unwell, I want you to ask a member of the Kyouraku staff to send for help. Ukitake-kun and I think we know something that may help you…will you promise to stay here?"

"All right." Eiraki was surprised, but she nodded her head. "But I really don't want to cause any trouble."

"It won't be." Juushirou assured her. "If you will just wait here – Hirata and I will make sure of it."

* * *

Mitsuki pushed back the door of the small guest salon, pausing as she rested her gaze on the huddled form of the younger girl who sat curled up on cushions beside one of the long windows. She was gazing out at the scenery, but Mitsuki could feel the confusion and distress in the other's aura, and she hardened her resolve, stepping inside the chamber and pushing the door softly shut behind her.

Her healer's instincts told her that Eiraki was suffering, but even so she knew it was not so much a physical wound as an emotional one. Something was making the young girl's spirit waver and swirl so uncertainly, and Mitsuki swallowed hard, remembering what Retsu had told her about raising her own defences against other people's shattered auras.

She had run to the rescue when Kibana had been hurt, for his life had been in danger and her instincts had overridden any fear or anxiety she had had over treating a stranger. Yet this was different, and although she had given both Hirata and Juushirou her word, she was unsure how to break through Eiraki's shell.

_My weakness is Juushirou, after all. Even if I'm nervous, if he asks me to do something – I really can't say no. Not when he looks at me that way…there's nothing else to do but agree._

"Edogawa-dono?"

Belatedly Eiraki seemed to realise she had company, for she turned, shooting the Kuchiki a feeble smile. She was pale, Mitsuki noted, and there was the faintest hint of red around her beautiful blue eyes, yet she had not broken down into floods of tears and Mitsuki could tell that she was working hard to keep those emotions deep inside of her.

_Except that's no good when it comes to me._

Mitsuki's brows knitted together.

_I know either way, and something has to be done. She's still so young, after all – too young to be suffering like this. If I can somehow help her…but how? She's a stranger to me, and it isn't like it was with Kibana-dono. He was slashed and bleeding. Eiraki-hime is in a different kind of pain. A pain that radiates from the inside out – I wonder if I even understand that pain at all._

She bowed her head slowly in Eiraki's direction.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Eiraki-hime." She said, in soft, gentle tones. "Only your brother was a little anxious about you, and so he asked me…"

"To come and treat me?" Eiraki's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "So that's what Ukitake-san meant when he said…but I'm not unwell, Edogawa-dono. I don't know what Nii-sama might have told you, but…"

"I can tell that." Mitsuki smiled, inwardly quelling her misgivings as she crossed the room to join the younger girl by the window. "I'm a healer, after all – I can tell when someone is injured or sick."

"Then…why did you come?" Eiraki looked confused, and Mitsuki spread her hands.

"Because I can also sense other things." She said matter-of-factly. "Your spirit is displaced and unsettled – I don't know what by, but something is weighing on your mind. Perhaps something you can't talk about – but something is, nonetheless. You're not physically sick, not right at the moment. But whatever it is is eating away at you. Worries can cause sickness too, after all – so if you can confide in someone, it would be better if you did so."

Eiraki stared, her expression stricken.

"Can you read my mind?" She whispered, and Mitsuki shook her head hastily.

"No. I can't do that." She said firmly. "I promise, Eiraki-hime. I'm not invading your personal thoughts. But healers are like that, you see. We pick up things from other people that most folk don't. And I can tell…that you're unsettled. And that it's starting to take its toll on your body, too."

Eiraki sighed, sinking back against the glass of the window. She didn't speak for a moment, then, in a soft voice,

"Edogawa-dono, have you ever…"

She paused, searching for the words, and Mitsuki did not push her, waiting patiently for the child to speak.

"I'm worried about Father, of course." Eiraki murmured. "But…is it wrong that I'm more worried…about something else? About some…one else?"

"Is it wrong?" Mitsuki hid her surprise at the sudden question, pursing her lips as she thought it over. "I don't think it's ever wrong to worry about someone. Not if they're someone you care about."

"I…suppose that's true." Eiraki sighed. "Father is in such danger, though, that I feel guilty. I am worried about him. Very worried. And I want Nii-sama to hurry up and get strong and fight Seimaru so that we can go home and be safe as a family again. But…I don't think Seimaru will kill Father so easily. Not if Nii-sama is still alive. And so…and so…I suppose…"

She buried her head in her hands, and Mitsuki felt a wave of weariness flood the girl's aura.

"I can't speak to anyone about it." She said, her tones muffled. "Not really - I don't think they'd understand. After all, it's not like I'm…and…I don't know…but…he took such a risk, and…"

She faltered, raising her head suddenly and Mitsuki could see the fear in the girl's eyes at having let something slip out. In that moment the healer knew exactly what the situation was – for she could sense it, rippling in waves through Eiraki's raw heart.

"He?" She asked softly, and Eiraki shook her head hurriedly.

"I…I can't…"

"Well, I don't know who _he_ is." As Eiraki found it hard once more to form words, Mitsuki made herself more comfortable on her cushions, offering the younger girl a smile as she felt the faintest of connections between them. "But even without knowing, I can tell you care for him very much. And that's not a bad thing, Eiraki-hime. You shouldn't be ashamed because there's somebody like that."

Eiraki let out a heavy sigh.

"If people knew everything, they'd find several reasons why." She said darkly. "You don't know, Edogawa-dono. I don't think…you should ask me questions. It…it…"

"Whoever he is, he must have done something very special to secure your affections so strongly." Mitsuki murmured gently. "I'm not going to ask you for his name, or even any more about him. As you said, it's not really my business to do so. But even if you don't believe me, I understand what you're not able to say. You're not a child, after all. You're a young woman and its not at all strange that you should form attachments – even fall in love for the first time."

At the word 'love', Eiraki stiffened, and Mitsuki knew she was on the right track.

She nodded, making up her mind.

"I do know how you feel." She said simply. "The first time you feel it, you don't know what you should do about it. And if they run into danger – especially to protect you – it hurts more than anything when you can't protect them in return."

Eiraki gazed at Mitsuki in surprise, and Mitsuki laughed.

"I'm not that much older than you." She explained gently. "And it's not been that long since the first time I realised I was in love."

Eiraki sighed, twisting her fingers together absently in her lap.

"It's complicated for me." She murmured, and Mitsuki realised the girl's defensive barriers had dropped a fraction, as a fragile bond had begun to build up between them. "Since Clanswomen don't choose who to fall in love with. They don't even…maybe they aren't even meant to fall in love. Mother and Father love each other, but that happened after they married, because they didn't even know each other before. And…I suppose…everything is confusing now. Because I'm engaged to be married and if we survive this I…I will go through with it. But…even so…knowing that it's a lie…"

"My Clan are just as strict. Perhaps worse." Mitsuki nodded. "I'm a Kuchiki, after all – and Kuchiki _hime_ are usually betrothed from infancy."

"You…are Kuchiki-ke?" Eiraki was startled. "But…a healer…surely…?"

"I suppose you can call me the black sheep." Mitsuki responded thoughtfully. "Healers aren't often born outside of the Unohana, but I'm one of the exceptions that was. Because of it I've followed different pathways to most of my kin – because of it I was never betrothed as a small girl. My father was too protective of me – my mother didn't want me to be forced into something I didn't want. And now I'm glad of those things – because I've made up my mind not to get married. Not at all, most likely – because I don't want to be married to a man I can't love."

She smiled, reaching over to touch Eiraki's shoulder.

"If it's the same for you, you shouldn't feel guilty." She added. "Nobody can force you to love someone that's been foisted on you, after all."

"No…no, it's not that." Eiraki pinkened, shaking her head. "I mean…I suppose…I can't explain without breaking promises I have no business breaking. But…Edogawa-dono…if you don't intend to marry, does that mean…?"

She broke off, then, bravely,

"Is the person that you loved…no longer there?"

"He's there." Mitsuki's eyes became wistful and she shook her head. "He's there and I hope he will always be there. In one way or another."

Eiraki's eyes became huge, and Mitsuki laughed at her expression.

"No…I don't have a lover." She said ruefully. "It's not like that. We're only friends, because society dictates we can't be any more than that. But even so…I know I'm in love with him. And more, that I won't ever feel so connected to anyone else. So I decided, since I can't marry him – I won't marry at all."

"Do…your family know about this person?" Eiraki was obviously curious now, and Mitsuki shrugged.

"Ryuu-kun is probably the only one of my kin." She admitted. "Who knows about how I feel. But it isn't a secret, exactly. Why? Is that what troubles you most – telling your family that you feel that way?"

"No." Eiraki shook her head. "It's not that. It's not that at all. It's…"

She glanced at her hands.

"There are things I can't talk about. I gave my word." She said uneasily. "But…there is somebody. And he has never behaved inappropriately towards me or compromised me in any way. I…I don't know, perhaps he thinks I'm still a child. I haven't told him, and I don't know now if I ever will. He took great risks, after all – and now…"

She sighed.

"He isn't of the level of birth my family would approve. Not even Father – not anybody, I imagine." She said with a sigh. "So I can't tell them – especially not now. Especially with everything so…like this."

Mitsuki's mind flitted to the fallen Kibana, and the state Eiraki had been in when they had first found her.

_Is that it, then? Is Kibana-dono the one she's worried about? He took risks, after all – brave ones, when all is said and done._

Out loud she said,

"You know, I think, your brother's friend? Ukitake Juushirou? You must do – you spoke to him this morning, I think?"

"Yes." Eiraki looked surprised. "The white haired boy from the Districts whose blade Grandfather was forced to ratify. Hirata-nii thinks a lot of him – they seem to spend much time together."

There was a faint wistfulness in her tones at this, and Mitsuki wondered if the young girl felt left out by Hirata's new and developing independence from his family's shadow.

"Mm." She nodded now. "Then you'll understand that my feelings and yours really…aren't that different at all."

"Ukitake-san…is the one you…?" Eiraki whispered, and Mitsuki smiled.

"Yes." She agreed lightly. "Though it would no doubt horrify the majority of my Clan."

Eiraki's brow furrowed as she digested this.

"Some months ago, it may have shocked me, too." She acknowledged, a faint note of bitterness in her voice. "Certainly, before Nii-sama left for the Academy, I would never have considered anyone of birth beneath mine. Not as good or as bad – not as anything at all. But…things change. And I know now that Clan – especially my Clan – are full of evil. I saw it, on the ride here. The empty villages and the people my Grandfather and my cousin have victimised for their own ends. I understand a lot more now than I did before."

She looked sober.

"I think Ukitake-san is a good person." She added quietly. "And this morning he was kind to me, even though he had no reason to become involved or to show me any concern. Nii-sama trusts in him, and I think that he's right to do so. It doesn't matter that he's from the Districts, after all."

"I can't disagree with you." Mitsuki dimpled. "The truth is, living in the Districts and growing up how he has means that Juushirou is stronger and more self-reliant than most of us who've grown up being pampered as Clansfolk. And I don't always think that I can match up to him in that. In social status, he ranks beneath me. But in the things that are important – I know he's way out in front. Not just of me, but of a lot of people, too. No matter how much people try to stop him, he keeps pushing forward – and I admire that. I admire people who don't give up. Who fight against the odds for what they believe is right."

"So do I." Eiraki was clearly remembering something, for a faint smile touched her own lips. "You really do understand, don't you? Why I can't talk about it – how I feel?"

"I do." Mitsuki nodded her head. "And I'm sorry if you think I barged in on you. I was worried – I could sense it, fluttering in your aura, and Hirata and Juushirou both mentioned it too. This morning, you were unwell, and…"

"I coughed and choked up blood." Eiraki murmured. "And it scared Nii-sama at the time. That's all."

"Has it ever happened before?" Mitsuki asked, and Eiraki shook her head.

"No. But I'm not strong physically, and never have been." She replied. "I've never had to do the things that we've done lately – and you said too that I'm not ill. So…"

"Hirata would've worried because he's seen it before – coughing blood." Mitsuki said gently. "Juushirou suffers from a chronic condition where he has attacks of that nature – and that was probably Hirata's first fear or thought when you stumbled."

"Ukitake-san does?" Eiraki looked thoughtful. "Is that, perhaps, the _haibyou_ that they mentioned this morning?"

"Yes." Mitsuki nodded. "It's not a nice disease – Juushirou is brave and he fights through it no matter what it throws at him. But it has killed people in the past and caused others a lot of suffering besides."

"Then I see." Eiraki pursed her lips. "I suppose, then, I must have frightened Nii-sama more than I thought."

"I think probably the stress in your aura accounted for it." Mitsuki reflected, reaching out her fingers and pausing them a short distance from Eiraki's own hands. "I can still feel it. That uncertainty. Like something has dug right through to the core of you and wrenched you about. But love is like that – perhaps you're simply lovesick and it's a bad combination."

"I think I've been selfish." Eiraki coloured red at this. "Worrying only about how I'm feeling, rather than anyone else. I've missed Nii-sama – and now I'm here, I've done nothing but criticise him or put pressure on him – or scare him. You must think me a horrible brat, Edogawa-dono – and probably you'd be right."

"I think you're a sister who's always been protected by her big brother." Mitsuki's eyes twinkled. "I'm a little jealous, since I have no brothers or sisters. The closest I have is my cousin Ryuu – but it isn't quite the same thing. If I had a brother to cling on to, I'm sure I would do so. I don't think you're a brat at all – fourteen is still young to go through so many things."

Eiraki sighed heavily.

"You're a kind person." She decided, causing Mitsuki to pinken now with self-conscious embarrassment. "And I think…you're going to be a good healer, too. I didn't know you were Kuchiki-ke – even though I can sort of see it now, you don't act like our neighbours generally do towards members of my Clan. The Clans are all full of problems, I think, but it seems that of all of them the Endou is the most universally hated. Although I don't think that's a wrong perception. I suppose…I'm realising that the kindness shown us here is kindness my people wouldn't show their enemies' kinfolk if the situation was reversed. Seimaru-sama would take great pleasure in cutting down Tokutarou-sama, if he could, and he's already assaulted Shunsui-dono, who's shown us so much particular generosity since we arrived. The more I see it, the more angry I am and the more ashamed of my family. I want to change things – I want to be able to change things. But what can I do? A fourteen year old girl trapped in a foreign land with absolutely no power of my own. That's why it bothers me, Edogawa-dono. All those years I spent there and I did nothing. Now I'm not there – and I want to do something. All I could do was run away…run and demand help from my brother instead of offering him support. I am selfish. I am foolish. And the more I dwell on the risks people took to save us – the more unhappy I become."

Mitsuki slipped an arm around the young girl's shoulders, hugging her tightly.

"You're not selfish or foolish. Nothing you've said to me is that." She said soothingly. "Right now, the best thing you could do was leave District Seven. It was the only thing you could do, and the right thing to do at the time. Focus on that, and on one other thing, too. You're really not alone. Not now you're here. Even if you can't go home – even if you never go home. The Endou-ke isolate themselves – but you're not isolated any more."

Eiraki buried her head in the older girl's shoulders, yet she still did not cry, and Mitsuki sighed, patting her gently on the back.

_If she'd let out some of that pent up emotion, perhaps her heart would heal._

"People got hurt. People died. More may die." Eiraki whispered. "On my account. On Mother's. On the account of people who simply do nothing but let tragedy occur. I heard it myself, Edogawa-dono. From the family of one who had lost their kin – I heard it. How my family's soldiers hunt and kill them – mercilessly, no matter who they are. Yet that person still didn't show me hatred. He…he showed me kindness. And the more I think on it, the more wretched I feel. That so many people are kind to me – and I can do nothing in return."

"It is wretched, when you feel helpless." Mitsuki nodded. "I know – believe me, that's why I started training as a healer in the first place. But it might be that your part to play hasn't come to light yet. It might be, when things calm and settle in District Seven, your role will be then – helping your family to rebuild their reputation and their land by stopping the things that you've just said you hated. This is only one battle, isn't it? Don't put so much on yourself. It's not your fault and you've done nothing wrong."

She smiled, holding the younger girl at arm's length.

"And you don't need to call me so formally, if you'd rather not do." She added. "I'm Mitsuki, and that's fine."

Eiraki returned the smile, and this time there was a faint flickering of genuine emotion in the blue eyes.

"In that case…may I…call you Mitsuki-neesama?" She asked shyly. "Since I don't have any sisters, and…you said you were an only child. And will you call me Eiraki-chan? I…I think it's nicer, and right now I don't feel like a '_hime_' of any kind."

"Nobody has ever called me 'neesama' before." Mitsuki was taken aback. "But I don't like being called '_hime_', either. We're people, not our status – so if that's what you want, I don't mind. You can call me that, if you want to. And I'll remember to call you Eiraki-chan, if you'd really prefer it."

She grinned.

"I can keep secrets, so if you want to confide in me, I'm listening." She added. "Even secrets you want to keep from Hirata, if necessary. But don't bottle everything up inside. It's bad for you and it will make you ill – understand?"

Eiraki paused for a moment, and Mitsuki realised she was considering this carefully. However, before she could reply, the door of the chamber slid back to reveal Juushirou, an anxious Hirata in tow. Eiraki glanced up and in that moment the opening was gone, for Mitsuki knew that the young girl did not want to share her heart in front of her older brother.

"It's all right, Hirata-kun." The Kuchiki got to her feet, offering him a faint smile. "Your sister isn't ill. She's tired and worn, that's all. Probably stress is the cause of her illness this morning. I think she needs to rest – to try to sleep more and worry less about everything that's happened. But you needn't fear something more sinister – there's no sickness in her aura."

_But there is pain, and pain I can't explain to you. It's pain that you can't understand her feeling – since it's the pain of a young girl in love with a man she cannot a little longer and she might have confided fully in me – but for now, this reassurance is as much as I can give.._

"That's good news." Juushirou looked relieved, and Hirata nodded, bowing his head slightly in Mitsuki's direction.

"Thank you, Edogawa-san." He said solemnly.

"It's not a problem." Mitsuki smiled, casting Eiraki a warm gaze. "After all, your sister and I get along well."

"Ryuu-kun was looking for us to get ready for today's ceremony." Juushirou put in now. "Hence we came to find the both of you as well, to see how Eiraki-hime was, and whether all was well."

"If that's the case, we shouldn't keep anyone waiting." Eiraki glanced at Mitsuki, who nodded.

"I agree." She said softly. "Though if you ever want to talk to me, Eiraki-chan – just say so. While I'm a guest in District Seven, and while you are also – I'm always within easy reach."

Eiraki pinkened slightly, nodding her head.

"Thank you, Mitsuki-neesama." She said shyly, and Hirata's eyes widened.

"Mitsuki-_neesama_?" He echoed, and Mitsuki nodded.

"Eiraki-chan likes it and so do I." She agreed simply. "So I said she could, if she wanted. You don't mind, do you, Hirata-kun? I'm not trying to steal your sister away, only…"

"Sometimes girls have things they find easier to tell girls, and boys the same." Juushirou reflected. "I see it all the time with my siblings – how there are things Miyabi will only tell to Chihiro, no matter how much she clings to me when I'm home."

"I don't mind. I'm just glad Eiraki's all right." Hirata shook his head. "But we should get going. Okaasama will be wondering where you are, Eiraki-chan – and we don't want to make a bad impression considering we're unusual guests at this wedding."

"I agree. I'm coming now." Eiraki agreed, getting slowly to her feet and bowing her head in Mitsuki's direction. "And we will talk again, I'm sure. You're easy to talk to – and I'm glad that you came to speak to me."

"I'm glad too." Mitsuki dimpled, patting the younger girl on the shoulder. "But for now, lets think of happier things. The wedding should be a good occasion, after all – we should all go and try and enjoy it, regardless of the wider political picture. Even if it is just for one day."

"Mitsuki's right." Juushirou nodded. "For Tokutarou-sama's sake, that's what we should do. He's been kind enough to have us here – so lets not do anything to waylay his wedding!"


	45. Kizuna

**Chapter 44: Kizuna**

The paths were uneven and lined with frozen mud, creating slippery patches here and there where puddles from the overnight rain had hardened into a slick, unforgiving surface ready to catch out unprepared travellers. On both sides of the track-way, the trees were devoid of leaves, their thin branches like spider legs reaching out to meet one another over Keitarou's head as he walked.

He had not had trouble getting into District Eight. His mother's worn and faded crest had been as good as a key to the door, and the guards had even offered to send a runner to Tokutarou-sama to tell of his arrival. Keitarou, who had used the wedding as an excuse for his sudden appearance had been amused by this, but had declined it – saying that he would not disturb the noble lord further than his delay already had. Still, he had been allowed through unfettered and, having left his horse in the care of a border stable, he had continued his journey on foot.

He did not know District Eight at all, and he had no clear maps to follow. Yet he had found that he did not need them, for it had taken him little effort at all to discover which trampled, battered paths led to the refugee camps that had caused so much controversy. This was not, he reflected, part of his order from Seimaru, but a judgement he had made on his own – an earlier start and a slight detour in search of the kinsfolk he knew had fled in this direction.

_Daisuke's kinsfolk. Irie and her sons._

He smiled ruefully, inwardly berating himself for such a sentimental move. He could bring them no good news, after all, and there was every chance that the camp was being watched for signs of Urahara traitors slipping through the divide. He might bring death and disaster down on their heads – yet even so, he had chosen this fork and now, as he drew closer, he could sense the mingled morass of fear and weariness among the many people who sheltered in this barren place.

The Kyouraku had been overwhelmed, he realised, bending to duck beneath a low branch and setting foot into what could only be described as a shanty settlement. Old houses had been part converted or had thick fabric slung between their support poles to create makeshift shelters under which he could clearly see family members huddled together against the cold. Fires burned feebly in a few areas, but Keitarou could tell that they were a risk more than a help since so much of the settlement was made of wood and surrounded yet further by trees. Natural sources of water had begun to dry up into trickles that had frozen in the winter weather, and a young woman was chipping away at the result, paying him no attention as she bent her energy fully to her task.

She was dark haired, even beneath her shawl, and Keitarou guessed she was one of the District Seven peasants forced into exile by Shouichi's extreme behaviour. In the distance, Keitarou was aware of a motley group of stalls under the Kyouraku standard, and with a jolt he realised that despite the chaos and the desperation, the local Clan were at least reaching out a hand to these struggling foreigners to help them keep alive. Food provisions, medical provisions…and yes, Keitarou thought he could even see armed men dressed in Kyouraku colours – not hunting the stragglers, but helping them and standing watch over the surrounding area.

_So this is the pride of the Endou-ke, in the end._

Keitarou's lip curled in derision.

_To have their people live here in squalor, whilst another Clan spoon-feeds them and keeps them alive. _

"Onii-san?"

A young girl's voice made him glance down at that juncture, pulling his worn grey cloak more firmly over his plain brown robes as he cast her a quizzical look. She was skinny and barefooted, even in the cold of December, and her clothes were so worn that they no longer bore any colour whatsoever. She was about Shikiki's age, he decided, or a little older, with long, messy curls of red-brown hair and big green eyes that stared up at him enquiringly.

"Onii-san, are you lost?"

"Lost?" Keitarou frowned, shaking his head. "I don't suppose that I…at least…"

He smiled, inwardly making up his mind.

"I was looking for kinsfolk of mine. I had been led to believe they were here." He said softly. "My name is Kotetsu – my wife and children left ahead of me but I've been searching and haven't been able to track them down. Do you know, maybe, anyone by that name? I'm very worried for them – and what might have befallen them in my absence."

"Kotetsu?" The girl scrunched up her brow, looking thoughtful. "I don't know. I don't know any peoples' family names. Nobody here uses them, you see. Nobody needs to cos nobody here has anything but themselves anyways."

"I see." Keitarou thought this over for a moment, acknowledging the sense in the youngster's words. "Then perhaps you know them by their given names? Irie, and her sons, Tenichi and Ketsui-kun."

"Oh!" Recognition flashed into the child's eyes and she nodded her head emphatically, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him across the mud-swept settlement towards a knot of tree and bush at the back. "I know who you mean. I know Tenichi-kun. I played with him…we used to play before it got cold."

"I see." Keitarou quelled the sudden, uncharacteristic relief that stirred in his heart. "Then they're staying here now, after all?"

"No." The girl shook her head. "They left…quite a few weeks ago now. Tenichi-kun told me that their Kaa-san had decided it was better that way. That they were going to try and find somewhere better to live in District Eight instead of hoping t'go back home to Seven one day. Cos here, lots of Seven people picked on Tenichi-kun's brother, and made him cry. So Irie-san – she said that it was better that way. Better to go to a place away from everyone here."

"Ketsui was picked on." Keitarou's eyes narrowed as he digested this. "And so they left? You don't know where they might have gone?"

"Mm-mm." The girl shook her head. "Irie-san didn't tell anybody, not even my Nee-san when she went."

She looked apologetic.

"But they're your family, aren't they? You must be worried about them, Kotetsu-san."

"I am." Keitarou was surprised to realise that he was speaking the truth. "To know they are safe is important to me – very important indeed. Even if I never see them again – I want to know they are alive."

The girl hesitated for a moment, then paused, glancing around her to make sure nobody was listening.

"Tenichi-kun did tell me a secret thing." She said softly. "Irie-san told him not to tell anyone, but we were friends and I swore I wouldn't even tell Nee-san what he said. But if you're Tenichi-kun's Tou-san then you should know about it. An' so I'll tell you."

She grinned, dimples appearing in her grimy cheeks, and Keitarou was suddenly struck by how the misery of her surroundings had not destroyed her bright spirit.

"Someone important came here, from the Clan." She said softly, her voice conspiratorial as she related her secret. "Someone very important. He spoke…to Irie-san. An' I think…Tenichi-kun thinks – he told her someplace she could stay. Someplace safe, cos they started to pack up to leave not long after. Maybe if you asked the guards, they'd tell you somethin' else. We don't know anything – but the guards are kind an' they might know."

"The guards are…kind?" Keitarou repeated, and the girl nodded.

"They used to stop it, whenever anyone was pickin' on Ketsui-kun an' they always look out for people who're in trouble." She agreed. "There ain't much here – food an' water and stuff are hard to find but they try an' make sure everyone gets some and nobody steals it. An' when Nee-san caught a chill last week, one of the guards came with medicine to help her get better so as she could look after me an' my baby brother. So if you ask them, I think they'll know."

_Irie spoke to guards…and to someone from the Kyouraku-ke._

Keitarou processed this information carefully.

_Did she tell them, then, who she was? Does she even realise the significance of that? Daisuke may have told her everything, or he may not have done. And for the sake of the children – would she put us at risk? Perhaps believing there was nothing left _to_ risk except their lives – Irie, have you been careless after all?_

He glanced down at the young girl again for a moment.

"Do you know who it was who came from the main house?" He asked. "And why they spoke to Irie?"

The girl shrugged.

"I didn't see him, but Nee-san did. Though she doesn't know that he was speakin' to Irie-san, she saw him ridin' in the village with his guardsfolk" She responded. "She said he was handsome. He wasn't older'n her, either, I don't think – maybe nineteen, twenty, or somewhere's about – that's what she said. And he was nice. Tenichi-kun told me that he'd said it didn't matter, if Ketsui-kun had blond hair. Because, well, it didn't matter."

She eyed him curiously.

"You don't have blond hair." She realised. "But you have the same kind of eyes. Darker, but they're the same. Like Tenichi-kun's eyes."

"Darker. Yes. Much darker." Keitarou said cryptically, his memory flitting to the orders he carried from the heart of District Seven.

The young girl paused, then,

"I didn't mind if Ketsui-kun looked different." She said honestly. "But some of the people were scared of him. They said he was…he was Ura…something and that that was bad. But you're his Tou-san, so you'd know – if there was anything bad."

"Ketsui's a young boy. A child." Keitarou said frankly. "Of course he isn't bad."

"That's what I thought." The girl looked relieved. "Because he didn't seem bad. He seemed normal to me. So I didn't understand it – why they'd say that."

"Because a lot of villages in Seventh District were destroyed by evil men." Keitarou said softly, resting his hand gently on the child's shoulder. "The Endou who drove you from your homes also drove out my family and tried to put the blame on children like Ketsui-kun because they wanted to blame someone else for their own ills. By blood, we come from a different land – from many, many years before you were born, we settled in District Seven. Now we are like you. Driven out because we do not please the Lord of the Endou. We are the same, but it is easy to blame those who simply look different."

He eyed her keenly.

"What is your name, by the way?" He asked softly, and the girl grinned up at him.

"Kirio." She said, without any hesitation in her tones. "My name is Kirio."

"Kirio-chan, huh." Keitarou pursed his lips, then nodded. "Very well. And will you show me, Kirio, exactly where my kinsfolk stayed? Perhaps they left a clue or a message – is that all right? I know I'm a stranger, but…"

"You're not a stranger. No more than anyone else here is." The girl shook her head, curls falling over her shoulder as she did so. "An' I know your name, an' your family, which is more than I know for most folks. So it's all right, Kotetsu-san. I'll show you. It's empty still, after all. People don't want to stay there – in the shelter where Ketsui-kun slept."

"No wonder Irie chose to leave." Keitarou murmured, as he let the young girl lead the way to a sheltered corner of the ragged settlement. "If it was that hard to keep Ketsui safe."

Within a short space of time they had come to the place, and Keitarou bit his lip, surveying the tiny, ramshackle hovel that had sheltered his cousin's wife and children since their flight. There were marks and cracks in the walls, signs of things having been thrown there and perhaps, he reasoned bitterly, it had been Ketsui's Urahara appearance that had been the cause. And yet…

He turned back to Kirio.

"The guards here protected Ketsui?" He asked softly. "Even though he looked the way he did?"

"Yes." Kirio looked surprised. "That was their orders, they'd say. From Tokutarou-sama in the big house. To make sure everyone was treated properly an' there was no trouble."

"Tokutarou-sama? Was it he, perhaps, who came here?" Keitarou wondered, but Kirio shook her head.

"I don't think so." She replied seriously. "The one who came here…Nee-san said he was too young for that. But he was someone important, cos he came on a horse and dressed in all the fancy clothing. That was all. If you want to speak to her…she's probably sleeping since my brother didn't sleep good last night an' she was up with him, but if you do…"

"No. No, it's all right." Keitarou shook his head. "And I should let you get back to her, since she might need your help. Thank you for guiding me, Kirio-chan – and for telling me about my kinsfolk. If I am fortunate enough to meet them again, I'll tell them that it's thanks to you."

"Tell Tenichi-kun I liked playing with him." Kirio said eagerly. "Nee-san says we might leave here too, soon. If we can. And then maybe we'll see them again. If we do, Kotetsu-san, I can tell them I saw you."

"No…please, don't." Keitarou shook his head. "If I can find them, then I will – but I don't want them buoyed by false hope. Our future is uncertain – all of our futures, now. My being near may put them in danger…please keep it a secret for me."

"All right." Kirio was surprised, but she nodded. "I'm good at that. Keeping secrets. I'll keep it for you."

Keitarou smiled, slipping his hand into the folds of his black _obi _and pulling out a small cloth purse. He opened it, glancing briefly at the coins inside and then removing two, holding them out to the young girl.

She stared at him, eyes huge as she gazed from the coins back to his face.

"Onii-san...what..."

"For helping me, and telling me about my kin." Keitarou took the girl gently by the wrist, pressing the coins into her grimy palm and carefully closing the fingers around them. "Keep it safe. It may buy your sister more medicine, if she gets sick again - or help feed your young brother, after all."

_Or help you leave this place, as Irie and her family have done._

Keitarou pursed his lips, wondering why he had been so possessed to give the child money. Yet something in those bright, curious eyes reminded him of the last time he had seen his cousin's young children, and he did not regret it. Seimaru had given him more than enough money to cover his journey, after all - and he had no intention of returning any of the coin to the Endou-ke coffers.

_Better here, so that you can move on. I can sense it, after all. The flickering of your aura and how hungry you are. Okaasama and I were like that, once, when we fled across borders and into a new land. I trust you'll have better luck than we did - if this place is truly a safe haven after all._

"Are you...sure?" Kirio seemed doubtful, but Keitarou nodded.

"It's not stolen money." He assured her. "I earned it on my way here. And I'd like you to have it. You've really helped me a lot today, after all."

"Then thank you." Kirio spoke seriously, her grip tightening on the two shining coins. "I'll tell Nee-chan that I got them from someone who needed directions - then I'll keep your secret as well."

She bowed her head, then,

"It was nice meeting you, Kotetsu-san. I hope you find your family soon!"

And with that she was gone, skipping nimbly between the stones and branches without a moment's pause despite the fact she had nothing on her feet against the cold.

_My family._

Keitarou moved towards the hovel, touching the wood pensively.

_Is that what they are? These are Daisuke's people – Daisuke's, and so I won't have Irie given false hope that her husband still lives. She'll have realised, after all. I'm sure she will – that her husband sent her away prepared to die and not see his sons grow. I won't, either – it would be too dangerous for me to make contact with her now that she's spoken to a Kyouraku, even on innocent grounds. So though I came here to find her…_

He paused, stepping beyond the rough fabric curtain that acted as a door and glancing around the deserted hut. There was not much left, he reflected – not much sign of life or that a family had spent time here. Yet as he moved to leave, he caught sight of something scratched in the dirt of the floor, still clear despite the dust that had settled in the family's absence. He bent down, brushing the settled cobwebs away and his eyes widened as he realised what it was.

In clumsy kanji, the characters for Ketsui's name. Had Tenichi been teaching him, then? Ketsui had never shown an aptitude for learning his letters before – had Tenichi been tutoring his younger brother to wile away the uncertain hours in exile?

Unbidden memories flooded Keitarou's own senses, as he remembered a similar day so many years before.

"_If you practice, Kei-kun, you'll find it easier."  
_  
Even now he could see his cousin bent down at his level, pale eyes resolute behind his glasses and thick, messy hair dragged back into a tail at the nape of his neck.

_"See? I'll show you. I'll show you how to write your name. Then when your Father comes back, he'll be really impressed."_

"_My name?" The four year old stared at his companion, curiosity burning in his mud-slurried gaze. "Do you know how to do that, Nagesu-nii? How to write my name properly, with the right kanji? Papa says my name is special because it matches his – do you know how to write it properly, like Papa writes his?"_

"_Of course I do." The older boy nodded his head, offering him a grin. "I write letters to Keitsune-jisama regularly, after all, so I know how he writes his name. And I know how to write yours, too. Shall I teach you? Then you can write it for yourself."_

"_All right." Keitarou nodded his head, looking at the older boy expectantly. "Show me, Nagesu-nii. How is my name written? Papa says its special – what does it mean?"_

"_Watch." Nagesu picked up a stick from the ground, sweeping it briskly across the dirt into three distinct characters. He indicated each one with the tip of the stick, then,_

"_Kei. Ta. Rou. You see? That's how you write your name."_

"_Kei. Ta. Rou." Keitarou's brow furrowed together as he squinted at the letters. "But there are only three there. Should there only be three?"_

"_My name is only two." Nagesu nodded. "Yours is longer than mine."_

_He indicated the kanji again._

"_Kei means respect. That's why your Father gave it to you – because it's the Kei from his name and from yours." He continued. "And it has a nice, special meaning. If you respect something it means you think a lot of it and admire the things that it does."_

"_Like I do Nagesu-niisama?" Keitarou asked quizzically, and Nagesu laughed._

"_Maybe." He agreed. _

"_I see." Keitarou digested this, then, "And the rest? What about the rest?"_

_"Ta means 'great' or big'." Nagesu responded. "And Rou means man or person. So your name means respectful great man. That's what your Father hopes you'll one day grow up into, I think. That's why he gave you such a special name."_

"_Respectful great man." Keitarou murmured, then, "Can I have the stick? Can I try? I want to write it now."_

"_Here." Nagesu held out the stick, and Keitarou took it in his tiny fingers, gripping it tightly as he resolutely carved his own kanji into the ground. They were shaky and uneven, yet recognisable, and Nagesu clapped his hands together._

"_For a first try that's really good." He reflected. "You'll be writing it easily in no time."_

"_I can remember it already." Keitarou grinned, reaching across to smooth over the earth, obliterating both his and his cousin's attempt. He dropped the stick, fumbling in his obi for the crest that was pinned there and drawing it from the fabric. Paying little heed to the fresh tear in his clothing, he turned the crest over, settling purposefully down beside the stone slabs that covered most of the summer house floor and determinedly beginning to write his name on the smooth surface._

"_Kei-kun!" Nagesu exclaimed, seemingly horrified, but Keitarou kept on going._

"_If I write it here, it won't go away." He explained, casting the dismayed older boy an unrepentant grin. "Not like in the earth. This is where Nagesu-nii and Keitarou come and play, after all. So if I put my name here, that's what it will always be. Whenever I come here, this is where I come."_

"_Father may be cross, if he finds out." Nagesu said anxiously. "You're not supposed to use the Clan crest for writing, Kei-kun – nor write on the stone!"_

"_But it's okay, since only Nagesu-nii and I ever come here." Keitarou said calmly, sitting back to examine his work with pride. "Now I know my name an' I can write it again for Papa when he comes back, so he won't know I wrote it here. Because Nagesu-nii explained it to me, I can remember what it means and write it easily. Kei. Ta. Rou."_

_He tapped each kanji importantly then,_

_"Let's go to the library to wait for Papa and Ojisama, Nagesu-nii!" He said excitedly, pulling on the sleeve of his companion's robes. " I'll show Papa I can write my name, and see how surprised he and Uncle both are to see it!"  
_  
"Surprised."

Keitarou murmured, running his fingers over the uneven grooves as he forced the past recollections away. "I didn't know what that word meant then. Or many others. I'd forgotten…how Nagesu was the one to teach me to write my name. Just like Tenichi might have taught Ketsui – like brothers."

He got to his feet, dusting his clothes down.

_Nagesu and I are no longer family. In the end it was Daisuke, not Nagesu who wound up more my brother than my cousin. Nagesu is on the other side of that divide – Rikaya-jisama's side, the side who condemned my father and his companions to death. Nagesu is a Clan leader and a Council Gotei Shinigami. I'm an outlaw and an exile. But even so…_

He sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it, then,

_Enough of this. I have a job to do and reminiscing won't help it move forward. Irie's not here, and I won't try to find her. If she can settle safely in Eighth, that's enough for me. If the guards here don't act against the Urahara, then it's probably the best hope Daisuke could have had for his family and I won't upset it. Safe haven or not, my name is not one which would be welcomed anywhere. I've gone too far for any of that. And it's time I moved to the next part of the plan. I have to rendezvous with Eiraki this evening…I should probably get a move on, since I've also got to see to the Kyouraku guardsfolk and make sure she's aware of my being there._

He turned, stepping through the uneven entrance and back out into the cold air.

_On towards the main Kyouraku estate, then. And, with any luck, towards the District Shinigami that will provide the final piece in my research puzzle!_

* * *

He had never seen so many people.

Juushirou gazed around the enormous banquet hall, a mixture of awe and disbelief in his hazel eyes. It was at least three times as big as the Academy's dining hall, he realised, with tables the length and breadth of the chamber and row after row of people each robed in the finest, fanciest of attire as they jostled to show off their status to their kinsfolk. Most were in various shades of pink and grey, the colours of the Kyouraku, and here and there Juushirou had noted the teal and green of the Shiba mottled in among them. But then, he reflected ruefully, even his own friends had bowed to convention and at the table which he sat, the colours of different Clans stood out even more.

To his one side was Hirata, robed in the brown and red of the Endou, although missing the family's crest as a mark of his continuing exile in District One. On his other side sat Ryuu, stiff and smart in flowing cream and green, his dark hair fastened neatly in a clasp that Juushirou estimated had cost about as much as it would take to feed and clothe an entire rural village in his area of District Six.

Across the other side of the table was Mitsuki, her own cream kimono delicately embroidered with green thread and tiny, pink blossoms to represent the sakura for which the Kuchiki-ke were so well known. Her thick dark hair had been expertly braided by the quick, deft fingers of Yoshiko's own particular maidservants, threaded with silver and adorned with delicate winter blossoms that gave the impression of tiny snowflakes. As his gaze rested on her, she pinkened, offering him a shy smile. This made Juushirou momentarily lose his own train of thought, and he returned her acknowledgement with a rueful grin of his own, hoping that she did not know how pretty she looked or how distracting he was finding it.

Beside Mitsuki was Enishi, strangely smart in the white and silver of the Yamamoto-ke, despite his broad, hulking form. His clothes had, he had cheerfully announced, been sent him by his sister once he'd told her about his invite, and Juushirou decided that Enishi's older sister obviously knew exactly what to expect from her brother - since she had sent a detailed list of instructions with the garment as to what should be worn when and where. On Enishi's other side, slightly dwarfed by his tall neighbour was Kai, neatly clad in the slick black and vivid gold of the Shihouin-ke, the familiar crest gleaming at his throat and his long warrior's queue also formally fastened in gold for the occasion.

As for his own attire, Yasuhiro had waylaid him earlier that morning, with a request that he was to 'attend to his quarters' right away. There he had found manservants waiting to robe him in the most expensive outfit of his life - _hakama_ cast in dark grey with a lighter grey _hakamashita _and a matching dark grey _kataginu _over the top. Yet it was not all winter this time, for his _obi_ and the lining of the _kataginu_ were a rich burgundy red, and tiny silverish designs were embroidered carefully and painstakingly into the hem and sleeves of the fabric. It was an expensive kimono, yet one entirely lacking in Clan affiliation, and Juushirou knew that it had been made especially with him in mind.  
_  
The colours of the Ukitake-ke - Shunsui teased me about that, but right now, dressed like this, it's how it feels. As though I've been acknowledged, even though I'm miles apart. Dressed like this...dressed like this I wouldn't shame you, would I, Mitsuki? Even if it was only appearances - dressed like this, I wouldn't show you up._

He reddened slightly, aware of where his thoughts were heading, and hurriedly he dragged his mind back onto the matter at hand.

Shunsui was absent, and so was Sora, as their respective Clans had claimed them and Shunsui was seated as befitted his status on the table at the head of the room where his brother and the new Lady of the Kyouraku-ke were situated. The meal was now about over - much to Juushirou's relief, for despite his healthy appetite, he was not used to so much rich food nor such a flowing plentitude of alcohol - and yet the night was far from ended, for yet another huge hall had been set aside for the purpose of dancing and celebrating the event in traditional Kyouraku Clan style. Musicians had been hired with expertise in a variety of instruments - including the biwa, _shakuhachi _flute, shamisen, koto, and kokyuu, none of which Juushirou had ever had the fortune to hear before and the haunting, alluring strains of music had already added a whole extra dimension to proceedings.

"Rae-hime is very pretty, isn't she." Enishi reflected, setting his drained_ sakazuki_ down on the table with a sigh as they observed the final formalities of the meal and then the departure of the wedding couple as they made their slow progress from the chamber. "Tokutarou-sama's a lucky man, when you think of it - to marry a pretty girl like that."

"Houjou-kun, should you be saying that quite so loudly?" Mitsuki sent him an anxious glance. "I mean, people might hear, and get the wrong impression, and..."

"It's not the wrong impression if it's a compliment, surely?" Enishi looked surprised, and Ryuu sighed, shaking his head in resignation.

"Social events are still not your forte, are they, Houjou?" He said disparagingly. "Aside from eating like a horse, to make such comments in such plain view..."

"Although he is right." Juushirou reflected. "Rae-hime really is, well, a _hime_. Though she doesn't look a lot like Shunsui. I thought she might - given that they're close cousins - but she doesn't."

"It would be weird, don't you think, if she did." Enishi let out a low chuckle at this. "For Tokutarou-sama to marry his own brother - that's the kind of feel that would have."

"_Houjou_!" Ryuu was scandalised, and Juushirou realised with a jolt as the older boy gestured for a refill of his sake that his classmate had probably already had more than his safe quota of alcohol for that night.

"We should probably follow the example of some of the other Clansfolk, and use this as a good time to leave the dining hall." Kai observed, and Mitsuki looked relieved, nodding her head.

"I agree." She said. "The atmosphere in here is tight and oppressive - so many people packed in, it's making me claustrophobic."

"Then that's as good a reason to leave as any." Juushirou reflected. "I know what you mean. There are just...too many people here for me, too."

"Also there's music in the other hall and I've heard that the flute soloist is especially talented." Mitsuki agreed. "I miss music when we're at school - at home Father always has someone employed to play at meals, and so..."

She reddened.

"I'd like it...if you'd come with me."

"I guess Ukitake doesn't need a _hime_. He already has one." Enishi observed playfully, and Ryuu grimaced, getting to his feet and hauling the taller boy up with him with an impressive amount of strength even Juushirou did not know he possessed.

"We're going too." He said firmly, in tones that told all those assembled that nobody was going to argue with what he said. "And you will stop speaking, Houjou, unless you start to think before you do. A little sake is a little sake, but an embarrassment for you will be one for your Clan and this is not the right kind of location for you to experience it."

"Hirata, are you coming too?" Juushirou asked, and the final member of the group started, staring at his friend blankly for a moment before nodding his head.

"I'm sorry. I was thinking." He apologised, obediently getting to his feet. "How Okaasama came to the meal, but Eiraki-chan...did not."

"She told me she had a headache, and would ask for food to be served in her room." Mitsuki pursed her lips thoughtfully. "So she retired there after the ceremony. There's a lot going on in her head at the moment - I'm not surprised that she feels that way."

"You said there was nothing wrong with her, though - didn't you?" Hirata looked anxious, and Mitsuki shrugged.

"Not physically." She said cautiously. "But her spirits are unsettled. They're unsettled in a way girls' spirits can be unsettled...and in a way that nothing I or Retsu-sama, even, could do to cure. It doesn't work that way."

Her gaze met Juushirou's fleetingly, and then she sighed.

"Either way, it's something only she can settle with herself." She added. "I told her she would do better to rest, since she's obviously very tired. Perhaps she's taking my advice - at least, in that aspect, I could help."

"What do you mean, unsettled?" Ryuu eyed Mitsuki quizzically. "In what manner, exactly? The girl has safe passage here, and is being well provided for. I realise that still the lord Misashi is in danger, but even so...Hirata has not such 'unsettled' spirits, does he?"

"No. But they're not that kind of unsettled." Mitsuki shook her head. "These are the kind of feelings a girl has, Ryuu-kun, when she feels helpless. When there's someone who she cares about, but who she can't reach or...or...or protect in the way she wants to. Those kinds of feelings. They come unbidden - and they're almost impossible to erase."

"Wait a minute." Even as Juushirou flushed red at the cryptic nature of her words, Hirata's eyes opened wide with dismay. "Are you saying that...Eiraki-chan is...in _love_ with someone?"

"Mm." Mitsuki nodded. "Although she didn't tell me who or how or anything like that. Just...I sensed it from her. Radiating like a beacon. Maybe I'm more sensitive to it, after all...I know how it feels."

"Don't." Juushirou murmured. "You make me feel guilty, saying things like that. You know there are situations...it's not..."

"For Eiraki-hime too, perhaps." Ryuu said wisely. "Since she fled here, any number of things might have struck her. Perhaps even the man who brought them here - since nobody has seen him since the time they were rescued."

"Kibana-dono?" Kai pursed his lips. "I guess that might make sense - though it adds complications for the poor kid, if that is the case."

"That goes without saying." Ryuu gave his rival an imperious look. "Since Kibana is of low birth, and as I understand it, Eiraki-hime is betrothed."

"She is, though I'm not sure she had any choice in it." Hirata groaned. "She won't talk to me about it, much - that whole situation, or anything. And if she was to like Kibana...aside from the fact he has a wife and children of his own, right now we don't even know if the man is alive..."

"Shunsui says he's still sleeping, but recovering, slowly." Juushirou regained his composure, spreading his hands. "But Tokutarou-sama wants him to be kept quiet, so even Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama can't see him."

"Eiraki-chan is young still." Mitsuki agreed. "And she's bearing a lot of burdens. Give her some time, Hirata-kun. She needs it more than anything at the moment."

"I'll try." Hirata offered a feeble smile. "It's hard, because I worry about her. But I see what you're saying - and I'll try. Thank you for being there to talk to her, Edogawa-san - I think there are some things girls can only tell girls, after all."

"Are you escaping? Quick, sneak me out with you."

Shunsui descended on them at that moment, looping one arm casually around Juushirou's shoulders and the other around Hirata's as he offered them a rueful grin. "Before someone jumps on me and decides to set me up for a marriage match of my own - let's get out of here, huh?"

"Tokutarou-sama doesn't still need you?" Hirata cast him a questioning look, and Shunsui snorted.

"For show. That's all. Nii-sama does fine without me." He replied. "But from this point, I'm all right slipping the noose. At least, he said I didn't have to tag along with all the other fuddy duddy stuff, so I guess that's what he meant. Well? Are we going to join the party? Since you're all up - where's Sora, by the way? Did she not manage to give Kyouki-sama the slip yet?"

"Shunsui, you've been drinking, too." Juushirou grimaced, waving his hand in front of his face as the sweet smell of alcohol drifted over them, and Shunsui laughed.

"Of course." he agreed unrepentantly. "Don't look so worried, Juu-kun. I can hold my alcohol - much more of it than this, believe you me. I'm not even the slightest bit tipsy, not yet - you're quite safe with me for now."

"That's more than can be said for Houjou." Ryuu said grimly, as they made their way through the milling people to where the next stage of the party was beginning to warm up.

"Enishi-kun?" Shunsui cast the older boy a quizzical look, then, "You should take it slower. It's no good if you get drunk straight away - you miss all the fun that way."

"I don't think we'd better ask what kind of fun." Juushirou murmured, and Shunsui chuckled.

"Well, fun would be you and Mitsuki dancing." He said mischievously, a challenge in his dark eyes.

"Shunsui! I already told you, I can't dance!" It was impossible for Juushirou to go any redder, and he pushed his friend away, glaring at him in irritation. "Don't say such stupid things - especially not here!"

"It's all right, Juushirou-kun." Mitsuki held up her hands, offering him a faint, sheepish smile. "I don't...really dance much, either. I never was very good at it - usually I just listen to the music and watch everyone else."

"Spoilsports." Shunsui looked amused. "All right then. Ryuu can dance with Nami-chan, instead. I distinctly overheard her talking to that brother of hers - so I hope you know your steps, Ryuu-kun. It's rude, after all, to refuse a lady a dance, and your Clan would frown on you if you did."

"If that circumstance occurs, Kyouraku, _I_ will be the one in need of sake." Ryuu said drolly, and Shunsui stared at him for a moment before bursting out laughing.

"That's something I never thought I'd hear. Ryuu-kun cracking a joke." He said appreciatively. "Well, though I understand it. Still, they're persistent. Humour her, if you can, at least for today. You do dance, right? After all, she'll expect you to."

"I can, and if I have to, I suppose I shall." Ryuu sighed, and Juushirou had the impression that he had just been asked to single-handedly shore up the front line of a battle situation, rather than dance with a girl. "But I shall take no pleasure from it, and she will gain no advantage. I am not going to marry her - or any of your other kinsfolk, Kyouraku. I intend to be a shinigami. That is all."

"Very boring of you." Shunsui tut-tutted. "You don't know what you're missing, Ryuu-kun."

"If 'missing' is being hounded by girls like your cousin, I'm quite happy to remain ignorant." Ryuu replied acidly. "I have no interest in the subject - girls or marriage or anything relating to it - and I am quite content to continue to focus on my studies. So far as I've seen, after all, any amourous interaction with the opposite gender can only lead to unecessary problems."

"Kuchiki...sometimes..." Kai faltered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sometimes I wonder if you are from the same world as the rest of us - seriously. I mean, I'm in no great hurry to marry, but even so..."

"That is likely for the best." Ryuu snapped back at him. "Since I doubt anyone will be clamouring for a Shihouin husband in the very near future. Not with your Clan still clawing themselves back together."

"That suits me just fine." Kai was unconcerned. "But it doesn't mean that I consider talking to women to be...no, how did you put it? Amourous interaction with the opposite gender. Yeesh, Kuchiki, even when you talk about girls you sound like one of Kazoe's dusty old textbooks."

"Kazoe has textbooks on girls?" Shunsui looked interested. "I must visit his office more often."

"Shunsui!" Juushirou glared at him once more, exasperated. "Are you sure you're not drunk?"

"I'm not drunk." Shunsui assured him with a laugh. "But it's less fun in a party full of guys and of girls who are either related to me or off-limits for one reason or another."

He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"As brother of the groom, I have to behave myself. Unfortunately."

"If you do, it'll probably be a first." Kai said wryly, as they stepped into the milling hall. "Wow, a lot of people are around, still. And most of them are crowding Tokutarou-sama and Rae-hime."

"That's to be expected." Shunsui reflected. "It's tradition in the Kyouraku-ke that the Lord makes a progress of his land when he takes a wife, to greet his people fully in all the areas and to present her to them, too. Doubtless my kinsfolk want the arguable honour of putting them up during their journey, and so are competing for his attention even now."

"Even though they mostly don't like him?" Juushirou looked blank, and Shunsui shrugged.

"They don't hate him." He responded. "They know he's a good leader, and that he's generally fair in his judgements. They just don't like his Shiba connections - but that he's married a true Kyouraku has mollified a lot of people. They seem well disposed towards him right now. Otherwise I don't suppose they'd have so easily allowed Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime to stay here."

"That was you, though, wasn't it? Promising them something in exchange?" Hirata asked softly, consternation in his pale eyes. "I know you were the one who spoke to them...not Tokutarou-sama."

"I only gave them what they've been waiting to hear." Shunsui dismissed this with a flick of his hand. "I gave them my firm, solemn vow that when I graduate, I will take the _haori _of Eighth Division and the shinigami honour of this Clan on my shoulders. I'd already made up my mind to that, anyhow, but I'd only discussed it with Nii-sama, in case I changed my mind. But I don't think that's going to be an option - so I submitted to them. That was their demand - that if we were a Clan secure enough to offer sanctuary, especially if it might spark off violence between us and Seventh, they wanted my assurance that I was going to accept my responsibilities, too."

"Just that?" Kai was suspicious. "That sounds remarkably easy. Are you sure they didn't ask you to promise to fight for them, in the event of violence with District Seven?"

Shunsui was silent for a moment, and Juushirou knew that Kai had hit the nail on the head.

"That was it, then." He murmured, and Shunsui sighed.

"I don't believe there will be a war." He said gravely. "I don't believe Seventh are strong enough to mount an assault against us and the Shiba, and I don't think Seimaru is fool enough to order it. But yes, I did give them that promise too. That if it came to it...I would help protect the people Nii-sama governs. Because, even though I hate it, right now I'm his heir. And that's my duty too. If I accept the _haori_, I accept my Clan. And if I do that...this is one of those other duties that I have to take on board."

"I'm sorry." Hirata looked guilty, and Shunsui shook his head, tapping his friend on the brow with a grin.

"Don't. It isn't to do with you." He said lightly. "It's Kyouraku politics. And besides, I really don't think your cousin will send an army here. He'd be obliterated if he did - Kyouki-sama's made her views quite clear on the subject and even as a shinigami, I doubt Seimaru could stand up to Gekkoushin's wrath. Plus, the Council would see it as a sign of unprovoked aggression - and sanctions would be brought. It's a complicated business. I don't think that I'm going to have to keep that promise just yet."

He spread his hands.

"And if I do, well, then I will." He added simply. "Since protecting the people who fled from Seventh and the people who live in Eighth is a good thing...right? Isn't that what Yama-jii teaches us - to protect those weaker than ourselves? Isn't that why we're training in the first place?"

"Somehow hearing such words from you is unexpected, Kyouraku." Ryuu reflected. "Even if they are true."

"Well..." Shunsui paused, then sighed. "The truth is, I'm really hoping it won't come to that kind of a situation. I hate violence. I hate fighting. I don't see any justification for drawing a sword against another living being and I will probably always feel that way. But I've seen it before - fighting and so on, and what happens if you do nothing. So this time, I suppose, I'll try and do something. If it comes. Just because...that's my duty."

He shook his head as if to clear it.

"But enough of this! This is a party, not a wake! We're celebrating - let's drop the political blah for the time being, huh? No point in fretting over what may never happen! Come on - this calls for sake!"

"More sake?!" As Juushirou was pulled across the room, his companions in tow, he shot his classmate a startled glance. "Haven't you already drunk plenty of that?"

"I told you. I'm not drunk." Shunsui shook his head. "I can take a frightening amount of alcohol before I flop over, Juu - you'd be quite horrified, I think, if you knew how much."

"I don't think I need proof of it." Juushirou said wryly. "I'll just take your word for it."

"Shuuuuuunsui! Miiiitsukiii!" Sora descended on them at that moment, neatly preventing Shunsui from responding. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you guys!"

"Did someone say something about sake?" Hakubei came up behind her, offering Shunsui a grin. "Surely you haven't finished for the night already, Shunsui? That's unlike you."

"I was just explaining to Juu and the others that I'm well off my limit so far." Shunsui grinned. "Why? Were you offering?"

"I'm sure that I could quite easily put you under the table, if I tried." Hakubei eyed him speculatively, and Juushirou felt a flicker of unease stir in his heart as he registered the meaning in the older boy's eyes.

"Was that a challenge?" Shunsui arched an eyebrow, and Hakubei laughed.

"Could be." He agreed. "Well? We've time and Toku-nii won't want you right now, not with all those Clan fools milling around him looking for patronage and favour. That is, unless you're scared I'll beat you..."

"You wouldn't stand the vaguest chance of that, Hakubei." Shunsui snorted, and Kai frowned, glancing from one to the other.

"What kind of contest?" He asked suspiciously. "If you're saying what I think you are..."

"A drinking contest. That's all." Hakubei shrugged. "Anyone's welcome to play along - _if_ they think they can stand it."

"I think we'll pass." Juushirou cast Enishi a glance, seeing that his tall friend had curled up on one of the benches, and was already beginning to softly snore as the effects of the drink pervaded his system. "And you should too, Shunsui. This is a wedding party - you don't _want_ to get drunk, do you?"

"I have no intention of getting drunk at all." Shunsui said, smiling sweetly. "I can take far more alcohol than this before we get to that point."

"Oooh. That does sound like a challenge." Hakubei teased, and Sora groaned, shaking her head.

"Niii-samaaa." She protested. "You shouldn't be encouraging him. Tokutarou-nii would be cross with you, and Okaasama would be too."

"It's just for fun, Sora-chan. Nobody's going to get hurt." Hakubei said frankly, patting his sister on the head. "You don't have to get involved. Besides, it looks like Shunsui doesn't want to rise to the bait after all. I guess he's got soft since he went to this Academy of yours - I'll take it as my moral victory."

"I never said anything of the sort." Shunsui protested, amusement in his dark eyes. "If you want, I'll take you on. Fair and square."

"Kyouraku." Ryuu looked disapproving, but Shunsui shrugged.

"It's only for once. Tonight we can all let our hair down, since the wedding happened without incident." He said lazily. "You should relax more, Ryuu-kun - let yourself have a little fun once in a while."

He turned to Hakubei, nodding his head.

"I'm ready." He said lightly. "Name your terms."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

_Cookies for anyone who knows who 'Kirio' might be…and yes, she's canon._

_Keitarou's name kanji is _敬太郎. _Kei. Ta. Rou._

_Finally, the wedding. I have no idea how people in Ancient Soul Society got married. I have only the very vaguest ideas about how they might've done in Mediaeval Japan and really, I know nothing at all. This SS is set 2000 years before canon, and canon is Edo-jidai with computer science and so on and so forth. That being the case, I decided to make it up. Tokutarou's wedding bears little or no resemblance to anything actually Japanese, though it has bits and pieces that may connect in. It's just easier that way!!_

_Also...you're getting two chapters uploaded today! Because...I felt like it...! Yay! xD.  
_


	46. Puppet Master

**Chapter Forty Five: Puppet Master**

The night was dark and cloying, the air heavy and suffocating despite the chill as Eiraki slipped from her chamber, out into the grounds of the Kyouraku-ke manor. From the main building she could hear the noise of the wedding party, now into its final stages since it was already some time past midnight, and in drabs of two or three she could see people leaving the hall, some swaying and stumbling across the pathways towards their respective guest quarters.

Eiraki stood in the shadow of one of the great willow trees, watching them with expressionless eyes. Though she had attended the wedding, she could not find any joy in her heart for the occasion she and her mother had accidentally stumbled into. On the contrary, the ceremony had made her sad - for her thoughts had been drawn once more to Keitarou and the uncertain fate of the Urahara exile since their departure from District Seven.

Was he even alive? Eiraki hoped so, yet she could not stifle the restless shred of fear that stirred and burned deep within her as she thought of him. So many soldiers had been there...so many fighters and even the brave and strong Kibana had taken a serious wound in helping them escape. Had Keitarou been a victim too? Had he been cut down by Seimaru's men as he tried to distract their attention?

A shiver ran through her young body at this, and she put her hand to her chest as she felt something tighten itself around her heart. It had been there on and off for days - even since before she had left District Seven, and she knew the stress of the situation was still building up inside her, even despite her conversation with Mitsuki.

_The one you care for is here, and you can see him. The one I care for may no longer even live. It's not so easy to let go - even if I could tell you everything. And there's so much I cannot._

She sighed, closing her eyes against tears that came unbidden as she remembered the last conversation she and Keitarou had had once again.

_Ukitake-san's family may be lowborn, but they aren't controversial or scandalous. They aren't hated and reviled like Kei-sama's family are. Even if I told you...even if I did...would you understand? No matter how kind you are...Mitsuki-neesama, would you be able to see why it is I feel this way? Why I know that the Endou are more of an enemy than anything Kei-sama or his family have done?_

A couple passed her by at that moment, and she instinctively stepped back into the shadows, for some reason not wanting to be seen by anyone. They would only question her, she knew as to why she was wandering abroad alone at such unsociable times of night, and it might even create trouble for her and her family if they were to think her behaviour was suspicious. Yet she did not want to go back to her chamber. Something had drawn her out here, into the fresh air - and she did not feel like returning to the stifling, sleepless darkness of the guest room.

As she stepped back, she had the sudden impression that she was not alone, a sensation that was confirmed the next moment as a gloved hand came down on her shoulder and a second around her mouth before she could let out a scream. Fear coursed through her as she felt herself dragged backwards through the undergrowth - deeper and deeper into the woodland that flanked the Kyouraku estate. Her captor did not speak, merely pulling her further away from the main pathways and the wedding party that until a moment before had felt oppressive and isolating. Now she almost wished she was there, rather than here, the prey of an unknown lurking in shadow.

And then the shadow spoke.

"Please forgive my roughness, Eiraki-hime, but I cannot be seen any closer to the Kyouraku estate than this."

Eiraki's eyes widened as she found herself deposited gently on the ground, the gloved hands disappearing from her body as she swung round in disbelief, a lump rising in her throat. In the darkness, cast in vague shadow by the shreds of moonlight that filtered through the trees was the last person she had expected to see there, and a sudden jolt of emotion rushed through her as she stumbled forward, flinging herself on him with a stifled moan of relief. Tears coursed down her cheeks, flowing unchecked as she allowed her joy to fully wash over her senses.

At length, she managed to form the words.

"Kei-sama!"

"Shh...shh." Keitarou's hands were gentle as he carefully pried her away from his body, holding her at arm's length as he cast her a concerned look. "I'm sorry. It seems I've frightened you a good deal - that was not my intention."

"No." Eiraki shook her head hurriedly, reaching up to dash away the tears as more fell. "No, not at all. I just...I thought...I was so worried, Kei-sama. So, so worried. I thought I'd never...but you're here...and..."

She faltered, choking on her words as further sobs rose in her throat, and Keitarou patted her gently on the shoulder.

"I have worried you, then." He murmured. "But as you see, I'm quite well. And as I promised, I came here to see you were safe."

"Mm." Eiraki nodded, eyes shining as she gazed at him. It was true, she realised with a jolt. Though he was robed in the plainer attire of an ordinary traveller, he was clearly in good health, with no sign of any lingering injury about his lean body, and she let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Then...Seimaru-sama...does not know?"

"It seems that way." Keitarou agreed. "But I have kept out of his way since his return. There were no surviving witnesses to your escape, after all - they were all killed, and therefore...without proof..."

"None?" Eiraki stared. "But...those guards...are you saying...?"

"Kibana is a phenomenal soldier." Keitarou said gravely. "He fought to protect you. I trust...he is still with you? He took an injury before he left - tell me, did he make it safely to District Eight, or...?"

"Yes. Yes, he did, but he is still quite ill." Eiraki bit her lip. "He's asleep - but Tokutarou-sama's doctors are treating him and he...it seems he makes slow improvements. He collapsed on our arrival, but we were fortunate, Kei-sama. We fell into the path of Shunsui-sama...and...and my brother."

Keitarou's gaze became thoughtful.

"You have met with Hirata-sama?" He asked softly, and Eiraki nodded.

"He's here." She agreed. "And he's working hard, Kei-sama. To fight Seimaru is his intention, too. He means to do it, and I...I want to have faith in him."

"Then he has planned for this, just as we hoped?" Keitarou enquired. Eiraki bit her lip, remembering that morning's conversation.

"Okaasama says that it's too soon. That if he was thrown into that fight now, he would be killed." She murmured. "But he still…I think…he knows there are no other ways open to us. Although I tried asking him about the proof – the letter you told me you'd heard talk of – and he denied having it. So…perhaps it does not exist after all."

"He denied it." Keitarou's eyes became thoughtful. "Perhaps he seeks to protect his sister from all harm by doing so – do you think?"

"He swore on the blood and honour of his Clan that he did not." Eiraki whispered. "I do not think he would do such a thing and lie."

"So you believe it was a false lead? There is no letter?" Keitarou asked her, and Eiraki faltered.

"I don't know." She admitted. "He had a funny look…when I asked him. He never told me that the letter did not exist. Just that he did not have it – and would not give it to another Clan, not even the Shihouin whom he trusts. Perhaps…it does not exist. But I…I don't know, Kei-sama. I think…that if it does, it is not with him. And so he didn't lie to me, but even so…"

"He concealed from you the truth."

"Yes." Eiraki swallowed hard, disliking the sudden flicker of resentment that flared in her heart at this juncture. "He's never done that before, but this Nii-sama…I don't know him. He's grown up – grown away from me, somehow. There are other people…people I think he trusts more than me, now."

"_Other_ people?" Keitarou sounded surprised. "He has gathered allies to his cause? This Hirata-sama is indeed a perceptive young Lord…deserving, too, of our support, it would seem."

"I don't know." Eiraki sighed. "The ones he trusts…he hasn't said it. But they're other people. Other Clansfolk. And…not Clansfolk. Shihouin Kai-dono is also at the estate and he said very clearly that he was Father's ally and Hirata's, and so Mother's and mine too by default. I believed him. But Hirata-nii's relationship with Kai-dono – and with the others…it's different, somehow. They have an alliance, but they are…friends. Even if the politics are against them. He even befriends the son of this Kyouraku Clan enough that Shunsui-dono would go to lengths to ensure our protection here for his sake. Nii-sama has changed. Everything has changed. I can't explain it, but it makes me feel even more alone here. Especially because…even though he's been exiled for the longest, Nii-sama doesn't seem to…to be alone."

"Then I'm all the more glad I took the risk to come to see you." Keitarou said gently. "Because to leave you all alone was never my intention, Eiraki-hime."

"It's none of it your fault." Eiraki shook her head. "I just...sometimes I wonder if Nii-sama wants to go back at all."

"You think that he might not return home?" Keitarou was surprised, and Eiraki shook her head.

"I know he will. He's worried about Father, after all." She said heavily. "But whether he wants it – I don't know. Everyone around him calls him Hirata. Nobody calls him Endou-ke…nobody calls him '~sama' or '~dono', not even the District boy. And…I think he likes it that way."

"Seimaru-sama would be angry, if he knew that." Keitarou's lips thinned. "But then, I have no particular dislike of District boys, Eiraki-hime. Given my position…"

"I didn't mean that." Eiraki said hastily, her cheeks colouring in sudden embarrassment. "I don't either. I mean, Ukitake-san is nice. But just that…it's not what I'm used to, here. Everyone calls me '~hime' and I find I don't like it, because Nii-sama is just 'Hirata' and he…belongs with them. I don't know any more where I belong."

"Then we'll have to see about fixing that." Keitarou put his hand gently on her shoulder. "Won't we?"

"I was worried about you." Eiraki sighed, some of the tension seeping out of her body at his touch. "All of the time since we left - it was so hard. And I was worried about Otousama. Do you...have you...news for me? About...him?"

"I have not yet discovered his place of confinement." Keitarou shook his head regretfully. "And so that means my visit here is brief - I must return. I just wanted to see you safe. I am quite certain Misashi-sama is still alive - things that Seimaru-sama has said gives me hope that he is not being held far from the main manor. But I must still...discover more details."

"Then you're going back there?" Eiraki's heart sank. "Even though it's dangerous?"

"I am." Keitarou agreed. "I only came to see that you'd arrived here safely. And since you have, that means I, too, can stop worrying about you."

"You were...worried about me, too?" Eiraki asked hesitantly, and Keitarou smiled.

"Of course." He said gently. "You are very important to me, Eiraki-hime. I should hate to see anything unpleasant befall you."

"Oh!" Eiraki's eyes shone, her earlier depression lifting at his simple words. "Then...then I'm sorry you had to worry. I mean, I'm all right. I'm...I'm well. And Mother, too. And I have been fretting a little, but I will try not to. I...I'll try and talk again to Nii-sama and convince him that he can do this, and that...together...we can somehow put District Seven back to rights. Then it will all be well, won't it? And I can see to it...I can find a way, then, to make sure you and your kin are no longer persecuted, either."

"You haven't disclosed my secret to anyone, I trust?" Keitarou asked quietly, and Eiraki shook her head.

"I haven't. And I will not." She said firmly. "You can trust in me, Kei-sama. I won't say a word. Besides, it doesn't matter to me. You're Kei-sama, and that's all. You're someone I believe in...so I won't betray you."

"You're a good girl." Keitarou offered her a warm smile. "Though I knew that before I asked. You're someone I believe in too - far more than even you realise, I think."

He patted her gently on the shoulders, then,

"I'm curious." He admitted. "Since I've heard many rumours, both good and bad about this District friend of your brother's. Is he, do you think, the kind of person who Hirata-sama would trust?"

"I…think so." Eiraki nodded. "Perhaps more than anyone else, in truth."

"Even though he isn't Clan? Or because of it?"

"I don't know." Eiraki admitted. "Perhaps both…in different ways. Ukitake-san is a nice person. He's honest…and he doesn't seem to have ulterior motives. So Nii-sama trusts him because of that. I don't hate Ukitake-san for being close to my brother, Kei-sama. I just…am not used to it."

"Have you seen the sword he carries? The one that's rumoured to be a _zanpakutou_?" Keitarou asked. Eiraki shrugged.

"In its sheath. Not drawn in my presence." She replied. "But I believe it to be genuine. Grandfather ratified it. It must be."

"Would he not, then, as Hirata-sama's ally, be willing to fight for our cause? With that sword…in Hirata-sama's name?"

"I…I don't know." Eiraki bit her lip. "It's a difficult question to ask anyone, but a virtual stranger…"

"Or perhaps it's something else." Keitarou faced her thoughtfully. "You said that Hirata-sama trusted him perhaps most of all. This letter, Eiraki – it isn't in Hirata-sama's possession, nor the hands of another Clan. But…could it not be…in the hands of the District boy?"

Eiraki's eyes widened, and Keitarou nodded, touching his finger to her lips before she could respond.

"Say nothing of it." He whispered. "I may be wrong, and do not wish to bring him into danger. I may already have been followed here – who knows how your cousin's mind works? But it is possible. It is very possible that this Ukitake-san holds the key to everything. So do not upset him, Eiraki-hime. Do as you should do and trust in your brother and his new friends. Stay close to him and to them – and I will return here soon as I can to help."

"You will come back?" Eiraki asked sadly, pushing his arm aside, and Keitarou nodded.

"I expect so. When I can." He agreed. But for now I must go and so must you. We both have much to do, even tonight."

"Tonight? At this hour?" Eiraki was surprised, and Keitarou nodded, slipping his fingers into his _obi_.

"Even this late." He agreed, and Eiraki thought she saw something silver glitter briefly in the moonlight.

"_Kairaishi._"

Keitarou murmured the words almost too softly for the _hime_ to hear him, but even as she opened her lips to ask him what he'd said, she felt her body becoming slow and heavy, darkness flickering in from each corner of her vision as the black waves surged towards collision in the centre of her awareness. In the depths of her consciousness, she was aware that she was moving - perhaps reaching out to her fiancé, but she could not process that movement, and little by little she felt each of her senses dulling.

Had Mitsuki been right, then, in the end? Had she finally pushed beyond her limits?

This was the last thought she had as the night swept over her, casting her down into oblivion.

**

* * *

**

She had not fought against him at all.

Keitarou cupped his hand gently beneath Eiraki's chin, meeting her hazed blue eyes with his own pensive brown ones.

_Well, my little princess. Now we'll see, I suppose...just how useful you can be to me._

He slid something from the folds of his cloak, taking her right hand in his and pressing the cloth-wrapped object carefully into her grip.

"This is something you'll need." he said softly, and though she didn't speak, he was aware of a flicker in her spirit level as she accepted the object without complaint.

Keitarou stood back, eying her for a moment.

She was still young, he knew. Too young to be of ultimate use to him yet. But even so, the way in which she had greeted him...

"That belief in me isn't going to be easily shattered, is it?" He whispered, patting her on the head absently. "Well, so much to the good. I've been thinking, you see, about the current situation. And whether throwing all my eggs into Seimaru's basket is really the safest path to take. If I have this much loyalty from you, I will have to work hard to keep it. Seimaru intends to kill you - but I can think of more reason to keep you alive. In two years, I might make good on this betrothal, after all. You should stay loyal to me - and do as I tell you. Do so, and I'll ensure you keep your life - does that seem a fair deal to you?"

She did not answer, and Keitarou knew that she could not hear him speak, for she was cloaked in his sword's dark spell. He smiled.

"The information you gave me is useful, even ensconced as it was in your childish homesickness and loneliness." He reflected. "You confirmed a missing link for me – it seems that Hirata trusts the Ukitake boy, whose sword Shouichi ratified and who Seimaru despises. This District boy is far too involved in all of this to be an innocent, so it may be that Seimaru will not let me keep him so long as I'd like. But if I'm right, at the very least, I know from this point how best to act. To keep Seimaru happy, and to keep my own self happy. And, of course, I must further our objectives. Yours and mine, perhaps, Eiraki-hime – even if you don't realise it yet."

He sighed, patting her on the head.

"But for now, this doesn't matter. We both have work to do." He reflected sadly. "For now, following Seimaru's script seems the safest path, regardless of what happens later."

He pulled a vial from the folds of his cloak, shaking it and glancing at the coloured liquid for a moment before returning it to its hiding place.

_It shouldn't be hard to infiltrate a busy party full of people, not if I use kyakkou and cloak myself from sight. I'm used to working from the shadows – and everyone will be far too busy to notice me at this late stage of events. Alcohol flows freely in District Eight – that rumour was well known even when my Mother and Father were still of status enough to be seen at high society parties._

He grinned at her, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'll make it easy on you, after all – on both of us, as it happens, since I don't want any guardsmen interfering in what we do. I'll see to it that they take an early night – while you do the task I've charged you with."

His eyes narrowed.

_Whether you succeed or not, Eiraki, bring me one thing and one thing in particular. Whether you achieve Seimaru's goals or you don't...make sure you don't fail mine. Bring the District boy back to me._

Eiraki turned as though he had spoken out loud, her empty azure eyes glittering soullessly in the moonlight, and Keitarou nodded.

"Go then." He murmured. "I'll be waiting for you. Bring him to me."

* * *

"I can't believe those two."

Sora let out a sigh, running her fingers through her thick dark hair, loosening it from its formal ties and letting the black waves fall across her shoulders as she shot her companion a rueful glance. It was late, and they had only just managed to slip away from the main hall, heading through the hallways of the rambling Kyouraku estate towards the elite guest rooms that the manor boasted.

"Throwing a gauntlet like that down before Shunsui is like giving a steak to a ravenous dog, and expecting him to sit there and leave it alone." Sora continued now. "And Haku-nii is just as bad. I swear, it doesn't matter if he's wearing a _haori_ or he isn't these days. He's still as much of an idiot as ever. And when you get the two of them together!"

"Poor Sora." Mitsuki giggled, sending her friend a sympathetic look.

"They'd still be at it now if Ryuusei-nii hadn't stepped in and dragged Haku-nii away." Sora groaned. "God only knows what the rest of the Kyouraku think of it. They might forgive Shunsui the spectacle, but the Captain of Tenth Squad..."

She shook her head as if to clear it.

"You don't want brothers, Mi-chan. You should be glad you don't have any - they're more trouble than they're worth. Especially brothers who aren't really brothers!"

"Kyouraku-kun was holding his own quite well, though." Mitsuki reflected. "To be honest, I've never seen anything like it."

"Well, all I'm saying is this. I won't be sympathetic to either of them if they wake with hangovers." Sora said bluntly. "It's their problem. I'm having nothing to do with it - if they want to behave like children, well, let them!"

She tossed her head, and Mitsuki laughed, slipping her arm in her friend's as they turned onto the hallway which led to the Kuchiki girl's bed chamber.

"Still, it took your mind off today a little bit." She observed softly. "Getting mad at them meant you weren't moping over Tokutarou-sama, didn't it?"

"I suppose so." Sora sighed, looking sheepish. "I don't know how I feel about it, even now. I accept it - I'm not mad at anyone. But you're right. It's easier to yell at Shunsui and Haku-nii than it is to think about the other thing. I guess, with time, I'll get used to it...and it'll be normal to think that Tokutarou-nii is married. But...yeah. It was a good distraction."

She grinned.

"Maybe _I_ should've been the one drinking, after all. Except Mother would have had plenty to say if I did - and she's plenty scary when she wants to be about the kind of image we Shiba put out when we're in District Eight."

"Only in District Eight?" Mitsuki asked innocently, slipping her fingers into her _obi _for the key to her door and sliding it into the lock.

Sora snorted, giving her friend a playful shove.

"_You_ are getting far too mischievous, you know." She said ruefully. "When we first started at the Academy, you'd never have teased me like this. And what about you! You said that there's nothing between you and Juushirou, yet who were you sitting riiiiight up close to to listen to the music? Don't think I didn't notice."

Mitsuki flushed red.

"I suppose...a little." She admitted. "It was nice...that's all. And he looked...smart this evening. Really...almost like...I could imagine he was...somehow, Kuchiki-ke."

"You thought so too, huh?" Sora pursed her lips. "He did clean up nice, that's for sure. I don't know what orders Tokutarou-nii gave so as he wouldn't feel out of place, but he did a good job of it. Though the colours weren't Kuchiki, Mi-chan - so you'll have to think again."

"Ukitake Clan colours, perhaps." Mitsuki reflected. "Either way...he was...I liked it. And I...even though it can't really be anything other than just that, it was nice to spend this evening with him. Kind of. Like that."

"Well, he was staring at you a lot too, so that fits." Sora grinned. "You look real pretty too - I guess he noticed."

"He did say...something like that." Mitsuki pinkened. "But now you're teasing me. And it's late."

"It is." Sora sighed, stretching her arms over her head. "And I can't be bothered to walk all the way across to the suite of rooms where the rest of my Clan are staying. I'll just hear Ryuusei-nii lecturing Haku-nii and Mother coming down on them both like a ton of bricks. Can I bunk in with you tonight? It's not as though there isn't room, and I'd rather have been sharing with you from the start."

"I don't mind." Mitsuki shrugged, sliding open the door and stepping back to let her friend enter. "I'm not really tired, despite how late it is. I'm really glad I came, though - tonight was fun. _Today _was fun. And it was especially fun to share it with friends. I just wish Nao-chan had been here too. Then it would've been even better."

"Yeah." Sora dropped down onto a silk-covered cushion, reaching over to activate the kidou lamps with a touch of her finger. "But she's not the kind of person who regrets missing events, so she'll probably be completely unmoved when we tell her all about it."

She dimpled.

"You came, though. And that made it fun." She said warmly.

"Most fancy events I go to are Kuchiki ones, and I spend most of my time avoiding the Clansfolk who think I'm weird." Mitsuki pulled a face. "I'm not used to actually enjoying myself...it's a brand new sensation."

"Me either...but more for the reason that I'm expected to be pretty, poised and _hime-rashiku _for the whole evening when we have guests." Sora groaned. "And that's really not me. I'll be much happier wearing _shihakushou_ and swinging a sword at monsters than being the Shiba _hime_, that's for sure. Okaasama gets away with it - but I can't, yet, and it's annoying."

"The more time we spend at the Academy, the more Clan shackles we begin to see, huh?" Mitsuki sank down onto her own bedcovers, crossing her legs and resting her chin in her hands. "I never thought about it before Guren-sama insisted I be sent to train - but now I see it more and more."

"Do you think they'll come around to it? You being a healer and not a fighter?" Sora questioned. Mitsuki shrugged.

"I don't know." She admitted. "To be honest, though I miss Otousama when I'm away, it's probably just as well I'm not home right now. Guren-sama may or may not feel it's the right thing, but there's always the risk that he might decide I'm better off married away somewhere, and I don't want to be around in a place to give him those ideas. Ryuu-kun might be old enough to make his own decisions - but I'm not yet."

"You've already made them, though. Just like me." Sora reflected, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I have." She agreed, a faint, wistful smile touching her lips. "More resolutely since the summer, in fact."

"Since the summer?" Sora looked quizzical. "Why? What happened during the summer?"

"Nothing particularly." Mitsuki shook her head hurriedly. "I just realised...that's all. That I wasn't going to just marry because I was told to."

Sora's eyes narrowed.

"You want to marry Juushirou." She said accusingly, and Mitsuki shrugged, glancing at her hands.

"Even if I did, what then?" She asked sensibly. "I can't, Sora. We both know that. Not right now, probably not ever. But..."

"But you've thought about it. Maybe...even discussed it with him." Sora deduced. "And probably scared him sky high, too. Juushirou's family aren't Clan, and all that kind of stuff probably doesn't get discussed with kids."

"He was startled. A little...taken aback." Mitsuki acknowledged. "But I wanted him to understand. Was I wrong, Sora? I know...after all. I can't change how I feel. I'm not going to feel like this again."

"You don't know that." Sora snorted. "I'm still in love with Tokutarou-nii, but I can't say I always will be. You can't say it, either. Not at the age you are now."

"No..." Mitsuki shook her head. "It's not like that. Sora, it's not...I can't explain it, but..."

She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Maybe it's because I'm a healer." She reflected. "And I see and feel so deep into people's hearts and souls as a matter of course. But I know...that I'm tied to Juushirou in some way or other and that tie will never be broken. No matter how our relationship progresses or doesn't - if we stay close friends for the rest of existence, or are even separated - I know that it will always be this way. It's a bond...one that can't be broken. Everyone has those kinds of bonds with people - people who make a difference in their life. This one...is mine."

"You're really serious." Sora looked startled, and Mitsuki nodded her head.

"I am." She agreed. "Juushirou was the catalyst that pushed me into accepting what I was and pursuing my own path, after all. Meeting him, getting to know him and what he fights for...made me work out what _I_ fight for, and how. And it made me realise what I want. I'm in love with him, true enough. I may or may not always feel this way - you're right that I can't know that for sure. But that I'll always be tied to him...that much I know. I just...do."

"Deep stuff." Sora reflected. "Although...I sort of feel that it's that way, too. With our class, at least. That all of us, no matter what we do or where we go - we've all shared experiences and we'll stay connected because of them. I don't think that's really happened before - but I like it. That my closest friends aren't Shiba-ke, and that they don't have to be, either. It's nice."

She grinned.

"Though I won't be fighting alongside you in the future, I'll still do my best." She added. "And maybe, if I get myself beaten up, you can come put me back together."

"Mm. It's a promise." Mitsuki laughed. "Without fail, I'll be there."

"It really is late." Sora cast a glance towards the window. "I suppose not many people will be awake come the dawn. Do you suppose breakfast will be served at all, or will they move right on till lunch?"

"No idea." Mitsuki admitted. "But you're right - I doubt many folk will be up and about at sunrise. Its not that kind of..."

She faltered, stopping mid-sentence, and Sora frowned, taking in the sudden look of consternation that crossed the other girl's gaze.

"Mi-chan? What is it?" She asked, and Mitsuki bit her lip, scrambling to her feet and moving across to the window.

"Mi-chan?" Sora repeated her friend's name, following suit and coming to stand alongside her, realising as she did so that her companion's body was suddenly wracked with tension and the laughter that had sparkled in the healer's soft grey eyes had completely disappeared.

"Something...out there." She murmured, and Sora frowned, brows knitting together as she gazed out into the black.

"Something? What kind of something? You'll have to be more specific - I don't understand?"

"Nor do I. Not really." Mitsuki shook her head, grabbing Sora by the hand and pulling her back towards the door of the room. "I just felt...something. Like a curtain being dropped across someone's soul - something dark and invasive and I didn't like it."

"Wait! What...where are we going!" As Mitsuki threw back the door, Sora struggled to break free of her companion's grip. "At least tell me that much?"

"Wherever it's coming from. That's where we're going." Came the cryptic answer. "There isn't time to stop here - Sora, whatever it was, it was dark and...and it felt evil. Like something had come and snatched someone's soul away...right here...in the grounds."

"Snatched their soul?" Sora's face paled, and Mitsuki nodded grimly.

"I can't explain it any other way." She murmured. "But I think...if we don't go there, something will happen. Something terrible and unchangeable...something bad. So we have to, Sora-chan. Please. Don't ask me any more questions. Just come with me, okay? Whatever it is...we have to try and stop it before something awful happens on Tokutarou-sama's wedding night!"

* * *

It had been a long night, yet Juushirou could not sleep.

With the excitement of the party and the events of the day, he had tossed and turned for a little while, too many thoughts running through his head as he reflected on everything he had seen and heard since Tokutarou's wedding had begun.

In the next bed, Hirata was fast asleep, having slipped into dreaming almost before his head had hit the pillow, and Juushirou had envied him the ease with which he had shed the day's excitements. Still, he did not begrudge his young friend his rest - Hirata had, after all, plenty to worry about when awake, and if he could grab a few hours respite, so much to the good.

At the very least, it seemed that the wedding had done that much for the young Endou - and Shunsui and Hakubei's resultant drinking contest had succeeded in distracted any and everyone from the more serious political issues that hung heavy over the Districts. It had been a good ceremony, and a fun time - yet it had proven to Juushirou once again that even robed as Clan, he would never quite be Clan.

_  
Still, that's all right. Like that, it's okay. I don't have to be Clan to be friendly with them - I've proven that several times before. So in the end, it's better this way. Though I'm grateful for Tokutarou-sama inviting me - it was good of him, and I'm glad that he did._

A slight noise from the doorway made him start, turning his head on his pillow to see where the sound had come from. At first he could see nothing, yet all the hairs on the back of his neck began to rise and he bit his lip, wondering what had made him feel so suddenly uneasy. The shutters banged loose at the window, sending a chill breeze into the chamber, but despite the sudden drop in room temperature, Juushirou knew that there was something else amiss. It was more than the winter wind, more than the sound of owls hunting outside the Kyouraku estate. It was something darker...something more sinister. Something that he could not quite put his finger on.

Yet he was certain of one thing. Something was definitely wrong.

At that moment the cloud drifted away from the moon, bathing the sleeping Hirata in silvery light and Juushirou's eyes widened as he registered what had made him so uneasy. Standing over his friend's bed, cast in shadow and unrecognisable in the darkness was a hooded figure, a stiff, unmoving form staring down at him as if ascertaining that they had found the right person.

Juushirou froze.

_Someone was in their room._

Someone had come there, unnoticed and unbidden...and despite the heightened Kyouraku security, they had managed to make it this deep into the house. Was it another guest? A sleepwalker, or someone having got lost in a drowsy, drunken daze as they tried to find their own quarters? Juushirou drew a breath into his lungs, trying to calm himself down. There were any number of reasons a stranger might have accidentally entered their room - yet his vocal chords froze as he tried to speak and somehow, deep down inside, he knew that whatever the reason, it was not an innocent one.

For a moment nothing in the chamber moved, then, as fragments of winter cloud began to make the moonlight patchy, the figure raised their arm purposefully over their head, a gauzy shred of the covering cloth falling unnoticed to the floor and Juushirou's blood ran cold as he realised what the individual was holding.

Clutched tight in the fingers of the hooded assailant was something that glinted in the moonlight, sharp and unforgiving in the blackened chamber. In the indistinct light Juushirou could just about make out the faintest of patterning - the blossoms that adorned it were the same as the Yuukirin flowers that Shunsui had shown them in the grounds some days before, and with a jolt Juushirou registered the significance of this.

Someone had come to their chamber, expecting them to be asleep.

Someone had come, bearing a weapon - a weapon with a sharp, silver blade and with an all too familiar monogram across the hilt.

A weapon meant to silence the exiled son of the Endou-ke once and for all.

A _Kyouraku_ dagger.

* * *

  
_**Author's Note:**_

#1: Kirio. People who guessed...you were right! xD Well done. Cookies for all O.O. 

_#2: Happy new year to everyone! And yes, I did make it a cliffhanger knowing you'll have to wait till NEXT YEAR to find out what happens next! Mwahaha!!!_

Some things just never have happy endings....


	47. Juushirou's Choice

**Chapter Forty Six: Juushirou's Choice**

"_Hadou no Ichi: Shou!"_

As the knife came down, Juushirou's instinct overrode his initial shock, the words of the spell breaking through the uneasy silence as he threw back his covers, stretching his right hand out determinedly towards the attacker. As he prepared for a second attack, light glittering at his fingertips in readiness for any sudden assault from the interloper, the figure fell back, stumbling away from the bed. In that moment the hood slipped back from their face, revealing their features for the first time.

Horror gripped Juushirou's heart as he absorbed what he was seeing.

"_Eiraki-hime?" _

At the sound of her name the girl glanced up, eyes blank and confused as she stared at him across the chamber. As she did so, she seemed to see for the first time what was clasped between her fingers and she let out a gasp of horror, the weapon sliding from her grip and falling to the floor with a thud as she took a fearful step back from her brother's bed. Confusion and terror swirled in her reiatsu, and Juushirou faltered, registering that the young girl was shaking, her features silver pale in the cold winter moonlight.

"Eiraki-hime, why…" He began, but before he could finish his question, the girl had turned on her heel, fleeing from the chamber. Juushirou was up in an instant, reaching instinctively for the sheathed form of Sougyo no Kotowari that lay beside his bed. Then he hesitated, remembering the sudden fear that had pierced the young girl's reiatsu as he had confronted her.

_Almost as though she didn't know what she was doing. Almost as though she was asleep…and I woke her up._

He bit his lip, turning to glance at Hirata as she did so. The younger boy was still asleep, worn out from the exertions of the day and the worry that rested on his thin shoulders, and for a moment Juushirou paused, ensuring that his friend had come to no harm. Hirata was unmarked, however, and the knife that had come so close to slashing through his vulnerable body lay abandoned on the floor.

He picked up the dagger, turning it over in his hands as he examined the hilt. As he had expected, the wood was engraved with the Kyouraku crest and Yuukirin flower that Shunsui had described to them – yet it was old and worn at the edges, as though it had not seen use for many years. It seemed old fashioned and strange, Juushirou decided, and as he ran his fingers along the sleek metal blade, he felt something else – only the faintest of traces, but the unfamiliar wash of someone's lingering reiatsu.

_Eiraki-hime's?_

Juushirou dismissed this almost at once, for though the young girl's energy had flared in that moment after he had fired the Kidou, her spirit power was weak and besides, as he processed the sensation more carefully, Juushirou realised with a jolt that this was not Endou reiatsu. He had worked with Hirata since the start of the first year, had spoken to both Sumire and Eiraki, had met Misashi and the dead Shouichi, yet this sensation matched none of them. And, as dread and confusion grew in his own mind, Juushirou realised something else.

That the reiatsu did not belong to Seimaru, either.

_A Kyouraku weapon. An unknown reiatsu. And Eiraki-hime, here, with the intention of…what? Something is very wrong with this. Very, very wrong indeed._

In that moment, Juushirou made up his mind.

It was a Kyouraku blade, but it had been Eiraki who had wielded it…Eiraki who had come here and Eiraki who had purposefully brought the weapon down towards her older brother's sleeping body. Yet even so, Juushirou had seen the girl's terror and had understood – that though she had been here, and though she had held the knife aloft without hesitation, it had not been Eiraki who had tried to kill Hirata.

It had been someone else. Someone with unknown reiatsu. Someone in possession of a Kyouraku blade.

_One of Shunsui's kinsfolk?_

Juushirou gritted his teeth, knowing that the possibility was there.

_Yet in that case…why Eiraki-hime? Why…I don't understand?_

"Because someone else was pulling the strings, Juushirou."

You's voice echoed softly in his head and he turned, putting the Kyouraku dagger down and crossing the room once more to where his _zanpakutou_ lay. Gently he pulled it from its scabbard, noticing the faint prickles of light that ran indignantly down the metal blade.

"You sense it too, don't you? The taint of another's hand in this. You felt it then, on that dagger – your senses are sharper than ever now you have us to help you. Don't doubt your instinct. This was not what it seemed. You know it too – don't you?"

_Yes._

Juushirou's brows knitted together.

_But I don't understand, even so. I don't know…how…_

"A puppet master in the shadows."

That was In, her voice agitated and anxious as she swished her tail against his senses.

"The young girl is a victim too – she may yet be in more danger. Deep inside of her – have you not felt it? Tonight it blossomed – some dark shred of someone else's evil will. Someone else's _zanpakutou_, Juushirou. Someone in the darkness, pulling on the strings."

Juushirou's eyes widened, and he gripped his weapon more tightly.

_Eiraki-hime was being controlled…by someone else's zanpakutou? But whose? A Kyouraku's? There's probably enough of them who distrust the Endou, and I know that Shunsui has kinsfolk who have proper swords. But even so…_

"While you spend time here trying to dissect the evidence, a young girl might be killed." You spoke sharply, reawakening Juushirou to the danger. "Your Kidou broke the hold over her, and brought her back to herself. You saw it, after all – the fear and confusion in her eyes as though you'd woken her from a dream. But she's failed in what she was sent to do. Hirata still lives. And because of that…"

_Whoever did this might be angry._

Juushirou nodded, pulling the weapon fully from the sheath and sliding the black, polished wood scabbard beneath his blankets as he remembered the secret letter concealed deep within it.

_I don't know what I'm going to face, and if it's to do with Eiraki-hime, it may also be to do with the Endou, after all. Better this stays here. Better it's with Hirata…just in case something happens. With any luck, it won't – with any luck I'll find Eiraki-hime and Hirata won't need to ever know anything about this. But just in case…I won't risk it. Since even though Seimaru's reiatsu wasn't the reiatsu I felt…even so, that doesn't mean whoever it is might not be looking for that letter._

"You've become suspicious in your old age, Juushirou." In observed softly, and he could hear You's quiet chuckle.

"So he should be, with the training we've given him." He said approvingly. "We've taught him well, In."

_Then we're going._

Juushirou tightened the sash of his night robe more tightly around his body, sliding the unprotected blade between the folds of fabric. As an afterthought he kicked the dagger beneath a pile of Hirata's belongings, then he pushed back the door, hurrying out into the corridor as he tried to pinpoint Eiraki's faint, feeble reiatsu.

At first he could sense nothing, then a prickle ran down his spine as he locked onto it, flaring and frightened as the young girl fled into the night. There was another there, he realised, and, with horror, she was heading right towards it.

Drawn by her puppet master into a trap?

Juushirou quickened his pace, heart thumping in his chest as he realised how much time he had already lost through his initial hesitation.

_I won't let anything happen to Hirata's sister, In'you. I can't do that. We have to find her first – we can do that, can't we? I promised Misashi-sama that I'd use my sword to help Hirata – surely helping Eiraki-hime is an extension of that aim?_

"Be careful, Juushirou." You warned. "You don't know the enemy you go to face. Even In and I cannot fully ascertain what kind of foe this is – he's clever and cloaks himself, giving only enough away to lure his prey to him."

_His prey?_

Juushirou's eyes became slits.

_Eiraki-hime? Hirata? Or me, following her through the darkness? _

"So long as you're aware of that possibility." In told him firmly. "Not everything is always as it seems, after all – go into this with your eyes open. Eiraki is a weak child. You are a strong one. The damage a puppet master can use her to wreak is small – but if he were to take _you_ off guard…"

"Are you saying Juushirou should not go into this alone?" You asked, and Juushirou felt In sigh.

"I'm saying I don't want to see him hurt." She said heavily. "While he exists to protect others, You, we exist to protect and defend him."

_I won't get hurt. That's why I have you with me._

Juushirou responded frankly.

_Between the three of us we can't be easily fooled. And I mean what I say, In'you. I want to find Eiraki-hime – before whoever this other person is manages to hurt her more than he already has. She knew, after all, in that moment. I saw it in her eyes. She didn't understand how or why she was there, but she knew that she had a knife, and she knew that she was there to hurt Hirata. No little sister should ever have that look in their eyes…and nobody who's been through as much as Eiraki-hime should have to go through any more. It's not fair. I'll make it stop. I have to make it stop!_

"Juushirou!"

Mitsuki's voice broke through his thoughts, and he faltered for a brief moment, registering his classmate's reiatsu from the hallway beyond. Sora was with her, but in that split-second, Juushirou had made up his mind.

_It may be dangerous. I won't take you with me._

"Juushirou, where are you going?"

He quickened his pace, ignoring his friend's call as he focused his whole attention on locating Eiraki before she fell into danger. Her spirit had become more erratic now, raw and shredded as he felt her fear overwhelm her, and deep down he wondered if Mitsuki could feel it as well.

Yet he did not pause to ask her, for at that moment he reached the main door of the estate.

It was locked, but the window alongside it had a loose catch and a quick glance at it told him that it had been through here that Eiraki had scrambled out into the grounds beyond. With the blunt hilt of his sword Juushirou found he could force it open further, slipping his skinny body through the resultant gap and down onto the grass. It was cold and damp, but he forced back the initial shock of the winter weather, pressing forward towards where he knew the young Endou princess had been heading.

She had slowed, and as he reached a knot of willow trees, he caught sight of her, her breath coming in heavy gasps as she clung on to the trunk of the nearest tree. She had exhausted herself, tears glittering on her cheeks and, to Juushirou's dismay, as he approached her she faltered, dropping to the ground and coughing violently. Blood splattered on the frozen grass, and instinctively Juushirou hurried to support her, frightened by the shudders that wracked through her thin frame.

_Just like Shunsui and the others must feel, when it's me. I didn't realise…how truly frightening it is to see someone cough blood._

At first she did not seem aware of him, her attention entirely caught up in her struggle to catch her breath. Then, as the spasm subsided, she seemed to realise someone was with her and she tensed, staring up at him in horror and fright.

"It's all right." Juushirou was quick to reassure her. "I've come to help you, not hurt you. You were coughing – and I know how that feels, so I wanted to…"

He bit his lip, realising that he was still touching her, and he hastily withdrew his hands, bowing his head in apology towards her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to grab you. Just I thought you might fall and…when I cough, it helps if someone else supports me."

Eiraki took a shaky breath into her lungs, and Juushirou could see the terror in her blue eyes.

"What happened to me?" She whispered, her voice hoarse and faint. "Why am I…what…was I dreaming? What…who…Ukitake-san, why…?"

"You were sleepwalking." Juushirou said gently. "And you came to Hirata and I by mistake. I think I frightened you – I'm sorry – and you ran. I came after you – and here we are."

"Sleep…walking?" Eiraki's eyes clouded and Juushirou could tell she was struggling to piece what he said together with the jagged shards of memory that filled her own thoughts. "To…Nii-sama?"

"Mm. But he's still asleep. Only I was awake, so…"

Juushirou tensed, his gaze flitting from the girl into the woodland beyond as he felt the briefest flicker of that same, strange reiatsu, and Eiraki let out a heavy sigh. At the last minute Juushirou realised the girl had fainted, and he reached out arms to catch her, holding her tightly as he registered that faint sensation becoming clearer and more defined.

"Who are you?" He demanded, the fingers of his right hand inching instinctively towards Sougyo no Kotowari's hilt as he thought he heard the soft tread of footsteps through the frozen undergrowth. "Show yourself – tell me why you hurt Eiraki-hime and what you want from her!"

"I'm impressed." A voice came from the shadows, and for the first time Juushirou was aware of a man, leaning up against the trunk of a nearby tree. He had not been there a moment before, Juushirou had been sure of it, yet the faint flickers of spirit power neatly dispersing on the wind told him that he had been fooled by a spell and that he had been watching their conversation from the start.

"_Kyakkou_." He murmured, and the stranger laughed, bowing his head in acknowledgement towards the young shinigami.

"Even more so, then, that your wits are keen enough to not only discern my kidou but name it."

"Answer my question." Juushirou demanded. "Who are you and why are you hurting Eiraki-hime?"

"I've no intention to hurt Eiraki-hime." The man shook his head, stepping into the moonlight and revealing himself to Juushirou for the first time. He was tall and slender, robed all in black with dark hair tied in a rough tail at the nape of his neck. It was his eyes, however, that struck Juushirou the most – for they were both familiar and unlike any he had ever seen before, and seemed to be mocking and examining him at the same time.

"On the contrary, I intend to keep her alive – which is more than can be said for others closer to her bloodline."

Juushirou frowned, shaking his head.

"Don't lie." He said softly. "Look at her. She's exhausted and frightened and you…it was you, wasn't it? You gave her the knife, you sent her to our chamber…you made her act like this. You're the puppet master – its _your_ strings that controlled her and drove her to attack Hirata. If I hadn't have interfered…"

"So she failed." The man did not seem concerned by this, shrugging his shoulders. "Oh well. You win some. You lose some, in the end."

"Then you admit it was you?" Juushirou demanded, and the tall man laughed.

"You already know that it was." He said lightly. "It was quite intentional, after all. I didn't know, of course, how sensitive your wits were and that you'd realise quite so quickly that Eiraki-hime was being manipulated. But I did expect her attempt to be disturbed. Why else would I send her into a chamber to commit a crime when there could be a witness to her act? Don't be foolish. Of course you would have stopped her. Of course she would have failed."

"I don't understand." Juushirou was on edge now, casting the stranger a confused look, and his companion nodded.

"You do." He said cheerfully. "You already told me, after all. I manipulated Eiraki-hime to go attack her brother. You know exactly what the situation is – don't do yourself down."

"Who are you and what do you want?" Juushirou snapped, and the man took a few steps towards them, crouching down at Eiraki's side. Juushirou flinched back, pulling the unconscious girl away from the man's long, pale fingers, and the stranger sighed, shaking his head.

"She came looking for me." He said quietly. "Eiraki-hime isn't afraid of me. She doesn't suspect me – she trusts me. Why would I betray that trust by hurting her?"

"You already hurt her. You did this to her!"

"You have a lot of opinions, for one so young and so low born." The man raised his gaze, and Juushirou found those odd, mud-slurried eyes piercing into his own, seemingly seeing right through to the core of his soul. "But I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything less…not from the first District shinigami."

Juushirou tensed, staring at him in alarm, and the man nodded.

"I know who you are. Ukitake Juushirou." He said calmly. "I've heard all about you, after all. _All_ about you. You seem to have made important friends and important enemies, little by little – Seimaru-sama has already told me plenty about you and the way in which you faced him, a year or more ago."

"Seimaru." Anger flooded through Juushirou's system. "So this _is_ to do with him. You _are _to do with him! You sent Eiraki-hime to hurt Hirata on Seimaru's orders – she was your puppet and you're his, is that it?"

His fingers closed around the hilt of his _zanpakutou_, but his companion smiled, shaking his head and reaching gently across to uncurl the boy's grip. Startled by this temerity, Juushirou did not resist, and amusement glittered in the other's brown eyes.

"I didn't come here to hurt you. And I am not interested in killing Hirata-sama." He said softly. "You are not wrong, when you say it was my technique that manipulated Eiraki-hime and that it was on Seimaru-sama's orders that I so engaged her. But unlike Seimaru-sama, it troubles me not at all if his kinsfolk live or if they die. Eiraki-hime's life is in my hands – without my protection, Seimaru-sama will doubtless slay her. It was thanks to me that she escaped from District Seven at all. Thanks to my handiwork that she and her mother and that loyal soldier of theirs were able to slip over the divide and into safe, neutral territory where Seimaru-sama's hands can't reach. For his gain? For theirs? It doesn't really matter. I have an interest in keeping them alive, and so I made it happen, just like this."

He sat back, eying Juushirou thoughtfully, and despite himself, the District boy was bemused.

"I sent Eiraki-hime as Seimaru-sama's puppet, because in that way, I could ensure her escape and that she would live." He said softly. "That she would fail…or succeed…didn't interest me particularly. I don't care about the boy's life either way. Eiraki-hime is more useful to me – as tonight has clearly proved."

"You're Seimaru's servant yet you're betraying him?" Juushirou asked softly.

"No." The other man shook his head. "I'm not fool enough to do that. He's useful, after all – he has been and still will be, I imagine, as time moves on. Just…the fate of his family is not the only cause for which I'm fighting. It is a useful distraction, but it is not my real aim."

He cast Juushirou a faint smile, yet it did not reach those strange eyes.

"I have more of an interest in you than in the Endou-ke." He said honestly. "So I planned and used Eiraki-hime to bring you out. I also drugged the guards after the noble procession left, so nobody else would be able to interfere in our conversation tonight. I wanted to see you for myself. Rumours aren't enough, after all – I wanted to know exactly who this District shinigami was and why so many people were made uneasy by him. Now we've met face to face, I'm all the more curious – about what kind of power you wield in that controversial blade and whether or not you are suitable…for what I have in mind."

"This was…to lure _me_ out?" Juushirou faltered, horror in his gaze. "You hurt Eiraki-hime…put her through all of that…because you wanted _me_?"

"Every piece in a puzzle has its correct place." The other man got to his feet. "With patience, you can build the whole picture. It takes time, and it takes effort, and everything has to fit exactly as it's supposed to. When that happens, everything becomes clear. When you finish the puzzle, Ukitake…that is when all those pieces come together into one whole."

"What does that mean?" Juushirou stared, and the other man chuckled.

"Think it over. Perhaps you'll understand."

"How can I? I don't even know who you are."

"Who I am?" The man pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I suppose that depends who you ask. If you speak to the Council, you'll find me an outlaw and an exile. Speak to the Endou-ke, and I'll be a distant kinsman from the border territories. Speak to Eiraki-hime, and I'll be the brave fiance who helped bring her to freedom. Speak to…"

"Wait a minute. _You're _Eiraki-hime's fiance?" Juushirou interrupted him, incredulous and the man nodded. "_You're_ Minazake Roukei?"

"That name will do, if you like." Keitarou agreed lightly. "What you call me doesn't really matter, after all. What's important is why I came – and what you intend to do from now on."

"Take Eiraki-hime back inside and report this to Kyouki-sama." Juushirou said blackly. "Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama believe that you were their ally – that you had a grudge against Seimaru and were acting with them because of it. Yet you're his servant and you betrayed them. They deserve to know the truth – so that's what I'm going to do."

"I see." Keitarou looked pensive. "And if Eiraki-hime was to die, would you accept that as a burden of having reported the truth?"

"Eiraki-hime isn't going to die!" Juushirou protested hotly. "Not if I take her with me now, and I will!"

"Mm. Hot-headed and principled but still naïve." Keitarou shook his head, sliding his hand into his _obi_ and producing his _tantou_ knife. "I've never wielded a sword, Ukitake, but even so, this is what you would call my '_zanpakutou_'."

He tilted it, causing the monogrammed blade to catch the stray beams of moonlight.

"Do you see there, at the tip, where a tiny fragment is missing? That piece is burrowed deep inside of Eiraki-hime's heart as we speak. Deeper and deeper it runs, so as I can control her as I see fit. But there's only so long my influence can remain inside of her before her body rejects it completely and starts to shut down. Already she's choking and coughing blood. Perhaps another twenty-four hours? Forty-eight, at best. So long as that chip remains lodged there – Eiraki-hime's frail form isn't a match for the _reiryoku_ I have, and it will start to poison her."

"Then…all of her symptoms…her coughing, and tiredness…have been because of you?" Juushirou's eyes widened with horror, and Keitarou shrugged.

"A calculated gamble. I was sure that I'd have the opportunity to remove it before it killed her." He said lightly. "And I will, here and now, if you like."

"Why?" Juushirou was suspicious, and Keitarou nodded.

"Yes, there is an ulterior motive." He agreed. "I will withdraw the shard from Eiraki-hime's body, and she will heal. But in return, I can't have you running around telling people I was here. They may make the connection, after all, and realise that Minazake is not my only name. Also, I didn't come all this way just to look at you. I have other things in mind – in the pursuit of broadening my knowledge and widening my research. And there are things which we must speak of that should not be mentioned here. So my terms are these, Ukitake. I will free Eiraki-hime from my spell and she will make a full recovery. But in return, you will come with me. You will come with me back to District Seven, and we will talk in more detail about this unusual, unexpected talent you seem to have for Shinigami arts."

"Come with you? So Seimaru can kill me?"

"Seimaru-sama will not kill you." Keitarou assured him lightly. "While I'm sure he'd have plenty to say to you, I have no intention of giving you to him, nor of letting him destroy such an interesting line of enquiry."

"Then…?"

"You can even bring your sword. Sougyo no…Kotowari, isn't it?" Keitarou smiled. "I'm not a soldier. I haven't trained like you have to fight. Do you think I can hurt you, even so?"

"Be careful, Juushirou." You's words rippled against his senses, but Juushirou sighed, glancing at the pale, unconscious form of the young princess that huddled against his body. There was still blood against her lips, and somehow he knew the other man had spoken the truth.

_I promised Misashi-sama to be Hirata's ally. To save his sister is to keep that promise, isn't it? I have no choice, In'you. For her sake, I can't take the risk. She's not strong. We are. Somehow…if I walk away from this, I'll know that…Eiraki-hime's life could have been saved and I was the one who condemned her. Even though it's not my spell, even so…now I know what it can do. And I can't let it lie like that. I have sisters too, after all. I won't let Hirata's die._

"Even though it's a trap?" In was worried, and Juushirou nodded.

_Even so. This is my choice. Fight with me, please…both of you. I'll be counting on you.  
_  
"Well?" Keitarou was watching him like a hawk, and Juushirou's lips thinned.

"Free Eiraki-hime." He said at length. "Free her and let her recover. She's been through enough – don't put her through more."

"And…?" Keitarou's blade was already glittering with silver, as he eyed the District boy expectantly.

Juushirou nodded, gently laying Eiraki down on the cold ground and getting to his feet.

"And I'll come with you." He said, swallowing his misgivings as he faced the other bravely. "Back to District Seven."

* * *

"Are you sure it was Juushirou's reiatsu that you sensed?"

As Mitsuki reached the front entrance hall of the Kyouraku manor house, Sora grabbed her by the arm, shooting her an anxious look. "I couldn't be sure of who it was we saw – are you _sure_ it was Juushirou? Running around the corridors isn't like him, and nor is ignoring you – are you absolutely certain it was him?"

"Yes. Absolutely." Mitsuki nodded, gazing around her in agitation as she tried to work out which way her classmate had gone. "Somehow, Sora, he sensed it too. I'm sure he did – whatever that dark sensation was that I picked up before. And now I can't feel it – now I can't feel anything. But I know he was here. Juushirou, and something else."

"Something else. Some_one_ else?" Sora questioned. "That dark…whatever it was? You said it was like someone's soul had been stolen – that?"

"Mm." Mitsuki bit her lip. "I can't sense it now, or lock onto it clearly. But it was definitely there. I'm sure I didn't imagine it."

"I believe you. I have faith in your senses." Sora glanced around, squinting in the dim light. "But even so, we're wandering around black hallways looking for something we don't understand. You said it was outside, Mi-chan, but every way we've tried has been locked. If we carry on like this, we'll run into guardsfolk, and…"

"Strange, isn't it." Mitsuki interrupted her, shooting her a look of consternation. "How there aren't any guards around, even though there's been such an important event as today's wedding. There were no shortage of them at the ceremony, and there were plenty enough there to see Tokutarou-sama and Rae-hime ride from the manor on the first step of their wedding progress around the District. So where are they now? Why are there no soldiers here asking why we're running around the hallways, anyhow?"

"Now you mention it, that is odd." Sora admitted. "Even if some of them did get merry at the banquet, there should still be someone on duty here if nowhere else. But there isn't. It's just us. And…"

"And it's not right." Mitsuki said grimly. "But I can't put my finger on why. It's as though all the guards who should've been here have just vanished from their post – leaving the manor vulnerable. But there's no proof of it – no sign of anything like that having happened. Nobody is here to give that kind of an order…which makes me uneasy, Sora-chan. All of it makes me feel…strange."

"Then come look at this." Sora said grimly, turning from where she had been examining the loose window. "Someone's worked the catch so that it doesn't fasten properly…and I'd say a person could get out through that – wouldn't you?"

Before Mitsuki could respond, there was a sudden flare of red light from the hallway behind them and both girls spun around in alarm, half expecting one of the missing retainers ready to take them and interrogate them on their intentions.

"Edogawa? Sora?" The voice was familiar, however, and Mitsuki let out her breath in a rush, even as Kai stepped out of the darkness, fingers glittering with the red light of a faint _shakkahou_ spell. "Don't tell me you sensed something too…?"

"Mi-chan did." Sora put her hand to her chest, taking a deep drag of air into her lungs as she glared at the Shihouin boy indignantly. "You scared the hell out of me, Shihouin! Did you have to creep up on us like that?"

"Assassin training – old habits die hard, I suppose." Kai looked rueful, offering them an apologetic shrug. "I didn't realise it had woken anyone else, so I wasn't sure to begin with if you were friend or foe. There are so many different people's reiatsu lingering around this place at the moment, it's hard to be sure who's where…but there was definitely something. And it bothered me, so…"

He paused, glancing at Mitsuki.

"If you sensed it too, does that mean someone is hurt?" He asked, and Mitsuki shrugged.

"I don't know." She said helplessly. "I felt something dark – like someone's soul was being sucked down into black and then…I don't know. Something else. And Juushirou – he was coming this way, I think. In fact, I'm almost sure I can sense his reiatsu now, around the window frame. But…I can't sense it outside. I can't sense anything. It's as though…what was there one moment has completely vanished."

"Ukitake as well." Kai frowned. "And where are the guards? Where's everyone else at this hour? Why is it just us wandering around the building like this? It doesn't make any sense."

"Because you and Mitsuki – and I guess, Juushirou too – have sharp wits." Sora said bleakly. "I didn't – and still haven't – picked up on anything. With the exception of the Shiba-ke, there's probably nobody else who'd pick it up – and my family's sleeping quarters are well over the other side of the estate. Probably far enough that Okaasama and my brothers haven't sensed anything at all. All I can feel is a general morass of different mixed reiatsu – I'm not sharp-witted enough to separate them all out and know whose is which, not when they're so faint and fleeting. But it does bother me that the guards aren't here. They should be here…shouldn't they?"

"They should." Kai said grimly, closing his hand with a snap and the flicker of kidou flame disappeared. "And I don't like that they're not. Tokutarou-sama and Rae-hime left safely – they're not here, so perhaps they feel there's less need for vigilance. However…somehow I don't think so. That manservant of Tokutarou-sama's not the kind to be lax just because his master is away…on the contrary, I'd have thought he'd be more alert if that was the case."

"Either way, someone got out of this window, and Mitsuki thinks it was Juushirou." Sora patted the sill pensively. "So in the absence of anyone else, I vote we go outside and look for ourselves. There's nothing dark out there now, Mi-chan – right? You said that it had gone. So it probably isn't dangerous."

"Mm." Mitsuki nodded. "Shihouin-kun, will you come too? The more of us there are, somehow, the better I think."

"I was already going to. That's why I'm here." Kai nodded. "Does the window open any further than that? I imagine we can all slip through, but…"

"A little bit." Sora agreed. "If I hold it for you and for Mi-chan, will you prop it open for me in return? That'd be easier, I think."

"There seems to be a small congregation of individuals here." As Kai began to clamber out of the window, the entrance hall was suddenly bathed in the dim light of one of the wall kidou lamps, and a figure appeared at the top of the stairs, wrapped in a white robe as he solemnly gazed down on them all. "Mitsuki I am not surprised at – but to find you and Sora here I did not expect, Shihouin."

"Kuchiki!" Sora exclaimed, then clapped a hand over her mouth as she realised it was the dead of night. Ryuu shook his head, however, coming slowly down the stairs to join them.

"You will not summon anyone." He said softly. "Everyone in this wing is asleep."

"Then…?" Kai paused in his window scramble, half in and half out as he stared at his rival. "What do you mean, Kuchiki? Do you know why there's nobody here?"

"Yes, because I am sensible, and do not go rambling around a strange manor in the dead of night looking for monsters." Ryuu said acerbically, folding his arms across his chest. "I sensed a foreign presence in the grounds and so went to report as much to Tokutarou-sama's manservant, Yasuhiro-dono."

"Yet you're here." Mitsuki's heart clenched. "Does that mean…something…"

"I could not rouse him." Ryuu said simply. "And when I went to the guardroom, the same was true there. Several retainers were present, but all in deep sleep. I suspect some kind of soporific at work – though I have not the expertise to determine what. I would put it down to alcohol from the wedding, but it seemed…convenient, if that was the case, that all of the guards should be so summarily taken down at the same time a foreign presence emerged in the manor grounds."

"And this presence – do you feel it now?" Mitsuki asked anxiously. Ryuu shook his head.

"It has gone." He replied gravely.

"The guards drugged, and strange things afoot." Kai dropped down the rest of the way, leaning over to help Sora keep the window open for Mitsuki. "On the night of the Kyouraku lord's wedding. All the more reason for us to investigate, then. Kuchiki, are you coming? Since your first plan didn't get you anywhere, do you want to come see if we can find out what exactly happened?"

"With pleasure." Ryuu said darkly. "Since that unknown reiatsu is not the only one which has disappeared from the estate. I cannot sense Ukitake, either. And that concerns me more than the drugging of the guards."

"You too, huh?" Sora looked grim. "Mitsuki said something similar – that she sensed Juushirou, even saw him coming this way. But she can't sense him outside any more. And if Mi-chan can't sense Juushirou…and Kuchiki can't either…"

"It means he probably isn't there." Kai sighed, and Mitsuki scrambled through the gap in the window, watching as Sora and then Ryuu followed suit onto the cold grass beyond. "Where is Kyouraku at a time like this? Hirata too. Houjou's dead as a post to reiatsu and after his drinking exploits I expect he'll snore his way through till dawn. But as for the other two - why aren't they woken by this, if all of us are?"

"Hirata was very sleepy when he left the great hall." Sora remembered. "He was struggling to keep his eyes open, and Juushirou had to pretty much lead him up the stairs to bed. Do you suppose he might've been drugged too? He didn't drink any alcohol that I saw – in fact, I saw Yasuhiro bring him water directly, so he can't have been drunk."

"Water from Yasuhiro, who appears to have been drugged." Ryuu said slowly. "Perhaps Hirata too, then, was affected by accident. There were many guests at the wedding – many people who could have been responsible for such a thing, and many others who might have been unwittingly sedated in order to further whatever plan was at work. And as for Kyouraku…"

"Considering the amount Shunsui drunk, I'm not surprised that he's not awake." Sora sighed. "But I suppose nobody thought that we were worth drugging. Since we're just students, after all – what do we matter in any of this?"

"More to the point, why is anyone drugging anyone, anyway?" Kai arched an eyebrow. "If that's not suspicious behaviour, nothing is."

"I still don't feel Juushirou's reiatsu." Mitsuki said softly, before anyone could respond to Kai's observation. "But there _is_ someone out here. Someone…Eiraki-chan, I think. It's faint and uneven, but I think…I sense Eiraki-chan."

"Eiraki-hime? Hirata's sister?" Shock glittered in Kai's golden eyes, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I'm pretty sure. Up ahead." She murmured. "I think we should hurry. It's cold and dark out here and she's not been in the best health."

With that she was gone off ahead, her friends speeding up their pace to keep up with her as she followed the faint, plaintive signal through the trees. Sure enough, huddled at the foot of one of the willow trees was Eiraki, black cloak wrapped around her shoulders as she raised a tear-stained, blood-streaked face.

"M…M…Mitsuki-neesama?" Through chattering teeth she managed the name, and Mitsuki let out an exclamation, hurrying down at the young girl's side.

"Eiraki-chan! Why are you out here? What happened?"

"I…don't know." Eiraki whispered, and as Mitsuki slipped an arm around her shoulders, the young girl buried her face in her companion's shoulder, shaking with cold and fear. "I think…a bad dream…and I was out here. I remember…someone told me it would be all right. And then…all alone here. Till M…Mitsuki-neesama c…came to find me."

"Why didn't you come back to the house?" Mitsuki demanded. "Can you not walk? Shall I help you?"

"There's blood on the ground." Kai observed, stepping over a branch and into the clearing. "Eiraki-hime, are you all right?"

"K…Kai-dono?" Eiraki pulled away from Mitsuki to stare at the older boy like a frightened rabbit, and Sora let out an exclamation.

"There's blood on her clothing too – and she's shivering like crazy. We should get her inside first and foremost – questions can wait for later!"

"Agreed." Kai said grimly. "Kuchiki, between the two of us we should be able to carry her. Will you help me? I don't think one of us can manage it alone."

"I had already thought to do such a thing." Ryuu said archly. "Please have no worries, Eiraki-hime. Shihouin and I will see you safely back in the warm, and then I will send for the Kyouraku physician to see that you are well."

"N…no. I'm all right. I feel…all right." Eiraki's hand went to her chest, and as the two boys hoisted her up between them, Mitsuki was aware of a spreading, splattered red stain on the front of the girl's night robe. "Like something has been…taken away. Something tight and stifling…has gone."

"Even so, you shouldn't stay out here." Sora told her frankly. "It won't hurt for you to be examined, since you might easily catch a chill. I'll go wake Mother, when we get you in – it'll all be all right, then."

"No. Sora, you shouldn't do that." Kai shook his head. "This is Kyouraku land. Reporting to a Shiba – didn't you say as much yourself? That the Kyouraku resent the Shiba influence in Tokutarou-sama's life? That might put people's backs up, if you got Kyouki-sama involved."

"Maybe." Sora admitted. "But Tokutarou-sama isn't here."

"Then it should be reported to Kyouraku, surely." Ryuu reflected, and Sora snorted.

"I doubt that'll be possible, not considering how much he had to drink." She said disparagingly. "You forget, Kuchiki, I _know_ Shunsui. I knew him before he came to the Academy and I've seen him after a hard night's drinking. We won't get sense out of him. Not for a few hours at least."

She eyed the young girl keenly.

"Incidentally, Eiraki-hime…how did you get here? Were you sleepwalking? Is that it?"

"That's what Ukitake-san said. That I was…sleepwalking." Eiraki's head jerked forward in a nod, and Mitsuki's blood ran cold.

"Juushirou _was_ with you?" She asked carefully, and Eiraki nodded.

"Yes. But I think…I fainted. And when I woke up…he was gone. There was nobody else here. I thought…maybe he went…to find help. He said he'd help me…he said he'd come to make sure I was all right. He was kind, Mitsuki-neesama. But I don't know…where he went."

"And there was nobody else here?" Ryuu asked quietly. Eiraki bit her lip, then slowly, shook her head.

"I only saw Ukitake-san." She murmured, as a shiver ran through her young frame. "That's all. Nobody else. Just…Ukitake-san."

"Then Juushirou was out here." Sora bit her lip, casting Mitsuki a glance. "But he's not here now. Is he inside? Could he have gone back to bed?"

"And left Eiraki-hime here? Don't be stupid." Kai said brusquely. "What part of Ukitake does that sound like to you, to leave a young girl in the freezing cold and go back to bed? Not a chance."

"But he could have gone inside for help." Sora was not to be dissuaded. "Couldn't he? We might have just missed him."

"No…" Mitsuki shook her head. "No, Sora, it's not that. I can't sense his reiatsu anywhere. Not here, not inside, not anywhere. It's gone completely…just vanished. There was no pain, no shock, nothing that suggests anyone attacked him. It just…went. As though…as though he went away. Far away. And…and that's all."

"As though he went away." Ryuu's brows furrowed in confusion. "But that also is unlike Ukitake. To leave Eiraki-hime alone like that…is out of character to say the least."

"It is." Sora nodded. "Which means there must have been a reason. Going to find help would be a reason – after all, I doubt he could carry Eiraki-hime on his own, and if she fainted, that would be a problem. Right?"

"I don't know." Mitsuki looked troubled, her instincts torn between concern for the shivering fourteen year old and her worry about the missing Juushirou. "But for now…for now, we have to help Eiraki-hime. Juushirou's reiatsu isn't here, but it doesn't make sense for it to have just vanished. He wasn't attacked or hurt or anything like that, so he's not in…in trouble, I don't think. Sora is right, that he came here to find Eiraki-hime – and to help her. And if that's the case…he may…he _may_ be looking for Yasuhiro to report it and may have stifled his own reiatsu so as not to worry or disturb people. It might be…we're overreacting."

But deep down, she knew that she was not, for although Juushirou had improved his reiatsu control three-fold since summoning his sword, Mitsuki knew that she would still be able to locate him, and that the complete lack of signal against her senses made her fearful and confused. The dark aura she had felt from her chamber still troubled her, also, though that too was now gone from her awareness.

_I wish Kyouraku-kun was here. He can always sense Juushirou too – if even he couldn't find him…_

She sighed, rubbing her temples as she forced her healer wits to take precedence over her personal concerns.

"We'll help Eiraki-hime." She murmured. "And in the morning…in the morning, we'll see. If Juushirou is still not around then…then we'll have to report to Kyouki-sama and Kyouraku-kun and tell them…but…but it might not happen, yet. So we shouldn't worry…not yet."

"You're the one worrying the most." Sora said gently. "But if that's what you think, that's what we'll do. If we can't pick up his reiatsu, there's not much we _can_ do in any case. And if you say he wasn't hurt or attacked or anything…and Eiraki-hime says nobody else was here…then common sense says he's all right. He must just be cloaking his reiatsu – and we'll all laugh about it in the morning."

Mitsuki pursed her lips, but she did not reply, though she did cast a glance over her shoulder at the copse before following her companions back towards the main building.

_Somehow I don't think we'll be laughing. Somehow, I don't think you're here. I can't explain it, Juushirou-kun – it makes no sense to me at all. But you left Eiraki-hime and you intended me to find her – somehow I know that you did. And so I'll do as you wanted – I'll see that she's all right. Be all right too, Juushirou-kun – please let me be worrying for nothing! _

* * *

It had only been a short few moments, but Juushirou felt like he had been walking forever.

When Keitarou's _tantou_ knife had glittered so ominously with silver light, he had been afraid of some kind of underhand, hidden attack on either his own body or that of the helpless young princess, but to his surprise, Keitarou had made no move to attack either of them. Instead he had done as he had promised – withdrawing the spiritual tendrils of argent energy from within Eiraki's fragile body. Juushirou had felt it – the faint sense of relief in the girl's feeble reiatsu and then the completion of Keitarou's blade, blood-specked yet whole again as he had gently lowered it.

He had kept his word without a moment of hesitation, yet Juushirou was unsure of how to take that fact. Had he done so because he was the type who honoured promises, or simply because it was the end result he had anticipated all along and in doing so his plan had once more progressed?

The District boy sighed, gazing around him at the gloom of his surroundings.

He had hoped to fire at least one _shakkahou_ into the sky to alert someone – anyone – to Eiraki's position, but before he could do anything about it, Keitarou had used his knife a second time – this time to open up a divide in the spiritual atmosphere and create a passageway through which he had pulled his young companion without warning. The door had closed quickly behind them, trapping them in a mottled environment of black shadow and dim grey light, but as fear had engulfed Juushirou's senses, he had heard the other man laugh.

"This is a quicker route to where we're going." He had said flippantly. "We'll walk for maybe an hour instead of travelling for at least a day. Don't touch anything and don't fire any spells or do anything foolish with that sword of yours – if you do, you'll find yourself in trouble, since this tunnel is made entirely of spirit particles and anything you do will draw it down on top of you like an avalanche. Simply follow the butterfly – and you won't get led astray."

It had been at that moment that Juushirou had first seen it – the small, perfectly formed insect that had fluttered dazedly around Keitarou's head before spreading its wings and flying forward into the dank gloom of the tunnel ahead. Despite himself he had gazed at it in confused fascination – was it alive or was it dead? He couldn't tell – it was as though the creature both thought and didn't think at the same time, yet something about its drone-like, buzzing consciousness reassured him nonetheless.

"Where are we going?" He had asked, and Keitarou had shrugged his shoulders.

"You know the answer to that." He had said simply. "And since its complicated to explain to border guards why you're with me, I decided that it was a good time to see just how well I could make this science work."

Juushirou frowned now, reaching out to touch the tunnel wall but stopping just before his fingers brushed against the uneven surface. At his hesitation, Keitarou turned, sending him a quizzical look.

"Do you forget instructions so easily?" He asked softly. "Or are you the type who seeks to prove things to himself, even when he's been advised? I already told you. Don't touch. I can't guarantee your life if you do – there's still a lot of work that needs to be done before this route can be considered stable."

Juushirou lowered his hand, his lips thinning.

"This is…_Senkaimon,_ isn't it?" He murmured, and Keitarou shot him a look of surprise.

"Yes." He agreed. "Though I didn't realise that one of your level would know about something like this."

"Kazoe-sensei used it once…to get us back from a dangerous situation." Juushirou murmured. "But…even so, he said then that it could only be operated by _zanpakutou_. And that…it was only used by Clan people. Genryuusai-sensei set it up for us in case of danger but…"

"If that old man set it up, doubtless it was safe as houses." Keitarou said sardonically. "Since he would have had all the permissions granted to cross this and that sector, as well as people at his beck and call helping him to set it in play. I don't have those luxuries – and this route is not sanctioned by anyone, so the possibility of cutting through the paths of Hollows and other creatures is great. It takes longer than I'd like to be crossing spiritual planes because of having to meander so much – and because I didn't have very long to plan this so going any faster would render it even more unstable. Even so, though, I think it's better to risk travelling this way. The fewer people who see you the better."

He gestured to the butterfly.

"I told you to follow that. Don't let it get too far ahead. If you do, there's nobody to show us the right path. I've hacked this route from the planned pathways the Clans let fall into disuse - but it's still dangerous and one wrong step could mean disaster. Without the butterfly, it isn't safe to walk anywhere in this tunnel. That includes any wild escape attempts you may have on your mind - do you understand?"

There was both impatience and genuine anxiety in Keitarou's tones, and Juushirou frowned, reluctantly falling into step with his would be captor.

"There's a lot that I don't." He said presently. "The _Senkaimon_ is a gateway, isn't it? Between two places – that the Clans use to cross their territory at speed."

"Usually. Yes." Keitarou nodded. "A door from one side of their kingdom to the other, if you will. A quick route for the rich who don't want to take many days doing the same trip. The Kuchiki-ke especially like using it – it gives them a feeling of superiority, since the person who opens the gate must have a stronger spiritual presence than the tunnel he is opening. His reiatsu alone keeps it from collapsing in on him – so you see, it is the province of the elite."

He sent Juushirou a sidelong glance.

"They settled on a flawed design." He added softly. "Though if your old Sensei forged passages for you, he doubtless used his own considerable reiatsu to wall it and make it safe for minnows to cross unhindered. A short trip, I trust? A matter of a few minutes from one point to the next."

"Yes." Juushirou bristled. "Though it's none of your business."

"It's entirely my business." Keitarou shook his head. "Even before I was born, members of my family were working with this technology, trying to stabilise it and create pathways beyond simply one side of a single District to another. So far, their caution and political niceties have prevented doing even what this tunnel does – takes us across a border without the risk of a security patrol arresting us for trespass. Routes of that length are dangerous without a guide – hence why I said to keep in touch with the butterfly. To you it may seem to be just a random shred of spiritual energy, but instilled in that creature is the exact knowledge of how to reach the exit. Therefore the journey can be longer…and we can cross from Eight into Seven with relative ease."

Juushirou faltered, a sudden thought crossing his mind as he turned to stare at his companion anew.

"You can open _Senkaimon_. You know all about it, and the Clans that use it." He murmured. "More than that, you understand…you said…your family. But…Kamitani-kun said…"

"Kamitani?" Keitarou blinked, and Juushirou realised that his companion's eyes, though darker, were as unusual and striking as those belonging to his young school fellow in Class Four. His heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed hard.

"You're Urahara-ke." He whispered. "That's what you meant, when you said Minazake was only one of your names. It's _not _your name – is it? You know about this…your family knew about this. Kamitani-kun said quite clearly that his family devised the _Senkaimon_. That it was their work, and he…his kinsman is the current head of that Clan. So…in that case…you're an Urahara too, aren't you? Even though your hair is dark and your eyes too – you're still…one of them, aren't you?"

"Kamitani, huh." Keitarou pursed his lips. "I wonder which sister that line has spawned from. There are enough of them, after all. Urahara _hime_ with broods of unnecessary children to fill out the gaps in the Urahara family tree."

He cast Juushirou a grin, but there was a coldness in his eyes that Juushirou did not like.

"I'm not an Urahara." He said softly. "I haven't been one of those in a very long time. But you are right in one respect. The _Senkaimon_ was the work of that Clan. Even though it still remains imperfect – the end goal was to open a tunnel through to other planes of existence and keep them stable for the purpose of Gotei manoeuvre. Only the very, very strongest Shinigami have ever been able to maintain reiatsu levels long enough and steadily enough to pass through that haphazard level of gate that the Council have endorsed. Probably as many Gotei Clansfolk have disappeared presumed dead in those tunnels as have been slain in the Real World, to be truthful – though the Council would probably not admit to such a thing, since it would show them in a weak light. They don't realise, you see…that all it takes is a shred of spiritual energy to show them the true path."

"The butterfly." Juushirou murmured, and Keitarou nodded.

"Exactly." He agreed. "That particular one was ripped from the soul of a dead guardsman in District Seven before I left there. It was fortunate that Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama's departure left so many corpses – I was able to harvest quite a lot of spirit power in the time before I came after them. The buzz you feel at the edge of your wits is the remains of that man's consciousness – his homing instinct for District Seven is driving it – and us – towards our destination."

"But…you took a man's soul? That creature is…was…a _person_?" Juushirou was horrified, and Keitarou shrugged.

"It's not perfect, I know." He admitted. "But I've had scant little time to work on a way of drawing the same power from my own _reiryoku _without giving it too much free will. Easier to subjugate the weaker spirits of others – so for now, it's the only way. Don't look like that, Ukitake – one man's death has helped us find our way, and therefore it wasn't in vain."

"I can't see it like that." Juushirou felt very cold suddenly as he looked at the tiny, folorn velvet creature fluttering ahead of them. "He may have had family. Children, even. They may be waiting for him and he'll never come home."

"Sentimental." Keitarou observed, and Juushirou shook his head.

"Everybody is the same to me. Nobody should be dying for someone else's benefit." He responded. "Whether they're rich or poor, strong or weak – everyone has the same feelings and emotions and desires and hopes locked up inside of them. But that…that butterfly, it doesn't have those things. It doesn't have any free will at all. It's just a drone – your slave – doing what it's told without any hope at all. I don't know how you can think that's all right."

"You're in a precarious position to lecture me, considering that you chose to accept my terms and come of your own free will." Keitarou said lightly, and Juushirou shrugged.

"It's not really free will. You left me no choice." He returned flatly. "I wasn't going to let Eiraki-hime die. Her life is important too. I'm not the kind of person who stands back and lets things happen."

"And if it results in your death? What then? Your life is important too, by your own evaluation."

Keitarou's eyes glittered in the darkness, and Juushirou felt uneasy.

"What are you going to do to me?" He asked quietly, and Keitarou laughed.

"So you do have fear. You do care about your own life, too." He observed, amused. "Though for the time being, you are quite safe. You chose to come with me, and you've already indicated where your principles lie. You're easy to read, Ukitake, and therefore I can manipulate your actions to suit my will. I don't need to hurt or kill you to obtain what I want…so for the time being, you needn't fear for your life."

"I'm not going to be your puppet." Juushirou said blackly. "I won't let you do to me what you did to Eiraki-hime."

"I wouldn't try to." Keitarou said lightly. "Eiraki-hime has weak spiritual power, but my shikai release would probably be resisted from the start by someone with a shinigami sword. If it did succeed in locking onto you, it would probably not give me the kind of control I would need. I don't do things that are unecessary – like I said, I don't need those things to obtain what I want."

"Which is what?" Juushirou asked suspiciously.

"I'm not sure even myself, yet." Keitarou admitted. "Which is part of the fun of it. I had a clear idea in mind when I decided to take you – even to the point of making Seimaru-sama promise to leave you entirely in my hands. Yet now I've met you…I'm curious more than ever about what you can do. You aren't exactly what I expected you to be – and that interests me."

Juushirou sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Sometimes I wish I was Clan just so that people stopped being interested in me and just let me get on with my life." He muttered. "If being District is so exciting, I wonder why the Clans don't try it instead of bothering me all of the time with this or that silly observation."

Keitarou chuckled appreciatively.

"I see." He mused. "But I'm not Clan either, Ukitake. Not now, in any case – whatever I may have been born. And I agree with you, as it happens. I'm not interested in you because you're District. I'm interested because you're not Clan. And because you're not Clan, you're not ingrained in their codes and practices. Taking you seemed to be easier than taking a Clan shinigami, because you have no powerful family waiting in the wings. But I hadn't realised…I should have, but I hadn't…that to be a District Shinigami in this world means…you are something exceptional. And you are exceptional by yourself, Ukitake…because there is no Clan to big you up and make you more important than you are."

"You're confusing me." Juushirou protested. "You came as Seimaru's ally – you plotted to hurt Hirata, but…you did all of that simply because of me? Or…something else? Something bigger than that? You are Urahara, after all, aren't you? You are…"

He paused, then he shook his head.

"No. I'm being slow." He berated himself. "Kamitani-kun told me about that, too, after all. You're not Urahara, but you were born it. You're a descendant, aren't you? Of one of the people who was outlawed or executed a hundred years ago because of the _reidoku_. You're a blood relation of Keitsune-sama – aren't you? The one that took the blame for everything else."

Keitarou stopped at the sound of Keitsune's name, and Juushirou saw a flicker of tension ripple through his lean body. Instinctively the District boy took a step back, worried by the sudden shift in his companion's calm demeanour. For a moment he thought that Keitarou may forget his own instructions about spiritual attacks in the tunnel, and then, in an instant, the moment was gone.

Slowly the other man nodded his head.

"I did not realise that any Urahara still spoke that name." He murmured. "But perhaps I have misjudged the degree of hate with which they view the whole affair."

"Kamitani-kun said people had been executed and that a lot of modern Urahara didn't agree with the decision." Juushirou remembered. "That Nagesu-sama had tried his best to smooth things over and make the Urahara-ke stable, but without persecuting people because of the past. But I am right, then? You are…you do…"

"Keitsune was my father." Keitarou admitted, and from the sudden, soft note in his tones, Juushirou realised that however detached and calculating this man was, he still had some latent affection for the dead man. "He died when I was four. And that was the end of my association with that Clan."

Juushirou nodded.

"You're Urahara Keitarou-san, then. I thought you were." He responded, and Keitarou stared at him in surprise. "I'm right, aren't I? Minazake isn't your real name. Urahara Keitarou is. And,"

As something else occurred to him,

"Your hair isn't really that colour, is it? You coloured it to make yourself look Endou-ke, but it doesn't look right - not even with your eyes like that. You dyed it. It's not black at all. It's Urahara blond."

"You are far, far cleverer than I had anticipated." Keitarou offered a humourless smile. "To know so much about me from so little. For your classmates to speak of my father – and for you to even know my name…"

He touched a finger to his hair.

"You're right in all respects." He agreed evenly. "Except one. My hair was never Urahara blond, not even when I was small. It's darker - tainted, perhaps, by the Kyouraku in my blood."

"Kyouraku?" Juushirou paled, staring at him. "You...are kin to...Shunsui and Tokutarou-sama?"

"Distant. Through my mother, and her half-blood." Keitarou chuckled, apparently amused by the boy's discomfort. "Not what you're thinking. I was born Urahara. I would be Urahara-ke. Only I was discarded when Father died. And so...I have no Clan. Not your friend's Kyouraku-ke, nor my own."

"But you got into District Eight because of that. Because you have Kyouraku blood?" Juushirou whispered. "And the dagger...that was Kyouraku...because..."

Keitarou nodded, patting his _obi_ pensively.

"You reason things out well, for someone so young. You might almost make a scientist yourself, given that level of rationality." He said, and to Juushirou's surprise it was not derision but a faint amount of respect in the other's voice. "I will be sure to remember that, and not waste it when we get to where we're going. The dagger came from my mother's belongings - trinkets left me when she died, and the most use she ever was to me, in truth. The crest also. I've never considered any part of myself part of the Kyouraku-ke - but to get into District Eight, well, it helps. And the dagger will mean suspicion falls on one from that Clan, resentful of their neighbours. A trick Seimaru-sama used in the past with the Shihouin, and the Council were fool enough to fall for it. So I used it in the same way. They will suspect one another. They won't suspect me."

"Kyouki-sama warned me that you were dangerous. Manipulative. And that you were probably working with Seimaru." Juushirou said quietly. "You were the one who was behind the _reidoku _Seimaru wanted to use to kill Genryuusai-sensei, weren't you? In which case, I can't feel sorry for you, or forgive you, or follow anything you say. Even if it means you kill me. Genryuusai-sensei is an important person in Soul Society – he's probably the only one who can truly save it from falling into ruin. So if you want me to try and kill him…"

"I have never had any interest in killing your Sensei, Ukitake." Keitarou's composure was back in place, and he shook his head. "That was Seimaru's little game with Kamuki of the Shihouin. I provided the _reidoku_ because I had an opportunity to test it on a different level to what had gone before. But I have no personal grudge against the old man of the Yamamoto. If he had died, then I would not have grieved for him, true enough. But you don't understand, do you? You don't have to have a desire to kill in order to kill – nor an active interest in the crime in order to supply a weapon. Those who craft knives that slit others' throats are not culpable in the murder, are they? You can see me in the same light. I created the weapon because it interested me to do so. I did not care about killing anyone with it – it was simply another stage in my perfection of my father's invention."

"_Reidoku_ is evil." Juushirou snapped, and Keitarou shook his head.

"No. What is evil is a family where brother turns on brother to save his own skin." He said bitterly. "That is Clan, Ukitake. Because of that judgement, the _reidoku_ was not perfected. Because it was not perfected, only illicit experiments remained. Because it remained illicit, people died. Experiments were done on subjects who would not have suffered if the Urahara had stood up for their science and developed it in the proper way. _Reidoku_ is salvageable. It can be stabilised and it can be safe for use. Had Father been given time, he would have produced something to benefit all of Soul Society. As it was, people were killed, hounded and hunted from their homes. And even now…there are children born with blond hair and pale eyes in other districts who get persecuted simply for looking the way they do. The true crime wasn't commited by Urahara Keitsune. It was committed by his older brother Urahara Rikaya…an act of betrayal that I will never forgive."

Juushirou's eyes opened wide, and Keitarou sighed, running his fingers through his thick dark hair.

"But that is neither here nor there." He murmured. "Not now. Everything has gone too far to be taken back. You have no concept of the kind of life the Urahara exiles lived, even in so called safe havens like District Seven. All the exploitation, the fear, the hatred that surrounds us simply because of the black reputation of who we were."

"So you decided to live up to it?" Juushirou asked, and Keitarou smiled.

"I decided to become it." He agreed. "My sword was born of bitter hatred and resentment, not combat prowess. The desire to avenge my family that grew with every injustice we suffered over the years. I hate the Urahara, and I no longer carry their name…perhaps I became stronger, in the end, because of it. Who knows – fate has a funny way of dictating the rules of her game."

"And into all of this, somewhere, I fit? And Eiraki-hime? And Hirata?"

"Eiraki-hime is my fiancee and I intend to keep that connection." Keitarou nodded. "Marriage to her re-legitimises my line, after all."

"Does that matter, if you hate Clan?"

"Yes, because it's easier to work from the inside than from without." Keitarou said evenly.

"And if Eiraki-hime knew all of this…?"

"She does know." Keitarou smiled, and Juushirou's heart skipped a beat at the satisfaction in his expression. "Eiraki-hime is loyal to me because she knows about my past."

"What?" Juushirou stared. "You mean…she really…is betraying Hirata?"

"No. I don't think that comes into it. Separate strands, Ukitake. Separate strands." Keitarou dismissed this with a flick of his hand. "She hated her Grandfather and loathes her cousin. My family suffered badly at their hands and I appealed to her good nature. She is young and gullible but she is not completely stupid. She knows what the Endou have done to the people in their District. I am simply the proof of it. And by being her ally when nobody else was – by helping her escape when nobody else could – I have gained her trust. It won't be broken easily, even if she knew how I had manipulated her against her brother."

"Mitsuki said she was in love." Juushirou realised with a jolt. "But…it was you. It's you that…"

"Exactly." Keitarou agreed evenly. "So as you can see, convincing her that I'm the villain will be quite difficult for anyone. The victim, Seimaru's puppet…all of those things. But not the demon. Seimaru is that. Conveniently, he is good at being that. And I will get what I want as he gets what he does – so it all works out in the end."

"You telling me all this implies you don't think I'll ever have the chance to tell anyone else." Juushirou observed darkly. "Which means you do intend to kill me, otherwise I'm a risk."

"On the contrary. Truth can be a good tool as well as deception and secrecy. Eiraki-hime is a good example." Keitarou replied. "I don't intend to kill you – not unless it becomes unavoidable, in any case. But you are right in one respect."

"Which is?"

"I don't intend on sending you back to them." Keitarou flipped his knife from his _obi_, and Juushirou realised they'd reached the end of the path. "When we made that deal, we made a firm pact, after all. Eiraki-hime is free now - she will heal and grow and live her life. In effect I exchanged hers for yours and took control of you instead. Even without my knife's power - that does seem to be the case, doesn't it?"

Juushirou did not reply at first, watching as his companion struck the blade of the weapon through the darkness, causing it to open up into black night and cold wintry air in the world beyond. Then he sighed, shaking his head.

"People will know that I've gone." He said levelly. "They will notice. Even if I'm not Clan, I'm not invisible to people. They will know something happened, Keitarou-san. They'll want to know what."

"You think so?" Keitarou arched an eyebrow. "You have such faith, then, that people of Noble blood will care what happens to a District boy like you?"

"It isn't about Clan or otherwise. They're my friends, so they'll wonder." Juushirou said frankly. "That's all there is to it...that's what friends do."

"Such simple beliefs." Keitarou was mocking him now, and despite himself, anger rose in Juushirou's heart even as he stepped out into the frozen, barren landscape.

"There's no need to make them anything else." He snapped. "I know who I trust and who I don't - who can be relied on and who can't. I know those things and you won't sway me from them, Keitarou-san. No matter what happens, I know that there will be people who'll want to know where I am. And the promise I gave you was to come to Seventh in return for you freeing Eiraki-hime. I'm under no obligation to do anything else for you here or anywhere else - I've kept my word, after all, providing that this is Seventh District. Our deal is effectively, technically, ended."

"So very particular with your meanings." Keitarou was amused. "But you must know that in this place you are only safe with my protection. Even if folk don't know you by name, you are District and you have spirit power that makes your very existence here illegal. You can try and flee me now, if you like - but you will be caught and you will be brought in and killed. If Seimaru discovers you first...you will meet a horrible death. He seems very much to dislike you...very much indeed."

He pursed his lips, eying Juushirou carefully.

"I wonder what it is you said or did that made him so determined to take you out."

Juushirou's mind flitted to the hidden letter, and he frowned.

"I stood up to him." He said simply. "And told him what I thought of him, face to face. He didn't like it. That's all. He thinks me rude and acting above my station – and I'm not ashamed of it, if that's what I'm doing. Even if he is the head of the Endou-ke – I'm not afraid of him or of speaking my mind."

"Not afraid of him. Oh, but you should be." Keitarou reflected. "It's a bad weakness indeed, Ukitake, to ignore your safety reflexes. Fear is one of those. You don't fear him and you don't fear me, do you? But you should. You know nothing of my plans or of his – or whether I am lying to you by saying I haven't come to take you to him. You assume I've told you the truth and that you have my measure – but really you know nothing at all."

"You could say the same about you where I'm concerned." Juushirou retorted, and Keitarou chuckled.

"You are sparky, at least. Principled and resolute." He realised. "But I outgrew those ideals a long time ago. They don't get you anywhere, in the end. Reality is the only thing that does. Whether it's true reality or a reality you create for the benefit of others. I don't trust in anyone, Juushirou. You. Seimaru. Even myself. Even I know I can't be trusted – so you shouldn't let your guard down. I'm not your friend, after all – even though I'm not your enemy, either. I have no grudge against you – but there have been many others I've drawn into my web that I've had no grudge against, too. I learnt a long time ago that the only path anyone can and should follow is the one that suits them best. Nobody else will support you – more likely they will betray you. So you should open your eyes and realise that. You made a sacrifice last night to save Eiraki-hime's life. But because of it, your own life could be in danger. You said you could not let her die – but what of you, now? Did anyone stop you from leaving the Kyouraku estate? Did anyone try to follow? We're quite alone here. Alone and untraceable and far from the reach of your District Eight friends. Do you understand? I manipulated you into making that decision – but only a truly naïve person would take that choice. Your friends are Clan. They understand what you do not – that such principled choices come second place to the Clan's façade of honour."

"You're the one who doesn't understand." Juushirou said indignantly, and Keitarou laughed.

"I understand." He said lightly. "At four years old I came to understand quite clearly the meaning of the word 'betrayal'. Nobody will come for you. Nobody will find you. You're not really one of them, after all. Just like me – you don't matter. Just like me, you exist in between two worlds – not quite District, not wanted by the Clans. If you were to disappear, it would solve a lot of awkward questions that make Clansfolk all over Seireitei uneasy. These are the true, harsh facts of the world in which we live. Clan decide everything. Who lives, who dies, who is innocent, who bears guilt. They fabricate the past to suit their future. Nobody will listen to one lone voice from District Six, not given the smothering traditions each family is bound to. You will be forgotten and overlooked – a ripple in their reality – and things will move on without you, just as they did before."

"I don't see things that way."

"Then you'll find out the hard way, just as I did, a hundred years ago." Keitarou said matter-of-factly. "For the time being, though, here is cold and far too exposed. We still have a little way to travel - and you are not robed well for the freezing nights in District Seven."

"I'm not robed well for any of this. I'm surprised you notice now." Despite himself, Juushirou could not help but be facetious, and Keitarou sighed, unclipping his grey cloak from around his throat and casting it over Juushirou's shoulders, pulling up the hood to conceal the shock of white hair from view.

"There. Now you seem no more than another peasant boy and nobody will pay you any mind." He said briskly. "We should move. I wish to be back in a place of safety before the sun rises - I must see Seimaru, then, and I want you safely away from his clutches before that happens."

"You really aren't going to give me to him, then, are you?"

"No. I don't imagine so." Keitarou shook his head. "Though I do think that you have information he might like to know. Information about a letter, for example - things of that nature that he might want to look further into. Of course, I could search you for such a thing myself, but..."

He paused, and Juushirou froze, trying not to flinch under the sudden scrutiny.

"Somehow I don't think it's something you have with you, is it? You are too clever, aren't you, to carry such a thing on your person in such a risky situation?"

"I don't know what you mean." Juushirou said simply, and Keitarou patted him condescendingly on the head.

"You know full well. I see it in your eyes." He responded. "But it's all right. I had already presumed it to be in your care somehow. Whoever finds it will be able to implicate Seimaru, perhaps, but I'm already a wanted man and it makes no difference to me whether my name is or is not included in the text. I just wanted to know that I was right. You are the one most trusted by the boy Hirata, aren't you?"

"You just said that I couldn't put stock in those bonds." Juushirou said primly. "So I don't know why you'd think anything of the sort."

"All right. I get the message." Keitarou chuckled. "You're loyal to him and you don't intend to speak. Well, fine. We'll see for ourselves how the game plays out. For the time being, stay close to me. I can't promise where we're going is pleasant, but at least it will be less cold than it is here."

"Where is this place, anyhow?" Juushirou asked, gazing around at the shadowed remains of buildings that littered the landscape.

"Where I and others of my kin grew up, but the place has long since been desecrated and deserted." Keitarou said simply. "Most are dead, or have fled for sanctuary elsewhere. There are no souls here to see us unless it is haunted by the dead - so long as you stay with me, you won't be in any danger in this place. Now stop asking questions and focus on moving one foot in front of the other. There will be time enough after the sun rises for me to discover exactly what kind of a prize I've brought home this time - right now getting undercover is our first priority and everything else can wait."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_  
**Mitsuki's senses:** _

_It was asked in an anon review, so I can only answer it here. Hopefully this chapter and so on will actually answer the question a little bit more. It's safe to say that Mitsuki has a combination of superior Kuchiki senses combined with her empathic healing abilities, so she is probably more sensitive in that department than the others, especially now she's begun training with Retsu. That doesn't mean that the others can't sense things - just that this is probably Mitsuki's forte. Considering she was the one who felt Megumi's reiatsu flare and disappear when she died, even though Megumi's reiatsu was weak and Mitsuki was neither anywhere near her or her acquaintance, that should indicate how sensitive Mitsuki's wits are. Quite scary, really..._


	48. A Tangled Web

**Chapter Forty Seven: A Tangled Web**

Daylight.

Hirata struggled to force his eyes open, lifting a heavy hand to shield his gaze from the bright winter sunlight that streamed in through the window of his chamber, dazzling him and causing a dull ache to spread through his head. Dragging himself into a sitting position, he felt around for his spectacles, sliding them on his nose and rubbing his temples as the room shook a little before his vision.

What had happened to him last night?

He turned back his thoughts, remembering the drinking contest between Shunsui and the Tenth Division Captain, and then the interruption of Sora's other brother Ryuusei in understandably high dudgeon at their lack of restraint. Then everything had become somewhat swimmy, and he could not recall any more. He had clearly got to his room, for he was here now, but for the life of him he could not recall how.

_  
Yet I didn't drink anything, so I don't know why._

He frowned, rubbing his temples.

_I guess everything's been weighing on me - maybe last night it finally kicked in. I suppose Ukitake-kun brought me back here. I should thank him - else I might've found myself sleeping in the corridor or the great hall. _

He turned towards his friend's sleeping place, then paused, eyes widening as he registered the fact the other boy was not there.

Had he risen already? Got up early and left the chamber for some reason?

Hirata frowned, alert now despite the throbbing at the edge of his senses. The _zanpakutou _that had lain neatly beside Juushirou's bed was also gone, and although he knew his friend might have simply gone to do some early morning sword training, somehow it did not seem right.

He got to his feet, moving over to touch Juushirou's bedcovers.

Had his friend slept here at all? Certainly the blankets had been disturbed...but...

He frowned, as his fingers brushed against something hard beneath the smooth fabric, and not without misgivings he drew the blanket back, staring in confusion at the empty sword sheath that lay abandoned in the middle of his classmate's futon.

_Sougyo no Kotowari isn't here, and nor is Ukitake-kun. But this is. This is here._

Unease crept over the younger boy's heart as he scooped the scabbard up, turning it over in his grip. Was the letter still inside? Was that why Juushirou had left it behind - so as not to risk losing it again? But even so...even so...

_He left here carrying a drawn blade. Kyouraku guest or not, the guards would surely arrest him for running around the halls in that condition. So why, Ukitake-kun? Why take Sougyo and leave the room - what drew you out there? Or was it who? _

A knock at the door startled him from his thoughts and he hurried to open it, hoping that it was his missing friend - although he knew that there was no logic to Juushirou knocking on his own bedroom door. As he pulled the wood divide back, however, his gaze met Kai's concerned golden ones, and the sense of unease in his heart began to grow into one of increasing dread.

"Kai-kun." He murmured, and Kai nodded apologetically.

"Sorry to drag you up so early. I guess you weren't really awake yet, judging by how you're dressed." He said evenly. "But I came to see Ukitake, really. Is he about?"

"He...isn't here." Hirata stood back so that his friend could see into the chamber. "I woke up and he wasn't there. Sougyo no Kotowari's gone, too. Just...the sheath is left behind. He took the sword and...I don't know where he went."

"He's not here, huh." Kai seemed less surprised by this information than Hirata would have expected, and the young Endou's brows knitted together in consternation.

"Kai-kun, did something happen last night?" He asked softly. "While I was asleep?"

"Good question. Wish I knew the answer." Kai sighed, stepping into the bed chamber and shutting the door behind him, leaning up against the wood and folding his arms across his chest. "Thing is, Hirata, last night found a bunch of us wandering the halls without really knowing why we were. Edogawa picked up something - and to tell the truth, so did I - though what exactly I couldn't tell you. Kuchiki and Sora were also there. And it was just...very odd."

"You were all wandering around the halls?" Hirata stared at the Shihouin as if he'd gone mad. "Without knowing why? And...what about Ukitake-kun? You didn't mention him - wasn't he with you?"

"No. He wasn't." Kai shook his head. "And I've told you what I know. It doesn't make a lot of sense even though I've spent most of the last few hours trying to work it out. Edogawa's the one to ask, really - her senses are stronger than anyone's when it comes to something like this. But we thought there was someone here. They were here, then they disappeared. Edogawa and Sora went after them - Kuchiki and I too, only all separate. And we met up in the entrance hall to find a window had been forced and your sister was outside in the cold, shivering and by herself."

"Eiraki was?" Anxiety flooded Hirata's heart anew, and Kai dismissed it with a flick of his hand.

"It's all right. She's all right. She'd been sleepwalking, or something...in any case, Edogawa stayed with her the rest of last night, so like as not she's fine by now." He replied. "Maybe whatever it was drew her out too. In any case, it seems Ukitake was the first to find her, since she remembers him being there and him telling her it would be okay. And then...the next she knew...he was gone, she was alone, and we were tracking her down."

"Gone?" Hirata echoed faintly, and Kai nodded.

"We don't know what happened." He said honestly, and Hirata could hear the note of frustration in the older boy's tones. "Even for a Shihouin, tracking whatever it was we sensed here was impossible. Eiraki-hime said that there wasn't anyone else with her - just Ukitake - and by the time we got there, there was no trace of him, either. Not there, not anywhere. Edogawa was on edge - really on edge about it. But...since we couldn't prove anything wrong had happened, we couldn't do anything about it. Far as we knew, Ukitake might just be suppressing his reiatsu and he might turn up back here come the morning. So...that's why I came here. To see if he did."

"But he didn't." Hirata's gaze flitted back to the black sheath, now sure that Juushirou had left it there on purpose. "I don't know about any of this or why I slept through it, Kai-kun - but I'm pretty sure that Ukitake-kun went out for a reason. Not just to find my sister - he wouldn't have taken Sougyo with him just to rescue her from sleepwalking in the cold. You said there was something or someone else here, even if you couldn't find out what or who. I think Ukitake-kun must've sensed it too. That's why he took his sword."

"You think he might have used it to defend Eiraki-hime?" Kai asked sharply, and Hirata shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know. I was sleeping." He said heavily.

"The guards were drugged, too - according to Kuchiki. Certainly none of them came after us when we were roaming the halls and the grounds to our hearts content." Kai said grimly. "We wondered if you'd got tainted by it too - since your senses are usually pretty on the ball and I doubt you'd have been kept under otherwise. But you were more than half asleep by the time you left the dance hall last evening - and since you drank water Yasuhiro brought you, and he too was drugged...it looks that way."

Hirata sighed, nodding.

"That would explain why I feel so muggy this morning." He murmured. "But if someone went to the trouble of drugging Yasuhiro-dono and the guards, that means something did happen last night. Surely...you should've reported it then?"

"To who?" Kai demanded. "Tokutarou-sama isn't here. Kyouraku had drunk far more than he should've and he would've been as hard as the guards to raise. And all of them were out cold. If we'd gone to Kyouki-sama, the Kyouraku would've been up in arms over it and it'd have created all the more problems."

"But Kai-kun, what about Ukitake-kun!"

"I know. I know!" As Hirata's voice rose, Kai nodded, coming and resting his hands on the younger boy's shoulders. "We all felt that, too. But we didn't know he'd really disappeared. And Edogawa said it herself - that there'd been no pain. No attack. Nothing like that. When Ukitake's reiatsu disappeared, it just...did. Nothing happened to him. He wasn't hurt. He just...vanished. That's why we thought he was maybe suppressing it. Because otherwise...we didn't know how to explain it."

"Nothing happened to him?" Hirata whispered. "Even though he took his sword and even though he's not here?"

"Edogawa was quite certain." Kai nodded. "Nobody had attacked him and he didn't raise his sword. He wasn't in any pain or anything like that. He just was there and then he wasn't. And that's all."

"But...that makes no sense!"

"No. None at all. None of it does." Kai agreed. "But if he isn't here now, and he hasn't been back here, then he must be somewhere else. That's the only thing for sure. And more...if Edogawa is right about last night, he must've left on his own whim. By his own will. If nothing hurt him or kidnapped him or took him down - then that's the only explanation. If he left here, he did it himself."

"Leaving my sister alone in the cold? I don't think so." Hirata shook his head fervently, terror rising through his whole body now as he contemplated this. "Even if Edogawa-san is sure, Kai-kun, I don't see...I don't think...why would Ukitake-kun take Sougyo no Kotowari if he didn't think there was danger?"

_And why would he leave the sheath behind, unless he suspected it was something to do with the Endou and he wanted to keep the letter out of their hands?_

_  
_"I don't like it either." Kai said frankly. "It doesn't sit well, does it? But what else can we think? Ukitake's hot-headed and sometimes he does crazy things. But even if he did leave the estate...we can't trace him without picking up his reiatsu. And I've been trying - and I can't."

"Me either." Hirata murmured. "Though maybe that's because my head is so heavy with whatever was in the guards' water. Still, though, if I'm awake now, they must be too. Something must be reported to someone. Even if Ukitake-kun did something stupid...even so, we need to find him and find out what and why. He's reckless but...he...he has a reason, when he is."

"I wanted to come here first, but I was on my way to barge in on Kyouraku about it." Kai admitted. "Just, I had to be sure that I wasn't being silly and that Ukitake really wasn't back where he should be."

"He isn't." Hirata's fingers tightened around the sheath of the _zanpakutou_, then, "Kai-kun, there's...something else. Something I...I haven't told you. Or anyone. Anyone except...Ukitake-kun. Something...that's...a secret."

"Something?" Kai asked sharply, eying his companion in surprise. "Something to do with your Clan? Something to do with Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama coming here, or...?"

"Mm...no. Not that." Hirata shook his head. "But I haven't told...them about it, either. Ukitake-kun is the only one...who's known all about it."

"It being?" Kai settled himself opposite his young classmate. "Spit it out. If it's important...tell me."

"You know...that there's a letter. Don't you?" Hirata whispered. "Midori-sama has seen it and you know...that one exists. That implicates Seimaru in...everything that happened with your Clan a year or more ago."

"Yes. I know." Kai said grimly. "Providing that it wasn't a smokescreen to scare Seimaru into backing off when Midori-nee became head of the Clan - I know."

"It's not a smokescreen. It's real." Hirata murmured. "The letter...it was in Aitori-sensei's house. And...when I found the body I...I took it. Before I did anything else, I...took it and hid it, so that my Clan wouldn't fall into trouble. I was worried about Otousama and Okaasama and Eiraki-chan - so I didn't have a choice. Even though I was protecting Seimaru too - it was all I could do."

"So you have it." Kai's eyes narrowed. "This letter? It's in your hands?"

Hirata faltered, not answering for a moment. Then he held out the sheath.

"It's inside here." He whispered."Hidden between the inner lining and the outer casing."

"What?" Kai stared, taken aback as he stared at his friend in disbelief. "But...you mean..._Ukitake _had it? Ukitake...?"

"Mm." Hirata nodded jerkily. "He was...neutral. And I trusted him. So I...I asked him to. It was Midori-sama's idea, that Ukitake-kun should hold it. And he...he has. When Tokutarou-sama gave him the sheath, he...he hid it inside, in the gap between the two layers. Even when Kyouki-sama confiscated the sword, she didn't look for anything there so she didn't find it."

"No wonder Ukitake was so worried about that." Kai's expression became one of comprehension. "It was more than just pining for his blade, wasn't it? He thought he'd dumped your whole family in it."

Hirata nodded.

"But last night he took his sword and left the scabbard here." He murmured. "And I think...he would only have done that for one reason. Because whatever happened last night...whatever it was, he thought it was relating to my Clan. And that if he took the sheath, well, the letter might fall into the wrong hands."

Kai turned the scabbard over, examining it for a moment, then sighing, slipping his finger inside and carefully working the inner layer free so that he could reach the folded parchment within.

"It's here. Safely hidden, just like you said." He agreed, pulling it free and holding it out to his companion. "The kind of letter, I imagine, that's worth killing for to someone like Seimaru."

"That's what I think, too." Hirata swallowed hard, taking the folded sheet gingerly between his fingers. "Why else would Ukitake-kun leave it here? He left it for me, didn't he? In case something happened to him - he left it so that I would still be able...I would still have it."

Kai pursed his lips.

"What do you intend to do, then?" He asked. "We still don't have any evidence anyone else was here at all. Kuchiki thought there was, Edogawa too - but we didn't find anyone, and Ukitake made the decision to leave here of his own will. Nobody made him go. So..."

"Mm. I know." Hirata glanced at the letter, turning it over in his hands. "And I'm not sure...I just...I'm afraid of what it means. What Ukitake-kun knew...what he intended by it. What happened to make him go out like that. And...who or what he encountered out there. The guards were drugged - it wasn't by accident."

"You think someone knew he had the letter? Someone lured him out for that reason?" Kai demanded, and Hirata shrugged.

"I don't understand how my Grandfather died, but I know Seimaru was behind it." He said darkly. "Just because I don't understand why Ukitake-kun is missing doesn't mean I don't know who I think is responsible for it."

"And nobody else knows the whereabouts of that letter?" Kai asked. Hirata shook his head.

"Ukitake-kun and I. And now you. Nobody else." He agreed.

"Then how would anyone find out where it was hidden?" Kai demanded. "Why would they go after him and not you? If only the two of you knew...if not even Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama knew..."

At that moment there was a knock on the door, and Hirata's eyes widened as he hurriedly slid the letter into his _obi_.

"Nobody else must know. Yet." He said quickly. "Please, Kai-kun. Whoever it is - I don't know, yet, what we're dealing with."

"All right. I promise." Kai nodded. "But if it is related to Ukitake being missing, you're going to have to tell someone. For his sake...you know that."

"If it comes to that, I know how to act." Hirata said softly. "Don't worry. I know."

He raised his voice.

"Come in, Edogawa-san."

The door slid back, revealing, as he had expected, the young Kuchiki hime, hair in a long dark tail and wrapped in a robe over her night clothes. She was not alone, however, and Hirata's eyes widened as he registered his young sister in tow.

"Eiraki-chan!"

"Nii-sama..." Eiraki faltered, biting her lip, and Mitsuki put a gentle hand on her arm, offering her an encouraging smile. Eiraki simply lowered her gaze, however, and Hirata could sense the uncertainty in his sister's demeanour.

"Juushirou-kun isn't here." Mitsuki stated the obvious, and Hirata knew that before she had knocked she had known this to be true. "Hirata-kun, has Shihouin-kun explained to you...about last night?"

"Yes." Hirata slipped off his glasses, rubbing his temples. "And I'm trying to absorb it. Why Ukitake-kun would slip out like that - why he wouldn't even leave a message...what he intended to do. I'm trying to work out what it was that happened to make him leave here...and if he did go of his own free will, what was he trying to prove?"

"None of us know that. And none of us can work out where he's headed." Mitsuki's tones were full of frustration and she sighed, sinking back against the wall of the chamber. "And now...Eiraki-chan..."

She paused, her gaze flitting to the younger girl, and Hirata was startled to see the look of distress in Eiraki's eyes.

"Eiraki, what is it?" He asked softly. "Last night...you were outside, weren't you? Ukitake-kun was with you - do you remember something about it? Something you didn't remember before? Someone else, even?"

Slowly Eiraki shook her head.

"There was nobody else there." She murmured. "My memory is hazy, Nii-sama, but when I was outside, it was only Ukitake-san. He was...I was coughing, and I felt...dizzy and unwell. Tired...and my chest was hurting. I couldn't stand up, and he supported me...he looked scared for me, like he understood."

"Coughing blood again?" Hirata was alarmed, and Eiraki nodded.

"But I feel...better this morning." She owned. "Like it was a cold or a chill but it's starting to pass by now. My chest feels better...I feel less tight and tired than I did."

"What did Ukitake say to you, do you remember?"

"That he was sorry for grabbing me but he thought it would help if he supported me..." Eiraki twisted her fingers together. "And that...I had been sleepwalking and...I...he had come to help me. That's all I remember him saying. I think I fainted...and when I woke up, I was by myself."

"That doesn't say much." Kai grimaced, and Hirata sighed.

"But Ukitake-kun wouldn't have just left Eiraki-chan out there in the cold. Especially if she was unconscious. He wouldn't have just...he'd have alerted someone."

"But if he couldn't carry me himself..." Eiraki faltered, and Kai shook his head.

"Hirata's right. Ukitake is top of the class when it comes to Kidou and he's used flares of that before - he and Kyouraku - as a signal that something's amiss. He wouldn't have known that the guards were drugged - if he'd fired something into the sky we at least would all have felt it and come running. And Kyouki-sama too, most probably. But he didn't do anything like that. Even though Kidou is his strongest subject - he didn't do it."

"Which means he wasn't able to?" Mitsuki's lips thinned.

"And the other thing is, why did Ukitake-kun know that Eiraki-chan was sleepwalking in the first place?" Hirata murmured.

Eiraki did not answer right away, and Mitsuki reached across to squeeze the younger girl's hand.

"Eiraki-chan's memories are fuzzy. She isn't sure whether it's real or a dream." She said softly. "So don't jump in on her and assume anything, all right, Hirata-kun? Last night, after we came back here, she had a bad dream - and when she woke up, she told me about it. But neither of us know what sparked it and whether it was just the tension of the night...so that's why we didn't mention it right away."

"Mention it now." Kai said abruptly. "The longer we dither, the further away Ukitake can get from where we can find him."

Eiraki swallowed hard, but slowly she nodded her head.

"Ukitake-san said I'd come in to Nii-sama and his room by mistake - that I'd been sleepwalking and he'd startled me awake by accident." She said softly. "He said he'd frightened me and I'd run away, so he'd gone after me to see that I was all right."

"Taking his _zanpakutou_ with him?" Kai arched an eyebrow, and Mitsuki sent him a dark look.

"Shihouin-kun, you should listen if you want to know what she remembers." She chided quietly. "Go on, Eiraki-chan. Tell them the other bit that you told me."

Eiraki took a deep breath, then,

"I don't remember getting to your room, Nii-sama." She said unevenly. "So probably I was...I must have been...sleepwalking or something. But...in the darkness, I remember...Ukitake-san's fingers glowing with energy and...and there was something in my hand too. I dropped it...I was frightened. But I think...I think it was...a knife."

"_What_?" Kai was on his feet in a moment, and Hirata's eyes became big with alarm. "Eiraki-hime, are you saying that...you sleepwalked here...to hurt someone?"

There was a long silence, and something cold gripped itself around Hirata's heart.

"Me." He murmured softly. "She came here to hurt me."

"I didn't mean it!" Tears glittered in Eiraki's eyes and she shook her head hurriedly. "I didn't want to...Nii-sama, I really didn't! I don't remember...how or why...just that's all I know. That I was here, Ukitake-san's fingers were glittering and...there was a knife in my hand."

"Though that part of it could just have been a dream." Mitsuki added. "We're not sure. I don't think Eiraki-chan would hurt you, Hirata - she loves you and she was very upset this morning at the thought she might have brought harm to you in any way. So it might not be as it sounds - it might just be..."

"It might just be the truth."

Kai cut across her, bending down beside Hirata's bed and poking at something that protruded slightly from beneath the younger boy's belongings. Slowly he drew it out, and a gasp escaped Mitsuki's lips as it became clear what the object was.

Grimly Kai set the dagger down on Hirata's bedcovers, meeting his friend's gaze.

"It's hard to explain what that's doing here, if it was just a dream."

A stifled sob escaped Eiraki at that moment and she buried her face in Mitsuki's shoulder, the older girl hugging her tightly.

"Shihouin-kun, I believe her when she says that she doesn't remember it and didn't mean it." She said softly. "I don't know how to explain it, but I believe her. She's telling the truth - I would be able to tell if she wasn't. She doesn't understand it any more than we do - why she was here and what she intended to do."

Hirata moved tentatively forward to examine the knife, putting his finger against the carved hilt with a frown.

"Ukitake-kun touched it too." He murmured. "And Eiraki-chan...and...there's something else. I can't make it out, it's too faint. But something else is here."

"Do you think Ukitake hid it before coming after Eiraki-hime?" Kai asked, and Hirata nodded.

"Probably. So as not to get Eiraki-chan in trouble." He agreed. "And it...it's not an Endou blade. It's a _Kyouraku_ one. So maybe...he didn't want to cause trouble for Kyouraku-kun's family, either. Whatever happened last night I don't know about - I was lost to the world and I don't remember. But it looks like...Ukitake-kun used Kidou to wake you up, Eiraki-chan. And because he did, you weren't able to do whatever it was you were sent to do."

"_Sent _to...do?" Mitsuki's eyes clouded with consternation, and Hirata nodded, reaching over for his glasses and sliding them back onto his nose as he felt his headache double.

"I don't believe Eiraki would hurt me, either." He said simply, moving to put a hand on his sister's arm and Eiraki turned, eyes swimming with tears as she gazed mournfully up at him. "And she certainly wouldn't carry a Kyouraku dagger even if she did want to. Someone gave that to her. Someone gave it to her and gave her the order to come and eliminate me. I don't know how or what spell they used - but it's without a doubt the truth."

"Meaning there _was_ someone else here. Someone who was controlling Eiraki-chan because she was inside the manor and had access to you." Mitsuki said softly, still hugging protectively onto the distraught young princess. "The guards were drugged so as nobody could interfere...and she was meant to kill you. Only Juushirou-kun was awake, and he saw it...and he stopped it. He probably fired Kidou at Eiraki-chan before he realised that it was her...and when he did, he probably worked out that it was wrong somehow. That's why he came after her...that's why he took his sword. Because he thought someone else was out there...someone who might hurt Eiraki-chan for failing to carry out her orders."

"This has a nasty taint to it." Kai said darkly. "If there's someone in this vicinity who can pull that kind of a trick out of the bag, who's really safe? If someone can control other people...manipulate them to do something like this to someone they care about..."

"I'm sorry, Nii-sama." Eiraki whispered, and Hirata swallowed his own misgivings, shaking his head.

"It wasn't your fault. It wasn't you." He said simply. "I know that. I wouldn't believe it even for a moment, anyhow. Our family may be ripped into shreds at the moment, but I don't have any doubt in those I'm closest to."

"Nii-sama..." Eiraki flung herself on him at this, tears streaming down her cheeks a second time, and Hirata hugged her, casting a glance at Kai.

"Grandfather died through mysterious circumstances. He died yet nobody was able to prove how." He said softly. "Now Eiraki-chan has attacked me without any real reason or cause, and she herself doesn't even know why. I think those two things might be connected."

"I think we need to get someone else involved." Kai said grimly. "I'm going to wake Kyouraku and get him to throw the whole estate on alert, if he can. If whoever it was was here last night, it's just as possible that they're also involved in why we can't find Ukitake this morning."

He paused, then,

"Since the guards were drugged and that dagger's a Kyouraku knife, we also have to consider that last night was an inside attempt." He said softly. "Someone from Kyouraku's family may be part of this - someone who dislikes the fact you guys are here."

"Or it could be a plant. A frame, to try and make it look bad for Tokutarou-sama." Hirata shook his head. "It's not the first time we've seen someone deflect attention...after all. Is it?"

Kai's features paled, and slowly he nodded, glancing at the weapon again.

"My Clan almost fell because a Shihouin dagger was used to kill a District girl...and the trail of _reidoku_ led back to our door." He murmured. "I suppose that...if someone found that kind of distraction had worked once..."

"It could work again." Mitsuki swallowed hard. "Hirata-kun, do you think...it was...from outside?"

"I think it may have been." Hirata sighed heavily. "The truth is, there's nobody - as far as I know - in this District who would want to kill an exiled member of the Endou Clan. But there are plenty of people over the border, which is why we're exiled to begin with. So...even though I can't see how they'd do it...it isn't impossible to me that they did."

"If they were smart enough." Kai pursed his lips. "And whatever you say about it, Hirata - it's not Seimaru's reiatsu on that knife. Whatever else it is - it isn't his."

"No. It isn't." Hirata agreed. "But it's so washed over with Ukitake-kun's and Eiraki-chan's that I'm not sure whose it is...or if it's simply the lingering of something else put there to deceive us."

He groaned, running his fingers agitatedly through his loosed dark hair.

"I'm getting so paranoid." He whispered, more than half to himself. "I never used to think like this."

"Then the first thing is to find Ukitake." Kai said firmly. "If someone was here, maybe he knows who. Maybe he decided to go after them, idiot that he is, and if so, we haven't time to waste tracking him down and bringing him back."

"Seimaru wants the letter." Eiraki pulled back suddenly, gazing up at Hirata in consternation. "That's why, Nii-sama. The letter is the reason."

"Letter?" Mitsuki looked confused, and Hirata stared at his sister in dismay. "What letter?"

"Something that's better not talked about." Kai said briskly.

"But Ukitake-san had it, didn't he?" Eiraki was not to be dissuaded. "He must have. You didn't have it. You said you wouldn't trust it to Clan - so...you gave it to him, didn't you? You gave it to Ukitake-san and now Seimaru's trying to get a hold of it!"

"What letter is this we're talking about?" Mitsuki was concerned too now. "Hirata, did you give something dangerous to Juushirou-kun to look after?"

Hirata sighed, closing his eyes briefly.

"Ukitake-kun doesn't have it." He said softly. "And Kai-kun is right, Eiraki-chan. We don't talk about it. Talking about it puts people in danger - it may already have, if someone else assumed what you just assumed about its whereabouts."

Eiraki was startled, and Kai shook his head.

"Hirata's telling you the truth." He added softly. "It's a dangerous letter, Edogawa - better you don't know what it contains. Even I haven't read its contents - Hirata's the only one here who has. As to where it is or whether Ukitake has it - I'm pretty sure that if that's why he's disappeared, someone will be disappointed. The letter isn't with Ukitake. That much is for sure."

"Then maybe they'll give him back." Eiraki murmured, and Kai let out a heavy sigh, reaching across to pick up the dagger.

"More likely they'll kill him, if there is a 'they' and if this isn't just one of Ukitake's crazy whims to put things right." He said flatly. "Which is why I'm going to wake Kyouraku now. And once we've done that...we'll worry about how to track our missing soul down."

---

"I trust you have good news for me?"

As Keitarou stepped into Seimaru's office, bowing his head low before his companion, the young Lord turned from his position by the window, fixing the scientist with a thoughtful, half-wary look. There was something feral in those pale eyes today, Keitarou reflected, even as he raised his gaze to meet the nobleman's own. Something impatient and impulsive, and he sighed, faintly irritated by the other's lack of patience.

_If you can't wait for what you want, you don't deserve to get it. Spoiled brats are never the ones who succeed, in the end - they just get exploited by those who are smart enough to lurk until their time comes._

Out loud he said,

"Mixed news, my Lord. But in the circumstances, I think...you can call it good."

"Is Hirata dead?" The question was so bluntly spoken that it caused even Keitarou to wince. He shook his head.

"No. No, he isn't." He admitted. "Not yet."

"Not yet?" Seimaru reacted in a moment, wheeling on his companion and dashing the provincial paperwork that had been piled on his desk to the floor in a brash, irrational sweep of impatience. "What do you mean, not yet? I thought that's why you went! I thought that's why you let me let that girl and her mother loose! I thought..."

"I am sorry, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou kept his calm, bowing his head once more towards his companion. "As I said, the news is mixed. But if you will hear me out..."

"I'll hear you out." Seimaru growled, moving towards his companion and grabbing him by the shoulders, pushing him up against the wall of the study. "I'll hear it, and then, if it doesn't satisfy me, I will throw you in a cell and hear it again, with whips and chains like your kinsman suffered at Grandfather's hands. My patience is running low, Aizen. I cannot keep 'waiting' for everything to happen!"

"Has something occurred, then, in my absence?" Keitarou asked softly, making no attempt to resist the Endou lord's sudden attack. "You seem...agitated, my Lord. As though something has...worried you."

"Worried me?" Seimaru's eyes narrowed, and Keitarou felt the grip on his shoulders tighten. "What do you think should worry me? The fact that you haven't delivered on your promise - or the fact that my Aunt and my young idiot cousin are now also roaming around my enemy's territory? This morning a message arrived from that cursed neighbour advising me that they had his protection - and that if any agents of District Seven sought to enter Kyouraku land, it would be taken and dealt with as an act of war. The document was signed and sealed in his name and that Shiba witch's also. More, he threatened to report me to the Council of Elders over it - over driving my own kinsfolk to flee from this place! What do you suppose I should tell them, if they summon me on these grounds? That I allowed them to leave because a mad scientist told me that I should?!"

His voice was rising, and Keitarou could see the tension in the young man's thin features as all the things he had bottled up came pouring out, one after the other.

"Tell me, Aizen, what you have done." Seimaru said at length. "Tell me some good news. I do not want more bad."

"There is no bad news, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou shook his head, staying calm despite how close his companion's fingers were to his exposed throat. "Hirata-sama is not dead. But as I said, not yet. In fact, this circumstance may prove to be the better one - especially if you have been sent such a notification from Tokutarou-sama about your kin."

"Explain." Seimaru's eyes were no more than slits, and Keitarou nodded.

"If Hirata-sama was to come here, you wouldn't be attacking anything or anyone on Kyouraku land." He said lightly. "Would you?"

"Hirata...come here?" Despite himself, Seimaru's fingers loosed on Keitarou's body, and carefully the scientist extracted himself from the other man's grip. "You've said that before, but nothing has happened. He is a coward, after all. Why should I believe in it now?"

"Last night I sent Eiraki-hime to kill her brother, as per your orders." Keitarou explained softly. "But in doing so, I discovered something else. And so I...in the end...I decided against taking that action. Because...that letter not only still exists, but...its whereabouts is known to another than just Hirata himself. And if Hirata had died..."

"I would have been implicated by this ally in the shadows." Seimaru took a deep breath, his fit of rage seemingly calming in light of this new information, and Keitarou sighed, inwardly glad that the other man had as good a dose of Riku's rational genes as he did his father's mad ones. "So? The plan changed, and...?"

"Eiraki-hime served a useful purpose for me." Keitarou said lightly. "In discovering who else it was that most likely knew the location of the letter. Or, perhaps, who currently is in possession of it."

"And?" Seimaru pressed. "Don't spread it out - get to the point already!"

"Ukitake Juushirou." Keitarou smiled. "The boy from the Districts that so offended you."

"That whelp..." Seimaru's fists clenched as a new flood of rage threatened to overwhelm his body. "I knew there were reasons enough to hate him when I saw him the last time! But that he would have it himself - all this time. Midori tried to distract me, Hirata too - but in the end...in the end..."

"Ukitake Juushirou is currently in my possession." Keitarou added calmly. "As per our agreement."

"Then bring him before me and I'll beat it out of him, the whereabouts of this letter!" Seimaru exclaimed. Keitarou shook his head.

"If I may suggest, Seimaru-sama, there is another course of action open to us now." He said softly. "I used Eiraki-hime to lure Ukitake to a place where I knew I could take him away with me without too much of a fight. The letter is not on his body – but it is quite clear he knows about it and about where it is hidden. He is an interesting boy, but he has a fatal weakness. A fatal, fatal flaw in his design that makes him very useful to your cause whilst he remains alive."

"Which is...?" Seimaru looked doubtful. "I don't see how any plan involving that boy being alive is going to please me, but I will hear you out all the same."

"He is loyal to his friends. To his principles. He does not lie well, and his head is full of naive ideals about the world he lives in." Keitarou leant back against the wood panels of the office, eying Seimaru keenly as he observed his reactions. "I believe he's been keeping this letter a secret for over a year, in blatant breach of Council Law...for the sake of the young boy, Hirata-sama. Their friendship is such that he would give himself willingly into my hands in order to have me set Eiraki-hime free from my spell. Eiraki-hime's usefulness ended at that moment, so I let her go. And I took him with no fuss..."

He paused, shrugging his shoulders.

"But Eiraki-hime will know that Ukitake was with her before he disappeared. And she will no doubt tell her brother about it." He added softly. "And Hirata-sama...will then...come looking for his friend. For the friend in whom he's trusted the secrets of his family - and right into your hands."

"Right into my hands." Seimaru repeated thoughtfully. "And if he goes to the Kyouraku for help?"

"If he was going to do that, would he not have done so a year or more ago?" Keitarou pointed out. "This letter may incriminate you, Seimaru-sama, but it's more than likely it implicates the Endou-ke as a whole. Hirata-sama would want to protect his Father, would he not? He won't go to the Kyouraku, since that would mean it going before the Council proper. He'll come here under his own steam…since it's not something he would want in the public domain, is it?"

"You know, I believe you are right." Comprehension dawned in Seimaru's gaze. "He's had adequate opportunity to brandish that letter to the Council, yet he's not done so – not even the jezebel Midori was able to use it to stop me gaining my title here. And as for Ukitake…when I crossed that boy's path before, it was clear that my stupid cousin had a connection to the District boy that was stronger than he had to any other. Hirata is weak. A mouse. He's shy and pathetic and he's not the kind of brat who would easily garner support from his Clan peers, after all. I should have realised sooner...that Ukitake alone would be the one who held the proof."

"But if we already have him here, and Hirata-sama comes too, there will be no further loose ends." Keitarou said neatly. "Eiraki-hime told me that Hirata-sama wouldn't even tell her about the location of the letter. Chances are nobody else knows about it, anyhow. And while the Council would surely act against you if you went hell for leather against the Kyouraku by crossing their borders...they can't do anything about a foolish young boy looking for his friend, can they? Especially since that friend has no Clan connections of his own."

"Mm." Seimaru dropped down behind his desk. "Then...? You intend to do something, I presume, to lure Hirata into my hands?"

"I am already considering such a course of action." Keitarou agreed. "Trite as it may be, the most direct form of communication often works in these cases. We'll suggest a trade – Ukitake for the letter. Although that part of it will be a deceit – since neither of us intend on letting Ukitake leave District Seven alive."

"Ukitake being anywhere alive is annoyance enough for me." Seimaru muttered, and Keitarou arched an eyebrow.

"I trust though that you will allow me to keep him and utilise him in the way we agreed, sir?" He asked softly.

"If keeping that creature alive will serve a purpose for me, too, then for the time being I will." Seimaru nodded reluctantly, letting out a sigh of resignation. "But when Hirata is dead, he will also die. No...no. He will die first - in front of my cousin's eyes, and then I will take Hirata down too. That is my wish, Aizen. That is what we will do. My aunt and my cousin are of no real interest – if I reach them or not no longer interests me. When Hirata is dead, I can kill my Uncle and that will be the end of it. There will be no other male line to contest me. Like Grandfather, I will rule supreme over the Endou."

He shot his companion a sidelong glance.

"And you will provide me with _reidoku_, so as I can reach Bankai, won't you?" He added. Keitarou inclined his head.

"I will certainly provide you with whatever you ask of me." He said simply. "I am a man of my word and I will not break the promise that bound us together in the first place. If you wish for _reidoku_, I will supply it. You can be sure of that."

"Then for now it is well." Seimaru gestured towards the door. "But keep that runt out of my sight. Experiment on him as you will - cause him as much suffering as your science allows you - yet keep a little of him still alive for me to have the final pleasure of cutting him down myself. If he has been the one defying my justice all this time...I _will _have the last word."

"As you wish, Seimaru-sama." Keitarou bowed his head low once more. "I will do as you command."

"Make sure you do." Seimaru's gaze told Keitarou that the nobleman had still not completely forgiven him for keeping Chudokuga a secret, and the scientist's lips thinned thoughtfully even as he withdrew from the chamber, shutting the door carefully behind him.

_Seimaru is becoming more of a problem…or should I say that our interests begin to diverge at this point._

He sighed, running his fingers through his dyed dark hair, then,

_For I rather think I will want to keep Ukitake. It's soon yet, of course, but just on first impressions…even though his zanpakutou was sealed and even though he did nothing particularly unusual, his reiatsu is more interesting than I expected. I will need to think about this carefully, in the end – I may not seek to kill him as quickly as Seimaru does._

He made his way quickly along the hallways, bowing his head absently to various Endou council members he passed on the way as belatedly he remembered that even though his thoughts were all Urahara, right now he was still in the guise of Minazake Roukei. The political façade was more of a hindrance to him that morning than it was a help, if he was honest – since the sooner he returned to his underground laboratory the better. He would be expected to attend the Endou administration session later that morning, and he rued inwardly the fact that his current position meant his time was not his own.

_But I rather think it won't be for too much longer. Reidoku is almost complete – it simply requires a final test subject Shinigami to prove that it can be used to the full effect. Well, that's easily resolved. If the District boy is unsuitable, there's always another option._

A slight, humourless smile twitched at the edges of his lips as he slipped down the back stairs towards the forbidden area of the Endou manor.

_If Seimaru wants it, I will not keep it from him. I promised, after all. I will keep my word._

Making sure that nobody could see him, he dropped into shunpo, shifting his body through the channels of spiritual energy until he was deep within the former dungeon itself.

"Kei-nii!" Shikiki hurried to greet him, and Keitarou reached down to pat her absently on the head.

"I'm a little later than I thought. I'm sorry. Seimaru-sama expected to speak with me." He told her softly. "Are you all right? You made sure to eat while I was away…? Your barriers need strength, after all, and you won't get that unless you make as good a meal as possible."

"I'm fine." Shikiki seemed relieved to see him, for she grasped his fingers in her chubby ones, squeezing them hard and hopping excitedly from foot to foot. "And I eat more here with the food you bring me than I did in the village. I'm all right, Kei-nii. And I've been practicing, just as you told me. I always do, when you're not here."

"The walls don't make it hard for you?" Keitarou asked curiously, and Shikiki shook her head.

"To begin with, it was hard." She admitted. "But I'm used to it now. Being down here in the dark. And that stone…whatever it does, it doesn't bother me now."

"It's far more damped than it was when the prison was first built – I've seen to that." Keitarou tapped the stone pensively. "I would say that from the outside it blocks about ninety percent of spiritual emissions…but inside is maybe as low as ten percent, now. But even so, that you can overcome its effects is a good sign. I'm proud of you, Shikiki. It means that when you're in a less hostile location, your barriers will be even stronger."

Shikiki beamed at the praise, and something in her grimy, innocent features made Keitarou grin.

"All right. I have work to do." He told her gently. "I want you to stay in this area and keep working on your barriers. I'll come to speak to you and see how you're doing before I go upstairs for my meeting, I promise – but before that I have something else I need to do."

"Something else?" Shikiki tilted her head on one side, then, "To do with the nii-chan you brought here last night?"

"You saw us?" Keitarou questioned, and Shikiki shook her head.

"No. Not properly." She replied honestly. "And I don't go into…where Kei-nii does all his special working. But I felt his re…re…reiatsu with yours when you came. And I knew you said someone was coming…so…but I didn't want to step out in case you were cross with me. So I didn't."

"For now, that's probably better. Until I've settled him in the best way." Keitarou considered. "But you're right, Shikiki. There is a 'nii-chan' who's come to play with us for a little while. He's quite…special too, I think. Like you, he's from the Districts, and like you, he has skills that make him different to other people."

"He's not like the others, then?" Shikiki enquired. "The ones who come and stay and then go again?"

Keitarou smiled at her innocence – she had not yet realised, even from living in such close proximity to his working laboratory that the village peasants he had brought here to test on had not left the place at all, but had died in their cells and had been obliterated as waste matter by the force of his kidou. He shook his head.

"No. I think this one…may stay for a long time." He murmured, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silver key. "From today, Shikiki, you are free to roam anywhere you like in this underground world. I kept this locked from you before because it was dangerous, but those experiments are, for the time being, no longer a concern. The chemicals that might have hurt you are shut away and I don't think you'll come to any harm."

"Then…I can talk to the nii-chan?" Shikiki asked hesitantly. Keitarou nodded.

"You can." He said evenly. "But be careful when you do. He's different from you and I, and I'm not sure he will acclimatise to this place as easily as we have. So perhaps…right now you should not attempt it. Maybe later, after I've had a chance to talk to him a little more first."

"Okay." Shikiki's eyes became big, but she didn't question the instruction and Keitarou knew that she trusted implicitly in everything he said. "I'll go and work on my barriers, then. I fixed the broken scabbard you left with me to play with, and I'm not even tired, so I'm sure I can show Kei-nii how much better I'm getting!"

"I look forward to it." Keitarou turned the key in the lock, removing it and slipping it into his _obi_. Carefully he pulled back the divide, turning to shoot her one last smile. "I'm very proud of you, after all – my little time weaver."

He was rewarded by another beam, and then, as the young girl skipped off to obey his orders, Keitarou stepped into the hallway beyond.

_From one obedient study project to one that will take a little more coercing. Oh well. I like a challenge._

Slowly he walked along the rows of cells that flanked each side of the long, dark hallway. They were hollow, black and empty, with only the sparsest of surroundings to suggest any living creature had ever been held there. Each was identical, carved out or grey stone and using the natural splits in the deep, below-surface rock to form the foundations of each squat, square cell. There was no natural light, for they were some way below the level of the ground, but each had two dim kidou lamps positioned at either end – enough that the captive could see their world and that the captor could see them. These dated from the days of the old Endou dungeon, when guards would have patrolled this narrow hallway looking for prisoners who were on the verge of causing trouble – however, Keitarou had used them to his advantage too, in order to see the changes in his test subjects and when they finally drew their last breath and were therefore no longer of any use to him.

Rough blankets were tossed against the wall of each – moth-eaten and worn yet clean, for Keitarou had not wanted his science to be tainted by the risk of infection. He had added low, thinly stuffed mattresses for the prisoners to sleep on, and an empty water vessel and wood ledge for food provision stood in the corner of each. They were squalid and unpleasant, but they were not dirty, and any unfortunate vermin Keitarou had ever found nearby had been quickly flung into the animal afterlife by a quick, cleansing shock of Byakurai.

The cells were empty at present – all of them except for one at the very furthest end, and as he reached it, he slowed, realising that his young guest was already awake despite the lack of sleep he had received the previous night.

"I'm sure Seimaru was very pleased to see you." The voice was quiet and edged slightly with frustration, and Keitarou smiled, resting his hand against the cage bars as he turned to meet the sullen hazel eyes.

"My accommodation is unpleasant. I'm sorry." He said softly. "Please don't take it personally. This is all I have, after all. The room and façade I keep above stairs as Minazake Roukei is fraught with the constant danger of being found out – here and here alone can I be who I really am."

"I'm very happy for you." Juushirou murmured, and Keitarou laughed.

"You're not happy at all." He reflected. "And I didn't expect that you would be. But I have at least some good news to bring you. Seimaru has agreed to keep his word – he won't be coming here to claim you as his prize."

"And what are you intending to do with me instead that I should be glad about?" Juushirou eyed him warily. "Surely I'm no use to you just here in this cell. You said you had something in mind – I want to know what. If I'm not allowed to leave here, I at least want to know what your motives are. Seimaru's I understand. He hates me and he has reason to want to kill me since I opposed him before. But you…I don't understand what I am to you. If it's not because Seimaru wants me…then why?"

"I am a scientist." Keitarou crouched down so that he was at the same level as his prisoner, eying him earnestly as he settled himself on the cold floor. "I like to learn things. I hoped to learn them from you."

"From me?"

Keitarou nodded, reaching out a pale hand and sliding it through the gap in the bars towards Juushirou's own. Juushirou flinched back, but Keitarou laughed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't need to touch you to realise it." He said lightly. "You have quite powerful reiatsu, don't you?"

"Maybe."

"Of course you do. You raised a _zanpakutou._ It would be foolish to think otherwise."

Keitarou pursed his lips, looking pensive.

"I have no personal grudge against you, so in that sense, my motive is nonexistent." He admitted. "It was pure scientific convenience that drove me to bring you here. It has benefits for Seimaru too…you are useful bait with which to set his trap. But as for me…"

"Bait?" Juushirou's eyes widened. "You mean…you do expect someone to follow me after all?"

"No. If they have sense, they won't." Keitarou shook his head. "I told Seimaru that they would, because it was what he wanted to hear. But I don't put so much faith in Clan or their loyalty to those around them. I don't think anyone will come here for you, Ukitake, even if it was possible for them to trace our path. So far as I know none of them are powerful shinigami capable of opening _Senkaimon_, which reduces the likelihood even more. I think you should resign yourself to that fact. I have plans, after all – and I'd like you to be a part of them."

Juushirou's eyes narrowed at this.

"I already told you that I had no intention to do anything." He said curtly. "I kept my part of the deal by coming. That's all you can ask of me. I'm not obliged to do anything else."

Keitarou gazed at him for a moment, his expression becoming flinty. Then,

"Do you have a father, Juushirou?"

"He died." At the sudden use of his first name, Juushirou started, staring at his companion uncertainly. "Why?"

"A mother, then?"

"Stepmother…yes. Why? What has that to do with you?"

"Brothers? Sisters? Family you care for?"

"I don't understand. What are you…?"

"What lengths would you go to, then, to protect them from harm?"

"What do you mean to do?" Juushirou's eyes flashed with fear, and Keitarou laughed, shaking his head.

"No. Not me. It's not me you should be wary of." He said softly. "I don't care anything for them or what lives they lead. But you have already crossed lines. Become something you should not be. And this has had repercussions already, has it not? Maybe in the future it will have more."

"That's no business of yours."

"On the contrary…as someone who's been a victim of Clan, it is." Keitarou shrugged. "My only reason for choosing you was based on the fact you don't have Clan ties. No other reason, no other motive. I knew very little else about you, and I probably never intended that I would. I simply planned to utilise you as a test subject for my science. To make you stronger and allow you to fight on an equal par with those who might oppose you. I had planned to do that…to make you the first person to trial my _reidoku_ in a proper sense."

Juushirou stared at him in horror, then slowly he shook his head.

"Kill me." He said softly. "I won't be your guinea pig for that awful chemical. Kill me now and be done with it. I don't want anything to do with _reidoku_."

"Proud words." Keitarou was amused. "Proud, principled and naïve words. Do you think I would have told you that if I still intended to do it? I knew you wouldn't agree, after all. I'd have found another way to slip it into your system. But you needn't look at me so warily. I've changed my mind. Even sitting here, I can tell – you're not a suitable candidate after all."

Juushirou's eyes narrowed, and Keitarou withdrew his hand from the bars.

"I can tell from here that your reiatsu is stronger than I'd anticipated." He owned. "I made a foolish error of judgement which I can only blame on my having spent too long around Clan idiots these past hundred years. I thought that a District shinigami would be adequate as a subject for _reidoku_ enhancement. But on the contrary, I think it would be a waste of my time and your life to try it. Even sitting here like this…I can tell your reiatsu is potentially higher than Seimaru's own. What that sword of yours can do I don't know – though I very much hope to find out. But either way, it needs no enhancement. On the contrary…it perhaps needs better control."

Juushirou bristled, shaking his head.

"My control isn't that bad, and it's none of your business." He said indignantly. "I'm still a student – you can't expect me to be able to do everything perfectly right away."

"But even so, at student level, you have more power in that scrawny body of yours than the Endou Clan's current leader. Perhaps, with time and training, as much or more as his predecessor had." Keitarou reflected. "One drop of _reidoku_ would therefore, probably, kill you. Your control is there, but raw and ragged around the edges. It would be like a flame to dry tinder. Your power would explode…and that would be that. Nothing gained. Nothing learnt. Much wasted."

"Then what will you do with me, if that's the case?" Juushirou demanded. "I'm not going to be your puppet. I told you that."

"I already told you that Chudokuga's _shikai_ would be ineffective against you. Now I know it for sure." Keitarou responded. "I should be disappointed that you aren't the test subject I envisioned – but instead I'm intrigued. You don't _look _strong enough to wield that kind of power. You don't _seem_ strong enough, yet I know that you are. I want to see your sword. I want to test it. I want to learn about it – all about it – and what it means for Soul Society."

"My sword?" Juushirou's gaze flitted across to the cell across the other side of the corridor in which his unsheathed blade was currently housed. "Why?"

"Because I'm starting to see the possibilities." Keitarou got to his feet, offering Juushirou a grin, "Of a shinigami without Clan ties…a shinigami without Clan protection. I'm curious. Intrigued. And I want to learn more. Is there any harm in that? Are you, then, ashamed or afraid of your sword?"

"I'm not ashamed, nor afraid of it." Juushirou shook his head and Keitarou knew he had wounded the boy's pride with his carefully chosen words. "But I won't fight for you, so don't think anything you can say or do will make me. I'm not controlled by any Clan – and I'm not controlled by you, either. So don't think that I am."

"I would rather see you release the sword with that free spirit." Keitarou acknowledged. "Very well. I'll make an agreement with you, in that case, that may be more to your liking."

"Which is?" Juushirou was suspicious.

"Seimaru's demands and my interests are beginning to clash." Keitarou said softly. "I have saved Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama, but I did so to bring you here. I have no interest in Seimaru's dynastic ambitions, nor his desire to kill every blood relative in his near vicinity in order to make sure nobody else can claim in District Seven. I supported him and shielded him and worked with him while Shouichi-sama was alive – but now he is dispensed with, and so our aims diverge."

"_You_ killed Shouichi-sama." Juushirou whispered, and Keitarou nodded.

"Yes." He said briskly. "But not because it was Seimaru's wish. I did it because he killed a kinsman of mine – one I cared for and one whose children will now grow up as he and I did – lacking in a home or a father."

"But you still…somehow…in a way that nobody could trace…" Juushirou trailed off, and Keitarou smiled slightly, gauging the best way of tackling his hot-headed, idealistic young companion.

"You'd do better not to worry about the fates of dead men. He isn't worrying, after all." He responded evenly. "Before I killed him, I told him the truth – that Seimaru was acting against him. Then, with that shock and disbelief in his eyes, I took his life. That's all you need to know. His life for Daisuke's. A death that suited Seimaru and I both."

"Do you think I intend on making deals with murderers?"

"I understand you made them with a certain Shihouin Princess, if Seimaru is to be believed."

"That was different. That was…"

"In protection of her Clan?" Keitarou asked softly. "Daisuke was beaten and brutalised, his body broken and his soul destroyed through torture. He was put through unimaginable things to betray his family, and he did not. Would not. So Shouichi-sama killed him. Was I wrong, then, to avenge his death? For his children's sake…for his widow's? Was it wrong…? Don't you think that, in cases such as that, justice will only come at your own hand?"

"I…" Despite himself, Juushirou faltered, and Keitarou knew he had the advantage.

"If it was one of your siblings, Juushirou, how would you act?" He pressed gently. "Would you forgive it, if one of your blood was so abused and ill-treated and then killed for no reason? Daisuke was like my brother, and he was only the last. Since the death of the old woman, countless scores of my blood kin have been so assaulted. Before that, even…we have never been safe. Is it not normal, then, to want to stand up for those people and fight back?"

Juushirou sighed, rubbing his temples.

"It doesn't make it right." He murmured.

"But who can _I_ go to for justice?" Keitarou pushed his advantage home. "I'm an exile. I don't exist. My true Clan already abandoned me. Like I said, I became the Urahara's dark reputation. I am the one who avenges them – all of them – for all of the suffering they've had. And in particular, for Daisuke and Father."

He smiled.

"You would be no different. I can see it in your eyes." He added evenly. "If it was your kin, dying and begging for mercy, you wouldn't stand back and stay out of it. And nor could I. The Council don't acknowledge me and would probably kill me…therefore there is no other way than by Chudokuga's blade."

"You won't convince me that you're a good person that way."

"I'm not trying to. I'm not a good person." Keitarou admitted. "I'm not going to lie about that. But I _do_ act with reason, and I don't do things that make no sense. I follow the path that is most logical for me to follow at any time, and that path can change in a moment."

"Meaning what?" Juushirou demanded.

"If you will let me study you – you and your District _zanpakutou_ – then I will have no reason to remain on Seimaru's side." Keitarou responded simply. "He is useful – but his political viability is short-lived given the growing demand he places on the slaughter of his kin. If you work with me – just here, within this laboratory, so as I can examine your abilities – I will do what is in my power to bring Seimaru's stranglehold to an end. You support his rival, after all, do you not? Endou Hirata is your ally. Well, if you will show me your sword, and allow me to study it – he will become my ally, also."

"Why should I believe you? What would be in it for you?"

"You have no reason to trust me." Keitarou agreed. "Except that I have kept you alive when Seimaru would have you killed. My interest in you is just that at the moment – scientific interest. But that in itself is enough. As an Urahara – as a member of that Clan – it's how we are, deep down inside. I believe that I can learn things from your existence. Many things. Things such as how a District person can gain such power without blood or training. Things like that. Things that may…one day…be of use to me."

He shrugged.

"But that's no concern of yours. What is is that I am probably the only person who can stop Seimaru."

"That's stupid. The Council could stop him. Lots of people could stop him." Juushirou snorted, and Keitarou's expression became sinister.

"Yes. If they have evidence, they could." He murmured. "But otherwise, it means invasion and war. He's thinking of it, you know – invading District Eight. Attacking the Clan there. Destroying the refugees that fled from him in order to track down his cousin. He has those ambitions and he wants to destroy Tokutarou-sama for hiding his kinsfolk. Tokutarou-sama sent him a message about them, and it's made him mad enough to strike."

"But...!" Horror flooded Juushirou's gaze.

"For now, I have stopped him from acting." Keitarou held up his hands. "I am the only one who has that kind of influence because I know the truth of how his Grandfather died and I could easily destroy him with that information. And if you work with me, I will disclose those things and make sure he is brought to justice. If you let me learn from you, District shinigami…I will disclose anonymously to the Council written proof the events of two summers ago. My interests are not really with the Endou-ke and never have been – my work on _reidoku_ has about reached its end. If you give me another path to follow…then maybe…"

Juushirou's lips thinned. Then, slowly, he nodded his head.

"All right." He agreed cautiously. "If it doesn't require me to attack anyone, because I won't do that. I'll let you see Sougyo no Kotowari, and I'll allow you to find out what you want to know about my reiatsu. You're wrong about one thing – I'm not like you enough to want to kill Seimaru, and I don't want to enter into a pact with you to kill him, either. But I do…want to stop him starting a war and involving innocent people in his madness. And I want to help Hirata and his family. I made a promise and I want to keep it."

"Then we understand each other." Keitarou produced the Kyouraku crest from his _obi_, setting it down just behind the bars of the cell. "This is your proof that I won't betray you over to Seimaru. I have more Kyouraku blood than I do Endou. I care little for it, in honesty – but this time I will honour that blood over Seimaru's demands."

Juushirou scooped up the crest, dusting it off and glancing at it. Then he nodded.

"Very well." He murmured. "I agree."

-----

"So run this by me again."

Shunsui sat down heavily on one of the big silk-covered cushions beside the window of his chamber, wrapping the robe more tightly around his aching body as he gazed blearily up at his impatient classmate

"Start from the beginning, Kai-kun - and talk slowly and quietly, for heaven's sake. You shouting down my ear at this hour is not popular at the best of times...but especially not when I'm hungover."

"If you hadn't been an idiot last night you'd know all about it already." Kai was unsympathetic. "And this morning we might have a better idea what was going on. Snap out of it, Kyouraku, else I'll snap you out of it personally...hungover or not, there isn't time."

Shunsui sighed, burying his head in his hands as he struggled to put his thoughts into coherent order. He had been forcibly dragged from his bed by the persistent Shihouin just a short time earlier, rudely awakened from an alcohol induced dream that he had not wanted to leave to a world in which every tiny sound seemed like a thunderclap and in which Kai's shaking had more resembled an earthquake than an attempt to rouse him.

"Okay." He said at length. "I'm listening. I'll try to follow. What has Juu done now?"

Kai frowned, pulling the Kyouraku weapon from his sash and dropping it down on the hard floor with a clatter. Shunsui flinched as pain rocketed through his fuzzy brain, but even as he opened his mouth to protest, he caught sight of the dagger and the words died on his lips as he bent to pick it up.

"Where in hell did you get this?" He demanded, staring up at Kai in alarm. "If this is your idea of a wake-up call, Kai-kun..."

"Don't be stupid. Of course not." Kai snorted. "Do you think I don't have my own Shihouin one if I want to slice and dice you into listening to me? No. That came from Hirata and Ukitake's room. In which Ukitake isn't. And hasn't been...since sometime late last night."

Shunsui blinked, struggling to follow his friend's words, then,

"Late last night? After the party?"

"Mm. Early hours, about." Kai nodded. "And it's more than that. The knife didn't just appear there - it was dropped there by Eiraki-hime, when she was startled out of an attempt to kill her brother."

"_What_?" Shunsui was on his feet in a second, regretting it the next as he stumbled, throwing a hand up against the wall of the chamber as the world swam and danced before his eyes. "Ah, I shouldn't do that! Not when I'm still half asleep, and fugged up into the bargain. But Kai-kun...are you _serious_? Eiraki-hime...tried to _kill_ Hirata? What happened? Where is she now? What has she said? What..."

"Sit down before you fall down." Kai gave his friend a little shove, pushing him back down onto the cushion. "And I'll tell you what we know. And also what we don't. Listen up, okay? Try and follow, since it's complicated...and we've wasted enough time already."

"I'm listening." Shunsui crossed his legs, setting the dagger down beside him. "Go on. I'm sorry - I didn't realise that it was something that serious."

Kai's lips thinned, and he nodded, slowly relating the events of the previous night and then the conversation in Juushirou and Hirata's chamber a short while before. As he talked, Shunsui felt the cold sense of unease and dread in the pit of his stomach grow ever greater, his expression becoming grave as the Shihouin boy finished his account.

He sighed, reaching to scoop up the dagger once more.

"And this was it? The dagger Eiraki-hime had?"

"Yes. She thinks so too. Hirata and I can both feel...something on it, but we can't identify what beyond Ukitake and Eiraki-hime."

"Too many people have touched it now. I can't either - even if my head wasn't setting up a marching band, I doubt I'd manage it." Shunsui sighed, rubbing his fingers against his brow in an attempt to soothe the persistent throbbing of his brain as it protested at being forced to think under such duress. "But she was being manipulated...and she had this. And you think Juu went after whoever it was who was manipulating her?"

"Only explanation we have, since Edogawa is adamant he wasn't attacked or taken by force." Kai nodded. "Seems like he squashed his reiatsu and went hunting in that madcap way of his."

"And this was...about what, six hours ago?" Shunsui rose slowly to his feet, moving carefully and gingerly across the chamber towards the rope that connected the complex network of serving bells around the Kyouraku manor. "Juu doesn't know this territory, so if that's the case...if I send for Yasuhiro and have him deploy his men out to search on horseback - they might be able to locate him and bring him back to the estate before any big fuss is kicked up. Nii-sama isn't here, and I'd rather not make it too big a thing given the delicacy of the situation. If Eiraki-hime...if people thought she was going to cause violence..."

"I don't think she's still affected by whatever it was." Kai shook his head. "I think it was just a one off thing - and it failed, so the attacker fled. She doesn't remember a lot of things - but..."

"I'll speak to her anyhow." Shunsui groaned, his fingers brushing against the bell rope, but then he stopped. "And it would be better I send summons from Nii-sama's office, now I think of it. It would be the day after the party, though. My brain isn't up to this, but it's going to have to be anyway. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I do remember Nii-sama telling me that when he wasn't here, I was effectively in charge of things. Even though it's a few months till my twentieth birthday, he said it would be good practice seeing as I was home from school. And now this...but if it's in my hands, at least Yasuhiro should obey me. I hope."

"I'll ride out with them." Kai decided. "We should - all of us who can. We know Ukitake's reiatsu, and on horseback..."

"Hirata is staying here for now. I won't risk it." Shunsui gazed at the dagger. "This connects to him. Even this..."

"There's something about that knife, isn't there?" Kai asked softly, and Shunsui sighed, nodding his head.

"It's old." He said quietly. "And the floral border on that Kyouraku crest says it belongs to a branch of the Clan I thought had died out. Certainly a branch of the Clan who...aren't represented here at the wedding. But..."

"A plant, then? To frame a Kyouraku?"

"No." Shunsui's eyes narrowed as his mind flitted to the conversation with Irie in the refugee camps. "I rather think...it's a message. And I'm not going to ignore it. Come on, Kai-kun. We need to find Juu before someone else does, which means I also need to talk to Eiraki-hime right away – in particular about where she got that dagger."

"You're going downstairs like that?" Kai gazed at him, bemused, and Shunsui glanced down at himself, taking in the rumpled night clothes and the expensive embroidered-silk robe that covered them with a rueful grimace.

"Yes, because right now getting properly dressed in a way to suit my kinsfolk's expectations is beyond my thought processes." He admitted. "Besides, this is an emergency. There isn't time for me to gawk blankly at _kataginu_ and wonder which garment goes where. I'm more worried about what stupid thing Juu's got himself into right now – if anyone has an issue with what I'm wearing then they'll just have to take issue with it."

"Fair enough." Despite his anxiety, a smile twitched at Kai's lips and he nodded his head. "All right. In that case, I'm right behind you."

* * *

**_Author's Note: Eiraki_**

_Again, in reply to an anon review:_

_Keitarou's sword was monitoring Eiraki, but until he unleashed his Kairaishi technique, it was not controlling her. Her emotions and reactions were all her own, manipulated as they were by her loneliness, gullibility and his persuasion. Since that was Keitarou's shikai, it could not be activated from such a far distance away from where Eiraki was - hence why Keitarou had to go to District Eight and meet with her in order to activate the skill. Eiraki's ill health was caused by her body trying to reject the foreign spirit matter, much like a human body would reject a foreign body._

_So her belief in Keitarou was not created by Chudokuga, and therefore remains as it was before._


	49. Hostage

**Chapter Forty Eight: Hostage**

It was cold in Keitarou's cells.

Juushirou pulled one of the worn blankets across his shoulders, stifling the urge to cough as he contemplated his position. Keitarou had seemed serious in his offer, after all, he reflected absently. But could he trust in the scientist's words any more than Seimaru could? A man who could kill a noble of Shouichi's standing was not someone who easily buckled to the wills of others...yet somehow Juushirou had felt that his words about District Eight and war were not far from the truth.

_They said it themselves, after all. Shunsui. Everyone. That Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama's coming could spark a war between the Kyouraku and the Endou. A war that the Shiba would join, and a lot of people killed. That Keitarou-san would say the exact same thing to me...sounds like those fears were realised. And...if there was war...Shunsui said he would fight. He'd take up arms, even hating the idea as much as he does. He might be hurt. More might be hurt. The refugees...innocent people in the villages. Hundreds of people, maybe even thousands. Just because of Seimaru's ambition._

He rubbed his temples.

_If I believe Keitarou-san was telling the truth about that, then should I believe him about the other things? That he killed Shouichi-sama out of revenge for a dead kinsman, rather than on Seimaru's orders? That he helped Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama escape because he has no interest in the bloodshed Seimaru seeks? That he could really change his allegiances so easily...a man who perpetuated reidoku to the point of creating poison designed to take Genryuusai-sensei down? I wish I knew. So far he's been frank with me, but I can't forget either what he said to me about Eiraki-hime. That truth was a useful tool in itself - has he been telling me truths to hide from me his deceptions?_

He groaned, sinking back against the cold wall with a heavy sigh.

_I can't figure him out. He's not raised a single finger against me since we came here. He's been polite and apologetic and he's answered questions easily without hesitation. In a way, he's almost been friendly. That in itself puts me on edge. Who comes in the middle of the night, manipulates a young girl to take a prisoner and then...offers to become his ally? What does he really want with me? Am I still a test subject for his reidoku? Was I ever? Or was it what else he said - about District shinigami and the promise for the future. Is he planning something beyond what I can see...? Probably. Possibly several things. And yet..._

His brow creased as a spasm of pain rippled lightly through his chest, causing him to cough, and he reached for the second blanket, wrapping it firmly over the top of the other one and trying to ignore the musty, indistinguishable mesh of faint reiatsu traces that prickled against the rough fabric.

_It's cold in here. Coming here was cold, too, and something about being down here makes my body feel more tired and heavy than usual. If it persists, I won't be of any material use to anyone...myself included. If I take sick here, there'll be no chance of my escaping. If I play along with him for now, I might give myself a little time and room to manoeuvre and get a message back to District Eight...but if I start a fever, then he'll probably decide I'm useless and give me to Seimaru anyway. And that won't do anything to prevent war. So for now, I have to...to focus on staying warm and keeping my haibyou at bay by not doing anything rash or panicked. I can't afford to not believe what he said about a potential war - everything else will just have to come from that point._

"Are you okay?"

A soft voice came from the gloom, and Juushirou glanced up, surprise in his hazel gaze as he registered the fact he was not alone. At the door, separated from him only by the thick metal bars of his cell was a young girl, eying him with a mixture of hesitation and concern. She was probably little older than his own youngest brother, he realised, dressed in rough robes and her feet bare against the cold stone. She was sturdy and chubbily built, thick waves of hair tied in an untidy knot behind her head, and as she rested her stubby hands against the bars, Juushirou could see that her fingernails were ragged and torn.

At his lack of response, the girl frowned, grasping the metal more tightly in her hands as she gazed at him.

"Onii-san? Are you all right?" She asked again, more anxious this time, and despite himself, Juushirou offered her an apologetic smile.

"Yes…I'm all right. I'm sorry – you just startled me, that's all. I didn't expect there to be anyone else down here."

"There isn't. Not now." The child shook her head, stray wisps of grimy hair flying every which way as she did so. "Just you and me, at the moment. Before there was just me on my own – and I didn't like that. So I thought I'd come speak to Onii-san. You don't seem scary, after all – you don't scream or yell like the others did before."

"Scream and yell?" Juushirou tensed, and the child sighed heavily.

"Most people who come here are frightening." She said sadly. "They scream and they shout and they make a fuss. They try to break the bars down, or climb out of the room, and then they get more upset because they can't. I've heard them, screeching. They stay here a little while, and then they go again…and I don't hear them any more. But you're not like that. You're not trying to make a fuss or climb out of the cell."

"I suppose I'm not." Juushirou acknowledged. "Though perhaps it would make more sense if I was."

He sighed, putting his hand against the stone wall, then,

"But it makes me tired, being here." He admitted. "This atmosphere…makes me tired. And there isn't any reason, is there? To fight, I mean. There isn't a way out – not that easy a one, anyway. Screaming and shouting when there's nobody here…there isn't a point, is there?"

"I suppose not." The young girl considered this seriously for a moment, then, "In that case, will you talk to me? Only I'm all by myself otherwise, and I don't like it very much."

"You live down here?" Juushirou asked her, and the girl nodded, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I didn't always, of course." She said frankly, settling herself down beside the cell door with a shrug. "I lived in a village before. But now I have to stay here. It's not safe otherwise. People might hurt me, if I go outside. So I have to stay here."

She shrugged.

"I can't find the door, anyway." She concluded with a frown. "I don't know where it is."

"But you're not a prisoner? I mean, you're not locked away in a cell like I am?" Juushirou asked, and to his surprise the girl laughed, shaking her head.

"Of course not." She said, as if he'd said something foolish. "I'm not a prisoner, silly. I just live here because my village got burnt and there was nowhere else, and Kei-nii said…"

She faltered, a shadow crossing her gaze, and Juushirou frowned, picking up on the casual use of such a familiar nickname.

"Kei-nii? Keitarou-san?" He asked, and the girl nodded.

"Yes." She agreed. "I live with Kei-nii. Though he isn't my real Nii-san – I don't have one of those. Or any other family. They're all dead. And Kei-nii's family are, too. So I live with him. He takes care of me. Before I lived in the village with Dai-nii, but…the village isn't there now. And nor is Dai-nii. So…I live here."

She paused, then slid a fat fist through the bars, holding out her hand to Juushirou.

"I'm Shikiki, by the way." She said warmly. "What's your name? Kei-nii said you were coming, but he didn't tell me what you were called. And I'd like to know – since you're not scary like the others."

"Juushirou." Surprised, Juushirou shuffled forward, clasping the smaller hand in his and squeezing it slightly. "Ukitake Juushirou."

"Juushirou." Shikiki looked thoughtful. "Then…Juu-nii. Can I call you Juu-nii? You have a long name, like Kei-nii."

"My siblings call me that." Juushirou nodded. "I don't mind."

"You have brothers and sisters?"Shikiki's eyes lit up with curiosity, even as she withdrew her hand. "Real ones?"

"Yes." Despite himself, Juushirou laughed. "Seven of them – two sisters and five brothers. My youngest brother is about your age, I think – how old are you, Shikiki? Yuu-kun is eight – are you about the same age?"

"I don't really know, but Kei-nii says so." Shikiki seemed to be thinking this over carefully. "I don't really remember when I was born, or my Kaa-san or my Tou-san, since they died. Kei-nii rescued me when I was about four…and I've been with him and Dai-nii for four years. He says that means I'm eight."

She held up eight fingers.

"But I don't really know for sure."

She tilted her head on one side, eying Juushirou quizzically.

"What is your brother like?"

"Yuu-kun?" Juushirou pursed his lips. "You wouldn't know he was my brother, I don't suppose. He has dark hair and dark eyes and everyone says he reminds them of the night sky. That's what his name means – 'gentle night' because he was so dark and quiet when he was born."

"Yuu-kun means 'gentle night'?" Shikiki was confused, and Juushirou grinned, shaking his head.

"No. Yuuya does. His name is Yuuya. I just call him Yuu-kun." He explained. "It's written with the characters for 'gentle' and 'night' – you see?"

"I don't know many kanji." Shikiki admitted. "Jus' the one for numbers, cos Dai-nii taught me them for going to market and stuff, and a couple of others."

She sighed.

"Kei-nii says my name means 'weaver' or 'seamstress'" She added. "He said I have a Princess in my name, but I don't know how that looks, either. Most people say it's a funny name, but it was the name my Kaa-san gave me, so I like it and Kei-nii said I should keep it, if it reminded me of Kaa-san. So I did. Even though it's funny…I like it."

"You really like Keitarou-san, don't you?" Juushirou realised with a jolt, and Shikiki nodded.

"If I hadn't met him, I would have died." She said frankly. "Him and Dai-nii – they kept me alive. And Irie-san and Tenichi an' Ketsui…only they went away, and then Dai-nii and I were alone. And Kei-nii tried to keep us safe, but _they_ came and…"

She faltered, her voice breaking slightly, and Juushirou was alarmed to see the glitter of tears in her aqua eyes.

"I'm sorry…did I ask a bad question?" He said softly, and Shikiki shook her head.

"No." She said softly. "No, it's all right. It's just…they came and they took Dai-nii away. An' I don't know how it happened, Juu-nii. But I know they did horrible things to him. They killed him, but it wasn't quick, like the way farmers kill animals when they want to make them to food. He was…all messy and I know…they killed him in a horrible way."

_So Keitarou-san was telling the truth about that at least._

Juushirou processed this carefully for a moment, remembering the way in which the scientist had described his cousin's death.

_  
A kinsman tortured and then killed, with nobody there to care about it. Nobody except Keitarou-san and this child. More than that...he's protected her. He's looked after her, and raised her, even when her parents..._

Out loud he said,

"Was Dai-nii...Daisuke-san? Keitarou-san's kinsman?"

"Yes." Shikiki looked startled. "Did you know him too, Juu-nii?"

"No. Just Keitarou-san mentioned him to me." Juushirou became thoughtful. "Him and his family."

"I couldn't save him. Even though I tried." Shikiki looked crestfallen. "Even though he tried to save me. The shinigami still took him away and...and then he was dead, and...I saw his body, all broken and covered in blood. Dai-nii shouldn't have had to go through that. He was a good person. Good people shouldn't be killed, only they are...by the shinigami, they always are."

"Shini...gami?" Juushirou's heart skipped a beat, and Shikiki nodded.

"I saw them." She said sadly. "The ones who burnt my village and took him away. The one who grabbed him – he had a seven on his arm. He was wearing Shinigami clothes, an' he took Dai-nii and the next time I saw him, he was dead an' Kei-nii was crying an' we had to bury him."

She sighed heavily.

"I shouldn't talk about it. It makes Kei-nii sad and angry, and I don't like it." She added. "But I get scared, sometimes, that someone will do the same thing to Kei-nii. He says he's strong, but I'm afraid… that something will happen and I'll be all alone again, just like before."

"Keitarou-san…cried?" Juushirou's eyes glittered with surprise, and Shikiki bit her lip.

"I shouldn't have seen, only I wanted to say goodbye to Dai-nii too." She said guiltily. "Please don't tell him, Juu-nii. I might get told off, if he knew I'd seen him. Kei-nii…he protects me as much as he can, I think. And he wouldn't have wanted me to know…that Dai-nii's death made him cry."

"I won't tell him." Juushirou's mind was whirling. "But he's not here now, so he won't hear you. You needn't look so worried. I can keep a secret."

"You're really not like any of the other people who've come here." Shikiki reflected pensively. "You're easy to talk to. Most of them just shout and cry and Kei-nii won't let me talk to them…and Seimaru-sama…"

She faltered, clapping a hand to her mouth. Juushirou frowned.

"Seimaru-sama hurt you?" He asked quietly, and Shikiki shrugged.

"I don't like him." She admitted uneasily, glancing around her as if expecting the nobleman to appear from the shadows and hoist her aloft for daring to say something against him. "He's strong and he scares me. I worry he might hurt Kei-nii. He makes him do things…he made Kei-nii dye his hair black, and dress in funny clothes, and pretend to be someone else. And Kei-nii is always running errands for Seimaru-sama…"

She sighed.

"Kei-nii says it's all right. And that even though people are looking for him, he won't get hurt." She said helplessly. "But when he's not here, Juu-nii, I get scared he won't come back. Even though he tells me he will, and even though he promises…when Dai-nii was taken, he told me to wait for him. I waited and waited but he n…never came back. S…Seimaru-sama is a shinigami. And…shinigami hurt Dai-nii, so…"

She trailed off, and Juushirou sighed, coming to kneel beside the bars.

"Not all shinigami hurt people." He said quietly. "Seimaru isn't a good example for you to base your opinions on. The shinigami in this District are governed by cowardly people who hurt others because they're afraid of them. That's all. That's why your Dai-nii got taken, I expect – and it's certainly why Seimaru is the way he is."

"You didn't call him ~sama." Shikiki's eyes became wide, and Juushirou shrugged.

"I'm not afraid of him." He responded simply. "I hate him, too. He hurt a close friend of mine – and would have killed me, too, if he could've. He tried to make another close friend do something horrible by threatening him…so I understand, Shiki-chan. I understand how you feel about him completely."

"Shiki-chan?" Shikiki looked startled, and Juushirou smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry. Don't you like it? It's habit, I suppose." He admitted. "Having so many younger brothers and sisters…for a moment, I suppose, I forgot I wasn't talking to one of them."

"No. I like it." Shikiki dimpled. "Nobody ever calls me 'chan'. Not now. Kaa-san probably did, I s'pose, but Kei-nii and Dai-nii just use my name. But I like it. You can call me Shiki-chan, Juu-nii."

She pursed her lips, tilting her head on one side.

"Why are you here?" She asked curiously. "Kei-nii said he would be bringing you, but I don't understand why he's locked you in here. Aren't you Kei-nii's friend? He seemed happy, when he talked about you coming…not like at other times. But he said you needed to stay here, because you were different...you weren't 'used to' this. I didn't understand - aren't you his friend?"

"I wouldn't say that." Juushirou shook his head. "He wants me to help him with some experiment or other, I think. I'm not really here because I chose to be, Shiki-chan. At least, I did come of my own free will but…if I didn't, I thought someone might be in danger. So I came. And now I'm here. But I suppose he locked me in just to make sure I didn't escape of my own accord."

His lips thinned.

"Not that I suppose I could. You're right. I'm not sure how he got us in, and I don't know how to do shunpo like he does. So even if I wasn't locked in…it wouldn't be easy for me to escape."

"Kei-nii said the stone is special stone to help us hide." Shikiki responded. "You get used to it, after a while. It makes you tired, but Kei-nii said he damped it, or something, so that I could still practice and he could still work and stuff."

"Practice?" Juushirou latched onto this. "Practice what?"

"What indeed."

Before Shikiki could answer, Keitarou's voice broke through the conversation, and Juushirou tensed, realising that once again he had not felt the other's reiatsu until that moment.

At his sudden, startled glance, Keitarou laughed, looking amused.

"Yes, I've come back in one piece, Shikiki." He said lightly. "But you should be careful what you say to Juushirou here, all right? I told you, after all - he's not used to this way of seeing things yet. He will be - I have faith that he will be. But for now..."

"Did I do something wrong, Kei-nii?" Shikiki looked upset, and much to Juushirou's surprise the scientist grinned, shaking his head as he reached down to ruffle the messy, curly hair.

"No. You didn't." he said softly. "I just don't want you to get yourself in danger unecessarily."

"But Juu-nii is...Kei-nii's friend?" Shikiki glanced between her two companions, seemingly confused, and Juushirou snorted.

"That's still not the word I'd use." He said quietly, and Keitarou smirked.

"Not yet. Not yet." He agreed. "There's some way to go before he sees things entirely the way we do. You see, Shikiki, Juushirou is different from you and I. And because of it, I think...for now, it's better to keep the bars between you. Just in case...it doesn't work out how I think."

"Like I'd hurt a child!" Juushirou exclaimed indignantly.

"No...perhaps not." Keitarou eyed him keenly. "But even so, we're still strangers yet. I have to be careful, too. Shikiki is precious to me - I won't have any harm come to her. You have a lot of spirit power - for all I know, you might be hiding an end game I haven't fathomed out yet. And I wouldn't forgive it, if you hurt Shikiki. Deliberately or by accident."

"I just said I wouldn't!" Juushirou snapped, and Keitarou rested his hands against the bars, eying Juushirou contemplatively.

"Even though you're a shinigami?" He asked softly, and Juushirou saw Shikiki flinch, staring up at him in horror. "Who bears a sword as sharp as the one Seimaru holds?"

"A..._shinigami_?" Shikiki whispered, taking a step away from the cage bars. "Juu-nii is a...shini...gami?"

"Shiki-chan..." Despite himself, Juushirou felt wrenched by the sudden doubt that flared in the child's aqua eyes, and Keitarou raised an eyebrow.

"Well?" He pressed. "You believe in the truth, don't you? Answer her question. You're not ashamed of it, after all...so you told me before."

"I'm not ashamed." Juushirou gritted his teeth, sending the scientist a black look. "And manipulating her to hate me isn't going to make us any more allies, you know. I'm a shinigami in training, Shikiki. I have a _zanpakutou_, but I would never use it to hurt you. You or any other person. I'm not like that. I raised my weapon to fight Hollows and protect my family - not to attack people and take them from their homes."

"But protecting your family means raising a blade in attack, doesn't it?" Keitarou observed lightly. "Training in kenjutsu means that at some time you'll use that sword as a weapon in a fight. And Hollows are souls too. There is a thin line between them and the others who inhabit this world, you know. The difference is a thin thread of spiritual sanity holding those darker impulses in check."

He smiled.

"I didn't make Shikiki fear shinigami." He added, patting the shoulder of the young girl who now clung to his sleeve. "That began when she saw her parents killed by those who follow the Endou-ke and answer as members of Seventh Squad. It was only increased when she saw them take my cousin prisoner, and then saw what wounds they'd inflicted on his body after his death. I haven't had to tell her to hate them. She's seen with her own eyes what shinigami do."

"Not all shinigami." Juushirou said quietly. "Not this one."

"That's what I hope to discover." Keitarou leant up against the bars, fumbling in his _obi _for the silver key. "I want to see your sword, and judge whether or not that's the case. Whether or not you raise your sword to oppress those weaker than you - or to protect them. Either way is a fight, Juushirou. You can't pretend otherwise. Raising a _zanpakutou_ shows an intention to kill something or someone with it. That's what I intend to find out from you. Whether you hold your sword for the Clans or whether you hold it to defend the Districts from being trampled underfoot."

He smiled, but there was no warmth in his smile.

"I hate the Clans. All of them, even my own." He added. "And I don't have allegiance to any of them. I simply use what's useful to me and slip through the cracks to avoid detection. Till now I didn't think there was the possibility of doing it any other way - that I would perfect Father's _reidoku_, and prove to Soul Society that with it I could create a force to vindicate his word and avenge his murder. I've planned that way for a long, long time. The Endou-ke have provided me with the opportunity to work in secret with a shield to keep me from the Council's spying - and their paranoia with a means by which to test and fine-tune the chemical into something workable. I intended to use that to show those Clans that executing Urahara Keitsune and his companions was the real crime and a miscarriage of justice - that they turned against something that would eventually be their downfall."

He shrugged, the sudden coldness gone from his gaze as quickly as it had come.

"But now...I'm starting to see a different path. _Inborn_ District potential I didn't see before - first in Shikiki, and now in you. So now I realise...more than _reidoku_, my bringing you here...opens up another possibility on that path."

He glanced at Shikiki.

"It's all right. I've brought you food, so run along and eat." He said gently, and Juushirou was startled by the genuine note of fondness in his tones. "Juushirou might not see it yet, but I'll work with him and you won't need to be afraid. I promise, Shikiki - all will be well."

"Yes, Kei-nii." Shikiki bobbed her head, scampering off into the blackness, and Juushirou glared at his captor indignantly.

"Why did you tell her that? You have a _zanpakutou_ too, why does that not matter? And of course I wouldn't intend to hurt her - most shinigami aren't..."

"Naive." Keitarou cut across him. "If you truly believe that, you're a fool. Swords are weapons with which you kill. However you look at it, that's what you are learning to do."

"Purifying Hollows isn't killing them."

"Purifying Hollows." Keitarou looked amused. "Who told you that fairy story? Of course it's killing them. It's severing through their soul. The Urahara-ke like to pretend they've perfected a way to send those souls to a safe place, but they lie. Those souls...do you know what really happens, Ukitake? When you slice through a Hollow's consciousness?"

"They go to Rukongai." Juushirou responded promptly, and Keitarou nodded.

"And do you have any idea what that means?" He asked coldly. "A quick death or an eternity of struggling and isolation in a barren, empty world shunned and ignored by the noble families who govern Seireitei? Have you ever seen Rukongai? Even a peasant like Shikiki lived in luxury and plenty in comparison. Shinigami don't free souls. They imprison them to an unimaginable life of squalor and misery so dark and grim that every year hundreds of souls trying to slip the border into Seireitei are killed by the stationed guards. Why would they risk certain death to come here and live with nothing if the world over the border was not already worse than a living Hell?"

Juushirou paled, and Keitarou smiled.

"I'm not a shinigami, because I don't care about reaping souls." He said evenly. "Chudokuga doesn't fight Hollows, after all. The souls _it _seeks to cut are those belonging to other people. That's the only way to change this world, after all. Killing Hollows won't do. Taking out the ones who make the rules...that's the only thing that does."

He slipped the key into the lock of the door, turning it with a soft click.

"In the end, your principles will make you see things my way." He said matter-of-factly, stepping into the cell and grabbing Juushirou by the arm, pulling him roughly to his feet. "But for now, this is the relationship we have to maintain. I'm sorry for it - but I'm patient, too. Your power is enough to help change this world - and I'll make sure it gets that chance."

He pulled Chudokuga from his sash with his free hand, and before Juushirou knew what had happened, the scientist had lashed the silver knife through the straggling ends of his hair, cutting it to the nape of his neck. The weapon pricked faintly against his skin, producing blood, and Juushirou flinched back, glaring at his captor in indignation.

"Hey! What are you...keep that thing away from me!"

"It's all right." Keitarou laughed, folding the hair in half and poking it into his _obi_. "The blade is complete. I didn't release it into you, so don't think I did. Just it has a better message if there's a little blood as well."

"Message?" Juushirou's heart froze in his chest, and Keitarou nodded.

"I'm going to send an invite to the Clan friends you trust in so much." He said calmly. "And we'll see if they try to come and get you."

* * *

"You sent for me, Shunsui-sama?"

Shunsui rested his hands on the polished wood of Tokutarou's desk, a troubled look in his dark eyes as he met the gaze of the nervous young princess that stood before him. She was on edge, tension rippling through her slight frame, and her cheeks were devoid of colour – yet somehow Shunsui did not believe her to be as delicate as he had done the last few times they had spoken. What had seemed like a fading, fragile flower now appeared as a normal young girl simply unused to the harshness she had encountered in the past several days, and this observation did nothing to settle Shunsui's apprehensions.

She was a _hime_ of a foreign Clan who he had acted in favour of. He had sought to protect Hirata's family…now he needed to know whether or not Hirata's family were the ones at the heart of the previous night's affairs.

Slowly he nodded, gesturing for her to settle herself more comfortably opposite. It felt strange, he mused, being perched in a place such as this – behind the desk and giving instruction as opposed to lounging all over it while listening to his brother. It was not a sensation he liked, but he was determined not to send for Tokutarou or Kyouki if it was possible to avoid it.

He had dispatched Yasuhiro who, briefed on Tokutarou's instructions had made no demur, immediately agreeing to send two divisions of soldiers out into the wilderness to search for the missing boy. He had not even commented on Shunsui's unusual attire, merely bowing his head and withdrawing to carry out the orders to the letter. Kai had opted to go with him, saying that he was sure he could drag Ryuu and Sora both along too if it was a matter of Ukitake's safety. Shunsui had agreed, reiterating the fact that Hirata was to stay behind and that he wanted to see Eiraki on her own as soon as possible. Kai had promised to send her, and so, a short time later found him and the youngest member of the Endou Clan alone in Tokutarou's study, apprehension on both sides as they met gazes over the smooth, dark wood.

In the end it was Shunsui who broke the silence, carefully setting the dagger down on the desk between them.

"I wanted to ask you about this." He said softly, and at the sight of it Eiraki let out a gasp, flinching back from it in alarm.

"I didn't mean to." She whispered, tears glittering in her bright blue eyes. "Please, Shunsui-sama, believe me. I love my brother…I didn't mean…"

"I wasn't accusing you of anything." Shunsui bit back uncharacteristic impatience, shaking his head. "I know already from Kai-kun that someone or something was manipulating you and that it wasn't your fault. You've Mitsuki-chan speaking in your favour, too – and her senses are a lot more difficult to fool than any of ours are. It wasn't that I intended to ask you – I wanted to know instead where the dagger came from."

Eiraki shook her head slowly.

"I don't know." She murmured. "I just remember holding it…in Nii-sama's room, when Ukitake-san…"

"You don't remember anyone giving it to you?"

Eiraki shook her head again, and Shunsui's lips thinned. Was she telling him the truth or was she lying? He wasn't sure, and it bothered him. This girl was a stranger to him – and like many Endou, she was capable of covering her true thoughts with her natural survival instinct. Yet even so he had to persevere.

His gaze flitted to the hilt of the weapon, then,

"And nobody was there last night that you recall? Just Juu…Ukitake?"

"Yes sir." Eiraki's eyes flickered slightly, but she held his gaze, and Shunsui sighed.

"Do you care if Juushirou dies?" He demanded sharply, and Eiraki started, staring at him in dismay.

"Shunsui-sama, I…"

"Do you care?" Shunsui repeated softly. "Or are you just relieved that he stopped you from attacking your brother last night? If Juu hadn't have interfered, what then? What would we have awoken to this morning, Eiraki-hime? What would you have found yourself doing – blood on your hands, Hirata dead in his bed. What then?"

Tears glistened on Eiraki's cheeks and she shook her head hurriedly.

"No, but Shunsui-sama…"

"You owe Juushirou your brother's life." Shunsui said flatly. "You know that you do, don't you? And more, you owe him yours, too. My brother would not have stepped back and ignored it, had you committed a murder in his grounds. It's only because Juu came after you – and so did everyone else – that we know you weren't acting on your own impulses and that Hirata is all right this morning. You owe it to him to at least tell me the whole truth – even if that truth is patchy and missing pieces."

"There was nobody with us." Eiraki's tears ran unchecked now, and she grasped hold of the edge of the desk, sending Shunsui a pleading look. "I swear, Shunsui-sama. I didn't see…I didn't see anyone. I woke up in Nii-sama's room, saw the dagger and was frightened, so I dropped it. I ran and Ukitake-san followed me. He found me when I felt ill and had to stop – and he told me he'd help me. I don't remember after that…until Mitsuki-neesama and the others found me. That's all of the truth, I promise it. I don't remember anything else!"

Shunsui tapped his fingers against the ancient weapon, consternation in his expression as he digested this.

"Then where did you get the dagger?" He asked helplessly. "Someone must have given it to you. You couldn't have brought it all the way from District Seven, could you? A girl carrying a foreign blade through the border…no, that doesn't make sense. And if you'd done that…if you had, it would mean you'd intended to hurt someone with it, wouldn't it? Yet…"

"I never saw it before last night." Eiraki shook her head firmly. "I never did. When I woke up and it was in my hand…that's the first I ever saw it."

"I believe you." Shunsui sighed, pulling a rumpled handkerchief from the folds of his night-robe and holding it out to her. "I'm sorry. But I don't understand…so many things. And more, I should've been alert last night. I'm angry at myself, too – and at Juu, for whatever he's got himself involved in. If you're right and there was nobody there, it does suggest he ran off by himself. And…he might have done that. But if that's the case…how did you get the knife? Why did you have it at all?"

"I honestly don't know." Eiraki calmed slightly at this, taking the handkerchief and folding it between her fingers as she wiped her eyes dry. "I'm sorry."

Shunsui pulled the dagger closer to him once more, tracing his finger over the distinctive Kyouraku-ke emblem embedded deep into the wooden _tsuka_. Worn and slightly faded, he could clearly see the flowers and swords engraved in a style that had been popular among his Clan when his great uncle had inherited the Kyouraku title. He had seen it before, on the faded spines of his great uncle's books during his brother's frequent ploughing through ancient records. Yet it was the framing of the insignia that had most chilled him – a distinctive pattern of leaves woven together that marked out the crest of one particular Kyouraku family branch. He closed his eyes briefly as he once again remembered Irie's words.

"_His mother's name was Shiori – Aizen Shiori. And he went by her name from his childhood through to now. He's known to most in District Seven under the name Aizen Keitarou"_

"Aizen." He muttered, too softly for his companion to hear, and then, "Eiraki-hime, I know I've upset you enough already, but will you allow me to upset you a little more? One further question – but an important one – if you don't mind."

"I'll try." The young girl was composing herself now, and again Shunsui was struck at the difference between her current demeanour and the one in the days leading up to the wedding. She had seemed breakable, then – stricken by fits of fatigue and coughing yet, although she was by no means sturdy, Shunsui no longer got the impression that her health was as delicate as Juushirou's. This too bothered him more than he liked to admit – that despite being out in the frozen night weather she had not taken chill. In fact, he acknowledged to himself, the young girl was both frightened and emotional but her reiatsu suggested her to be healthier than she had been before.

_If something was manipulating her last night, and no longer is – could it have been manipulating her longer?_

This jarred suddenly against Shunsui's senses, causing him to pause before voicing his question.

_Could it have been inside of her since she came here – could she have been allowed to leave Seventh _because_ it was inside of her? Something that dominated her and drained her spirit power by working its way within her body. What if, last night, something happened to withdraw it? Did Juu break the spell by waking her from her daze? Or…_

He sighed, wishing yet again that he had not had so much to drink the night before and had been as alert during the early hours as his classmates had been.

"What is the question, Shunsui-sama?" Eiraki asked curiously, bringing him back to the present at that moment, and he frowned, nodding his head.

"I wondered if you knew anyone by the name of Aizen." He said quietly, and Eiraki pursed her lips, slowly shaking her head.

"I do not think so." She said thoughtfully. "Should I know that name?"

"This crest – on the weapon you had – it belonged to them. To a branch of my Clan whose name were Aizen." Shunsui said simply, tapping his finger against the insignia as he did so. "It's an old weapon and so far as I knew, that line had completely died out. But I heard it again more recently – and now, I can't think this to be a coincidence."

"Do you think someone in your Clan is working against us?" Eiraki paled. "Against Hirata-nii and I, trying to cause trouble between us?"

"No." Shunsui shook his head. "No, this is too blatantly a Kyouraku weapon. And like I said – there are no Aizen here. The family no longer exists in the modern Kyouraku Clan – they died out of disease, mostly, and nobody in the current Kyouraku family tree has more than the faintest of links to that name. I know that because I looked it up myself – it was a lead that didn't go anywhere in particular at the time."

"Then…" Eiraki was confused. "How…why did I have that?"

She pointed at it, loathing clear in her eyes.

"I've never carried any kind of weapon at all – Father wouldn't forgive me if he thought I'd taken to it now. Please, Shunsui-sama, I want you to catch whoever did this to me. I don't want anyone thinking I'd hurt my brother…I came here because my family need him, not because…not in order to…"

She faltered, unable to say it, and in that moment Shunsui knew that she was sincere. He smiled, nodding his head.

"I believe that, too. That's why I convinced my Clan to let you stay." He said evenly. "And it's also why, so far, I'm trying to find Juushirou without anyone else having to find out what happened last night. I don't want harm to come to you either, Eiraki-hime – and certainly not to your brother. So we are on the same side."

"Thank you." Relief glittered in Eiraki's eyes. "We've caused you such trouble, and now, yet more. I'm sorry, Shunsui-sama. If I could help…if I could…"

"Urahara Keitarou." Shunsui said softly, and at the sound of that name the girl froze, words dying on her lips as she stared at him in dismay. Shunsui's eyes narrowed, and he nodded his head.

"_That _is a name you know, then." He reflected. "I thought that it might be."

Eiraki bit her lip, and Shunsui could see the apprehension and uncertainty in her gaze. For a long while she was silent, then,

"I am Endou-ke, Shunsui-sama. What would I know about members of the Urahara Clan? District Three is a good distance from even your land, let alone my own."

The words were correct and proper, yet to Shunsui they were blatantly untrue, and he sighed, burying his head in his hands.

"If we're on the same side, why are you lying to me?" He asked softly. "You know who he is. I saw it in your eyes – Urahara Keitarou, the son of Urahara Keitsune who was exiled from District Three as a child a century or more ago. A man who shouldn't exist – but he does exist, and you know where he is. Why won't you tell me? Why are you protecting him?"

Eiraki did not answer, and Shunsui got to his feet, coming and resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Juushirou's life is at risk." He said grimly. "I won't help to protect anyone who won't help me to protect him. Understand that now, Eiraki-hime. Juushirou is important to me. Very important to me. You may think of him as just District – you might think of him as beneath your or my notice. But even so, I won't forgive you if you keep secrets that end in his death."

Eiraki stared at him in fear, then she swallowed hard, shaking her head.

"You don't understand." She whispered. "I gave my word…I swore…"

"Swore what?" Shunsui was on her in a flash, and Eiraki shook her head again.

"I can't." She murmured. "You worry about your friend, Shunsui-sama, and I'm sorry that you do. But…but Kei-sama has nothing to do with this. Nothing to do with any of it. He's a victim – a victim of my Clan and of all the Clans. I've seen it! Bruises on his face when Seimaru went into a rage and almost broke his jaw. I promised to protect him, just as you promised Ukitake-san. I can't b…break my promise. I can't."

_Kei-sama._

Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he worked out where he'd heard that before, even as he returned to his position behind the wooden desk.

_Surely…wasn't that the name of her fiancé? Minazake…Roukei…or something of that nature. Kei-sama. Roukei. Keitarou. So that's it, then, is it? That's the secret that she doesn't want to tell me – that the forbidden Urahara is the man she's been told to marry. Or maybe it's not so much a case of a forced alliance, after all. Perhaps it's more than that…perhaps it's a matter of female heart over common sense this time._

Out loud he said.

"I'll only ask you one thing then." He said frankly. "I won't ask you to tell me where he is, or what name he may be living under to keep his whereabouts secret and secure. All I will ask is whether he's made contact with you since you left your homeland. All you need to say is yes or no – I don't need you to tell me any more than that. Then you won't be breaking any promises – and if, as you say, he's innocent – no harm will come of it."

_Though I'm quite certain now that he isn't. Whether he meant it as a message or whether he thought it would fool Tokutarou-nii and I into looking for a Kyouraku I don't know – but either way, I'm quite sure that this is the same man Irie-san was talking about. The scientist – the man who created reidoku for Seimaru and who disappeared without a trace after the Shihouin Clan fell. The man Shouichi-sama was hunting – and then Shouichi-sama conveniently died, leaving Seimaru room to take control. Eiraki-hime might believe him to be innocent – but I'm sure that there couldn't be anyone so far away from innocence in this than Urahara Keitarou. And if that's the case…if that's who Juu went after…we really don't have time to play with._

Before Eiraki could answer, however, there was a knock at the door and it slid back, revealing Yasuhiro who bowed his head solemnly as he stepped into the chamber. As the door opened, Eiraki took her chance to escape, bowing hurriedly back towards Shunsui before fleeing into the hallway beyond.

Yasuhiro glanced at Shunsui, his expression asking whether he wanted the girl pulled back by force, but the young nobleman held up his hands, shaking his head to indicate that it was all right for her to go. Yasuhiro inclined his head slightly in silent acknowledgement of the command, and instead he approached the desk.

He was still pale, Shunsui realised, his dark hair a stark contrast to his ashen features and Shunsui remembered what Kai had said about the drugged guardsman. Perhaps they had been lucky, in the end, he mused apprehensively. Perhaps someone had not intended them to wake at all.

"My apologies for disturbing your conversation, Shunsui-sama – but my men and I have found no tangible trace of Ukitake Juushirou anywhere within a realistic area." Yasuhiro began evenly. "Given Ukitake-sama's health and his lack of knowledge of the area it seems unlikely he could have walked extremely far without going to a town or some other place for help, but nobody has seen him and there are no visible tracks. Shihouin Kai-sama and Kuchiki Ryuu-sama also assure me that there is no trace of his reiatsu in those locations, either. I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Yasuhiro." Though he could hear the words coming from his lips, Shunsui's mind was racing far away from them, fear rushing through his senses as he processed this. "I'm sorry to have dispatched you at such short notice – and without my brother's say-so."

"When Tokutarou-sama is absent, Shunsui-sama's orders are to be immediately obeyed." Yasuhiro said gravely. "So the Lord himself has instructed us."

"Yes…more fool him." Shunsui rubbed his temples.

"He has high expectations of you." Yasuhiro said simply. "And I will have them too, until I see reason not to. Besides, Shunsui-sama, my men and I were also targeted in whatever occurred last night. If we had been at our posts, nobody would have been able to leave the manor. We are also at fault for being so easily deceived – therefore whatever we can do to rectify matters – we shall."

"At least your absence was down to someone else's actions." Shunsui grimaced. "All right. Then…I need to get up. Properly up, instead of roaming around like this…I need to do things the right way. Yasuhiro, please will you report this matter in full to my mother – and also to Kyouki-sama, if she and her kinsfolk have not yet left the District."

"The Shiba are still in situe – Hakubei-sama arose in ill health and so Kyouki-sama decided to wait a day before they travelled." Yasuhiro said evenly, and Shunsui pulled another face.

"I bet he did." He agreed ruefully. "But in this case it's a good thing. Yasuhiro…" As the manservant made to leave, "Did you hear anything that was said before you entered the study?"

"Nothing that wasn't for my ears, Shunsui-sama." Yasuhiro said lightly, and Shunsui knew that he had probably heard most of the last exchange. "And nothing that I will repeat, not even before the Lady of the Shiba without express instruction from you."

"Thank you." Shunsui offered him a grin. "You're really very handy to have about the place, you know that? I'm realising why Nii-sama thinks so much of you."

"I do what I can to help the Clan I am sworn to support and defend." Yasuhiro's lips twitched into a faint return smile. "I will tell Kyouki-sama that Ukitake Juushirou is missing after discovering Eiraki-hime sleepwalking in the cold outside. Sora-sama has already joined the operation - I trust more is not needed than that to mobilise the remaining Shiba into helping in the search?"

"I trust not." Shunsui agreed. "In the meantime – I'm going to get dressed and go and try to speak to someone else. One other person who might be able to tell me something important about the night that Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama left District Seven."

"Kibana-dono?" Yasuhiro asked, and Shunsui nodded.

"I don't know his current state of health." He admitted. "But even so…"

"Tokutarou-sama received word yesterday before he left that the man had regained consciousness." Yasuhiro said softly. "He was unable to act on it then – but told me that he would do so when he returned, and so to maintain the security around the man's chamber. It is a secret – but a secret you are privy to, as heir of this Clan."

He frowned, his lips thinning.

"Shunsui-sama, it is perhaps not my place to say this." He added. "But the man you asked Eiraki-hime about…is a man your Lord brother also has concerns to track down."

"Yes, I know." Shunsui nodded. "And the fact Eiraki-hime left as she did without answering means she probably knows a lot more. I think he was here last night, Yasuhiro – but the fact that Juushirou seems to have gone of his own accord doesn't mean that the two of them met up. It may be a coincidence, in the end. Even if we consider Urahara Keitarou to be dangerous in some way, I can't see Juu willingly collaborating with a mad scientist wanted throughout the eight Districts for illegal research and rebellion. I just can't, no matter how I look at it. And Eiraki-hime did say she was alone out there last night. In that at least, I believe she's telling me the truth."

Yasuhiro was silent for a moment, then,

"Are you quite sure, Shunsui-sama, that Ukitake-sama went of his own free will?" He asked gravely, and Shunsui sighed.

"Mitsuki apparently says he wasn't attacked." He replied helplessly. "And I have faith in her wits to know the difference. It occurred to me that if someone manipulated Eiraki-hime they may also have manipulated Juu – but I think Mitsuki would have felt it if someone had tried to cast a spell like that. She's that sensitive, and she's fond of Juu so that would make her even more alert to anything that happened to him. Even the slightest change in his health at school she's aware of before any of the rest of us. If she says he wasn't attacked – then I believe her."

"I am sorry." Yasuhiro bowed his head apologetically. "I did not mean to question Edogawa-sama's ability."

"It's all right. You were looking for answers, just like me." Shunsui rubbed his temples, then, "Yasuhiro, I've changed my mind. I'll speak to Kibana _before_ you report to Kyouki-sama, if you don't mind – and if Sora is still not with her family, tell her to sit on it for now."

"Sora-sama made it clear when we were riding that she wasn't reporting it to her family until you or Tokutarou-sama gave the instruction." Yasuhiro assured him. "Apparently it was made clear to her last night that to take such an action might cause more problems than advantages given the uneasy nature of the Kyouraku-ke in general towards the Shiba alliance. That said…if things persist, I would advise…"

"I know. It makes sense to go to her, but in this I'd like you to humour me." Shunsui responded. "I want to hear what Kibana has to say – but I want to hear it without anyone of any major Council importance being present. As a friend of Hirata's and a kinsman of the Kyouraku, I hope I can get him to talk to me…Kyouki-sama is Shiba and that's foreign. To her…he might not."

"Then what would you have me do? Report to Yoshiko-sama?"

"Yes." Shunsui nodded. "And…"

He faltered, then,

"It's an imposition, but I'd appreciate it if you'd deploy your men out again and keep searching until I give the word otherwise. Even if Ryuu and Kai say that he wasn't around there…even so…please."

"With pleasure." Yasuhiro agreed. "I was already considering such an action – I only returned to report to you on our initial findings. We will keep hunting until the sun sets if need be."

"Thank you." Relief flickered across Shunsui's dark eyes. "Then the next step is to speak to Kibana Hiroto-dono…and find out exactly what he knows about any of this."


	50. Hell's Messenger

**Chapter Forty-Nine: Hell's Messenger**

He didn't like feeling so helpless.

As he walked through the corridors and hallways of the Kyouraku estate towards the secure suite of rooms where Kibana was currently under the strict care of Tokutarou's doctor, Shunsui sighed, wishing for the umpteenth time that he had not been so heavily asleep the night before. He was angry at Juushirou - for being careless or reckless and diving into a situation he didn't understand - but more, he was angry at himself for his own lapse in judgement. He had, in the end, fallen into the most obvious of traps. A celebration amongst Clan was not cause to drop his guard. On the contrary, it was the time when he should have been most alert - had Tokutarou not made it clear enough that Hirata's being in District Eight was as much a test as anything else?  
_  
I knew someone might try to attack him. But I was distracted by Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama's coming, and I let the wedding take my attention away, too. I dropped into old habits. I let myself get carried away. I didn't even think...that someone might use the wedding as a reason to try an assassination attempt. But then, could I have predicted this? That Eiraki-hime would be used in that way? Probably not. Not even if I'd looked hard for it._

He paused for a moment, rubbing his temples.

_Juu knew, didn't he? Maybe not at first, but last night he realised it. And all of this has come from that point. I don't even know if what I'm going to ask Kibana will help in the slightest - but it's the only thing I have at the moment. Eiraki-hime's slip over Urahara Keitarou, calling him by the same name she calls her fiance. It may be completely wrong - a coincidence, even - but it's all I have. So I'll go with it...and follow it through.  
_  
"Kyouraku-kun?"

As he reached the door of the sick-room, he saw Hirata was already waiting there, one of Yasuhiro's guardsmen in tow. At once Shunsui realised that the soldier had been doing his duty, keeping Hirata from entering as per Tokutarou's orders. Yet in that instant Shunsui also knew that if anyone should speak to Kibana, it should be Hirata. He raised his hand, gesturing for the soldier to stand at ease.

"I wanted to see him." Hirata whispered. "Your retainer said I couldn't. But...Kyouraku-kun..."

"It's Nii-sama's edict." Shunsui responded. "To keep Kibana safe. But if you're with me...it should be all right."

"Shunsui-sama?" The guard looked startled, and Shunsui offered him a grin.

"Yasuhiro said that Kibana-dono had roused. In Nii-sama's absence, I'm here to speak to him. He's left me in overall charge, after all." He said cheerfully. "I trust Hirata, so it should be fine for him to come with me. If there's any trouble over it, you can say I gave the order - I'll take it up with Nii-sama myself when he returns."

"Yes, Shunsui-sama." The guard eyed Hirata doubtfully, but bowed his head, stepping away from the door. "Please, enter."

"Thank you." Shunsui's grin widened. "Take a break for a while, all right? We'll be with him, so no harm will come to him...and you look like you've had a hard night last night. Take a few minutes to get a drink and stretch your legs."

"If you're quite sure, Shunsui-sama." The guard was completely foxed now, but Shunsui knew he could not risk anyone overhearing the conversation that might arise within the room. He nodded.

"Quite certain." He agreed lightly. "You may consider it a direct order."

"Yes, sir." Still looking non-plussed, the guard bowed his head then withdrew, and Shunsui offered Hirata a grim smile.

"Nii-sama might kick off at me, if he finds out." He murmured. "But considering last night, I think you should be allowed to come here too. You had the same idea I did, didn't you? To try and find out from Kibana about the night they left District Seven...and whether anything important happened we should know about."

"Mm." Hirata let out a heavy sigh. "Thank you, Kyouraku-kun. I'm glad you understand."

"I wish I didn't." Shunsui muttered. "Both of us slept through last night, and both of us wish we hadn't. If anything can give us a clue to finding Juu, Hirata...I'll do my best to find it out."

He pushed back the door, stepping into the darkened room and gesturing for his classmate to follow. Hirata did so, albeit hesitantly, and Shunsui let out his breath in a rush as he prepared for the conversation ahead.

"Kibana-dono."

He knelt down carefully at the sick man's side, settling himself as comfortably as he could as he reached out to gently touch the sleeping man's arm. "I'm sorry to disturb your rest, but it's a matter of importance and I'm not sure that it can wait."

For a moment there was silence, then, in the soft light of the chamber the man's lids flickered, twitching slightly and then opening to reveal tired, clouded dark eyes. He blinked once, then again, trying to bring his visitor into focus, and Shunsui knew that although the worst of the fever had abated and the wound had begun to heal, the man was still saturated with a combination of pain relieving herbs and Tokutarou's doctors' patent remedy for combatting infection. It was not the best time to ask questions, yet Shunsui knew he had to ask them and, as he met Hirata's gaze from across the room, he knew the other boy needed to know the answers too.

Hirata had not settled at Kibana's side, preferring to linger by the door as though uncertain whether his presence would help or hinder the interrogation. Secretly Shunsui thought Kibana would be happier talking to Hirata than to himself, but, in the circumstances, he could not blame his young friend for being cautious.

_After all, someone manipulated his sister to try and kill him. In the circumstances, he's holding up pretty good._

As Kibana's eyes focused on him more clearly, Shunsui turned his attention back to the patient, offering a slight smile.

"My name is Kyouraku Shunsui." He said, speaking slowly and clearly so that the other man's fogged brain would make sense of his words. "My brother Tokutarou is the Clan Leader here in District Eight and we've been taking care of you since you crossed the border. Now you're healing, I hoped we could talk – I have some questions I really need to ask you."

Kibana wetted his lips, his fingers twitching and brushing across Shunsui's own.

"Shunsui-sama." He murmured, "Then we made it…?"

Shunsui nodded.

"You're quite safe here." He assured the sick man. "You and those you came with. Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama have been offered sanctuary here by my brother for the forseeable future – you managed to get them across the border and you needn't worry about harm befalling them here."

_I hope._

Relief flooded Kibana's dark eyes, followed by gratitude.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"I know you were a member of my Uncle's retinue, once, and that you defected so as not to rebel against my brother." Shunsui continued, his tones soft and even as he offered the other man a smile. "Tokutarou-nii respects you for that reason – you needn't feel that you are in any danger from us either. In fact, I hoped that maybe you still had some latent attachment to our family – since there are things I think only you can answer about how you came to escape from District Seven."

"Escape?" Kibana's lips thinned slightly. "I wonder…that myself, to be truthful. I think…Gods were…smiling on us."

"Gods were?" Shunsui was confused. "I don't follow. Why would you think that?"

Kibana hesitated, and Shunsui's eyes narrowed in consideration.

"Because you took a wound such as that one and still managed to make it to the border." He murmured. "Because you managed to get away even though people had attacked you – and you weren't followed nor prevented from reaching your goal. Your injury is serious, and I imagine it was painful to ride with…I have no idea how you managed that feat alone, let alone the rest."

Kibana sighed, flickers of pain crossing his features.

"I had to." He murmured. "If I hadn't…Misashi-sama entrusted them to me. I c…couldn't let them d…down."

"It _was_ Father's idea then, after all." Hirata spoke up at that moment, and Kibana started, confusion and surprise crossing his tired features as he registered the fact that Shunsui was not alone. "Father wanted Eiraki and Okaasama to flee to District Eight – did he intend them to find me too, or was that just coincidence?"

"H…H…Hirata-sama?" Kibana whispered, and Hirata stepped forward, adjusting his spectacles on his nose as he moved into the sick man's line of sight.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you." He said contritely. "Only…I wasn't sure if you would speak to me or not. I needed to know that it was Father's will that brought you here – though I shouldn't have doubted it for a minute. I know you're loyal to him – I'm sorry. My paranoia is…starting to get the better of me."

"There is no need to apologise." Kibana moved his head gingerly from side to side. "That you are safe…Misashi-sama would be…relieved."

Hirata smiled ruefully, nodding his head.

"I'm discovering that it takes quite a lot to kill me." He admitted, sending Shunsui a glance. "Perhaps the Gods are looking out for me too."

"If only I truly b…believed in them." Kibana responded seriously. "I would s…say that to be true."

"Hirata, come sit with me." Shunsui suggested. "We don't want to disturb Kibana-dono more than we have to, not when his injuries are still in the healing stage. It'll be a while yet before he's allowed to get up, and Nii-sama will be cross if we cause him any further discomfort."

"Mm." Hirata nodded, obediently coming and kneeling at Shunsui's side. "Kibana-dono, since you're still acting out of loyalty to my father, I must ask…I want you to tell Kyouraku-kun everything about what happened the night you left District Seven. Okaasama and Eiraki-chan have both only said that you sent them ahead to the horses, and when you came to them you didn't talk much about what had happened. We'd like to know about it, please…both of us, if you don't mind. And..."

"And about a man called Minazake Roukei too, if you can." Shunsui added softly. "Eiraki-hime's fiance."

"Eiraki's…" Hirata paled, sending Shunsui a surprised look. "But he's still in…isn't he?"

"I left him…behind." Kibana confirmed. "In District S…Seven. He may not still live…I do not know. He t…took great risks himself to help Sumire-sama and the princess to escape…if Seimaru-sama found out about it…"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry. I think he's very much alive." Shunsui said grimly. "But for a moment, that's neither here nor there. When you left, you were attacked, weren't you? Do you remember who by – who sliced you open like that?"

"Soldiers sent by S…Seimaru-sama to prevent our attempts to escape." Kibana drew a shuddering breath into his lungs. "They t…took me off guard. An arrow…"

He faltered, closing his eyes for a moment and Shunsui swallowed his impatience, realising that it was putting strain on the sick man to draw on these memories and speak.

"How many guards, Kibana-dono?" Hirata asked softly, and Kibana's eyes opened, his gaze darting to the young Endou.

"Perhaps fifteen." He murmured. "Young and old. Retainers in Endou-ke uniform. Seimaru-sama w…was not there, yet still. If not for Minazake-dono…if not for him…"

"So Minazake helped you to fight off these guardsmen and allowed you to escape?" Shunsui asked. Kibana shook his head.

"No. Minazake-dono was f…forbidden from ever c…carrying a sword." He replied. "Like M…Misashi-sama – the Clan st…stunted his ability to gain…gain full power by p…preventing him from training as a…a soldier."

"It's not uncommon in the Endou-ke, if there's someone who's thought to be dangerous." Hirata confirmed. "It's why, I think, I hadn't touched a sword or a _bokutou_ before I came to the Academy either. It was only because Father decided to send me to District One that I began to learn things like that – for a warrior Clan, cutting off those opportunities is equivalent to neutering their ability to fight back."

Shunsui pursed his lips, then,

"Eiraki-hime seems very fond of Minazake. I guess I see why." He said softly, his expression giving away nothing as he met Kibana's gaze with a level one of his own. "Kei-sama, I think she calls him? She seems to believe that she owes him her life – as well as you, that he was instrumental in your escape. And now you've told me the same thing…for a man not gifted with a sword, he must be a very clever person indeed."

"Eiraki-chan spoke to you about Minazake?" Hirata was startled a second time, and Shunsui grinned humourlessly.

"No. Not to me." He said, shaking his head. "But I realised it this morning. Eiraki-chan's the right age to throw her affections foolishly and blindly towards someone who reaches out a hand to her, and her experiences make it even more so. I think she's probably quite in love with him, if you want to know the truth."

"I also…think so." Kibana admitted. "But perhaps that is…not a bad thing. If he can survive…"

"Perhaps." Shunsui said non-comittally. "If Minazake sees her in the same light."

"He was committed to helping…her leave." Kibana's eyes became thoughtful. "He risked a lot…and he still does not have his freedom, so he risked it without personal gain. I think perhaps his intentions…are honourable towards her. Even if…such a match…would give him position in the Clan again."

"Then I suppose, if Eiraki-chan and he feel that way, when this all dies down, Okaasama will agree to it." Hirata rubbed his temples. "Eiraki-chan is fifteen not long after _Shougatsu_ – a year on and she'll be old enough by Endou law to make a formal marriage match. Providing Minazake escapes with his life…"

"I don't think you should arrange a wedding yet." Shunsui said frankly. "But I'm also fairly sure he'll keep his life. Kibana, I'm sorry – this might not be an easy question for a soldier to answer, and I have no way of knowing what kind of spiritual awareness you do or don't have. But if Minazake didn't use a sword – did he have no way to fight back? Did you really manage to defeat an entire division of soldiers on your own?"

"I only brought down at…at best two." Kibana was surprised. "When I had d…done so, the rest were all sl…sleeping on the ground. Minazake said it…it was an anaesthetic he had with him – the same d…drug he used to s…silence the rest of the guards so that we c…could slip away."

_A drug to silence the guards. What an interesting pattern that makes. _

Shunsui's eyes became slits, even as Hirata let out an exclamation.

"The guards were _drugged_?"

"We didn't w…want to fight anyone." Kibana agreed. "We wanted to j…just vanish, but in the end, we w…were out-thought."

He looked rueful.

"Thanks to his m…medical c…concoctions, I was a…able to ride, too." He added. "He took the arrow-head from my…my wound and treated me with s…something that dulled the pain enough for me to c…continue in our plans. I had h…hoped it would last me longer…but in the end, it d…did enough of a job to g…get to wh…where I needed to be."

"The injury would have killed you, had a friend of mine not treated you in the abandoned village." Shunsui said evenly. "But that she was able to, and that we can continue to treat you here…I'm glad."

"Kyouraku-kun, why are you asking Kibana about all of these things?" Hirata asked apprehensively. "Do you think…are you thinking…there's some connection with…last night?"

"Last night was my brother's wedding party and I was far too inebriated to take any notice of anything." Shunsui said blithely. "I'm just interested, that's all…in hearing what exactly happened. It strikes me that Minazake is a very lucky man – to be able to overpower so many guards while a trained soldier of Kibana's reputation only took down two."

"I may…not be remembering clearly. I was in p…pain." Kibana acknowledged. "Perhaps I d…dreamed that part…to be honest I acted on instinct alone to b…bring the ladies here. I don't r…remember much of the journey – just knowing that I h…had to keep going and so I…so I did. Although…"

He faltered, and Shunsui glanced at him.

"Although?"

"Nothing. A hallucination…nothing more." Kibana shook his head slightly, and Shunsui frowned.

"Even so, I'd like you to tell me." He said gravely. "Last night, Kibana-dono, a very good friend of Hirata and mine disappeared from this estate without good reason. Eiraki-hime was also affected – though she was recovered safely and has taken no permanent harm from whatever happened. She has an unclear memory and we're looking at all lines of enquiry that we can to track Juushirou down before he gets himself hurt. So even if it seems unconnected, any little things you remember about that night, anything at all…"

Kibana sighed, closing his eyes.

"It means n…nothing to me." He murmured. "Probably it m…means nothing at all to…to anyone. But in the m…moonlight…I thought I saw threads. S…strands of s…silver in between the trees, glittering against the b…bodies of the sleeping soldiers."

"Threads?" Hirata glanced at Shunsui, who shrugged his shoulders.

"No idea." He owned. "What kind of threads – do you know?"

"They r…reminded me of the web of a s…spider…caught by winter f…frost or dawn d…dew so that they stand out above all things." Kibana said slowly. "But there's n…no sense to it. None at all. I thought I saw them…but its clear I…I did not."

"Did _Minazake_ also see them?" Shunsui asked, and Kibana shook his head slightly.

"I d…don't think so. He s…said nothing. Though they w…were far cl…closer to him – almost t…touching him, before th…they disappeared." He murmured softly. "He w…would have seen them, if they were…were there. I'm s…sure he would. He has more p…perception than me – I have even s…seen him use b…basic kidou spells which I w…wouldn't begin to know how to c…cast. So they m…must not have been r…real after all, must they? Shock and p…pain are to blame…that's all."

"Yes, perhaps you are right." Shunsui got to his feet, patting the injured soldier on the hand as he did so. "We've tired you out, haven't we? I'm sorry, Kibana-dono. We'll leave you now to sleep. You've told us much – and I think you've helped a good deal. Try not to worry about anything further. You have the word of my Clan that we will protect Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime to the best of our ability."

"And I will too, if I can." Hirata added quietly, his eyes serious. "Thank you for what you've done already, Kibana. Father would be glad…in his place, I am grateful."

"In his place…" Kibana's lips twitched into a faint smile and he nodded. "Of all things he w…would be most proud to h…hear that, Hirata-s…sama. He places all his h…hopes with you – he w…would be h…happy that you understand his f…feelings."

"I've always known them, I've just not always wanted to think of them." Hirata agreed sadly. "I know my duty, and I won't run away from it. I know Father would give his life to protect all of us, but that's not acceptable to me – it never was and it isn't now. If I can change that – even just a little bit, then I will."

He glanced at Shunsui.

"We should leave, as you say." He murmured. "I have things to ask you, and we are disturbing Kibana-dono all the more by talking here."

"Right with you." Shunsui said gravely, bowing his head towards Kibana and allowing the younger boy to lead the way out of the secluded little sick room to the ante-chamber beyond. Once there, however, Hirata grabbed Shunsui by the arm.

"What do you know?" He demanded, and Shunsui started, surprised by the strength and intensity in the younger boy's grip.

"That hurts, Hirata-kun." He protested lightly, reaching across to remove the other's fingers, but instead Hirata grabbed him by the other arm, fixing him with a dark, unyielding glare.

"This is my Clan." He said blackly. "This is my family being whipped around and treated in such a horrible way. I was almost killed last night – do not even begin to think I'll accept it if you blow me off with one of your flippant asides. I _know_ you know something – and it relates to Ukitake-kun and Eiraki-chan as well as it does to me. They are people I care about – more people I care about than you even know are involved in this. So tell me. Here and now. _What do you know_?"

Shunsui stared at his companion, completely taken aback by the sudden tirade. In that instant, he had seen the Endou-ke's predatorial spirit flare up in the younger boy's pale eyes, cold and resolute as they glittered behind the lenses of his glasses.

_So last night's shock has had a deeper impact than I thought. You're working hard to hide it for everyone else's sake, because Juushirou is missing – but that's only added to it for you, hasn't it? He saved your life, and now his might be in danger. I should remember that – it isn't just Eiraki-chan you're concerned for, nor your father. You're stronger than you were, Hirata-kun, but it's still Juu that you cling to in times of need. All of this is simply one thing on top of another for you – no wonder it's starting to take its toll._

Shunsui sighed, resignation flooding through him as he nodded his head.

"Sooner or later I'd have to tell you." He admitted out loud. "And I wasn't really planning on blowing you off with any 'flippant aside', since more than anyone I know this affects you. I just wanted to think it out in my own mind before giving you something that might be way off base."

"I can think things over for myself. Two of us may be better than one." Hirata said coldly, and Shunsui nodded.

"All right. I guess from that expression that it's better that it's sooner." He acknowledged. "But I wasn't kidding – your grip hurts, Hirata-kun. It's like having a hawk clawing at my arms – let me go. I won't run anywhere – so loosen up, all right?"

"I'm listening." Hirata's fingers relaxed slightly, though he did not completely release his grasp, and Shunsui pursed his lips.

"It really is only a fleeting theory buzzing around my hungover head at the moment. A fleeting one with circumstantial evidence to back it up at best." He acknowledged. "I'm not thinking on all cylinders thanks to last night's idiocy, and I don't want to make you more paranoid, either. But I think…I'm starting to think…that Sumire-sama and Eiraki-hime were _meant_ to come here. That it wasn't Kibana's hard work that secured it, but someone else acting behind the scenes."

"Minazake?" Hirata asked, and Shunsui snorted.

"I am quite sure that if we did some digging, we'd find Minazake Roukei did not exist." He said baldly. "Though yes, I believe he's involved. Seimaru too, possibly. I'm not sure about that yet."

"Seimaru…let my kinswomen go?" Hirata blinked, then, "Wait a minute, Minazake Roukei does not…?"

"I think they were let go so that Eiraki could find you and then try to kill you. Maybe on Seimaru's orders, even." Shunsui said quietly. "I don't think it's her will or decision and I don't think she's culpable of anything except being a gullible teenage girl looking for allies in a cold bleak world. But even so, that's what I think. I asked her some hard questions this morning, and she was shaken and upset. But she didn't cough. She wasn't pale. None of the things that have concerned so many people. As though something was sapping away at her – and last night, that something was broken. The only thing is, the one who probably broke it – isn't here to ask about it."

"Ukitake-kun." Hirata whispered, and Shunsui nodded.

"Bingo." He agreed. "What if he worked this all out last night, and went off to try and find the answer? That's just the kind of thing he'd do."

"It is." Hirata agreed unwillingly, his fingers slipping away from Shunsui's arms as tears glittered in the boy's pale eyes. "But why, Kyouraku-kun? Why didn't he tell anyone what he was doing? And why…for the sake of my family…why would he…?"

"Because he's your friend. In Juu-logic that's all that's needed." Shunsui said matter-of-factly. "But if he did go off to do something hairbrained and stupid, doubtless he'd both conceal his reiatsu and hide if he saw guardsmen out on patrol. Because he'd have a specific goal in mind – even if it was an idiotic one. And that means Yasuhiro's men probably wouldn't find him. Though I'm surprised Ryuu-kun and Kai-kun failed to – they're sharper in that department and even though Juu's better with his reiatsu these days, to suppress it so completely…"

He frowned, tilting his head on one side as he considered.

"You didn't teach him _kyakkou_, did you?" He asked. "We haven't covered that particular _bakudou_ yet in class, so…"

"No. I haven't." Hirata shook his head. He took a deep breath, and Shunsui knew he was working to hold back the tears. "And even if I had, he'd still have to manage his own reiatsu. _Kyakkou_ only bends light to make something invisible. But I want to know the other thing you meant. About Minazake. Do you think…he's our enemy?"

"Right now I don't know what he is, but I think we need to find out." Shunsui said quietly. "He's a kinsman of your aunt – right? Lady Riku, isn't that what was said?"

"So I'm told, but I haven't ever met my aunt and wouldn't know any of her kinsfolk." Hirata shook his head. "All I know is that her kin were slaughtered as potential rivals to my Grandfather, and she was the only survivor – as far as people knew. She was betrothed to my Uncle, and then displeased my Grandmother so was exiled to Hokujou in the north. That's all I know. It's all most of us know. Grandmother took whatever else with her to her grave."

"Hokujou?" Shunsui asked.

"It's an old castle, now used as a noble prison to keep her under house arrest." Hirata responded. "I've never been there – nobody goes there."

"Somebody did." Shunsui said quietly. "Someone calling himself Minazake Roukei did, and somehow managed to see a woman who was placed under arrest and who had restricted access to the outside world. Seimaru must've arranged that, I'm sure. He's the only one with the power to do so now, surely? And you just said yourself that her kin were slaughtered. So where did he come from, then, if that's the case?"

"Even if you try to hunt down a whole family, one escapes here and there." Hirata murmured, and Shunsui shot him a quizzical look.

"That doesn't sound like something you'd say."

"I didn't. It's something my Uncle used to rant and rave about when dealing with District families and trying to wipe out those who were spiritually aware." Hirata shook his head. "My uncle was violent and borderline insane, Kyouraku-kun, and my aunt an opportunistic manipulator who tried and failed to get ahead of herself in Endou politics."

"An opportunistic manipulator who happened to spawn Seimaru." Shunsui grimaced. "And would probably lie for his sake, too, if prompted?"

"I suppose so. But I don't see the reasoning. Some random noble from some unknown Clan connection – how would it benefit Seimaru to invent a kinsman?"

"Or to hide someone else under that name." Shunsui said blackly.

"Someone else?" Hirata's eyes became huge. "Someone...like..."

He faltered, as though not wanting to speak the words, and there was a long, tense pause. Then, at length, he sighed, closing his eyes briefly.

"Seimaru's ally. Seimaru's puppet. Seimaru's lackey." He said bitterly. "Someone like...Aizen Keitarou. Urahara Keitarou - correct?"

"That's where I'm thinking, although even I don't know that I'm right and I've no proof to back it up." Shunsui said grimly. "Bits and pieces, that's all - for now, don't spread that around. I don't want to cause a panic, after all."

"Of course not." Hirata shook his head impatiently. "What good does it do me or my Clan if it was to be known someone in my family was shielding someone like that when the Council are hunting him down!"

"But you came up with his name quickly, so you've been wondering what he's been involved in since the collapse of the Shihouin experiments too, haven't you?" Shunsui realised, and Hirata nodded his head.

"The only guarantee is that he'd be involved in something." He said thickly. "Whatever Seimaru told him to do most probably, since he's a scientist and not a soldier or a shinigami. Even if he can mix up chemicals to drug guards or dull the pain of arrow injuries, he'd still need Seimaru's protection and he'd obey any orders given. Including impersonating a kinsman and gaining my sister's trust."

"Not a soldier." Shunsui's eyes were no more than slits. "More and more I think we're on the right track. But there are still gaps - Hirata-kun, have you told me everything that you know about what's going on in your District? Is there anything Juu might've known that I don't – anything that might've sent him haring off into the night like that? Because little things are bothering me. He disappeared of his own accord – but I can't imagine him leaving Eiraki-hime in the cold like that. He'd have got help for her first. And even if this Keitarou was here last night - even if he was, on Seimaru's orders, drugging guards and so on - did he and Juu cross paths?"

He paused, glancing at Hirata.

"If they did - they didn't fight. Did they talk? Did they miss each other completely? I believe the manipulation spell was on Eiraki-hime before she left Seventh. And if by some fluke that Keitarou guy was here last night - even if he was the one controlling Eiraki-hime - he didn't manipulate Juu."

"If it was put on her before she left Seventh, there are any number of Shinigami who could've acted on Seimaru's command." Hirata said softly. "Grandfather's former lieutenant and third officer are not in Seimaru's class, but that doesn't mean they might not have such base techniques sealed within their swords. They are Endou, after all. It would be fitting if they did."

He shrugged, a bitter expression in his eyes.

"I wonder if it had a connection with the threads Kibana saw the night they escaped." Shunsui murmured. "Threads...spider webs...someone controlling the guards from the shadows? Someone making them collapse so as it seemed they had defeated the enemy in order to escape? Kibana said himself he only took down two men. That leaves thirteen, and Aizen isn't a soldier. Even if he's just Minazake Roukei, the same applies. So who took those men down? Perhaps you're right...I just don't know."

_Somehow it still feels wrong. Like I'm missing something obvious, but I can't put my finger on what it is._

Hirata bit his lip.

"There is one other thing you don't know about." He said softly, glancing around him to make sure nobody else was nearby to listen. "But…"

He trailed off, and Shunsui suddenly felt his sense of unease grow inside.

"This wouldn't connect to a certain letter, would it?" He asked quietly. "That Seimaru might like to get a hold of?"

Hirata was silent, and Shunsui's unease doubled.

"Juu had it, didn't he." He murmured. "All this time. And now…"

"He doesn't have it now." Hirata shook his head, slipping his fingers into the folds of his _obi_ and pulling out the creased sheet of _washi_ parchment. "It's here. With me."

Shunsui muttered a curse, then,

"But Juu _did_ have it? Or at least, he knew about it?"

"Mm." Hirata's expression was troubled, and despite his attempts, the tears trickled down his cheeks. "It was dangerous – I know it was. But I didn't have anyone else who was entirely my ally. Not then. I needed…someone who I could trust, and who didn't have Clan connections. Ukitake-kun…he kept it safe for me. And nobody ever guessed."

"You're wrong there. _I_ guessed, but Juu wouldn't talk to me about it." Shunsui said darkly. "And if I did, other people might have. So you gave this letter to him all that time ago? He's had it since then? And now…last night…?"

"I don't know where it was originally. He didn't tell me." Hirata shook his head. "But when we came here, he hid it inside Sougyo's sheath. He told me that he'd promised Father that if he could, he'd help me – that it was his duty to protect me as a shinigami and as his friend. So we agreed that if Sougyo had the letter, that was one way of doing it without him needing to run into danger. Yet…"

"Did Juu take Sougyo no Kotowari with him last night?" Shunsui asked sharply, and Hirata nodded.

"But he left the sheath behind." He whispered. "So I know he thought…when he followed my sister…that my family were somehow involved. Everything you've said makes sense, Kyouraku-kun. And we have to do something about it. We have to find him – wherever he's gone. He might use Sougyo and he might get hurt…especially if it's that he…"

"He's gone to District Seven." Shunsui felt his heart sink like a lead bullet through his chest. "None of us want to say it, but that's in the end what's happened. Probably he caught wind of Urahara Keitarou's name - thanks to Kyouki-sama so kindly giving it to him - from somewhere or someone and decided he was going to go save the world in one of his usual idealistic fits of stupidity. My family's protection doesn't extend over the border, Hirata. If he's attacked here, that's different. But if he goes there, alone…with that sword…"

"Seimaru will kill him." Hirata's voice shook. "I know. That's why I need to go there too. I need to find him. As soon as I can."

"You're not going anywhere. Not alone, at least." Shunsui said frankly, making up his mind. "We don't know where he is or what's happened to him, yet. He may still be in District Eight – for now, wait till Yasuhiro's men return."

"But…"

"Hirata, if we charge off into your family's land and Juu is safe and sound here, that's going to rebound on my brother and it could be enough to cause war." Shunsui said bluntly. "Likewise, making rash accusations about Seimaru shielding illegal scientists would not go down particularly well, not while you're witholding that letter. I'm worried about Juu. Just as much as you are, believe me. But…in the circumstances…we don't know anything yet. We don't know where he might be. And…"

"You said we." Hirata's eyes widened as he cut across his friend. "You…you intend to come too?"

"Mm." Shunsui nodded. "I'm not letting you charge off like an idiot to get killed because Juu thought it would be a good plan to take a winter tour. But we have to think about this logically. I'm not going to bring war on the heads of my brother's people if I can help it. So…"

Hirata glanced at the letter, then sighed.

"Tonight." He murmured. "If Yasuhiro-dono's men don't find anything, Kyouraku-kun, then I intend to go whether you want me to or not. I'm scared to go by myself, but I'm more scared of seeing people I love getting hurt over and over again while I'm too weak to do anything about it. In the end, it piles up – these things are my fault and even if I die, I have to…to face them. Seimaru won't stop until either he kills me or I kill him. He'll involve innocent people. He might even declare war. I won't…I have to go back. I can't keep running – Eiraki-chan was right. I'm the only one who can change things and even if I die trying, it's better than seeing her manipulated, Okaasama homeless and Father locked up in a cell I can't reach. This is doing something. I'm terrified but…I need to do it. Tonight, Kyouraku-kun. If Ukitake-kun isn't found…I'm going tonight."

"We'll both go or neither of us." Shunsui shook his head. "In the meantime, we've work to do. That letter, for a start. What do you intend to do with that if you head off into enemy land? It's the only proof that exists against your cousin."

"I already thought about that." Hirata ran his finger over the paper, then, "I'm going to give it to Kai-kun. I'm going to entrust it to him and ask him to act on it. If I'm killed, then the only way of stopping Seimaru is via the Council. My family can't lose much more than they already have, after all."

"And Misashi-sama?" Shunsui murmured. Hirata flinched, letting out a heavy sigh.

"If I live, I will find him. Free him, if I can. Save his life." He said softly. "That's what a hero should do, anyhow. But I know…I'm not a hero, Kyouraku-kun. And the chances are high that I'll fail. If I do…I know…Otousama will probably be killed. My being alive is all that's keeping him so – Eiraki-chan about said as much to me. But…for the sake of the Clan, Otousama would gamble everything, even his life. Okaasama and Eiraki-chan are free from harm. I don't intend to condemn my father. But I will…not let…Seimaru use him as a barrier any more."

He closed his eyes, the tears spilling down his cheeks, and Shunsui sighed, dropping his hands down on the younger boy's shoulders.

"Heroes tend to do stupid things. They're only heroes if they succeed." He said quietly. "And what you've just said makes me twice as determined I'm coming with you. Stupid things are something I'm good at, after all…maybe between the two of us we'll figure something out."

"At the very least, find Ukitake-kun and get him out of the way before all hell lets loose on him." Hirata agreed sadly.

"You two seem very covert this morning." Kyouki's voice broke through their conversation, both boys glancing up guiltily as the Clan leader bore down on them. "Visiting Kibana? I thought that Tokkun agreed to keep the Endou-ke away from him for the time being, Shunsui?"

"He did." Shunsui raised his gaze, meeting the older woman's quizzical eyes with solemn ones of his own even as Hirata hurriedly dashed his tears away. "I've overruled him, however, in light of new circumstances."

"Overruled…?" Kyouki's eyes widened, and Shunsui nodded.

"Yes."

"Do you think he'd like that, if he knew you were running riot behind his back?"

Shunsui's lips twitched into a cool smile.

"I don't suppose he'd mind." He responded. "Hirata needed to speak to him – I was present so I know what was said."

"Then I should speak to him too, I think, if he's up to receiving visitors."

"No."

Kyouki made to pass him, but Shunsui put out his hand, shaking his head as she glanced at him in surprise.

"No?" The clanswoman's brows knitted together. "Overruling both Tokkun and I, now? You have a lot of guts, but not much sense, in that case."

"With all respect, Kyouki-sama, none of this is currently your concern." Shunsui said calmly, slipping the rest of his body across to block her path. "Nii-sama gave the instruction that when he was away, I was in charge. And for that reason, my wishes overrule yours. You want to speak to Kibana-dono, I know. I've no objection to you doing so. But right now the man is tired and needs to sleep. My orders are that he be allowed to do so. You may speak to him tomorrow – when he's had further chance to rest."

Kyouki stared at him for a moment, then she let out a low chuckle.

"Well, well. So you do have it, after all. The air of a Clan leader who knows what he wants." She reflected. "Very well, Shunsui-sama. You are right, of course. I'm overstepping the bounds of Clan familiarity by making assumptions I've no right to make. Kibana is your patient – I will see him at your pleasure. As it happened, I came down here on the off-chance – I intend to leave tomorrow, so thought it would be convenient to come here today."

Shunsui frowned.

"Kyouki-sama, last night Juushirou disappeared from the manor." He said quietly. "We don't think he was attacked, but nobody can find him. Yasuhiro is organising searches of the area but they've so far come up blank. Can you think of another way to get to District Seven…other than over land?"

"Juushirou?" Kyouki's face went through a mixture of expressions, then, "On his own? For what purpose?"

"We're still trying to work that out clearly." Shunsui admitted. "But in the meantime…"

"Between Seven and Eight there is only land." Kyouki shook her head. "The Shiba have travelled through several times in past years when coming here. But there is no underground mining in Eight and the ones in Seven are long filled in – no hidden pathways or secret routes that I've heard of. If I didn't know them, could that boy? I don't see how."

"I don't know of any, either." Hirata admitted. "Though I'm sure Kyouki-sama has been through more of the land than I have, to be honest."

"Then that's why you spoke to Kibana. To ask him that question." Kyouki looked thoughtful. "Very well. Then I will leave here sooner than I anticipated. So long as I can leave my hungover son in your care a little longer – I will ride today and go to District One. I will consult Genryuusai-sama…he may know what I don't, and if it concerns Juushirou, time cannot be wasted."

"Thank you. I hoped you would." Shunsui looked relieved. "And I'm sorry if I've been rude. I just…"

"In the circumstances, I understand. A foolish District boy with a head full of ideals is a dangerous thing indeed." Kyouki sighed. "I suppose he took that sword with him? Full of naïve fighting spirit with not much training to back it up?"

"Sougyo no Kotowari is also gone." Shunsui nodded.

"Then perhaps you should be trying to find him before he kills someone, not before someone kills him." Kyouki advised darkly. "His _zanpakutou_ is a deadly weapon in inexperienced hands, and his are very inexperienced. I will ride at once – and Shunsui, this is only my advice but I would send word to Tokkun, too. Juushirou is one District boy, but if he has gone towards Seventh…it could have ramifications for everyone. The least of which would be Juushirou getting killed."

"I had already decided to do so." Shunsui agreed, bowing his head. "I hoped it could be resolved more simply – but I'm starting to realise that that's not the case."

He faltered, then,

"Could Juushirou's sword open a _Senkaimon_?" He asked hesitantly. "Even as untrained as that? Because otherwise…"

"Not a chance. It would explode or collapse before he could bring it under control and we'd feel the spiritual tremors for miles around." Kyouki shook her head. "Only those most skilled with their swords could open a _Senkaimon_ of any kind…only those of Genryuusai-sama, Retsu-sama or Guren-sama's level could likely open them without being detected."

"Of _Bankai _level, you mean." Shunsui murmured, and Kyouki nodded.

"Even _I_ can't do that level of manipulation." She responded. "There's no way Juushirou – even with all his latent ability – could."

Shunsui's lips thinned as he digested this. Then he shrugged.

"It was just a thought. I'm trying to think of every possibility, even stupid ones." He said at length. "Thank you, Kyouki-sama. Hirata and I will go see about sending a message to Nii-sama now."

"Do so." Kyouki agreed. "If it's all right with you, I'm going to follow some reiatsu traces and walk out to peer at the place Eiraki-hime was found. Then I guess I'll saddle up and go East, to see what the old sensei has to say about his District student's latest exploit!"

* * *

It was a cold day in District Eight, brisk and chill with a biting wind that seared through the tree branches with a faint, eerie whistling sound. There had been a second frost since the previous evening, and the ground was crisp and bright, glittering as though coated in some special powder – yet there was no sign of snow, and still the Yuukirin flowers bloomed bravely against the chill.

Mitsuki shivered, pulling her cloak more tightly around her slim body as she picked her way carefully between the patches of grass where the winter sun had begun to thaw the frost into slick damp and mud towards the area of trees where they had found Eiraki the night before.

Although there was nothing physical to indicate the route through the Kyouraku forest in daylight, Mitsuki did not hesitate for a moment, pressing resolutely forward as she followed the faint wisps of her classmate's dissipating reiatsu. Occasionally she felt the weak vapour of Eiraki's, cloaked in the stronger signal left by Juushirou – but it was not until she reached the location itself that she truly was aware of the young princess's presence. There were still traces of blood on the ground, and as she stood there, closing her eyes, she could patch out Juushirou's spirit here far more clearly, too.

But he had not been taken ill. Despite the cold, she was sure of that – there was nothing in the residual aura to suggest the sudden shock of cold night air had done him any harm at all. He had been moving at speed when she and Sora had attempted to way-lay him – yet it was only Eiraki whose discomfort was recorded here.

Mitsuki frowned, resting her hand against the trunk of a nearby tree as she tried to process the mingled sensations.

She had not sensed Eiraki at all until they had gone outside – she had assumed that Juushirou's stronger signal had simply masked the young princess's from her awareness. But whilst Juushirou had not been afraid nor injured, she knew now that Eiraki had been both. The blood on her clothing had come from her and her alone – something had happened to her here, of which she had no memory.

_I felt it, after all. Someone having their soul devoured, and then Eiraki-chan attacked Hirata while under another's lure. I couldn't feel Eiraki-chan at all, not until Juushirou's reiatsu disappeared. It might have been because Eiraki-chan is weaker and I'm always distracted by Juushirou – but I don't think so. When that District girl was murdered, after all, I still felt it. Even though she was a stranger and even though she was far from the school – it ripped right through me. Someone like Eiraki-chan who I know and whose spiritual signature is familiar to me…I shouldn't have overlooked it so easily. Not even if I was worried about Juushirou…that doesn't make any sense. So…_

"I wondered if I'd find you out here."

Sora's voice broke through her musings and she turned, seeing her friend with Ryuu in tow. Both bore identically serious expressions on their faces, still wrapped up from their morning ride and Mitsuki bit her lip, nodding her head.

"I wanted to see if I could work anything out now it's daylight." She admitted. "But I don't know if I can."

"This is the same place." Ryuu brushed his fingers through the air, then, "Ukitake was here. Then he wasn't. There's a clean break in his reiatsu somewhere in this location – but how to explain that I do not know."

"Me either." Mitsuki shook her head. "I don't think he could hide from me – not even if he suppressed his spirit as much as he could. The only answer is he disappeared from this place completely. He's not dead, or hurt – at least, he wasn't then. But he just…vanished. Poof. Gone. Just like that."

She sighed.

"Sora-chan, do you remember last night I said that I felt someone's soul being taken away?" She asked, and Sora nodded, looking apprehensive.

"Yes. It sounded spooky. Why? Have you worked out how or whose?"

"Mm. Maybe." Mitsuki agreed. "I think it was Eiraki-chan. I think it was whatever spell was cast over her to make her attack Hirata-kun. Because all of that time, I didn't know that Juushirou was chasing Eiraki-chan or that Eiraki-chan was even out here. Not till Juushirou disappeared. But I know Eiraki-chan and I should have realised. Unless something had changed her reiatsu beyond all recognition."

"That would make sense." Ryuu nodded his head gravely. "I had begun to wonder in a similar vein, to be truthful. My own senses are sharp, but yours are far sharper in many respects. Even though Eiraki-hime is not a strong individual, I would have expected you to find her more quickly. Especially given that she was hurt."

"Exactly." Mitsuki nodded. "And there's something else."

She ran her finger down the trunk of the tree, then, "Ryuu-kun, do you feel it, too? A lingering scent of…something?"

Ryuu frowned, placing his hand against the tree and closing his eyes. At length he nodded.

"Kidou." He murmured. "I think…perhaps _kyakkou_. It bears a resemblance to the spell Hirata uses – though this is of a much more sophisticated nature. Someone was concealed here…is that what you are saying, Mitsuki? That someone concealed themselves here so that Eiraki-hime did not see them…and that person…is somehow responsible for Ukitake's disappearance?"

"I don't know who they are or what they wanted." Mitsuki swallowed the flicker of panic that licked up inside of her at Ryuu's words. "But…yes."

"You said Juushirou went of his own accord, though." Sora shivered as a particularly cold gust of wind whipped through the clearing. "How can you explain that with residual _kyakkou_? Juushirou can't use that spell – we haven't learnt it yet. Even if he did try to use it, there's no way he'd be able to do so on a better level than Hirata…right? So that…"

"It's not Ukitake-kun's reiatsu that's mingled in with it." Mitsuki sighed, closing her eyes and leaning up against the trunk of the tree as she allowed the sensations to wash over her. "It's hard to separate them, but even when Hirata-kun uses _kyakkou_, his reiatsu flares just a little before he conceals it behind the barrier. This is like that. A faint…very faint…trace of someone having been here. I felt a dark reiatsu last night – Ryuu-kun, you said that you thought someone was here. Someone was. This is the proof of it. I'm pretty sure."

"Then we _should_ report this to Okaasama." Sora looked worried. "Even if Shunsui says not, if someone kidnapped Juushirou…"

"How can they kidnap him without attacking him or taking him by force?" Ryuu looked helpless.

Mitsuki's eyes opened slowly, and she took a deep breath to control her emotions before she spoke.

"By appealing to his weakness." She said softly. "Eiraki-chan was here. Eiraki-chan was hurt. Something was driving her…something was controlling her. But it no longer is. We're all fairly sure of that. Yet Juushirou is missing. Which means…"

"Juushirou made a deal with whoever it was." Sora whispered, horror glittering in her eyes. "That's what you mean, isn't it? That in exchange for Eiraki-hime being left alone…Juushirou…"

"That sounds extremely likely." Ryuu sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Ukitake is one such naïve, idealistic fool that he'd do something of that nature without a second thought. Sora is right, Mitsuki – we should no longer delay in reporting this to someone of Council standing. Even if Kyouraku is angry, we cannot conceal it. If an enemy came here and lured Ukitake into danger…"

"And somehow did so without leaving a path to follow…" Sora added. "You said the trail stopped here – but maybe Okaasama or Nii-sama could pick up more than we can. They're experienced shinigami and we're only students. Maybe they'll know more than we do."

"I seem to have read your mind, Sora-chan, since I decided to check this place for myself before riding to visit with your good headmaster."

Kyouki strode into the clearing at that moment, casting her daughter a grim smile as she gazed around at the assembled trio. "So this is it, is it? The place where Juushirou's trail went cold."

"Did…Kyouraku-kun…report to you?" Mitsuki asked hesitantly, and Kyouki nodded.

"He told me that your young District friend was an idiot." She said frankly, reaching out her fingers to brush against the air in much the same way Ryuu had done. "And if what you just said is the truth, he's even more of one than I imagined. Cutting deals with devils without knowing what devils he's dealing with is worse than simply running off into the blue."

She frowned, pulling Gekkoushin from its sheath and Mitsuki saw the faint glitter of light dance across the sealed blade. As energy flared from the weapon, the Clan leader thrust the sword forwards, and Mitsuki inhaled sharply as she saw the air warp and split in front of them, the scenery breaking apart into fragments as a dark passageway opened up between the trees.

"_Senkaimon_." Ryuu whispered, and Kyouki nodded grimly.

"Shunsui put me onto it. He asked if Juushirou could open one." She murmured. "And I told him not – of course not. But even so…for him to disappear…it made me remember something from the past."

"To think there was a _Senkaimon_ in Tokutarou-nii's grounds…when he doesn't even use his _zanpakutou_." Sora breathed, and Kyouki snorted.

"This entrance is disused – I wondered about it when I realised where you kids were and where Juushirou had actually vanished." She admitted. "It was Matsuhara's – Tensonshin used to unlock it when we took trips to the Real World on Council business. But it hasn't been used since some time before his death – you're right, Sora. Tokkun wouldn't have used it, and possibly doesn't even know that it's here."

"Then that's why Eiraki-chan was brought to this place. Juushirou too. Because of the _Senkaimon_." Mitsuki murmured. "It isn't strange that it would be here – Kazoe-sensei told us that Clans used them to get from one point to another and even though the Kuchiki-ke might use them the most, it doesn't mean they are or ever have been the only Clan to do so. Tokutarou-sama might not have known, but _someone_ did."

"Anyone with a spiritual awareness of high enough training could sense its presence, if not unlock it." Kyouki responded. "I've unlocked it before – Gekkoushin and I, anyhow – but even so it feels different from the times Matsuhara and I used it. Someone has undoubtedly tampered with it – the path beyond is highly unstable."

"Could we…follow it?" Ryuu wondered, and Kyouki shook her head.

"Look more closely." She said frankly, and Mitsuki realised that even from where she stood she could see the tunnel walls warp and distort. "Without particularly strong spirit power, it would be impossible to take more than a few steps without it exploding and killing you – as well as creating devastation for a good circumference around this site. It's been tampered with in a way I don't understand by someone I don't know…and it bothers me who and why. Because Juushirou's sword didn't open this. Someone else's did. And it's not a reiatsu I know."

"Would you know it, Okaasama?" Sora looked doubtful. "If it came from a foreign place…or was a Kyouraku…or something?"

"You forget who ratifies _zanpakutou_, Sora-chan." Kyouki reminded her softly. "Even if I don't touch and see every blade, I would be surprised if I didn't recognise some characteristics of it from Council sessions, since I make a point of attending each ratification meeting. But this one isn't familiar. Not at all. It's a mystery to me what opened this door."

She sighed, withdrawing her weapon, and the entrance shimmered and closed, disappearing entirely from view once more.

"But I know now that I'm going to go see Genryuusai-sama." She said decidedly. "Because if anyone might know…if anyone might be able to open it and hold it open – it's him. And if someone took Juushirou by design, that means someone planned this, and prepared the tunnel in advance so that they could retreat via it when necessary. If we can find out where it's hacked path leads, we can find out who, and where."

Her fingers brushed Gekkoushin's hilt once more.

"And, believe me…when we do, we'll more than do something about it."

* * *

"And that's what she said. She left right away."

Sora sighed, dropping down onto the floor of Tokutarou's study. "I'm sorry, Shunsui. I should have asked her to tell you something about it, but she was in a hurry. Finding the _Senkaimon_ tampered with seemed to worry her…she said it was obviously planned in advance."

It was later that afternoon, and the group of students were all gathered in the Clan leader's administration chamber, while outside Yasuhiro was instructing his men on heightened security. There was general unease in the air, though the wider Kyouraku-ke had not been told the reasons for the sudden increase in guards – and with a heavy heart, Shunsui had seen to a messenger being dispatched to his brother's temporary lodgings. He was not convinced Tokutarou could do much that he could not, since Juushirou's whereabouts was still a mystery and there was no clear trail to prove his suspicions about Eiraki's fiance or a wider Endou conspiracy. Yet he wanted Tokutarou home anyhow – even if just to have the comfort of his older brother's guiding hand in managing everything at the estate.

Being a Clan Leader was not, after all, his true calling.

"That's what I think too." He said heavily now, rubbing his temples as he processed Sora's information. "That all of this was planned from the start. Although Juushirou's involvement I didn't work out. I thought he'd gone off by himself – but Mitsuki's right. He would be talked into anything if he thought it was to protect someone in trouble."

"Someone ought to tell the idiot that his life is as important as anyone's." Enishi put in gruffly from his corner, his tones uncharacteristically bad-tempered. "It's fine for him to dive in and rescue people, but not if he winds up needing rescuing!"

"As Houjou said." Kai pulled a face. "He's like one of us most of the time. But then he has those moments when he completely forgets the world out there is dangerous and he shouldn't be playing with things he doesn't understand."

"He acted to save me and to help Eiraki-chan." Hirata murmured. "He's not a small child, Kai-kun."

"No, I know…more's the pity." Kai grimaced a second time. "If he was, we might be able to strap him down. I know he was helping you, Hirata – I don't think he was wrong in that. But to go after a stranger – even make a deal with one…"

"He ought to know better by now, but complaining about it isn't going to change anything." Ryuu said acerbically. "And besides, by harping on as you are, you're making Mitsuki feel worse than she already does. We should not focus on what he has done – but how to go about retrieving him safely."

"Kuchiki's right." Sora nodded, reaching across to squeeze Mitsuki by the hand. "I'm sorry, Mi-chan. This is worst for you, isn't it? Yet you're being so calm about it…I guess…we forgot."

"I'm not calm." Mitsuki admitted, twisting her fingers together. "I think…I'm just too worried to let my emotions flow free. There are too many of them – if I did, I don't know if I could stop. I'm angry, I'm frightened, I'm worried, I'm frustrated…and a whole lot more feelings I can't put names to. But if I fall apart…if I do…I c…can't help anyone. So…I'm trying not to. I want to help, not be another burden."

"The question is, what can we do? At least until Nii-sama returns and Kyouki-sama has tackled Yama-jii." Shunsui clenched and unclenched his fists beneath the desk in frustration. "We're not going to find him in District Eight…and I'm sure he's gone towards District Seven. But if he's gone via _Senkaimon_…it could be further. It could be somewhere else completely…and District Seven is a big place."

"Kyouki-sama said that if Genryuusai-sensei could stabilise the pathway, it could be followed." Ryuu remembered. "Then it would lead to wherever Ukitake is being held…or the rough vicinity. In the long run, that is probably quicker…_Senkaimon_ reduce the time of travel. Even if we rode towards the border now, it would still take a good amount of time without us being able to use _shunpo_."

"And even though I can, it's not stable enough for me to rely on." Shunsui groaned. "I know what you're saying, Ryuu-kun. I know you're right. But my common sense is being challenged by my anxiety, even so. He has a _zanpakutou_. He should be more capable than any of us of taking care of himself and he shouldn't need us to rescue him. Yet I'm sure he does. Or he will. And even if waiting is the sanest idea, I'm not feeling very sane about it either at the moment. It may take till tomorrow for Nii-sama to return. Longer, perhaps, for Genryuusai-sensei to come to District Eight, depending on what route Kyouki-sama chooses to take. And in that time…"

He trailed off, as there was a knock at the door, and Enishi shifted aside to allow the divide to be slid open. A messenger, dressed in the colours of the Kyouraku-ke stood outside, hesitating for a moment as he registered the quantity of people in the chamber, then he stepped forward, bowing low before Shunsui before holding out a wood-carved box.

"If you please, Shunsui-sama…Yasuhiro-dono instructed this be brought before you forthwith." He said properly, and Shunsui raised his head, staring at the man in confusion.

"Yasuhiro did?"

"It was given to our men at the border outposts, sir. By an unknown man who claimed to be a descendant of your Clan." The soldier agreed, even as Shunsui took the box gingerly in his hands. "If you please, sir, Yasuhiro-dono thought it was of some urgency, and so instructed me…"

"I see." Shunsui set the box down on the desk in front of him, eying it for a moment, then, "Thank you. You've done well – you're dismissed."

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir." The soldier seemed relieved to have discharged his burden, bowing once more before retreating hurriedly from the crowded office.

A moment of hush descended on the room, then Sora shot Shunsui a quizzical look.

"Aren't you opening it?" She asked, and Shunsui shrugged, shaking his head.

"It isn't addressed to me." He said simply. "It's addressed to Hirata."

"To…_me_?" Hirata's eyes widened in alarm, then, "But…why?"

"Open it and we'll find out." Shunsui suggested.

"Is it safe?" Mitsuki wondered anxiously. "If it's addressed to Hirata-kun…when last night…"

"Mitsuki's right." Ryuu frowned. "Maybe we should send for someone. Ryuusei-dono is still here, isn't he?"

"No." Hirata got to his feet, moving purposefully over to the desk and glancing down at the package. "It's addressed to me. I'll open it."

"Steady on, Hirata! Edogawa and Kuchiki have a point, you know." Enishi said apprehensively, but Hirata shook his head, placing his hands gently on top of the box. For a moment he hesitated, then nodded, slipping his fingers into his _obi_. Shunsui's eyes widened as he pulled out the letter they had discussed earlier, but Hirata did not say a word, merely turning towards Kai and holding it out.

"I entrust this to you." He said softly. "Do with it what's right, okay?"

"Hirata-kun?" Sora was confused, but Kai's expression became serious and he nodded it, taking it and sliding it into the folds of his _hakamashita_.

"You know what I consider that to be." He said frankly, and Hirata sighed.

"Yes." He agreed. "But even so…its in your hands now."

"What is that?" Ryuu's eyes narrowed, and Mitsuki let out a little gasp.

"The letter that Eiraki-chan was talking about this morning!" She realised, and Hirata's brows knitted together in consternation.

"Don't ask questions." Kai was there before him, however. "It's not something you need to see or to know about, Edogawa. I'm serious. It's not to be talked about – just like we said this morning. Knowing about it is probably enough to make you a target – reading its contents might even get you killed. Leave it be."

"Kai-kun is right." Hirata agreed, moving back towards the wooden box and resting his finger lightly on the surface. "As for this…its been carved at the top with the claw of the Endou-ke. Father uses this when he wants to send a message to me – but I'm sure he's not the only one who does."

"Seimaru?" Sora demanded, and Hirata shrugged.

"I didn't feel his reiatsu on it." He admitted, taking the letter knife from Tokutarou's desk and slitting open the box's seal. "So I'm going to have to trust not."

He lifted the lid, and as he did so, something small and bluish black burst out of it, causing the young boy to fall backwards as the strange entity flitted and danced around the air in front of him.

"A butterfly?" Enishi was the first to speak, staring at it in bewilderment. "Someone sent Hirata a butterfly?"

"Not just a butterfly." Shunsui's heart clenched in his chest as he peered into the box, making out what was in the bottom. "A letter. And…a momento. A message, Hirata-kun. No doubts now that this is somehow from your kin."

He reached his hand into the box, pulling out the small, bound object, and Mitsuki let out a shriek of dismay.

"Juushirou's hair!" She exclaimed, and there was instant commotion as Shunsui nodded, dropping it down on the desk.

"It really is." Ryuu whispered, hovering a hesitant hand over the bundle. "Ukitake's reiatsu – there's no mistake."

"There's blood on the ends." Shunsui said darkly. "Kyouki-sama was right. Someone took him."

"And hurt him?" Mitsuki was only just holding onto her wits now, and Sora reached over to give her a hug.

"More likely he's still alive, if they sent this kind of message." She said soothingly. "Don't look like that, Mi-chan. He's not dead. I'm sure he's not dead."

"But he is in trouble." Shunsui got to his feet. "Hirata? What does the note say?" For the younger boy had plucked the folded parchment from the bottom of the box, unfolding it with trembling fingers.

"To Endou Hirata. To find the thing you have lost," He said softly, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke the words. "follow the butterfly."

"Follow…the…butterfly?" Enishi's brows knitted together. "What kind of an instruction is that?"

There's something else wrapped inside the hair." Kai realised. "Something small…it looks like a kidou lamp only far smaller."

"Looks like just a stone to me." Enishi admitted. "Maybe it's just there to weigh the box down."

"I don't know." Shunsui picked up the item, and as soon as he did, it glittered and shone with bright, vibrant light. He cursed, almost dropping it, and as the rays of energy spread out into the chamber, the butterfly that had been flitting lazily around the room in a drunken daze suddenly seemed to snap to attention, spreading its wings and making a bee-line for the open window.

"_Follow it_!" Sora yelled. "The message said follow it – Shunsui obviously woke it up by touching that thing, so if that's the control and we follow it…"

"Sora's right." Shunsui clenched his fingers more tightly around the glowing stone, grabbing Hirata by the wrist and pulling him towards the window. "We're going out this way and we're going to follow it. Wherever it goes must be a clue to where Juu is. Don't let it escape!"

* * *

_**Author's Note: Jigokuchou and Senkaimon.**_

_Yes. They really are following a Hell Butterfly. Originally I was going to call this chapter "Jigokuchou" but I wasn't sure if everyone would know that was Hell Butterfly...so...meh. _

_All complaints to Urahara Keitarou, 7th District Secret Laboratory, Outer Seireitei...;)_

_  
Regarding the Hell Butterfly and the Senkaimon, its to be remembered that in this era, both technologies are in their infancy. The Gotei have not yet developed Hell Butterflies (this is a project of Keitarou's) and consequently are not in full control of Senkaimon without extremely high reiatsu. The inter-connecting doors across Seireitei are the prototype for what eventually will be a massive network of Senkaimon leading to the Real World. Just in case anyone was confused by their use in my fic, I thought I ought to explain._

_  
To get Juushirou to District Seven, Keitarou used his Urahara knowledge and his superior reiatsu to hack into the existing pathways and create a new one of his own. Even so, doing this meant the journey was longer than he would have ideally liked it to be._

_  
And of course, because we know that Keitarou has Bankai, he is able to open the Gate without being detected by any other Shinigami._

_Also...will someone please help me stop Hirata from doing what the hell he likes? T_T he's causing me SO many problems at the moment by insisting on getting his nose into everything - Juu's been such a bad influence on him!!!_


	51. Moral Divide

**Chapter Fifty: Moral Divide**

Juushirou had been reluctant at first to eat any of the food Keitarou had given him.

The day had been long and cold, and his mind had flitted back several times to the panicked look in Shikiki's aqua eyes at the mention of the word 'shinigami'. It had bothered him far more than he had liked to admit – in their brief conversation, he had almost imagined himself talking to one of his young siblings, and for her to be so suddenly afraid had struck a nerve deep within his young body.

And so he had spent much of his alone-time thinking – pondering over in his mind how something he knew to be good could also be something that she knew to be bad.

_District Seven is the answer, of course. In this place, everything is twisted._

Juushirou frowned, leaning back against the cold wall as he eyed the empty plate once more.

_I half expected that to be drugged or laced with something, but it tasted normal enough and I feel quite all right. Yet even so, I'm on edge here. It's in the air – just the atmosphere of District Seven in general. That's why Shikiki is afraid. That's what she fears…isn't it? That darkness in the air._

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

_No. It's not that. I want it to be, but it's not. It's what she said – and Keitarou-san, what he said too. About Daisuke-san and his murder. About what that child has been through. It doesn't matter how good I know shinigami are. She's not seen that side of it. District Seven or not – do most shinigami care about common people? In the other areas, ordinary folk like us aren't hunted down and killed for having spiritual ability, true…but…but can I really say that the Clans care about protecting us from harm?_

He closed his eyes, as an image of his father's death flooded his senses.

_I wasn't able to help Father. Nobody was. Nobody was there, then. Though they came, later…they weren't there when he needed them. Was it another Hollow somewhere else that caught their attention? Or was it simply that it wasn't attacking anyone of any importance, and so…_

He grimaced, shaking his head as if to clear it.

_No. I won't let Keitarou-san poison my mind to the idea. I know that it wasn't like that. I know that it was just an accident – that there weren't enough shinigami then to protect everyone at once. It wasn't anyone's fault that Father died. He was just unlucky. We were just unlucky. Someone else probably got saved that day. Someone else who has something vital to give to this world. Someone else who…_

His thoughts faltered, as he became aware of a dampness on his cheeks and he muttered a curse, reaching up to feel the trickle of silent tears running across his pale skin. He dashed them away, frustrated, for it had been a long time since he had let his emotions over his father's death run rampant through his mind.

_Father had a lot to give, too. To give me, and my siblings, and Okaasama. He had a lot…a lot still to give. But the only people who ever knew that were my family._

He took a deep breath into his lungs, realising that they still felt raw but that he no longer felt on the verge of coughing.

"You promised to move forwards, Juushirou. To step up and protect those who couldn't protect themselves." You's voice was faint, yet somewhat soothing to the boy's mangled wits as it brushed gently across his senses. "That was Hidenobu-sama's sacrifice, in the end. He protected you because _you_ have something vital to give to this world. Don't let anyone ever convince you otherwise."

"I know. I believe it. I'm not giving up." Juushirou spoke out loud, and a soft chuckle came from the dark hallway beyond the cage bars.

"I'm glad to hear that." Keitarou had crept up on him yet again, but this time Juushirou only glared at him in defiance, indignation prickling through his every nerve at the interruption. "Oh, I'm sorry? Were you not meaning those words for me?"

"I was talking to…myself." Juushirou muttered, and Keitarou grinned, shaking his head.

"No. You were talking to that." He responded, gesturing to the cell opposite where Sougyo no Kotowari remained confined. "I can feel the pricking at your reiatsu and at its as you try and make a connection across the divide. I'm sorry to have kept you both separated as long as this. It's a very new bond – you must prefer to have your _zanpakutou_ more within your reach."

"I'm fine." Juushirou pulled himself to his feet. "What do you want with me now, anyhow? You've already dragged me here, locked me up, lectured me about politics and sliced off my hair. What else are you going to do to me before the day is done?"

"You've eaten. I'm glad. I wasn't sure if you would." Keitarou's gaze flitted to the empty platter. "Without replenishing your energy, it would be dangerous to try to do anything. But since you've eaten, all should be well. I'm going to let you out of here, Ukitake. You and your _zanpakutou_ – so that you can show me what they can do."

"Where's Shikiki?" Juushirou's heart leapt at the idea of the door being unlocked, but he could not shake the young girl's fear from his mind, and Keitarou chuckled.

"She won't come here for a while, I don't suppose." He said lightly. "She's afraid of shinigami…until she knows you aren't going to hurt her, she'll keep her distance. She's a feral child, when all's said and done. She's learnt to survive by keeping out of danger when she can. The only person she trusts completely in is me – it will take longer for her to reach out her heart to you too."

"I don't understand why you have her here." As Keitarou pulled out the key to the cage door, Juushirou leant up against the wall, trying to see as far beyond his captor as he could into the blackened hallway. "I don't understand what she is to you – why you'd care so much about the well-being of one peasant girl, when…"

"Shikiki is special." Keitarou told him simply. "She is worth my time and my attention and therefore I give her both. The true merits of people in this world aren't where they're born or what bloodline they have, Ukitake. They lie entirely with what a person can do. You are the same. I don't seek to hurt you in any respect – I don't like having you locked up, but right now it's as much for your own safety as it is for Shikiki's. You have things that interest me – therefore I am willing to invest time in learning about them. And, of course, in gaining your trust."

"You'll be waiting a long time for that." Juushirou muttered, and Keitarou looked amused, even as he unfastened the cell that held Sougyo no Kotowari captive.

"Yes, probably." He agreed pleasantly. "But I've waited a long time for a lot of things. I can wait a little longer."

He moved into the dim-lit cell, and Juushirou was aware of a sudden ripple across his senses as the scientist carefully and protectively lifted the precious sword, glancing at it and blowing the dust from the blade's surface before stepping back out into the light.

"Really, you ought to get this thing a sheath."

"It has one. I just left it behind." Juushirou said coldly. "There wasn't time to think about things like that."

_And I wanted Hirata to have it, just in case…at least if he has it, he has the letter. And at least…Seimaru can't get his hands on that._

Keitarou eyed him thoughtfully, then nodded.

"I wanted to see, too, how you reacted to being down here." He continued, moving back towards the door of Juushirou's cage.

"How I…reacted?"

"Mm. Your changes in reiatsu since last night have been interesting to me. Tell me, Juushirou – are you familiar with a substance called Sekkiseki?"

"I don't think so." Juushirou looked blank, and Keitarou nodded again.

"As a common born boy, I'd expect that reply." He admitted. "Most ordinary prisons are built out of rough-hewn rock and stone, and I doubt you've crossed over the law enough times to be considered a candidate for one of them. But Clan prisons are different. Clan prisons often hold Clansmen with considerable spiritual ability. Some with the ability to use _zanpakutou_, even. So the prisons are built from Sekkiseki. As it happens, Sekkiseki used to be mined in District Seven, so this one is no different. It's a form of stone that dampens and consumes reiatsu. It forms a barrier around the prison, keeping outsiders from breaking in – and it dulls the spiritual abilities of those held within, to prevent them from breaking out. Useful, you might think…considering the number of times Clan fight Clan."

"I see." Juushirou's mind flitted back to the heaviness he'd felt since his arrival in the underground dungeon. "Then that's…"

"Only about ten percent of your strength is restricted here at the moment. Outside, however, it's far greater a barrier and hence nobody knows we're here except Seimaru-sama." Keitarou responded. "Prisoners would have been cuffed with Sekkiseki too – but I don't want to damage your abilities more than I must."

He narrowed his eyes, resting his hand against the cage door.

"I'll open this. I'll let you take your sword." He said softly. "But if you try to attack me, I will have to defend myself. I don't want to hurt you – I want quite the opposite, in fact. But I will…if necessary to protect Shikiki and I from danger. Besides, it would hurt her, too. She's hiding, but she's here, and she'd know, if you attacked me. If you don't want to confirm her fears about shinigami, you'd do best to do as you're told."

Juushirou bit his lip, then he sighed.

"And if I don't attack you? Where will you take me?"

"A short few steps down the hall into an old, disused torture chamber." Keitarou said cheerfully, and Juushirou froze, staring at him in dismay.

Keitarou tut-tutted.

"Disused, I said. It's empty. That was its former life. Now it simply is an open arena. A space with foundations strong enough and where I can set up a firm barrier if need be against the powers of your sword. It's an ideal place for measuring reiatsu changes and for understanding your ability from all angles. Unless you consider releasing your sword to be torture…there won't be anything to fear."

He pushed back the door, gesturing for Juushirou to step out into the hall. Juushirou hesitated for a moment, then he did as he was bidden, finding that even though the hallway was gloomy and dull, there was some relief in being able to step out of his prison cell.

As he did so, Keitarou held out his sword, and Juushirou took it, running his fingers along the blade as he reached out to make sure his _zanpakutou_'s spirits were unharmed. The blade glimmered faintly for a moment, as if reacting to his familiar touch, and he sighed, relief flooding his body.

"Do you think I would hurt it? Don't be foolish. It's a very important scientific subject to me. I would treat it like gold." Keitarou's voice brought him back to himself, and he gazed at the scientist warily.

"Well? Where now?"

"This way. Follow me." Keitarou's fingers glittered with a faint bluish light and Juushirou's eyes widened as he recognised the familiar flare of a spell between his companion's fingers.

"Kidou again." He whispered. "Even though you say you're not a shinigami, you have a _zanpakutou_ and you know kidou. What else can you do, Keitarou-san?"

"Plenty, but I'm not the one being investigated. You are." Keitarou said casually. "So follow me. The door is straight ahead…step inside and wait. You'll have plenty of space once you're there…and I want to understand the conflicting waves that come from that sword by seeing exactly what it does when released."

Juushirou frowned, but did as he was bidden, finding himself in a large, domed-ceiling chamber. It was rounded in shape, yet Juushirou did not think it was cut in a perfect circle, for along one wall were occasional indentations that marked further cage doors. It was a very clean room, yet this somehow added to Juushirou's unease of being there.

_People were tortured here. Interrogated here. Probably put to death screaming and begging for mercy. In a place like this, I'm supposed to raise Sougyo no Kotowari. In a place like this…_

"Well?" Keitarou leant up against the door frame, curiosity in his muddy eyes. "You told me you were a student, so I don't expect anything very advanced. That you can just release it – that is enough for me to see what your reiatsu's true nature is. Will you indulge me, Juushirou? I won't be frightened by it, I promise – release your sword and show me your weapon's real form."

Juushirou tightened his hand around the hilt of his weapon, reaching out tentatively to the swirling fish that flickered and splashed against his senses. They were there, he knew it, even though in this heavy, cloistered environment he knew their usual sharpness had been dulled by the Sekkiseki and the uncertainty of the situation. For the briefest of moments he considered refusing, then he remembered what Keitarou had said about District Eight and the threat of war. He sighed, then brought his left hand reluctantly over the weapon's hilt, summoning the threads of his spirit power together as best he could.

"_Nami kotogotoku, wa ga tate to nare_."

As he whispered the words, he felt waves flow through his body, and the sword began to divide from one normal katana into two distinct _zanpakutou_ blades. As the soothing golden light bathed his whole body, he refocused his wits a second time, holding desperately onto the flaring spiritual energy as he forced the second part of his release into being.

"_Ikazuchi kotogotoku, wa ga yaiba to nare. Sougyo..no…Kotowari!"_

As he pulled the two blades clear of each other, glittering light still trailing off them, he raised his head to face Keitarou, whose expression had become thoughtful.

"_Hadou no Yon. Byakurai_." He murmured, flexing his finger forward, and Juushirou let out an exclamation, automatically bringing the weapons up to shield his body. As he did so, the lightning spell glanced off the silver edge of one blade, and Juushirou felt immediately alive with the surging electricity, pouring it forth as his _zanpakutou_ instinctively prepared for its rebound attack. As the light seared from the _zanpakutou_, however, Keitarou raised his hands, murmuring the words to a spell Juushirou did not know.

The flare glanced harmlessly off a barrier and disintegrated, and Keitarou smiled, clapping his hands together in approval.

"Well. I wondered what would happen if I did that."

Juushirou drew a shaky breath into his lungs, then,

"Why…did you…fire at me? You said…you didn't…want to…hurt me?"

"I think what your _zanpakutou_ did in response was far more damaging than a tiny bolt of _byakurai_." Keitarou was unrepentant. "You'll have to forgive the scientist in me for wanting to explore all the possibilities."

Juushirou glowered, and Keitarou laughed.

"No harm done, in the end." He pointed out. "Although…am I right in thinking that you can't control that technique just yet?"

Juushirou sighed, glancing down at his swords.

"I'm only a student. I told you." He murmured. "I'm not that much of a shinigami and I can't do anything clever."

"Splitting your sword in two is quite clever." Keitarou pointed out. "I had wondered…well, I was almost sure there were two distinct consciousnesses in the weapon when I held it just now. But I thought…I was being too optimistic. I've never heard of it before…to have it right here before me is…"

"Sensei said that it was unusual." Juushirou nodded. "But I don't think it's that special. I mean, just because nobody's had one before…there are a lot of people who might yet get swords and…I'm sure mine won't be the only one, in the end."

"You sound as if you already know of another." Keitarou said lightly, and Juushirou reddened, inwardly cursing his carelessness.

_This man picks up on every faint inflection of a thought I have, let alone the words I actually speak. I have to be more careful. I don't need him developing interest in Shunsui, too. _

He shook his head.

"I don't know of any other _zanpakutou_ which are double blades." He said evenly. "That's the truth. The Council told me it was a first…and Sensei, too. I don't know of any other sword like mine – I just think that, eventually, there will probably be others. It only makes sense - there's no reason for me to be unique."

"Mm. I suppose that's true." Keitarou sighed, and Juushirou felt that his companion was disappointed. "Well. Even so, I have you. And what you've told me makes me even more certain that Seimaru must not get his hands on you. You are extremely important – even untrained, a technique of that level in such a basic sword release is…quite unexpected. Even though I had thought…"

He pursed his lips, moving across the room and clapping his hands down on Juushirou's shoulders, looking him square in the eyes.

"You're not in good health." He said bluntly, causing Juushirou to start and stare at him in consternation. "I realised it this morning, when I spoke to you before going to pander to the Endou council, but then I wasn't certain if it was just the shock and cold of last night's adventures. Now, though, I'm sure of it. Using your spirit power hurts you, doesn't it? It isn't simply a matter of Sekkiseki. You're _reiryoku _is too powerful for your body."

Juushirou's expression became sullen, and Keitarou sighed.

"Yes. I thought so." He murmured. "It's not my imagination. Your strength has a flaw. I tested it just now, by firing _byakurai_ at your body. You acted instinctively and your blades protected you – but I felt that raw edge at the same time. If I was to push you further, Ukitake, what would happen? If I pushed you beyond your limits…would it be a fatal mistake?"

Juushirou stared at him, aware of the genuine concern in the other's eyes.

_Is he worried about me, or about losing a scientific opportunity? Oh, I don't understand this man! I don't understand him at all!_

Out loud he said,

"I was born with _haibyou_ and I've always had it. You're right that my spiritual power is stronger than my body…but Sensei has been working with me and I've been learning, too, how to control it as best I can. It's better than it was…and I don't intend to let it kill me."

"Mm." Keitarou eyed him keenly. "Perhaps that fact – that obstinacy to live despite the obstacles – is why you are so strong. But yes, I suppose it explains the hurried manner in which you obtained this release – and also, the long command you have to free your blades from one another. To control that power in a feeble frame takes willpower – evidently it's willpower you have, which is an element clearly in your favour."

He grinned.

"I like it. I like it a lot." He admitted. "But seeing it has confirmed for me that you're useless in terms of_ reidoku_. Even being near the chemical might be enough to cause a chain reaction – if your body is as delicate as I think it is. So one door closes and another opens – I will have to test that out on somebody else."

"Kei-nii?"

Shikiki's voice prevented Juushirou from answering, as both turned to the doorway, seeing the young girl watching them with an uncertain look in her aqua eyes. As her gaze rested on Juushirou's released sword, her eyes widened, and she bit her lip, taking a half step back.

"Kei-nii, I felt…I felt a storm coming." She whispered. "Only underground. How is that possible? That there's a storm underground?"

"This is your storm, Shikiki." Keitarou tapped Juushirou on the shoulder. "Your young companion here has been showing me his shinigami swords…that's all."

Shikiki looked apprehensive, and once again Juushirou felt his heart clench at her hesitation.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Shiki-chan." He said softly. "Not all shinigami hurt people. Just because some hurt you…I promise, that's not the kind of shinigami I intend to be."

The little girl did not respond, and Juushirou saw Keitarou's gaze become thoughtful, glancing from Juushirou to Shikiki and then back again. A faint smile touched his lips, and he nodded, crossing the barren floor to where the youngster stood.

"Stay and talk to him." He said softly. "I have to go and write down what I've learnt this evening, but it seems you two have things to discuss."

"But…Kei-nii…" Shikiki was clearly frightened, her protestations piercing through to Juushirou's heart, but the scientist simply patted her on the head, ushering her gently into the underground chamber.

"You are plenty strong enough to prevent any danger." He said softly. "Juushirou is a student. There's nothing he can do with that sword which could cause you harm – I believe that now I've seen it for myself. You are far better trained than he is – have faith in yourself. And in him – because I don't believe he intends you any harm."

With that he was gone, stepping into the darkness beyond, and Shikiki swallowed hard, staring at Juushirou as if she had just been put in a cell with a wild animal. For a moment Juushirou thought that she was going to bolt, then, with a soft shudder the door of the chamber slid shut, and the young student realised that Keitarou did not mean to make their conversation optional.

_I've passed a test of some sort. I hate to think what. But whatever it is – he's no longer afraid to leave me with Shikiki. But should I be afraid to be with her? What did he mean, she's plenty strong enough? He seemed confident – but what could a child do? Does he trust in my reactions that much? Or does he know something I don't?_

Aloud he said,

"Keitarou-san is right, you know. I don't hurt children. My sisters and brothers would never forgive me, if I did."

Shikiki did not attempt to move from her place by the door, simply gazing at him warily.

No, she was not gazing at him…she was gazing at his _zanpakutou_. With a jolt Juushirou remembered what the young girl had said. She had felt a storm…she had felt his swords release. She had known about the surge in spirit power and had even defined the element to which it somewhat belonged. She was afraid not of him, but of the silver weapons he still clutched in his hands. She could feel the power that radiated from them…and it was enough to terrify her.

_Maybe the last zanpakutou release she saw resulted in someone she knew being killed._

Juushirou put the pieces together carefully in his head.

_If she can feel it, no wonder she's afraid of it. It's just like me with Hollows…even now, I don't think there's anything I'm more afraid of than that. It's hard to overcome it – even if you know you have to to move forward. It's how you associate things – it'll take more than just my words to convince her that I'm not like any other shinigami who's ever caused her harm._

Before he could think of another way to reassure her, however, there was the heavy, groaning sound of aging metal being drawn back, and with a jolt Juushirou swung around, noticing that one of the cell doors that he had noticed on first entering was being forcibly pulled open. They had seemed dusty, unused and unecessary, yet as this one slid back, Juushirou realised that once more he had been taken for a fool.

The cells had seemed empty, because Keitarou had made them seem empty. But as the fleeting vapours of the sealing spell began to drift across the chamber, Juushirou found his senses engulfed by something else – something dark, raw and empty as a terrific screech filled the room. Shikiki let out a scream. Juushirou's heart almost froze in his chest as he saw first the shadow cast on the smooth chamber floor and then, little by little the deformed, misshapen creature to which it belonged, lumbering heavily and painfully forward into the faint kidou-powered light.

It was a Hollow.

Fear paralyzed Juushirou for a moment, then the next moment he was second-guessing himself, for although the creature was broken and warped, it still wore worn sandals on its feet, the torn flaps of a faded _hakama_ flapping loosely against its bulging, bulbous legs. Its head was more than half consumed in a bubbling mass of white, yet Juushirou could still make out straggly dark hair that fell over what might once have been an ear, if it had not been forcibly warped to rest against the creature's chin. Its mouth was malformed and distorted, its huge lips overlapping sharp uneven teeth and its tongue protruded at intervals, thick with greenish saliva as it seemed to be scenting out its environment.

It was a Hollow, but not a Hollow. It was a person, but not a person. It was…inbetween.

Juushirou felt giddy as he realised this fact – that the monstrosity that swayed before them, clearly confused by the sudden release on its cage had once been as human as they were.

The beast let out another deafening howl, throwing back its head at an angle that to Juushirou should've been impossible, and he was sure he heard the sickening crack of breaking spine bones as the bubbling white mask seemed to spread across the individual's neck. Juushirou did not know if it had been male or female, originally. It was neither now – not one thing nor the other, yet in the middle of its chest, the flesh was decaying and blackening, and Juushirou knew that within a short space of time it would probably erode completely, forming a proper Hollow of violent, despair-ridden proportions.

Anxiety vibrated through his _zanpakutou _blades to him at this point, and he knew that In'you had felt it too. The creature's misery and confusion and despair. Was it in pain? Juushirou didn't know, but the distress in the creature's aura was stifling, and he felt the surge of reiatsu rise in his chest, only just managing to force back a coughing fit as hot blood seared through his lungs.

And then he had another realisation.

The creature was not heading for him. It wasn't even looking at him. Its beady, blood-red eyes had fixed on a smaller, easier prey – on the young girl that Keitarou had so easily left behind just bare moments earlier. With a roar, it thundered forwards, charging at Shikiki with intent, and the girl screamed again, scrambling to get out of its way as it lifted a heavy, swollen fist angrily in her direction.

The blow cracked and chipped the thick walls of the chamber, yet the creature did not seem to feel pain nor notice the blood that now coated its dislocated knuckles, merely swinging around for a second opportunity. Juushirou felt every signal in his body surging to protect the child, yet the heavy weight of the creature's suffering had struck his senses and he found he could not move his body. Instead he watched, helpless, as the beast swung for Shikiki a second time, and then, as a faint pink barrier flared up between them, surprise flooded the young shinigami's heart.

_Shikiki…just fired that barrier?_

As the creature's fist glanced off the barrier, it let out a roar, then redoubled its attempts, punching at the fragile pink wall with all its intent as if its entire life depended on it breaking through. And, as he stood there, Juushirou wondered whether or not it did.

_Keitarou sent Shikiki in here, shut us in here, and then let this creature loose. Is this another part of his test? For me and for Shikiki? Is that how he works, after all? He wants to keep us alive, but if we get killed in the process, so be it? He really is crazy. He's completely crazy._

He forced a deep breath into his lungs, tightening his grip on Sougyo no Kotowari as he felt the hilts slip across his sweat-drenched palms. The Hollow-man's dense, frightened reiatsu had reminded him too much of the day his father had died, yet he forced himself away from it, focusing his attention instead on the young girl. As he did so, he registered something glittering against her curly hair, and he understood.

_Keitarou-san left bait for the creature to follow. He intended it to attack Shikiki…in order to see what I would do about it._

Anger surged through him, followed by resolve.

_Well. If that's how it is, I'll show him. I'll show them both. I'm not about to let a child get killed._

As this thought crossed his mind, he felt as though a spell had been lifted from him as his legs at last began to listen to his urgent commands. As a crack began to sear across Shikiki's barrier, he darted forwards, lifting his swords instinctively to use as shields against the Hollow-man's huge fists even as Shikiki fell to the ground, her magic shattering into fragments of pink light around her. She was crying now, tears of panic flooding her chubby features and this only added to Juushirou's determination. Despite the increasingly shallow nature of his breathing, he made himself a firm barrier between the monster and the child, forcing his fear back as best he could as he met those beady red eyes head on for the first time.

In that instant, he knew he had no choice.

In that instant, he knew he had to kill it.

His heart lurched as he recognised the reality of the situation. What stood before them was a Hollow, and as a shinigami – even a trainee one - he was sworn to protect Soul Society from Hollows. Yet it was still a person…a folorn ribbon wound into the long dark hair, the still-identifiable wood slats of peasant sandals, and the ripped sash hanging down from a once distinguishable waistline.

He swallowed hard, feeling momentarily sick at the idea.

_But there's no way back. A Hollow is a Hollow. Even…if it's only just becoming a Hollow. Even if I don't…understand…it will kill us. If I don't…it will kill Shikiki and I both._

He took another deep breath to steady himself.

_There's no other way out._

"Juu-nii! Juu-nii, look out!" A shriek from the young girl, followed by a hastily flared pink barrier made Juushirou realise he had let his guard down and that the beast had almost managed to land a hit against his fragile body. He gathered himself, shooting the child a grateful smile, then,

"Get back. Get back out of its way!" He ordered firmly. "I have to stop it, Shiki-chan. I have to kill it. And I don't think you want to see it…so…get back and cover your eyes. All right?"

"Kill…it?" Shikiki echoed, and Juushirou nodded.

"It's suffering." He said softly. "It's a Hollow, now. Too much of a Hollow to ever go back to what it was before."

Light glittered across Sougyo no Kotowari's blades, then,

"Shinigami aren't meant to kill people." He said thickly. "But we are…we are meant to…purify Hollows. So this is…part of that duty. I'm meant to protect you, Shikiki. Protect the living. Against…against the dead."

As he said the last line, he raised his right hand blade, bringing it down heavily and purposefully against the top of the creature's skull. As he felt the weapon slice through the outer mask and further, through the decaying tissue below, he could sense his own distress and resignation mirrored in his _zanpakutou_'s swirling spirit.

As he brought the weapon down, down, down, there was a tremendous, earth-shattering shriek of pain and of helplessness. Then, as the creature's form began to fragment into shadow, Juushirou dropped to the ground, twin blades slipping with a clatter onto the cold, hard surface as a fit of violent coughing wracked his thin frame. Helpless to his body's protestations, he could only stare as the being disintegrated into nothing, proof positive in the end that it had truly been more Hollow than human.

"Juu-nii! Juu-nii!"

Shikiki was at his side the next minute, and as he drew air roughly into his ragged lungs, he felt her grip hold of his arm, staring up at him in anxiety and dismay. Tears still stained her cheeks, but the fear and apprehension was gone, and in his confusion Juushirou felt a faint glimmer of relief for this at least. She had seen him kill, yet she no longer feared him. Had they become allies then, in that moment? Had _that _been Keitarou's intention all along?

"Are you all right?" As a fresh round of coughing rippled through him, Shikiki tugged urgently on the boy's robes. "Juu-nii…Juu-nii, did that thing hurt you? Did it…?"

"I'm…I'm all right." With a super-human effort, Juushirou managed to stem the spasm, turning to cast her a pained smile. "Are you? I'm sorry…it wasn't nice…was it?"

"It was a monster. It had to die." Shikiki had not loosed her grip on Juushirou's arm, and the young District boy realised she was still shaking. "I've seen them before. In the village. They grab people an' eat them. Then the shinigami come…but you have to hide…because…the shinigami…"

"Attacked the people the Hollows attacked." Juushirou murmured, and Shikiki nodded. "Because in this District it's a crime to have spirit power if you're low-born. That's what happened to your parents, isn't it, Shikiki? They were hunted down because they had spirit power and attracted Hollows to chase them."

He sighed, drawing another painful breath into his lungs.

"It's not like that in my District." He whispered. "I didn't understand…because of that."

Shikiki glanced down at her hands.

"I'm sorry, Juu-nii." She said contritely. "I was scared because you were a shinigami. But…but…you saved me. My barrier broked up…it would've killed me. You stopped it, even though I was scared of you. An'…you hurt yourself, too. Because I was silly."

"It's not silly to be scared." Despite himself Juushirou grinned, reaching over to pat her on the head. As he did so, he was aware of faint spirit residue there, and he knew that his earlier suspicions had been correct. "We're all scared of something."

He rubbed his chest.

"I'm scared of Hollows. One killed my Father, and I've never forgotten." He admitted. "So you see, you weren't the only one frightened by that thing. I w…was f…frightened too."

"Really?" Shikiki stared at him, then she nodded, as if making up her mind.

"I'll help you." She said, and before Juushirou could react, she'd thrust her fat fists forward, spreading the palms of her hands across Juushirou's aching chest. The touch sent shockwaves of pain through his delicate system, yet before he could protest, a faint pink glow began to spread out from the young girl's skin, and little by little he felt the raw roughness in his chest subside. After a couple of minutes, she pulled her hands back, offering him a shy smile.

"I can't do very much, yet. Not with a whole person." She said apologetically. "An' your chest is all beat up an' bruised an' stuff. But I…I wanted to help a little. If I could."

Juushirou put a hand to his chest, staring at her in confusion.

"You have barrier magic. And you can…heal wounds?" He murmured. Shikiki shook her head.

"I'm not a healer." She said matter-of-factly. "Only Kei-nii says I have magic barriers an' they can fix broken things."

She looked sad.

"I can't fix whole people, though. I tried…to fix Dai-nii, but I couldn't find him and I couldn't make him alive again. So there are things I can't fix. But I promised Kei-nii I'd keep working hard. And I will. Because I want to be able to, next time. I want to be able to help Kei-nii if he's in trouble."

_That's why Keitarou keeps you here._

Juushirou gazed at the little girl in wonder.

_Because you have a talent he can exploit and utilise and because of it, he's good to you. I see now. I see why he considers you important to him._

Slowly he held out his hands.

"Are we friends now, then?" He asked gently, and Shikiki reddened, nodding her head.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I won't be scared of Juu-nii again." She said solemnly, grasping his fingers in hers, and again Juushirou was aware of the residual glittering magic against her skin. "I know he's a good shinigami, now. An' not the bad kind that kills people."

Juushirou's gaze flitted to where the broken scraps of sandal and cloth lay abandoned on the ground, and he bit his lip.

_I wonder if that's true. I wonder if what I just took down was a Hollow…and if it was just a Hollow, why I still feel odd about it. Even if I know it was too far gone to be anything else…did it still have a human mind in there? Did it know, when I cut through it with Sougyo's blade? Did I purify it…or…did I simply…kill it? I really don't know._

"Is this your _zanpakutou_?" Shikiki shuffled across the floor, putting a tentative finger towards Sougyo no Kotowari's nearest blade. It glittered faintly in response to her touch, and she giggled, brushing her hand more firmly against the smooth surface.

"It's like it wants to say hello to me." She murmured. "Can it do that, Juu-nii? I never touched a _zanpakutou_ before. But…I don't think it's a scary one. It feels…friendly. Like Juu-nii."

"_Zanpakutou_ are supposed to come from a shinigami's soul, so I guess it would be like me." Juushirou grinned, reaching across to pick up the two discarded blades. For a moment he touched the cord that bound them together, then shrugged, carefully and firmly reforming the two into one simple katana once more. "But it's safer when its sleeping, like this. I don't think it would want to hurt you, Shikiki – but in _zanpakutou_ terms, Sougyo is still a baby. So it can't always control everything it does – and nor can I. That's why you felt the storm before – we're both still learning a lot of things."

"Sougyo is its name?" Shikiki was curious, and Juushirou nodded.

"Sougyo no Kotowari." He agreed.

"What does it mean?"

"Justice of the Twin Fish." Juushirou explained. "My _zanpakutou_'s spirits are fish, you see. A black fish and a white one."

Shikiki sighed, shaking her head.

"I don't know anything 'bout shinigami really." She murmured. "I jus' thought they were bad, because they always seemed to do bad stuff. But…"

"Every person is different, whether they're a shinigami or not." Juushirou told her gently, getting to his feet and hauling her up with him. "You have to decide for yourself each time you meet someone new whether you can trust them or not. That's all. And for the time being…we need to find a way to open the door."

"We can get out of here easily." Shikiki shook her head, grabbing Juushirou's hand and tugging on it. "The monster came in from outside, didn't it? If we go that way, then surely we'll get to being outside. And then…"

"Outside is dangerous for both of us." Juushirou shook his head, privately believing that the 'monster' had not done any such thing. "We're better off waiting here until Keitarou-san decides we've done enough talking for the time being."

"Probably Seimaru-sama's called him away again." Shikiki said heavily. "I don't like Seimaru-sama. I wish he'd leave Kei-nii alone."

"What did Seimaru do to you, Shiki-chan?" Juushirou asked gently, and Shikiki shook her head.

"Nothing. Kei-nii protected me." She admitted. "But he...has a bad aura. I don't like him at all."

"You and me both." Juushirou said categorically. "But then, at the moment, I'm not sure if I like Keitarou-san much more."

"Why not?" Shikiki was startled. "Kei-nii isn't like Seimaru-sama. Kei-nii is..."

"The one who shut us in here." Juushirou reminded her, and Shikiki nodded.

"Kei-nii wanted us to be friends." She reminded him. "I was being silly, so that's why. He didn't know the Hollow was going to come."

Again, Juushirou felt differently, but he could tell from the young girl's expression that he would not convince her otherwise.

He slid the bare bladed weapon into his _obi_ to free up his hands as he made his way slowly towards the shut door. To his surprise, there was a slight dip cut into the stone, and, as he ran his fingers along it, the door shuddered and slid back to reveal the hallway beyond. For a moment he just stood there, staring at it in disbelief, then,

"There was a way out of here all the time."

"Well, there would be." Shikiki said sensibly. "People have to get in and out somehow. And we came in. So of course we can go out. Kei-nii said he isn't going to lock these doors any more because it's not dangerous for me to come play anywhere underground now. So obviously it wasn't locked shut. That'd be silly."

Juushirou frowned, slipping his fingers into Shikiki's chubby paw and stepping cautiously out into the dark corridor, his gaze flitting around him for any sign of his captor. Keitarou was nowhere to be seen, yet somehow Juushirou knew he was watching them and had probably observed everything that had happened in the domed chamber without making either of them aware of his presence.

_No wonder he's managed to hide from the Council for so long, if he's that good at concealing himself._

"I see you two both had a productive conversation." As they stepped through the furthest door, into the open lab area, the scientist spoke, getting up from his seat behind a desk piled high with random sheets of paper covered in spidery black scrawl. "I'm glad. I hoped you'd be friends sooner rather than later."

"Kei-nii!" Shikiki loosed her grip on Juushirou's hand, darting forward towards her adoptive guardian. "Kei-nii, there was a Hollow, an' Juu-nii killed it, an'..."

"A Hollow?" Keitarou pursed his lips, then sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. It seems that the old bolts on those cages have worn and rusted worse than I thought they had. I didn't intend you to get hurt - I trust you're both all right?"

His words seemed sincere, yet somehow Juushirou did not trust in them. He nodded.

"We're fine." He said flatly.

"Good." Keitarou smiled. "Shikiki, now you know that Ukitake isn't a danger, you should run along and eat your evening meal. I'd like to talk to our shinigami companion alone for a little while - do you mind?"

"Mm-mm." Shikiki shook her head. "I'll go now, Kei-nii."

And with a grin she skipped off in the direction he had indicated, disappearing into the darkness through a doorway Juushirou had not perceived to be there.

Once alone, he turned his attention back to the scientist, a quizzical look in his eyes.

"You set that up, didn't you?" He asked softly, and Keitarou smiled.

"I won't deny it." He agreed comfortably. "But you were never in real danger, Juushirou. There's no need to look angry - I had no choice but to act somehow. Time is short, and I wanted to break down the barrier between you and Shikiki and get her to trust you."

"Even though you were the one who first made her afraid of me?"

"I told you before, truth is as important a tool as deception." Keitarou pointed out evenly. "If I had lied, what then? She would have found out, feared you and stopped trusting me. Far better that she sees for herself what you are and that you don't intend to hurt her. She's a young child - such things are simple in her mind. Now she trusts you. Task completed."

"And that creature? That...whatever it was? What was that even doing here? What had you done to it...what..."

"Ah." Keitarou's expression became sad and Juushirou found it impossible to tell whether the man was lying or not. "That's a tragic tale. It's happened, you know, round these parts of late. District individuals like you with strong spirit power that they've had no training to handle properly. Some of them have been pushed to extremes by the actions of the Endou-ke - and the result is what you see. An overload, if you like...a breakdown in the barriers between normal spirituality and reckless attempts to grasp power to defend themselves. I have brought a few here, over the years. I had intended to use_ reidoku_ to stabilise them, but instead, so far, all died. That one was the last of the poor souls remaining here - _reidoku_, it seems, is not a cure for broken sanity."

"I'd heard it was the opposite." Juushirou muttered, and Keitarou nodded.

"I had hoped that the two would bounce off each other and create a shock reaction." He owned. "But as a scientist, even my hypotheses can be flawed."

"You could've seen both of us killed with one of those _hypotheses_."

"No. I had faith in your strength and in Shikiki's own." Keitarou shook his head. "And that you...were not the kind of person who would let her get hurt. I have your measure, and I was right. Also..."

He reached across to tap the hilt of Juushirou's sealed weapon.

"I think I've learnt a little about this. I can give you some advice, if you like...that may help you in the future."

"I don't trust you."

"No. You don't have to. Not yet." Keitarou shook his head. "But you should at least hear me out."

He smiled.

"What you do with the information is up to you. You'll lose nothing by simply hearing what I have to say."

"Fine." Juushirou sighed, suddenly too weary to put up any further argument. "I'll do that, but its as you said. I don't have to follow it - or anything you said. You might have my 'measure', but you can't use me as your puppet. So long as we're both clear on that..."

"Crystal clear, and I don't believe I've tried to keep it a secret." Keitarou shook his head. "I've been unwaveringly honest with you so far. Even if the truth hasn't been to your liking - I haven't deflected your questions with falsehoods. So you shouldn't be so quick to doubt me. I told you, didn't I? Truth is also a weapon."

"I've only your word for it that anything you've said is true." Juushirou reminded him. "You don't seem to have lied - but you've still worked for Seimaru for too long for me to think everything you say is honest. You've convinced Shiki-chan that you're a good person, yet you told me you weren't. One of us you've lied to...haven't you?"

"I see." Keitarou let out an amused chuckle. "Yes, I suppose so. I'm glad, you know, that you haven't proven to be slow witted. It does make things so much more interesting for me."

He rested his hands on the desk.

"As for the 'advice' I hoped to give you, you can do with it what you will." He added. "But did you ever stop to think about how your _zanpakutou_ is formed in_ shikai_ release?"

"Formed?" Juushirou blinked. "You mean...two blades?"

"Your _zanpakutou_ is one sword divided into two edged weapons." Keitarou said matter of factly. "The proof of their unification is obvious - even when released, they remain connected through the thin ribbon of energy that runs from one hilt to the other. It's just my hypothesis, of course, having seen you react to my kidou only once...but I wonder if you've taken that fully into consideration?"

Juushirou frowned, his brows knitting together as he processed this.

"The ribbon...between them?"

"And the links that run off it. Silver shards of your spirit power - you don't think they're simply there to be decorative, do you?"

"I..."

Juushirou faltered, and Keitarou grinned.

"When I fired _byakurai _at you, you blocked it quite naturally with one weapon." He said softly. "Not both of them, but simply _one_. It happened swiftly, but even so, I'm fairly sure that the sword that sent the flare back at me was not the same blade as the one my spell hit."

Juushirou's eyes widened, and Keitarou nodded.

"Whatever you did with my spell, you did not deflect it." He said softly. "You absorbed it, changed it, and fired it back. It happened at such speed you probably don't fully realise it yourself, but when the charge went from one weapon to the other, those silver links shifted and glittered for the briefest moment. And what you fired back at me was not _byakurai._ It had changed. It had been made yours."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Think about that for a moment." He suggested. "You have trouble controlling this, at the moment. But to me it seems a matter of basic physics. You have to tinker with it and make adjustments until you can be sure of how and where your weapon is going to respond. And, perhaps, one sword is a shield, while the other..."

"_Wa ga tate to nare_." Despite himself, Juushirou glanced down at the sealed weapon, biting his lip. "So...if I was to...if the spell had glanced off the other sword...it would have just...deflected?"

"Possibly. Who knows?" Keitarou grinned. "I'd have to see your weapon released far, far more to build a sound theory as to its exact methodology. But its a good basis to start from. Your swords are not the same as each other, even if they look it. Finding out the extent of each sword's ability is part of your duty now."

"Mm." Juushirou pursed his lips, then, "Why are you telling me this? Why...does it even matter to you?"

"I told you. I seek your trust." Keitarou said lightly. "More, I hope that, with time, you'll come to see things more clearly in the way that I do. We're not the same in many ways and we come from different sides of the moral spectrum. But we do share one thing at least. Neither of us like to see our kinsfolk suffering. And both of us want to be able to protect those kinsfolk from persecution or fear. The Clans aren't interested in taking care of ordinary folk...the ordinary folk need to take care of their own. And if they can't..."

"If they can't?" Juushirou murmured, and Keitarou's grin widened.

"They need people like us - like you, like Shikiki, like me - to do it for them." He said quietly. "In order for everyone to be able to achieve according to their ability and not their bloodline, they need folk who will stand up for them. Don't you think so too? Isn't that why you chose to become a Shinigami?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"Think it over." Keitarou spread his hands. "For now, you're tired. I've tricked you and I'm sorry for it, but I don't have any further plans up my sleeve this evening. You should go back to your cell and rest."

"You're not going to lock me in?" Juushirou asked, and Keitarou shook his head.

"Now I know you won't hurt Shikiki, I don't need to. I have nothing here that I intend to keep secret from you." He said matter-of-factly. "In the end, I'll give you what time I can to acclimatise to this world."

"You still think I intend to stay here of my own accord?" Juushirou arched an eyebrow. "And what if someone comes to find me? What if...?"

"Juushirou." Keitarou shook his head, faint amusement in his muddy eyes. "You have to realise that there's no chance of that happening. Nobody is going to come to rescue you."

"I didn't say I needed rescuing." Juushirou retorted, and Keitarou laughed.

"Even so, nobody will come." He said softly. "Do you realise why it was that I spoke to you and made a gentleman's agreement with you over Eiraki-hime? I could've grabbed you and pulled you into the _Senkaimon_ with the greatest of ease. I could've drugged you and taken you by force. But I did not. Do you know why that was?"

"I..." Juushirou frowned, and Keitarou eyed him pensively.

"I wanted you to _choose_ to come with me." He said softly. "In your mind, you protected your friend's Clan. But in the end, your friends will see it differently. You left without a fight, without a warning, without anything. You abandoned them. Betrayed them. Came to me of your own accord. They will not look for you in this place. District Seven is a political noman's land for most Clansfolk. The risks are far too high."

"I don't see things how you do."

"No. Nor how they do. You're District. They're Clan. You'll never change that, or really understand." Keitarou told him evenly. "There's no sense in this argument. Nobody has come so far, have they? Nobody will. You exchanged Eiraki-hime's life for your own - and you agreed to work with me of your own free will. You even used your weapon without authorisation to take down a Hollowed civilian, despite not being a member of any Gotei squad. Those things are already betrayal, being that you know I work with Seimaru. You should hope they don't come for you, on those grounds."

He smiled, and there was something cold and unsettling in his smile.

"Because there's nobody there to shield us, before the Council of Elders." He added softly. "Nobody but ourselves, not while the world is as it is. Nobody to listen to us over those who wield political influence. It's time to let go of your idealistic fancies, Ukitake. This is reality. In this world, we're on our own."

* * *

It was already pitch black outside as the motley crew of Academy students scrambled out of the second floor window, ignoring the startled cries of house staff and retainers as they struggled to keep their focus on the tiny, spiritual butterfly that fluttered just out of their immediate reach.

"It just figures that it'd be a dark butterfly at night." It was Enishi who voiced the thoughts of all of them as they paused for a moment, trying to work out which way the insect had gone. "It makes it twice as hard to pinpoint where exactly it's heading."

"It's all right. I can still sense it." Shunsui said, holding up the glittering stone as he did so. "I think it's connected to this - either way, whatever that bug is, it's going that way. Towards the forest. Towards the place where Juu disappeared."

"Well, that makes sense." Ryuu observed astutely. "Being that the note said the butterfly would lead in the direction of..."

"But the only thing that's there is the _Senkaimon_, which we can't open." Sora cut across him impatiently. "Even Okaasama said it wasn't safe for her to try infiltrating - if she couldn't, how can any of us? Even if that is what happened, how are we supposed to do anything about it?"

"There must be a way." Hirata said quietly. "The message was sent to me. It's not an accident. There must be...something we haven't thought of yet."

"I'm still not sure what this thing I have is." Shunsui admitted. "But whatever it is, it's drawing me deeper and deeper into the forest. Even though I can't see the butterfly, I'm still certain that's where it's going. Sora's right - it is the _Senkaimon_ it's heading for. I'm pretty sure. So...whatever this is..."

"Perhaps its a key." Mitsuki suggested hopefully. "A way to open the _Senkaimon_ without a _zanpakutou_."

"Is there such a way to do that?" Ryuu looked doubtful. "In my Clan, I have never heard of such a thing."

"Well, to be fair, Ryuu-kun, we're not dealing with your Clan." Shunsui said grimly, his mind flitting once more to the conversations with Eiraki and Kibana about the shadowy Keitarou. "And whoever sent this probably knows a lot more about _Senkaimon_ than the average Kuchiki."

"It's still glowing." Mitsuki murmured. "It's responding to you, isn't it, Kyouraku-kun? Since you touched it – it's reacting to your reiatsu!"

"I think so." Shunsui nodded. "Either way, it and the butterfly are both saying we go this way. So we go this way until something tells us otherwise."

"No kidding." As they reached the clearing, Enishi let out an exclamation, raising his hand to gesture towards the trees that stood ahead. Between them, glittering in the moonlight was the enigmatic butterfly, and beyond that, a gaping hole of darkness that glimmered and gleamed at the edges as if enticing them to step inside.

"But that's...that _is_ the _Senkaimon _Okaasama opened." Sora took a tentative step towards it, reaching out her fingers to touch the distorting air. As she did so, bluish energy prickled across the gap and she let out a yelp, falling back onto the cold grass.

"Sora-chan!" Mitsuki was at her side immediately, and Sora grimaced, sucking her fingers.

"I think it's saying 'keep out'." She said ruefully. "Maybe it's hopeless after all. Okaasama said it wasn't safe for anyone to step into this _Senkaimon_ without it being stabilised - for us it should be impossible."

"But the butterfly is here." Kai pointed out. "And Hirata's right. The letter was addressed to him. Not to someone with a _zanpakutou_ or a Gotei rank."

"I wonder." Shunsui's eyes narrowed, glancing at the still glittering stone that prickled against the skin of his hand. "Just from what Mitsuki-chan said just now, let _me_ try."

"Shunsui, be careful!" Sora warned. "It's like some kind of _byakurai _or something like that...it'll zap right through you."

"Doesn't seem that way to me." Shunsui thrust his hand forward into the dark opening, clasping the stone tightly between his fingers as he did so. "Nothing is stopping me. Not so long as..."

"You have that stone thingummy." Enishi's brows knitted together. "So Edogawa's right? It _is _a key."

"It seems to be." Shunsui withdrew his hand, eying it for a moment. "It's pricking at my reiatsu, just like Mitsuki said."

"Can I see it?" Ryuu asked, and Shunsui nodded, holding the stone out. As he released his grip on it, however, the _Senkaimon_ opening began to waver and distort, and Ryuu let out a gasp, pushing the object back into the other boy's hand.

"Ryuu-kun?" Mitsuki eyed him in concern, and Ryuu looked grim.

"Like with Sora. It did not welcome another's touch." He said softly. "It appears that it prefers _you_, Kyouraku."

"Why would it?" Enishi was startled. "If the message was for Hirata…"

"I suppose I was the one who first picked it up." Shunsui turned it over in his hand pensively. "If it was sent to Hirata, probably whoever sent it imagined he'd be cloak and dagger and keep it to himself – if it's connected to the Endou-ke, logically people aren't going to think he'd start discussing it with the family of his Clan's arch-rival. So if its some kind of safety measure to make sure that nobody else gets access…probably it's tuned to the first person who touches it."

"So what do we do now?" Sora asked. "Even if you're right…"

"Seems clear enough for me." Shunsui shrugged. "If it's tuned to my reiatsu, I should be safe enough. If that's the case, I'm going in."

"Kyouraku, wait a minute!" Kai grabbed him by the arm, yanking him back as his classmate prepared to plunge into the black beyond. "You don't know what's in there. Even if the stone did unlock it, remember who it was probably meant for. You don't know if it's a trap or if you'll get killed the moment it closes. It might explode. It might implode. A hundred things might happen. We don't know enough about _Senkaimon_ - we should go and get someone to help."

"Shihouin's right. This is beyond us." Ryuu nodded, causing the dark-skinned Clansman to stare at him in bewilderment. "We should go and summon Kyouki-sama before we think of taking a step."

"Okaasama's left here already, but Oniisama hasn't." Sora nodded her head quickly. "Ryuusei-nii is strong with his _zanpakutou_ - I'm sure that..."

"No. There isn't time." Shunsui's gaze flitted to the butterfly, noting the faint shredding at the edges of its wings. "I can't explain it but...we don't have time to hang around here. That creature - whatever summoned it, its lifespan is limited. In the study, its wings were perfect, but now...they look like they're beginning to age. It was trapped in that box, and we don't know how long before it disappears completely."

"We don't even know what it is, though." Enishi pointed out. "Why a _butterfly_? Where did it come from? What the hell has an insect to do with Ukitake's disappearance?"

"I can't explain it, but it feels like everything." Shunsui murmured. "It's weird but...even though that...thing doesn't seem to be thinking, it feels as though it knows where Juushirou is. Or at the very least, it knows something we don't. And more than that I can't explain, but...when I put my hand into the black just then...I got the feeling that someone else had been there before us."

He paused, then,

"I'm sure it was Juu's reiatsu. I'm sure that he stepped through here. And if he did...then I'm going to as well."

"Kyouraku!" Kai protested, but Shunsui grimaced, shaking himself free from the Shihouin's grasp.

"If I'd been awake last night, I might've not been able to do anything." He said heavily. "But I might've. And either way, this is my family's estate. Protecting Juu is part of my duty, too. I promised Nii-sama, Nii-sama promised Kyouki-sama. Juushirou's safety is important...and this...somehow...I have to go."

He held up the stone.

"I shouldn't have touched it, but I did, and now I've got to see it through." He added simply. "If I don't, whatever happens is my fault for not doing anything. I promised I'd stop prevaricating and start acting on things. Seibara said she'd challenge me…I'm taking this as the first challenge."

"Sei…bara?" Sora stared at him blankly, and Shunsui shook his head.

"Nothing. Not now." He replied. "But you won't change my mind. I'm going to do what the note said. Follow the butterfly and find Juu."

"I'm coming with you." Hirata said softly, and Shunsui stared at him.

"Hirata, we've already seen that I'm the only one who can even put a finger into that opening!"

"I don't care. I'm still coming." Hirata's eyes narrowed. "I told you earlier, didn't I? It's time I go back and sort things out, too. I'm going to do it."

"Not a chance." Kai said firmly, but Hirata shook his head.

"It was sent to me. The message." He said quietly. "Kai-kun, take Aitori's letter and give it to Tokutarou-sama when he returns to the manor. Tell him everything. Absolutely everything. I put my Clan in your hands. Tell him…tell him also to ask Eiraki-chan about Minazake. I can't explain here but…tell him anyway, that he needs to know about Minazake Roukei."

"Minazake...?" Kai frowned, and Mitsuki bit her lip.

"Eiraki-chan's fiance?" She murmured. "But…why? I don't…"

"Just do it." Shunsui said matter of factly. "Hirata's right. It may be important – tell Nii-sama that and let him do with it what he will. Saying any more is dangerous…but…tell him especially…to ask Eiraki-chan about his name. About the man she calls…Kei-sama."

"Hirata should be there, then, if it involves his family." Ryuu suggested, and Hirata shook his head a second time.

"Maybe I should be, but that would be running away again, so I won't." He replied. "I've made up my mind - I'm going with Kyouraku-kun."

"It might not let you enter any more than it let me." Sora warned.

"The message was sent to me." Hirata reminded her. "There'd be no point in it at all, if I didn't take the bait."

He cast Shunsui a glance, and Shunsui could see the apprehension and fear in his eyes. Slowly he nodded, holding his free hand out to the younger boy.

"Hold on." He said grimly. "Don't let go, whatever you do. If we go in there as one entity, then maybe it'll be enough. It's all I can think of – but you're right. You should come too. And if the people at the other end really want you to…well, I can't see that they'd try to keep you out. Sora and Ryuu aren't connected to this, but if this is Endou-ke related, you are. It would be foolish for you to be kept out, if you're the one they're enticing in the first place."

"It might be dangerous." Mitsuki whispered, taking a hesitant step towards the murky opening. "Kyouraku-kun…maybe…"

"We're not all going to go, so take that look off your face now." Shunsui told her firmly, shaking his head. "I have the key-stone. Hirata's as much as I can try and sneak past the barrier, and chances are the forcefield will let him pass. It doesn't want anyone else. It doesn't really want me. So the two of us are going – and the rest of you will just have to report to my brother and see about things here instead."

Kai sighed, sliding the letter into his _obi_.

"You shouldn't be going into the unknown unarmed." He reflected. "And the Kyouraku dagger is still on the desk in Tokutarou-sama's study. If you're going to be foolhardy, Kyouraku, at least…take this with you."

He fumbled at his belt, pulling free his Shihouin weapon and reaching across to slide the sheathed blade into Shunsui's _sash_.

"Misashi-sama is my ally and Hirata too." He explained, as Shunsui stared at him in surprise. "It's only a _wakizashi_, not a full katana – but at least you won't be going in with nothing. You're better with a weapon than Hirata is – so it's better you have it than him."

"Kai…" Shunsui was momentarily taken aback, then he grinned. "Thank you. I appreciate it. And you know, I don't think it's long before my brother and your sister are officially allied too – I'll take pride in carrying it with me."

"Make sure you come back alive so you can give it back." Kai instructed, though there was a serious note behind his light tone. "Neesama had it crafted for me just last winter as the heir to the Shihouin-ke and she won't be pleased if anything happens to it in the meantime. It's an important thing, for a Shihouin heir to carry their blade as well as their honour with them – so keep it in mind, huh?"

"You have my word." Shunsui bowed his head solemnly. "It and I will come back in one piece. Hirata too."

Kai pursed his lips.

"Then I'll take the letter and do as Hirata instructed me." He said, resignation in his gaze. "Edogawa, step back from the gate. It won't let you pass, even though you want to find Ukitake as much or more as the rest of us. It's a now or never decision…we can only do what we can do here and let them go…even if it is dangerous."

"Yes." Hirata was silent for a moment, then he reached out, tentatively grasping Shunsui's hand in his own small fingers. He nodded resolutely, and Shunsui it was more to rally his own spirits than anything else.

"Well?" The younger boy murmured. "Let's go get Ukitake-kun back."

* * *

So someone had fallen for his bait in the end.

Keitarou stood in the clearing across from the abandoned village, his expression thoughtful as he deciphered the faint traces of spiritual energy on the midnight breeze.

_Well. So perhaps you were right, Ukitake Juushirou. Or more likely, I am. That letter's secrecy is important to you - and to those who you were protecting. It seems that Seimaru will be happy, then - since his target is determined to drop right into my open trap. However..._

He brushed his fingers against the hilt of his _zanpakutou_, then shook his head slightly, lifting the weapon and slicing it cleanly across the air. For a moment the atmosphere wavered and shook, then fine cracks began to appear in the air in front of him. With a second sweep of his sword, he split the door's exit point into shreds of spiritual energy, his palm glittering with a powerful sealing spell as he allowed flickers of binding kidou to loop themselves around the Senkaimon's village exit.

_I need a little more time, first. Time to work with Juushirou. Time to work with Shikiki. Time to convince him that he's truly been abandoned here and break down that idealism of his enough to make everything worthwhile. So forgive me, if I distort your path onto another and make your journey longer. For the time being, I don't want you here. Until you appear here, Hirata-sama - Ukitake Juushirou is mine to do with as I see fit. So I'll buy a couple more days time. Seimaru will not expect you to appear yet..._

A faint smile touched his lips as he slowly lowered his _tantou_ knife.

_Besides, that may suit you too. To arrive in District Seven yet out of your cousin's watchful attention - it might work best for you too, that way. I don't care, in the end, who holds the Endou-ke. That part of my interest has expired - all that remains is the final reidoku test and that can happen any time. No. Right now I have something more important. Much, much more important._

His eyes became near slits, and Chudokuga glittered eerily in the moonlight night.

_I need a little more time to develop them. My weapons of Clan revenge._

_

* * *

_

**_Author's Note_**

_Yes, the Ulquiorra/Orihime foreshadowing regarding Juu's choice to come to District Seven was deliberate ;) We don't know if that was all Ulquiorra's own decision or whether Aizen played a part in the creation of the scheme - but it seems like something one of his kinsfolk would think of doing, don't you think??  
_


	52. Clan Alert

**Chapter Fifty One: Clan Alert**

"Well, I suppose the best thing we can say at the moment is that so far it hasn't exploded on us."

As Hirata and Shunsui made their way cautiously along the dark, uneven corridor of spiritual energy, it was Shunsui who broke the silence, a wry note of humour in his voice as he gazed around at their surroundings. "I guess that Kai was being a pessimist, in the end – it doesn't seem to be an overly elaborate time-bomb at least."

"It's not like the _Senkaimon_ that Sensei opened for us when we were camping." Hirata murmured, stifling a shiver and pulling his thin cloak more firmly around his shoulders. "That was dark and gloomy, but it was…it didn't seem unsafe. This one…can't you feel it? Prickling and fluctuating like it's shifting ever so slightly with every step we take. I don't think we should rule it out yet, Kyouraku-kun. I don't know how far we've walked yet – it's impossible to tell, but we're some distance from the way in. And…"

"Don't. I won't let you finish that sentence." Shunsui said sharply. "Otherwise you'll start crying and I'll start crying and we'll both of us end in a mulchy heap on the floor because we're lost and following an insect through some weird spirit tunnel into oblivion. Let's try and focus on the positives at the very least…we're not dead, and that's the first."

"I suppose so." Hirata gazed at the tiny, fluttering insect, watching as it darted unevenly from one side of the pathway to the other. Despite the erratic nature of its movements, it still seemed to be leading them forwards, and Hirata sighed, absently wondering whether Juushirou too had been lured into the darkness by a similar, unusual guide.

"You think Juu saw one of those, too?" Shunsui seemed to have read his mind, for he spoke the thought aloud, shooting Hirata a quizzical glance. "The way you were staring at it…I wondered too, to be honest. If that's why nobody saw anyone when Juu disappeared. There may have been nobody. It might just have been…one of those leading him into enemy hands."

"I wish I knew what it was." Hirata admitted. "It puts me on edge that I don't. If this is an Endou trap – surely I would have seen something familiar in this so far? But I don't. The stone you're holding, this tunnel, the butterfly…Ukitake-kun's disappearance. It all seems…well…"

"Too smart for Seimaru? Or just too generally weird." Shunsui pursed his lips. "Either might apply, though Seimaru is quite strange at the best of times."

"Too subtle was what I was thinking." Hirata's eyes clouded. "Seimaru doesn't do things in the shadows very well. He's too quick tempered and too impatient. If this really is…but it must be. Mustn't it? To take Ukitake-kun, to lure me…it must be Seimaru. Nobody else benefits by bringing me to District Seven. And there's no other reason for Ukitake-kun to be involved. Nothing except that he's my friend."

He swallowed hard, trying to keep the bitterness out of his words, but Shunsui offered him a grin, shaking his head.

"No time for recriminations." He said softly. "Nobody is ever to blame for just being friends with someone."

"I know. I'm just fed up." Hirata let out a heavy sigh, reaching up his free hand to adjust his glasses as the tunnel ahead became murkier still. "I've run away too much and because of it, people keep getting hurt. I took action, once, but taking that action means Ukitake-kun is now hurt. And I kept…something important…a secret. How many people died because of that? To protect my kin, how many innocent District people have been killed because Seimaru hasn't been stopped?"

"Your line of thought is really quite discouraging." Shunsui scolded. "And don't loose hold of my hand!" As Hirata's grip began to slip free of his own. "I know holding hands with me isn't ideal, and I won't lie when I say that I'd prefer to be making skin contact with a female classmate – but if this stone is the key and you let go of me…we don't want to risk it deciding to evict you midway."

"I don't think it will."

"We can't risk it." Shunsui reiterated firmly. "If it was tuned to you, there wouldn't be a need for this stone. So keep holding on. I'm sorry if it's unpleasant – but for now, you'll just have to deal with it."

A faint smile touched Hirata's lips.

"I used to be jealous all the time when you and Ukitake-kun were together." He said suddenly, and Shunsui shot him a startled glance.

"Pardon me? What brought that up, suddenly? From holding hands to…jealous fits? Hirata-kun…"

"No!" Hirata reddened, shaking his head hurriedly. "No, I don't mean…like that. Just…to begin with, Ukitake-kun was the only person I thought I could really trust. And because of it, I really…didn't like you being around that much. Because Ukitake-kun trusts you a lot. And I…was jealous that he did."

"Hrm." Shunsui pursed his lips, then, "And? Is this nostalgia ramble going somewhere, or…?"

"When we get there, we don't know what we might find." Hirata said slowly. "And it might put both of us in danger. But…even so…it's strange. I don't feel…half as scared as I did when I fled to get Midori-sama's help the last time something bad happened. Then I was petrified. But now…I'm scared, but not to the point of hysterics. I…I have resolve, I suppose. And…I'm quite glad you're with me, Kyouraku-kun."

"I think you just paid me a compliment." Shunsui looked nonplussed. "So I'll say thank you and take it as such."

"I did. I mean, it was." Hirata looked awkward. "I guess I just mean that…I don't feel like I only have one friend any more. I feel like I have…more people supporting me now. And even if everything goes wrong and even if Seimaru kills me…I…I can face it more strongly, this time. Because I know I'm not alone. Ukitake-kun said it – and he was right."

"Taking on your cousin needs more than friends. It needs strength, smarts, luck and preferably someone with a sword." Shunsui said grimly. "I doubt Kai's _wakizashi _is going to do anyone much good when it comes to facing Seimaru's _zanpakutou_, but in the end I prefer this blind plunging into mad danger than I do sitting around and doing nothing back home. Seeing Juu's hair in that package…up till then I was still telling myself it was possible he'd strayed on his own and was lurking in some border town trying to hide from Yasuhiro and Nii-sama's patrols. But that…stopped all thoughts of it. And something else…"

"The reiatsu on Ukitake-kun's hair." Hirata nodded. "The reiatsu that wasn't his."

"Yes." Shunsui sighed. "It was only faint so I wondered if I imagined it. But…I remembered Kai saying that there had been some trace of something else on that blade. And…I wondered if it was the same thing."

Hirata was silent for a moment, then,

"Aizen Keitarou." He said softly. Shunsui's eyes narrowed.

"You think so?"

"Mm-mm." Hirata shook his head. "I'm fairly sure of it, to be truthful. I was never involved in Grandfather or Seimaru's science, but I did encounter their scientist once or twice – only in passing – and I'm pretty sure from what we discussed before that he's the one who's been manipulating my sister. It's only a stretch further…to think that he's the one working behind the scenes plotting all of this. He's an Urahara, after all. A scientist. The Senkaimon was an Urahara development, wasn't it? What if the same applies to that stone you're holding, or to the butterfly?"

"When you come down to it, so is _reidoku _an Urahara development." Shunsui agreed grimly. "Yes. It all fits together nicely, with one small loophole."

"Which is?"

"How did he manage to rig all of this up so that nobody noticed?" Shunsui's tones held a faint note of frustration. "Kyouki-sama said that if Juu had opened the thing himself…was it with one of these keys? Are they untraceable? Or…the butterfly? Or whatever it is – because it's not 'alive', is it? It's a mesh of spirit matter, that's all – garbled and shoved into that thing to act as our guide. Even as we follow it, it's starting to fade as though it's little by little decomposing as we go. But why…I don't understand. Why the butterfly, why the stone…why…"

Hirata paled, a cold chill gripping his heart.

"Kyouki-sama said something else." He whispered. "About opening the _Senkaimon_."

"Something else?" Shunsui was confused, and then his eyes widened.

"Something like…only a user of Yama-jii or Guren-sama's level could open it without being noticed?" He whispered. "Something like that?"

"We know Seimaru can't manipulate people with his sword. Only curse them." Hirata murmured softly, unease rippling through his body now as he put the thoughts together into a coherent idea. "But something controlled my sister, I'm quite sure about that. What if it wasn't a spell – what if it was…a _zanpakutou_?"

"Urahara Keitarou isn't a soldier, so we assumed he wasn't a shinigami, either." Shunsui bit his lip. "I don't like the way this is going, but you might be right. What if he'd raised a sword after all? In exile, as a scientist, beyond the reach of the council. With his Urahara heritage, he'd have the reiatsu, surely? And we know that whoever masterminded Seimaru's last scheme isn't stupid, even if he is ruthless and lacking in moral niceties. So…"

"He must have a _zanpakutou_." Hirata said softly. "We even discussed it – that Edogawa-san's _zanpakutou_ would be different from ours on account of her healing instincts. What if…what if Aizen Keitarou's _zanpakutou _is also different because of the way in which he's had to live? What if…he raised it through science, not through swordsmanship? What if those threads…that Kibana saw…what if it wasn't someone else in the shadows? What if it was…Minazake…Aizen himself? And…what if…that sword…those threads have the power to manipulate people?"

He swallowed the rising bile in his throat.

"Perhaps even enough to…manipulate Grandfather's death so that Seimaru emerged from it blameless."

"I really don't like how you're thinking." Shunsui was clearly just as anxious. "If that's right…if this shadow scientist has a _zanpakutou_, has control abilities and has been using them…and if we're talking about enough power to manipulate not only Eiraki-hime but a Clan leader of Shouichi-sama's vintage, experience and _reiryoku_...In that case, we're talking someone who can open a _Senkaimon _without causing a fuss. That means…"

"He hasn't just got a _zanpakutou_." Hirata nodded. "He's…he's got _Bankai_."

"And Juu might have walked straight into his trap." Shunsui muttered. "For all we know, Urahara Keitarou made Shouichi-sama kill himself and has done the same to Juu. No way he'd be able to stand up to a Bankai release even with Sougyo – Hirata, he might already be…"

"You were the one who said that we had to be positive." Hirata cut across him, shaking his head. "These are only theories. Not facts. And Aizen…"

"I don't like it when you call him by that name." Shunsui admitted. "Aizen is an old Kyouraku name – and even if this has loose connections to my family, I'd rather…"

"I see." Hirata's expression softened, and he nodded. "_Urahara _Keitarou, then. Minazake Roukei. Either, or – he still needs to be stopped."

"But not by us. Not if he's as dangerous as that." Shunsui responded firmly. "If Juu is still alive, Hirata, it's become imperative for us to find him and get him out before its too late to do anything about it. We can think about Seimaru afterwards, and leave Keitarou to the Council to track down. He's above our level by a long way. For now, you and I…"

"I know. I agree." Hirata nodded. "And…"

Anything else he might have said was lost, however, as the tunnel lurched and twisted suddenly, the walls fraying and fragmenting into thin strands of light around them as the butterfly flitted agitatedly around their heads. Dead ahead, where the path had been open there was now a solid block of spiritual matter, and as Shunsui let out a curse, Hirata glanced around him, realising that the floor that had seemed solid and firm a moment ago was beginning to soften and undulate, his feet sinking into it more and more with each step.

The tunnel lurched a second time, and a flash of light cut across it from right to left then left to right. As the boys tumbled over, Hirata felt his hold on Shunsui's hand slip away and as they both fell heavily onto the quick-sand like floor, the tunnel seemed to become even more unsettled, twisting and shaking as though trying to rid itself of something unwanted. As the walls continued to fray and change, Hirata saw something small glitter across in front of him and his eyes opened wide as he realised what it was.

"Kyouraku-kun, that's…"

"No time to talk. Come on!" Before he could finish, Shunsui had grabbed him once more by the arm, yanking him to his feet and forward towards where the stone had gone. As he struggled to keep his balance, Hirata was suddenly aware of an opening in the wall of the tunnel, and his eyes widened as he realised Shunsui had used the tiny stone to trigger a proper split in the unstable spirit fibres.

"_Come on_!"

With another hefty tug, Shunsui forcibly pulled his dazed friend into the opening and with a heavy thud the two of them dropped onto the ground, cold, wet and snow-covered yet somehow reassuring as they felt real air brush against their cheeks. Behind them, the folorn form of the lost butterfly flapped half-heartedly towards them, but the tunnel had closed itself off already, and of the stone there was no sign.

"Whew. That was close." Shunsui scrambled to his feet, dusting the snow off as best he could then reaching down to pull Hirata up too. "You need quicker reactions, Hirata-kun. It was jump or be eaten, so I jumped."

"How did you know it would…"

"Didn't. Just guessed." Shunsui shook his head. "It was falling apart anyhow, so we didn't have much choice but to try. It opened the gate in Nii-sama's back garden – I figured it wouldn't hurt to see if it would do the same here. Not the best landing but…we made it out."

"Yes. We did." Hirata gazed up at the butterfly as little by little the purplish fibres glimmered hopelessly before separating into thin, fading fragments of light. "But we're on our own, Kyouraku-kun. The butterfly…obviously isn't designed for fresh air. It's broken apart…it's gone."

"Mm." Shunsui nodded. "But it was beginning to break up even when we were coming here. I don't think they last very long…whatever they are. And for the time being, we'll have to do without it. First things first – where are we? Any idea?"

"Where…" Hirata bit his lip, squinting into the dim light as he tried to work out his surroundings. "I'm totally disorientated. I don't know how long we were in there, or whether it's almost day or not yet midnight. As for where…"

He bent to touch the snow, then,

"This would suggest we're at least out of District Eight. But I can't see all that clearly. It seems like a village but…"

"A village." Shunsui frowned, then he flexed his fingers, concentration crossing his dark eyes.

"_Hadou no Sanjuu-ichi: Shakkahou_." He murmured, and the landscape became illuminated in an eerie red glow. "There. Now? Can you see better now?"

"That's not very discreet." Hirata hissed, and Shunsui nodded.

"So it's just for a second. Then we'll use your _kyakkou_ and my shunpo and get the hell out of here to somewhere more sheltered." He said darkly. "But I'd at least like to know we're in the right geographical area."

Hirata turned, scouring the landscape for a moment in the flicker of the red flame. Then he nodded.

"Those hills lead down towards the edges of the main estate." He said quietly. "We're some distance from it, but it's walking distance and within a day. I'm pretty sure, Kyouraku-kun. We've made it to District Seven."

"Then the impromptu landing is a good thing, because we haven't ended up in the hands of whoever's waiting for us to come." Shunsui sounded relieved. "Right then. If it's that direction, that's where we'll go. We'll find somewhere to shelter till the sun comes up – and, if we can, something less showy and visible than our Clan clothing, since right now we don't want people to pick us out of a crowd. As soon as the sun comes up, we're going to find Juushirou. That's the plan. Understood?"

Hirata stared at him for a moment, then he nodded his head, spreading his hands in front of them.

"_Bakudou no Nijuu-roku_." He said softly. "_Kyakkou_."

"Good boy." Shunsui offered him a relieved grin, grabbing him once more by the arms. "And sorry for all the manhandling…but I've only taken another person with me once before, and that was Juu when he was unconscious. This may make you feel sick or it may be fine – but hang on anyway. We're going to move before soldiers come looking for their District's prodigal prince!"

* * *

"Tokutarou-nii!"

As Tokutarou rode into the front courtyard of the central Kyouraku manor, it was Sora who first spotted him, darting forward and waving her arms to attract his attention. "Tokutarou-nii! Oh, thank goodness…you're finally here."

"_Finally_, shesays, as if horses can fly or slip into shunpo at a moment's whim." Tokutarou reined in his steed, gazing down at her with a mixture of anxiety and irritation. "Though screaming and waving like that is only going to scare my horse and it won't do you much good if he throws me and I wind up trampled, will it?"

"Tokutarou-sama." Kai stepped forward at that moment, seeing that Sora was lost for words as he bowed his head respectfully towards the Kyouraku Clan leader. "I don't know what Kyouraku's message said, exactly, but thank you for coming back so quickly. Especially considering…"

"The fact that I am only just married, and apparently my family can't manage a twenty four hour period without me." Tokutarou sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Rae-hime is with her kinsfolk – she will ride back here if it looks like my return will be lengthy, though Shunsui had better have good reason for calling me back. All the message told me was that an emergency situation had arisen and it needed my interference."

He glanced around him, his brows creasing in confusion.

"Speaking of…where is my silly brother, anyway? I would have thought if he had a message to send, he'd be wanting to explain it."

"Kyouraku-kun…is not here." Mitsuki spoke softly, and Tokutarou gazed at her sharply.

"Not here?" He echoed. "Then where the hell is he? I left him in charge – what on earth…?"

"Tokutarou-sama, quite a good many things have occurred in the short spell you have been away from your home." Ryuu said gravely. "Culminating in Kyouraku not being here at present to explain himself to you. In the circumstances…well, let us explain the circumstances, and then, perhaps it will become clearer."

"The night of your wedding, Juushirou disappeared." Mitsuki murmured. "We don't think anyone hurt him, but we know he's not anywhere around. We think…he entered a _Senkaimon_ in the grounds here, and…and that he's gone…to District Seven."

"Juushirou?" Shock flooded Tokutarou's features, followed by dismay. "But…of all the…how? And why?"

"We're not certain, but we think it relates to Eiraki-hime, possibly without her knowledge or consent." Kai said succinctly. "Kyouraku spoke to her in a lot of detail, and then to Kibana, too. He and Hirata both did – Kyouraku seemed to think it was better done that way. He wouldn't tell us everything that was said, but I know that…both of them were as concerned as we are about Ukitake's whereabouts."

"It seems probable that Ukitake was coerced by someone appealing to his better nature." Ryuu added.

Tokutarou sighed, running his fingers agitatedly through his thick dark hair.

"And Shunsui hared off after him?" He demanded. Enishi shook his head.

"Kyouraku didn't, sir. I mean, he has…but that wasn't what he started off doing." He responded earnestly. "I don't know much about it, to be truthful – I was sleeping off too much alcohol and I only got brought up t'speed by everyone else but…when it was clear Ukitake was gone, Kyouraku sent Yasuhiro-dono and his men out searching for him in the surrounding area."

"Kuchiki, Shihouin and I rode with them, Nii-sama." Sora added. "But it was no good. There was no sign of him. We didn't know about the _Senkaimon_ then – so we didn't know what had happened."

"Then Kyouki-sama revealed that it was there, when she came to inspect the place herself." Mitsuki added. "It explained why Juushirou had suddenly vanished – but she said the tunnel was unstable and that she wouldn't risk entering it. Juushirou couldn't have entered it on his own – someone must have opened it for him to get through. She went straight to District One – I think, to speak to Genryuusai-sensei."

"And Shunsui?"

"When we were discussing everything, a package arrived from a soldier at the border. From someone who said he was a Kyouraku." Kai explained. "Inside was a note, a strange black butterfly, a gemstone and…and some of Ukitake's hair. It had blood on it…"

He stopped to send Mitsuki an apologetic look, then,

"I'm sorry, Edogawa. But it did."

"And so that's when Shunsui lost his common sense?" Tokutarou asked softly.

"The message told us to follow the butterfly, so we did. Damn hard it was too, in the dark." Enishi said frankly. "But it opened that weird _Senkaimon_ thingy, like it was a path to follow where Ukitake had gone to. Sora tried to touch it, but it zapped at her – but it let Kyouraku in all right."

"The gemstone in the box was some kind of spiritual key, though I have never heard of such a thing before." Ryuu added. "The butterfly was an odd creature, too – but what Houjou says is true. The _Senkaimon _would only let whoever was holding that stone to step inside…and the first person to touch it was…"

"My brother." Tokutarou let out his breath in a rush. "And…the Endou boy?"

"Kyouraku took him by the arm and he seemed to be able to enter, too." Mitsuki murmured. "But we think…he thought…since the message was for him, it was designed…to let him enter anyhow. Kyouraku was just…coincidence."

"So they're both gone to District Seven, and Juushirou too." Tokutarou groaned, dismounting his horse and handing the reins to a guardsman who hurried to lead the beast away to be rubbed down, fed and watered after its hard ride. "In short, it could not possibly be any worse."

"Hirata told me to give you this." Kai pulled the letter from his _obi_, holding it out and Tokutarou took it, unfolding it and glancing over the contents. In a moment he did a double-take, letting out an exclamation as he realised what he was holding.

"But this is…"

"Yes." Kai nodded soberly. "He didn't want to have to…but he told me…that you should see it. And that you should take it to the Council. He and Ukitake have been concealing it between them ever since Aitori was murdered – but Hirata said that it was time the Council got involved."

"Boys playing silly boys games." Tokutarou muttered. "Very well. I know how to act now. Sora!"

"Yes, Tokutarou-nii?" Sora eyed him quizzically, and Tokutarou gestured towards the manor.

"Use that over-the-top energy of yours and run to find an express messenger who can go through the toll paths and get to District One before the sun sets. I want you to send the following message to your mother: The Council must be called _at once_, since important evidence against District Seven has emerged and we cannot stand back and ignore it. Understand? Word for word as I just said it."

"Yes, sir." Sora's eyes clouded, but she nodded, bowing her head towards him. "Also…Tokutarou-nii, my brothers are both still here. If you need them…"

"I may, but for now, this message matters more." Tokutarou said briskly. "I'm trusting it to you – don't let me down, all right?"

"I won't." Sora nodded quickly. "I'll go now."

"There was something else we were charged to tell you, Tokutarou-sama." Ryuu added quietly, as Sora hared away across the frozen cobbles to carry out her errand. "About Eiraki-hime's fiance. A lot seems to encircle both her and him – his name is Minazake Roukei and Hirata especially wanted you to look into that name."

"Minazake?" Tokutarou paled, gripping the letter more tightly between his fingers. "But…an Endou-ke Minakaze? Is Eiraki-hime's fiance?"

"Yes, sir." Ryuu seemed startled at the sudden reaction. "And that apparently this was of some importance."

"Importance? Perhaps. Perhaps." Tokutarou swallowed hard. "Maybe I'm thinking wrongly but…I'm sure that's a name I know. Minazake…from something in my Great Uncle's papers. Since I took hold of the title here, I've had the messes of two previous incumbents to resolve and even my Great Uncle's records were tossed all over the place either by my Father's disinterest or my Uncle's spite. I've seen that name…I know that branch of the Endou-ke. I don't…it's not…I'm sure it's not…"

He faltered, realising whose company he was in, and he shook his head as if to clear it.

"I'll go to my study and find what I'm certain is there regarding it." He said frankly. "One of you make yourself useful and tell Eiraki-hime to be waiting for me in the guest parlour. I'll speak to her myself. Sumire-sama too – it may be she can help in this as well, and probably the girl will like her mother present."

His gaze rested on Kai.

"You too, since you were the one the Endou boy trusted with this letter. You represent him and his allies, so I'm counting on you too." He said grimly. "You're no older than my brother, I realise, but it's not the time to be observing political niceties."

"I'll come." Kai bowed his head. "I understand…probably better than anyone…what that letter contains."

"May…may I also?" Mitsuki asked timidly, and Tokutarou eyed her in surprise.

"Mitsuki-dono?"

"Eiraki-chan trusts me, and I think…she might like me to be there." Mitsuki pinkened. "I…I think you might ask her questions which will upset her, and…well…"

"Fine. If that's how it is, then fine." Tokutarou nodded. "The rest of you can amuse yourselves, though. Until Sora's message gets through there's little I can do except gather information and hope to the Gods that my stupid brother and his just as stupid friends are in one piece."

His expression darkened.

"If not, I'll be the one carving chunks out of Seimaru myself this time, so help me I will." He muttered. "But for now, I have evidence to unearth and details to trace. The guest parlour, and be all there by the time I join you! I am in no mood to tolerate anyone coming late!"

* * *

"I see."

Genryuusai sat down behind his desk, brushing the ends of his long beard with wizened hands as he regarded Kyouki gravely. "Yes, I see indeed. Perhaps it was remiss of me to permit Juushirou to go even so close to District Seven as Tokutarou-sama's land but…I had hoped that it would not end in this way."

"Hoped it would not, yet feared that it might?" Kyouki's eyes narrowed as she digested the old man's words. "You knew there was some risk to sending him, but you sent him anyway?"

"He had an invitation to a wedding…the wedding of a Clansman who I believe holds his best interests." Genryuusai said softly. "And the only other possibilities were to imprison him here or risk sending him to his own family. In the circumstances…"

"You could easily have held him here, Genryuusai-sama." Kyouki murmured. "Forgive me if I'm speaking out of line, but if you knew the boy was in danger…"

"I do not create spineless, protected graduates from my Academy." Genryuusai said mildly. "I do not want educated cowards to leave here with knowledge but little else. There is no point in him being always under my control, is there? Not if I want him one day to make a mark on this world."

"But now…"

"Yes." Genryuusai frowned, his eyes darkening as he acknowledged his companion's concern. "I am sorry, Kyouki. I know that you and your kinsman have protected him as far as you have been able and I realise that you are both people in whom that boy can trust. However…even despite that, Juushirou's instincts and wishes are still very pure and innocent. He still puts above the concerns of the Clans his own choices of friends and allies. And for that reason…"

"He's got involved with the Endou-ke."

"Yes and no." Genryuusai's moustache twitched thoughtfully. "Hirata is not the whole Endou-ke, and I have done nothing to discourage their friendship because of that fact. Rather, I think Juushirou's unwitting influence on the young Endou boy has been most beneficial and I've allowed it wherever possible. I believe that to be part of the duty Misashi-dono charged me with when he sent his son to my care. Whether you like to see it or not, Juushirou is born to lead, not follow. Even though his bloodline says otherwise – he is one who will make decisions, give instructions and gain others' trust. Unfortunately that way of being can also put you in a good deal of danger. Tell me again, Kyouki, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance."

"You don't seem as anxious as I thought you would be." Kyouki sighed, and Genryuusai smiled.

"I am worried for the safety of my student. Of course." He agreed. "But I don't believe that acting rashly will do anything to change his current situation. If Juushirou was lured into a trap, two possibilities now exist. Either he was killed at once – in which case, there is no way to save him. Or – as I think is more likely – he has been taken prisoner and is being held in order to obtain another prize – a greater one with bigger benefits for the one most likely to have snared him."

"Seimaru, you mean." Kyouki pursed her lips. Genryuusai nodded.

"Juushirou is worthless to Seimaru on his own, except as a matter of personal pride." He responded. "But as bait in a trap, yes, then he has a value. If it is Seimaru who has taken Juushirou, he will no doubt have done so to bring Hirata back to his homeland. The boy is, after all, the only one who can realistically contest Seimaru's standing and position. He's still very simple in his level of training and has not yet summoned a sword. But having taught the lad, I know…his potential outstrips his cousin's by two or three times. And I'd guess Seimaru also knows it – hence his reason for hating and oppressing the boy as much as possible. One day, he realises, there will be a confrontation. And the only way Seimaru can win that confrontation is to force it to happen now – before Hirata has realised his true level of power."

"So what should we do?" Kyouki asked. "Hirata's not the kind of boy who's going to ask for help. His Clan has secrets about which he knows probably the most – but in this situation…"

Genryuusai held up his hand to stop her, his gaze flitting to the door.

"I was waiting for something else." He murmured, then, "Enter, please, at once."

The door slid back, revealing a messenger and Kyouki's eyes widened as she recognised the Shiba colours on the bearer's clothing.

"Shiba…" She murmured, and the messenger bowed towards her, holding out a rolled up piece of parchment.

"Sora-sama instructed you receive this right away, so I came through the toll paths." He said frankly. "Please, to read it immediately."

Kyouki's gaze flitted to Genryuusai, who nodded.

"I don't mind." He said softly, and Kyouki frowned, slitting the ribbon with her nail and unrolling it. She glanced at the contents, then her eyes widened and she held it out to the older man, who took it and skimmed down the columns of kanji thoughtfully.

"Is there a reply message, Kyouki-sama?" The messenger asked, and before Kyouki could answer, Genryuusai set the scroll down, raising his gaze.

"The Council of Elders will meet immediately, with the exception of District Seven." He said quietly. "This is a priority one message to all Clan leaders with the exception of District Seven. Your life and other lives rely on that instruction being carried out without a moment of delay – do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The messenger looked frightened, but he nodded, saluting then disappearing from the office.

"Written proof against the Endou-ke has surfaced. Hirata and Shunsui both now missing. Tokutarou-niisama requests urgent Council support." Kyouki sighed. "Cryptic and to the point – unlike my daughter."

"It tells us what we need to know." Genryuusai replied soberly. "I expected it, Kyouki. That that proof was in Hirata's hands – it was quite clear to me when the Shihouin collapsed and when I banished District Seven's Clan from District One that that boy knew more than he dared tell me about what his own kinsfolk had been up to. When you arrived, I primed and sent several messengers to the other Districts to be on standby for an emergency Council summons. I hoped Hirata would have been sensible – it seems that, at least in part, he has."

"He's given up his proof, but gone to Seimaru regardless." Kyouki pointed out, and Genryuusai sighed.

"That also is Juushirou's influence." He said resignedly. "It comes with positives and negatives."

"And Shunsui?"

"Yes. Shunsui." Genryuusai looked thoughtful. "It's reckless of me, but Kyouki, I'm glad. I'm very glad indeed. He's done something foolish, reckless and irresponsible – just as he did when Seimaru cast his curse in Juushirou's direction. But even so, I'm proud of him. He's taken action – even foolish action – which means that he cares about what's at stake. And the biggest challenge with that boy has been breaking through his shell enough to make him care."

"He cares about Juushirou." Kyouki nodded. "But I doubt Tokkun will agree with you if he winds up getting killed."

"No. True. Those risks are also ever-present ones when dealing with Clans of this nature." Genryuusai agreed. "The truth is, I hope that none of them will be. I am truly fond of them all – all my students – and I fear harm coming to them as though they were my own children. But they must also learn, Kyouki. They are no use to me or to anyone unless they learn. And if they don't make mistakes or do stupid things, they can't learn from them. Those who live are the ones who will be shinigami. In this world, that is how things are."

He offered his companion a smile.

"I expected the Council to be called, and have already spoken to Hashihiko about my going in his stead." He added. "There was no argument when I explained the nature of the situation I felt likely to arise. I have been anticipating something since Tokutarou announced his wedding – and I hope this means that we will be able to take swift, decisive action."

"You intend to…" Kyouki's eyes widened. "You really did expect it, didn't you?"

"I am old. I've seen Clans rise and fall. I've seen Clans that no longer exist dominate a landscape before disintegrating into obscurity. I've seen Clans who now hold power struggle and scramble to establish themselves in Seireitei. I've seen these things before many times." Genryuusai explained. "The difference is that now we have the Council, and so something can be done when crimes are committed against innocents."

He got stiffly to his feet, then,

"We should make a move, also. This is an urgent meeting in which much needs to be said and done in a very short space of time. Kyouki, you mentioned the _Senkaimon _at the Kyouraku manor has been tampered with – that indicates we are dealing with an enemy probably more knowledgeable and powerful than Seimaru himself. We should be prepared for anything – and ready to do anything – to bring those boys back and to prevent an inter-District war."


	53. Eiraki's Confession

**Chapter Fifty Two: Eiraki's Confession**

It had been almost a full day since he and Shikiki had been confined in the old torture chamber in what had then seemed like a desperate fight for both of their lives.

Juushirou sat in the doorway of his cell, legs crossed and _zanpakutou_ resting against his knees as he considered everything that had happened since his arrival in District Seven. Keitarou had so far kept his word and had not tried to make a prisoner of the young student – but though Shikiki was curled up in her corner of the underground habitat, fast asleep after eating a fair meal, Juushirou himself was restless. Try as he might he could not relax.

Every so often his thoughts flitted back to District Eight. Had Eiraki made a full recovery? Keitarou had said she would, and so far Juushirou had had little reason to doubt any of the scientist's claims. Was anyone worried about him? Probably they were. Juushirou's brows knitted together as he realised what they were probably thinking – that he had recklessly plunged into Clan matters again without giving the situation careful thought. Perhaps they were angry with him – he hoped they wouldn't think he'd betrayed them, yet although he had told himself firmly that it was unlikely, the faint cloud of doubt still lingered against his senses, refusing to fully go away. Keitarou had made a big thing of the fact nobody had yet come in search of the missing boy, yet Juushirou was not foolish. Had not the Urahara said himself that from outside this place it was hard to detect anything at all? His only opportunity to be found would be if he managed to leave here – and as yet, no matter how much he tried, he could not locate a clear way out.

Keitarou was not there at that moment. He had donned his Endou clothing and had ventured upstairs to continue in his façade as a man of Seimaru's court. Juushirou had not been sorry to see him leave, for it had given him the opportunity to properly explore the underground workrooms – yet in the end he had found it a dissatisfying search. Keitarou had indeed left many volumes lying around – complicated books on theory and formulae written in a shorthand spidery kanji that Juushirou did not clearly understand. Occasional characters here and there made him think they had some reference to _reidoku_ – but he had soon given up on trying to figure out what they meant. Perhaps to another scientist, they might prove evidentiary – but to him, they might as well have been written backwards.

Only one of Keitarou's cabinets was locked, and from the unsavoury aura that flickered around it, Juushirou had given it a wide berth. Probably this was where the _reidoku_ itself was stored, and he did not need to see it to know that he wanted no part of its experimentation. His mind flitted back at that moment to the Hollow-man he had cut down with his blade. Had that creature truly been beyond help when he had been force-fed the poisonous substance? Or was that another of Keitarou's smokescreens – a convenient lie amid a sea of truth in order to catch him off guard?

Juushirou rubbed his temples, a dull ache beginning to spread across his skull.

Thinking about it was futile, and only reminded him of the sensation slicing Sougyo's blade down through the individual's white-coated mask-face had given him. It was not like an _asauch_i, cutting through a dummy Hollow in a training exercise. The _asauchi_ had no feeling, the dummy Hollow was a fake. What he had felt in that moment, when he had taken the decision to act as a shinigami had been intense and inexplicable – the feeling of duty, responsibility, resignation from his blade, and the fear, pain and distress of the Hollow all mingled into one surge of spiritual energy. Then, as the Hollow had faded away, so had the sensation – leaving him feeling empty and confused inside.

He did not regret protecting Shikiki, and he knew he had acted right. Yet the emotion still lingered there, nonetheless. He had worked hard to gain his sword in order to protect ordinary people from the dangers Hollows posed. Yet that one had been both – the ordinary and the damned – and he had not been able to clearly separate them in his mind.

Instead he had settled to doing the only thing he could do.

Focusing on his _zanpakutou_ and what Keitarou had said about its power.

_There's no clear way to escape this place. Keitarou-san uses shunpo, and though I know the basic theory of it, I'm not able to use that technique yet. So long as I'm down here, I'm subject to his whims and his will. Right now he sees a purpose in me, but that might not last forever and I've no way of knowing what's going on outside. Perhaps my friends are cross with me, or perhaps they're just worried – either way, I can't stay here indefinitely. Keitarou-san spoke of a risk of war – and I'm not going to let that happen if I can help it. Maybe, by working with him, I can prevent that war. But stuck down here, there's too much I don't know._

He raised his gaze towards the stone ceiling, then,

_But he was right. About my sword's power. When he said it, I understood exactly what he meant. And now I'm aware of it, I feel…something slipping into place. In'you are one spirit and two blades. Sensei said something about it too – about my power being distinct and not necessarily deflective. If I could learn to use that…if I could…_

His eyes narrowed and he got to his feet, padding slowly along the hallway to the underground torture chamber.

_I'll practice. I've nothing else to do, so I might as well work with Sougyo and see if I can figure out exactly what Keitarou-san was saying. If what he said is true – if my sword absorbs other people's attacks and throws them back, well…maybe I'm not as helpless as I seem. And maybe…even without further training, I might be able to do something._

A faint chill touched his heart as something else crossed his mind.

_Even if my friends don't, the Council might already see me as a traitor or as someone who's broken their rules. I don't know yet, but by being here I might have forsaken all the support from any Clan leaders I might have thought I had. Kyouki-sama acted swiftly enough when I simply released my sword in District Eight. That being the case, I can't rely on them – or anyone – to come find me. Even if there are people who want to, it would be better that they didn't. I chose this path and I'll see it through – even if that means facing Seimaru myself and putting a stop to his stupidity. Taking that Hollow down made me realise – that maybe it's not as simple as 'good' and 'bad' and that sometimes there are things that need to be done, even if they're not things I want to do. Hirata…has said it enough times. That Seimaru needs to be stopped. Perhaps – with a weapon like Sougyo…I can help stop him. And then…maybe then…there won't be a war after all._

* * *

"I thought Tokutarou-sama requested us to be gathered here."

Sumire frowned, casting a glance around the chamber as she did so.

"Yet I do not see any sign of him – is there something amiss that has seen him delayed? More, that he should return so swiftly from his marriage progress…"

"Something has occurred." Kai nodded his head, dropping down beside the window and fixing Eiraki with a pensive look. From her place at the young hime's side, Mitsuki could feel the girl tense at the sudden attention, and she frowned, shooting Kai a reproachful look.

"None of this is Eiraki-chan's fault." She said softly. "None of it, Shihouin-kun. She's as much a victim in this as any of us, and…"

"Hirata and Kyouraku both were adamant we followed up on the name Minazake Roukei." Kai broke across her protestations with a slight shake of his head. "When I said that name to Tokutarou-sama and showed him Hirata's letter, he went white and started talking about digging through old documents of his Great Uncle's in his study right away. Apparently he didn't know the family name of Eiraki-hime's fiance, since there's been such insistence not to talk about him - and apparently it matters that he didn't. Obviously there's some connection – and if Eiraki-hime is protecting this Minazake, then that makes her involved."

"Eiraki-chan?" Sumire's gaze flitted to her daughter, and Eiraki shook her head.

"It's nothing to do with Kei-sama." She whispered. "He's done nothing bad at all."

"He's an Endou, isn't he? At the moment, that's probably proof enough." Kai said bluntly, and Mitsuki slipped a protective arm around Eiraki's shoulders.

"Shihouin-kun! We're both worried about people – but being rude about the Endou-ke isn't going to help things! Eiraki-chan and Sumire-sama are both Endou. So is Hirata-kun. There's no reason to be sure that Minazake-dono is anything other than what Eiraki-chan believes him to be."

"Then why did Kyouraku and Hirata mention it so specifically?" Kai demanded. "You heard them too, Edogawa. If he's an Endou-ke kinsman trapped in some kind of bond with his Clan leader, that makes sense – otherwise…"

"But he didn't _do_ anything!" Eiraki protested, tears in her eyes. "He couldn't have! He's got no reason to help Seimaru do anything!"

"Pressure from a Clan leader is hard to resist, though. Especially when you've no power of your own." Kai responded. "I know from my own experience – Eiraki-hime, blood bonds are…"

"He doesn't _have_ any blood-bonds!" Eiraki exclaimed suddenly, cutting through Kai's words. "He doesn't have anything like that, so he's not a part of this and he's nothing to do with anything bad at all! You're making connections where there aren't connections because _Kei-sama doesn't have Endou blood_!"

Dead silence greeted her statement, and Eiraki gasped as she realised what she'd said, her hand flying to her mouth in shock and horror.

"Eiraki-chan?" Mitsuki murmured.

"Doesn't have Endou blood?" Sumire said softly. "Eiraki-chan, what are you talking about? Minazake-dono is a kinsman of Riku-hime's…that's been established beyond any doubt."

Eiraki was silent for a long while, and Mitsuki could see the terror in her eyes. Then, slowly she nodded, clutching the tissue between her fingers so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Kei-sama told me." She murmured. "The truth about…that he wasn't…really…Endou-ke."

"Not Endou-ke?" Sumire stared at her daughter, horror in her eyes, and Eiraki nodded, lowering her gaze to the ground.

"He told me…it was a secret. That if I t…told anyone, people might g…get hurt." She whispered. "He might be. Other people. So I…I didn't s…say anything."

"Kei-sama is someone important to you, isn't he, Eiraki-chan?" Mitsuki spoke gently, resting her hand on the young girl's shoulder as she sent her an encouraging smile. "That's why you wanted to protect him – because he reached out to help you when you were all alone."

Eiraki nodded.

"I didn't have anyone else." She murmured. "And nor d…did he. He was t…trapped, like I was. Seimaru-sama m…made him do as he was told, or else…h…he would be k…killed like the others."

"Like the others?" Kai's eyes became thoughtful. "So this Minazake Roukei – he had kinsfolk who fell foul of Seimaru and your Clan already? Or in the past?"

"Both, I suppose." Eiraki began to absently tear strips off the tissue, agitation in her blue eyes. "But I can't tell you…those things. Any of you. Because if I did…you…you wouldn't understand. And I…I know it sounds bad. But…even if…_because_ he isn't Endou-ke...he…he doesn't want to…to hurt Nii-sama."

"Eiraki, I think you had better tell us and quickly whatever it was this noble friend of yours is hiding." Sumire said firmly, before either Mitsuki or Kai could speak. "Whatever it is, keeping it quiet may put him in danger and has almost certainly already endangered your brother and the friends who've reached out to support not only him but those of us who fled in search of sanctuary. It isn't a matter of secrets and games, not now. Lives may be at stake. Misashi's. Hirata's. Shunsui-dono's. Ukitake-kun's. Whatever it is you know, tell us at once."

Eiraki tensed, shaking her head. She was visibly trembling, and Mitsuki could feel the uncertainty and fear radiating throughout her aura. She sighed, hugging the girl tightly.

"Eiraki-chan cares about Kei-sama. She's in love with him, and she doesn't want to betray him." She said softly. "I understand that, Sumire-sama. Being in love with someone makes you do rash things that don't make sense to anyone else."

At this Eiraki raised her eyes, meeting Mitsuki's grey gaze with a stricken one of her own.

"Ukitake-san is missing." She whispered. "And yet you still stick up for me, even so? Even though…even though you must be worried and anxious and angry too – you're protecting me?"

Mitsuki was silent for a moment, then,

"I have faith in Juushirou." She said slowly, her voice shaking slightly despite the conviction in her tones. "Also in Kyouraku-kun and Hirata that they'll find him and somehow bring him back. I am worried, Eiraki. Frightened more than anything to lose him. But because of that I know how you feel. You're frightened too, aren't you – because Kei-sama is still in District Seven."

"Please, Eiraki-hime." Kai added at this juncture. "Any little thing you can tell us – even if there are things you can't – if it will help us to act. Hirata and Kyouraku were both adamant that this man's name was important, and if they say so, I'm sure it must be true. Tokutarou-sama said that it would be hard to involve the Council even with what we have now. We need more evidence – hard evidence – of what's been going on recently in District Seven. The letter is good but since Shouichi-sama is now dead, Seimaru can simply claim he was forced into it and that he no longer employs the same practices as before. We need to know what's going on there now – and if you know anything at all…even if Minazake got involved by accident or mistake, if there's any chance of a connection…"

"Kei-sama came here the other night." Eiraki murmured softly, and Mitsuki started, staring at her in surprise.

"Here? To District Eight? To Kyouraku land?"

"Yes." Eiraki nodded miserably, discarding the wrecked tissue and clasping her hands together in her lap. "He came to s…see me. I don't know…what else happened. I think I fainted. I don't…clearly remember."

"When Ukitake was here?" Kai's eyes became slits. "You said nobody was there."

"No…not then. He'd gone by then." Eiraki shook his head hurriedly. "It was before…before that. He went…I didn't lie, Kai-dono. I didn't see Kei-sama again after that and not when Ukitake-san was with me, I swear!"

"How did he even get through the border?" Sumire asked sharply. "Eiraki, even if what you say about Minazake's heritage is true, he's _masquerading _as an Endou kinsman. Tokutarou-sama's border patrols are strict – there's no clear way for him to have broken through."

"He told me that he…had Kyouraku blood from his mother's side." Eiraki admitted. "That it was faint but that he was distant kin to this Clan. He showed me…he has an old family crest and he had it with him when he came here. It was very old and faded, but it…it was the Kyouraku family's seal. And it…it wasn't a soldier's crest, Okaasama. It was like…the one that Shunsui-dono has about his neck."

"A Clan crest. A Clan knife." Kai whispered, and Mitsuki felt her heart skip a beat.

_Was that what Hirata and Kyouraku-kun meant? Was that it? That the knife…came from Minazake Roukei-dono when he visited Eiraki-chan? If he was gone by the time Juushirou went missing – even if he was, if he was here before Eiraki-chan carried out her attack…_was_ it him? Did he give her the knife?_

She cast the young girl an anxious glance.

_Eiraki-chan…exactly who have you trusted your heart to?_

"A proper Clan emblem then." Sumire sighed. "So because the Kyouraku are kind to us, and because Minazake revealed himself to you as a Kyouraku…"

"He could have taken that family evidence when he took the name Minazake." Mitsuki suggested. "If Seimaru-sama was utilising this Kei-sama in some way, perhaps he gave him the identity and the necessary accessories to go with it. Eiraki-chan made it sound like Kei-sama was being extorted against his will, and she probably knows more of him than we do."

"Minazake Roukei is dead." Tokutarou pushed back the dividing door at that moment, his expression harried as he strode into the chamber. In his hands was clutched a rolled up piece of parchment which he tossed down onto the table, shooting Eiraki a quizzical look.

"The real Minazake Roukei, at least."

"The real…?" Sumire whispered. "Then…who is it, pray, who is engaged to my daughter?"

Eiraki lowered her gaze, not willing to respond, and Tokutarou sighed.

"When Shouichi-sama slaughtered his way through his kinsfolk, records were made with the Council as to the surviving line of succession. My Great Uncle was called upon as mediator along with the then Kuchiki incumbent to try and stop the civil strife between kinsfolk and to some degree they succeeded. These are documents I had to plough through and file correctly after I took the title from my Uncle and proceeded to put my Clan's affairs in order – and I knew I'd come across the name Minazake before. Because it was an important if unfavoured branch of the Endou – it was almost completely destroyed, and the Council took an interest in it – thanks to other more pressing matters involving District Three's science, though, no action was taken against Shouichi at the time. My Great Uncle died, my Grandfather too, and my Father inherited – by that point the whole business had been swept under the rug and Shouichi-sama had firm control of his Clan again."

His eyes darkened.

"But it seems only one member of that section of the Clan survived the slaughter." He concluded grimly. "Seimaru's mother Riku-hime, who was but a young girl and who was later married to that idiot Mibune in order to try and consolidate the family tree. That's true, isn't it, Sumire-sama? That is the truth of events in District Seven?"

"Yes." Sumire agreed. "Riku and Mibune were married in order to bury the past and consolidate Shouichi-sama's line. But my brother in law was unstable and Riku-hime was extremely clever. She crossed my mother in law once too many and was exiled before she came to birthing Seimaru. He was born in those circumstances and taken from her to be raised by his Father and his Grandfather as a legitimate heir – she remains a prisoner to this day. Mibune was killed in conflict a couple of years ago, creating the struggle between my husband and my nephew that taints this whole matter unavoidably."

Tokutarou nodded, moving to unravel the scroll.

"The name Minazake Roukei appears here." He added. "He was a child born some five years before Riku-hime. However, he died in infancy. His death is recorded clearly and there is no doubt."

"Minazake-dono brought records to prove who he was to the court." Sumire murmured. "I'm sure that otherwise…"

"Doctored records, probably." Kai grimaced. "If you're the puppet of a Clan head, then that kind of thing is probably easy to obtain. And Riku-hime is Seimaru's mother. She would back him, wouldn't she? Even if they had been separated, I'm sure that she would. It would be a way of opposing Yayoi-sama again, wouldn't it?"

"Probably that's right." Tokutarou agreed. "And Seimaru brought a stranger in to play the part in order to…do what is not quite clear yet. He's not moved to bring Riku out of her prison, though you'd think that was his immediate objective. No, there must be something else."

"Tokutarou-sama, Eiraki-chan said that Kei-sama came here." Mitsuki murmured. "To see her, the night of your wedding. The same night that…that Juushirou…disappeared."

"The same night, huh?" Tokutarou dropped down into a seat, fixing the frightened Eiraki with a pensive look. "How about that, Eiraki-hime? Is there anything you can tell us on that matter? Why he came to see you? What he said? Whether he might have spoken to Juushirou also?"

Eiraki bit her lip, tears glittering in her eyes.

"Kei-sama isn't a bad person." She said shakily. "If I tell you, you'll think that he is. But he isn't. His family were killed and he's always in danger. If he doesn't do as…as Seimaru says, just like us…but even so, he helped us escape. Even so, he r…risked everything to come f…find me and make sure I was safe. He isn't a bad person, and if you knew…"

"Then tell us why he came to see you?" Mitsuki urged gently. "Just to see that you were safe? Did he say anything to you at all?"

"I don't remember." Eiraki shook her head, and Tokutarou sighed.

"Eiraki-hime…"

"She's telling the truth, Tokutarou-sama." Mitsuki glanced at the Clan leader. "She knows more about Minazake Roukei and she probably knows his real name but…but she's not lying about that night. She doesn't remember. If she was, I'd be able to tell. I can sense it when someone who doesn't usually lie tries to bend the truth."

"But why would she not remember?" Kai looked blank. "If she cares for this man so much – Edogawa, I don't doubt your senses but…"

"What is the last thing you do remember, Eiraki?" Sumire asked, and Eiraki frowned.

"I was talking to Kei-sama." She said slowly. "And then…the next thing…I…"

She whitened, her hands flying to her mouth as she gazed up at Tokutarou in apprehension.

"I…I…I…" She faltered, and Mitsuki hugged her reassuringly.

"It's all right. Tell him." She said comfortingly. "He needs to know – nobody will be angry."

"I was in Nii-sama's room." Eiraki choked out. "And I had the knife, though I…I don't remember...."

"Why would Eiraki have a knife?" Sumire pointed out gravely. "My daughter isn't violent. She's never been that way,and even with all that's happened…I can't imagine her concealing such an item nor taking it to her brother's room. Even if she had intended to give it to Hirata for some reason…"

"It sounds to me like she went there to kill him." Tokutarou said baldly, and Sumire started, indignation in her gaze as Eiraki flinched back.

"My daughter would not do such a thing!" She exclaimed, and Kai held up his hands to placate the angry noblewoman.

"Nobody thinks that, Sumire-sama." He said quickly. "We all think that it was because someone was controlling her to do it. Not because she intended any harm on her own…but that something was manipulating her to attack Hirata."

"Ma..nipu…lating her?" Sumire faltered, the anger gone in her sudden confusion, and Eiraki reached up to wipe the tears from her lashes.

"I went to kill Nii-sama." She sobbed. "I'm sorry, Okaasama. I…I didn't want to say it, but even though I don't remember clearly, I know that's what I did. I had the knife. I took it there…to kill him. That's why I ran. Because I didn't understand why…I had been going to do something so evil to someone that I love."

"Someone was using you as their puppet." Tokutarou's eyes became slits. "Eiraki-hime, it's very possible that this Kei-sama of yours is involved. Even if Seimaru is holding the strings, that kind of a technique is something I doubt he's capable of. I know about his _zanpakutou_ – we all do – and it curses people, but it doesn't control them. He has no skill with magic, even if there was such a technique that could be manipulated in that way. So he must have had someone to help him. And the only other candidate in this is…"

"No!" Eiraki was on her feet in a moment, shaking her head emphatically. "No, Kei-sama isn't…he wouldn't…he's our ally! He's not Seimaru-sama's ally! Ojii-sama killed people – people dear to him. Kei-sama isn't on their side. He isn't!"

"People?" Tokutarou focused on Eiraki again. "Did you have a name to go with that 'people', Eiraki-hime? Who might have died recently in District Seven on top of all the hundreds of peasants hunted or simply starving in your homeland? There's no doubt Seimaru and Shouichi-sama have treated their people badly – but things about this do not add up. If Minazake is a peasant, why would Seimaru be shielding and using him? It goes against Seimaru's own ethics to do such a thing – his attitude towards Juushirou is proof of that. And if Minazake is not a peasant – if Minazake is…"

"He has a Kyouraku crest, Tokutarou-sama." Mitsuki said quietly. "He is a kinsman of yours, though distant."

"A kinsman…of mine?" Tokutarou reeled as if struck by a blow, and Eiraki shook her head.

"The blood is distant. He said, through his mother." She whispered. "But I do not know…more than that."

"But he holds a Kyouraku crest? Tell me, Eiraki-hime – you have seen this crest?" Tokutarou demanded.

"Please, Tokutarou-sama – my daughter is frightened." Sumire protested, and Tokutarou wheeled on her, steel in his eyes.

"And my brother is missing, as is your son and a promising young shinigami student held in high esteem by very significant individuals." He said coldly. "I will get to the bottom of this and I will do so before anyone else is killed. I'm not interested in killing anyone – I'm interested in getting back my kinsman safely, and those he cares about, too. Motions can then be made calmly and through proper channels against Seimaru. I just want to know where Shunsui's gone and I want to know what he knew when he left here."

"Kyouraku knew, when he left here, that this had a connection to your Clan, Tokutarou-sama." Kai said heavily. "The blade Eiraki-hime had…was an ancient Kyouraku weapon. It's in your study at present – Kyouraku was quite upset when he realised what it was and where it had come from."

"He asked me about it too." Eiraki murmured. "But I had never seen it before. He said…it was a family he had looked at before, but…that he had not found an angle of enquiry and did not think his Clan were involved. But I couldn't tell him anything, Tokutarou-sama. I know nothing of how the knife came into my hands."

"It seems my brother shared information with everyone except with me." Tokutarou spread his hands helplessly. "If he knew anything of that nature, he didn't bother to pass the message on. What or who he's gone after I don't know – except that it connects to Juushirou and his sudden disappearance. And I'd like to know more, dammit, before any of them are returned to us in wooden boxes!"

The emotion in the young Clan leader's tones struck silence through the room, then Eiraki let out a heavy, shuddering sigh, sinking back down onto the floor and nodding her head.

"Tokutarou-sama has promised he doesn't seek to kill anyone." She said softly. "So what I tell you…please…you will keep that promise? I know Kei-sama is not a bad person. I know this and I trust him. Thanks to him, we were able to escape. Thanks to him I had a friend and an ally when isolated and alone. I won't believe him guilty of anything – if anyone is guilty, it is Seimaru-sama that is to blame."

"Maybe." Tokutarou said slowly. "I'll hear what you have to say before I judge that. Oh, I will promise," As Eiraki's eyes widened. "I've no reason to hunt down someone I don't know, part kinsman or otherwise. But as to his guilt – that's not for me to decide."

Eiraki nodded her head.

"The person that was killed was his cousin." She said carefully. "But I think…when Kei-sama told me, there was pain in his eyes. Kei-sama is a calm person and he doesn't fight – he wasn't allowed to have a sword and he doesn't know how to use one like other young men from Clan do. But when he told me about his cousin, I saw how upset he was. Right deep inside his eyes – like seeing it inside his soul."

"Like seeing it inside his soul." Tokutarou repeated softly. "So this cousin was dear to him?"

"Very." Eiraki nodded. "He said that because of this, his cousin's wife was a widow and his cousin's children would grow up without a father. He said it was Ojiisama's fault – that Ojiisama had used and abused his kin then persecuted and killed them. And that Seimaru-sama was now shielding him, but only because he wanted to use him for his own ends. He said he was trapped just like I was…and he wanted to help me escape."

"Used. Abused. Persecuted. Killed." Tokutarou's eyes narrowed, and Kai let out an exclamation.

"Urahara-ke!"

"Urahara?" Sumire tensed, staring at Eiraki in horror, and slowly Eiraki nodded her head.

"Then all the pieces begin to click together." Tokutarou's lips thinned, distaste glittering in his normally genial brown eyes. "Minazake Roukei is exiled Urahara-ke. No, he's not only that. Minazake Roukei is Urahara Keitarou – Eiraki-hime, am I correct?"

"Yes sir." Eiraki whispered, and Tokutarou clenched his fists.

"I have wondered for a while what guise he now takes and what role he now plays in District Seven." He murmured. "Shunsui and I debated his involvement in Shouichi-sama's death – yet perhaps even so we have underestimated him. Perhaps his involvement is far more widespread than even the shadow-assassination of a Council Lord."

"Urahara Keitarou." Kai's eyes clouded. "_Aizen_ Keitarou, you mean, surely? Urahara might've been the name he was born under – but Aizen is the name he uses now."

"Aizen…" Tokutarou muttered a curse, staring at Kai as if seeing him for the first time. "_Aizen Keitarou_? Aizen is his name? The name under which he has been hiding all this time? You knew this? Did my brother? Did Shunsui hear him called by that name?"

"Tokutarou-sama, please, calm yourself." Sumire urged, but Tokutarou was clearly not listening.

"Answer me, please, Kai-dono. Did my brother know that name?"

Kai shrugged.

"Kyouraku didn't speak to me about it as such, so I don't know." He admitted. "But because of what happened to the Shihouin-ke, I know all about Aizen Keitarou. And Hirata does, too."

Tokutarou's eyes became dark.

"Something he couldn't click together enough to tell me, yet." He murmured, more than half to himself. "Shunsui, dammit…was that it? The thing you didn't tell me yet wondered if you should?"

"Who is Aizen Keitarou, please?" Mitsuki asked softly. "And why is it such a terrible thing if he lives by that name? The Urahara exiles were criminalised regardless of whether they were involved in _reidoku_ or not – right? Surely it makes sense for him to want to live as someone else."

"Aizen is an old Kyouraku name." Tokutarou said heavily. "A line now died out, so far as I'm aware. But in all the records I've been gradually putting together since I became Lord here, I've come across it a few times. Probably an Aizen married into the Urahara at some stage, and from that connection this Aizen Keitarou has taken not only his name but the Clan crest to allow him entry to my land. And, possibly, the knife that magically appeared in Eiraki-hime's hands."

"No…" Eiraki's voice was no more than a whisper, and instinctively Mitsuki hugged her tightly, feeling the young girl's uncertainty swirl against her own.

Tokutarou sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Very well." He said at length. "Eiraki-hime, I apologise for having so distressed you. My brother is as important to me as yours is to you, and I want to find them both as soon as I'm able."

He paused, then,

"I will keep my promise to you. I don't intend to go out there to attack this Aizen Keitarou and as yet I don't fully understand his involvement." He added. "But I will ask you to make me a promise in return. If he comes here to you again, or you hear or remember anything of him or that night, I want you to come to speak to me immediately."

"It's possible that Kei-sama himself is in trouble, Eiraki-chan." Mitsuki added softly. "If he came here, if he's done other things that he shouldn't have done – it's possible that someone is making him act the way you were made to act with the knife. If Seimaru has a way of controlling other people, Kei-sama might also be hurt. Telling Tokutarou-sama the truth is the best thing you can do to help both Hirata and Kei-sama."

Eiraki's eyes became big at this, and slowly she nodded her head.

"I suppose that is true." She admitted. "Seimaru may be punishing him for helping us escape. He may be inflicting further pain on him through ways I don't even know. But I don't believe he is our enemy, Tokutarou-sama. He would not have told me who he was otherwise. I really believe that."

"Then perhaps you are right." Tokutarou said quietly. "Either way, it is your cousin's activities I have most interest in – and the Council should do too."

His gaze flitted to Kai.

"Since your sister is not here, in her place I'd like to speak to you." He said simply. "Mitsuki-dono, since Eiraki-hime trusts you, will you please make sure she is all right? And Sumire-sama also. My wife would probably be glad of company, too, since I am a terrible husband, already abandoning her for the sake of Clan business. If you could…I would be obliged."

"I understand, Tokutarou-sama." Mitsuki bowed her head solemnly. "I will do as you ask."

"And if you please, don't disclose any of this conversation outside this room?"

"I wouldn't." Mitsuki responded simply. "I'm a healer and we're trained to keep secrets. Our patients wouldn't trust us otherwise – so Retsu-sama always says."

"Then I'll leave it in your hands." Tokutarou bowed his head towards her gratefully. "My thanks, Mitsuki-dono. As soon as there is news of your classmates – I will be sure that it gets to you at once."

"I appreciate that." Tears glistened in Mitsuki's own eyes at this. "I trust in them, though, and that they will all come home safely. Somehow."

* * *

"I don't have the influence my sister does, Tokutarou-sama." As they entered the Clan leader's study, Kai raised his voice. "Whatever you want to discuss with me…"

"I suspect you are as well-placed as any to answer it." Tokutarou said grimly. "Since you weren't involved in your Clan's disgrace, but I know that you very nearly were. Shunsui trusts you – and has stood up for you many times when the discussion of the Shihouin has come up. I trust your sister, and I trust you, too – having met you for myself, I can see why Shunsui believes in your integrity. That being the case, I hope you might trust me – and disclose to me whatever you can about Aizen Keitarou."

"Hirata knows more than me, and Seimaru more yet." Kai sighed, nodding his head. "But I've no reason to keep anything a secret. He's a scientist, Tokutarou-sama. One of the exiled Urahara who worked underground in District Seven before everything with my Clan blew up like it did. He was working ostensibly for Shouichi, but more, I think, for Seimaru."

"That fits with what Midori-sama told me – your Lord father's testimony." Tokutarou nodded. "Go on."

"I don't know for certain, but I'm pretty sure it was Aizen who was behind the _reidoku_ that Seimaru wanted to use to kill Genryuusai-sensei."

"What?" Tokutarou stopped dead, staring at his companion in dismay. "Seimaru plotted to kill Genryuusai-sensei with _reidoku_?"

"Yes." Kai nodded.

"So that was what he meant." Tokutarou's eyes narrowed to near slits. "Sensei, when he spoke of your sister coming to meet with him – that she'd indicated a threat to his life. He brushed it off as irrelevant, but…if Seimaru planned to use something like _reidoku_…"

"He might have succeeded." Kai agreed grimly. "Since a person with spirit power of that level would be extra susceptible to the kind of drug that _reidoku_ is supposed to be. Only Hirata and I stood out against him, and Nee-sama killed Aitori, so the plan failed. Originally my Uncle was somewhat complicit in the scheme, though how much so, I don't know. Either way, the plan was for the assassination to be done by a Shihouin – probably me, if I'm brutally honest."

"_You_?"

"Mm." Kai grimaced. "That's how close I came to being involved. Neesama's actions saved me – by removing Aitori, she removed the link between the Endou and Shihouin in District One and I was able to escape."

"I see." Tokutarou rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So that's why it's said that you had some involvement – in truth, you were right there on the fringes."

"I knew." Kai admitted. "I knew the Endou planned to assassinate Genryuusai-sensei, but I chose not to cooperate, and Genryuusai-sensei kept faith with me. The Council found me innocent of any charges in the conspiracy. I had no connection to the _reidoku_, nor did I want anything to do with it in the slightest, if I'm brutally honest. The only reason I went along with anything was because I thought Midori-nee was in some kind of danger. More significantly,"

He touched his stomach pensively, then,

"I still have the scars to prove my rebellion against their orders." He added. "Since I fought my cousin and took a blade to the gut for opposing him and Seimaru's wishes. If not for your brother and Ukitake, I would've probably died from that injury – in those circumstances, it was easy, I think, to see that I wasn't truly complicit."

"But very close to the wire." Tokutarou said grimly, and Kai nodded.

"Very." He agreed soberly. "I was sent to the Academy in the first place on Uncle's orders – to keep an eye on the District intake, especially Ukitake. And to act when I was called on to act by my Clan, not to really be a member of Genryuusai-sensei's future project."

He sighed.

"But if the Academy taught me one thing, it's that you can't do anything about anything when you're dead, and even as a Shihouin I didn't really like the idea of killing folk." He added. "More and more I found it hard to be a spy and stay detached – I found I wanted to be a part of what was going on at the school, and not on the outside, always betraying it. In the end, Hirata and I were allied by the fact we were both forced into involvement in this dark scheme. We both escaped it. We both broke free. Now, I think, that's part of why Hirata's gone with Kyouraku. He's fed up of people being hurt on his account – he's fed up of having to be protected. With Ukitake missing and Eiraki-hime unconscious, it was the last straw. He's gone to face Seimaru, I think. Whether he's ready or not, that's why he's gone. To find Ukitake, and maybe…to finally face Seimaru."

At this, Tokutarou clenched and unclenched his fists, anxiety glittering in his dark eyes.

"Alone?"

"That's why he left me with that letter." Kai responded. "In order that, in the event of his being killed…something could still be done."

"In the event of his being killed…" Tokutarou faltered, then, "He has that much courage, then, that young boy? To face his cousin and risk death and yet still plan for what may happen beyond it?"

"Yes." Kai nodded. "Because he knows what Seimaru is – just as I do. I don't think he's wrong, Tokutarou-sama. Ukitake is in danger. Seimaru hates him, so that's beyond doubt. But the Endou-ke itself has reached a critical point. Hirata is gambling, and he knows it as well as I do. But Seimaru's ambition is just too wide-ranging. In the end, if someone doesn't do something…it might end in war. And if that happens…this place, which has been so kind to him and to his kinsfolk – it would be the first to be under seige."

"So Hirata went to do something, and my fool brother went with him." Tokutarou rubbed his temples. "And you? You remained here?"

"Hirata asked me to take care of Eiraki-hime and to pass the letter to you." Kai agreed. "I wanted to go – I wanted to help. But it wasn't possible – it's complicated to explain because I don't really understand _Senkaimon_ all that well and I don't know if what happened was normal or not. But it only let Kyouraku and Hirata enter. Nobody else. In the end this was the only way I could help – so I gave Kyouraku my sword and I promised to take the letter to you. I didn't like it, but I agreed. I have my own grievances against Seimaru for the way he treated my Clan and my sister. Originally he hoped that by disgracing the Shihouin and marrying Aneue he could take control of District Two. Midori-nee isn't foolish, however, and she escaped in time to prevent it from happening. Even so, because of Aitori's betrayal – our Clan still suffered. And I have a long enough memory – and deep enough scars - to remember that fact."

"But the Endou didn't fall when the Shihouin faltered, even though so many people thought there must've been a connection between activities in both Districts." Tokutarou chewed on his lip, considering. "Even Kamuki-sama never spoke of it, not even when he submitted himself to death and had nothing more to lose. Because the hard proof of it was destroyed. All of it…except for the letter. The one you brought me – that Hirata was concealing."

"No. _Ukitake_ was concealing it, on Hirata's behalf." Kai shook his head. "I didn't know it for sure until Hirata and Shunsui left, but it was hidden in Sougyo no Kotowari's sheath."

Tokutarou closed his eyes briefly.

"Kyouki-sama was right." He murmured. "She said it – that boys share secrets when they're young and that Juushirou knew more than he had disclosed to us in Inner Seireitei. Hakubei even asked Shunsui, but he said it was impossible. Trust my brother to conceal this, even at the risk…"

"Kyouraku didn't know about the location of the letter." Kai shook his head. "The only people who did were Hirata and Ukitake. Hirata told me so – he said that I was the only one he'd trust it with since he was sure I'd take it to the right person and explain it in the right way. Kyouraku does know now that I have it – and he might have _suspected_ before. But Ukitake didn't tell him about it. And neither did Hirata."

"So Shunsui wasn't lying to Hakubei, after all?"

"No."

"Well, that's something at least." Tokutarou grimaced. "All these secrets in shadows, though – and off he runs into danger again. He promised me, you know, that he wouldn't go to District Seven. But I've thought and I've thought about that promise – and I've realised something about it – a loophole I hadn't seen. Shunsui promised me not to leave District One for District Seven. He never gave me his word not to leave this one. He shouldn't have had to – it should be assumed, but Shunsui…he's probably evaded it on a technicality. And so he went…"

"Kyouraku took Seimaru's curse to protect Ukitake, last time." Kai said softly. "Where Ukitake is concerned, Tokutarou-sama – I don't think there's anything that Kyouraku wouldn't risk."

"That's my fear, also." Tokutarou nodded. "Before the Academy, Shunsui never had close male friends his own age – and for the first time I'm seeing how good its been for him. But I'd forgotten, I suppose, how little time it's been since he was alone and lonely. To protect his friends – I'm sure he'd go to great lengths indeed. And particularly to protect Juushirou – since Juushirou has no Clan of his own to come to his aid."

He smiled hollowly.

"I told Juushirou to consider this Clan his Clan in matters where he needed support." He murmured. "I hadn't realised that Shunsui too would take that so much to heart."

His lips thinned.

"What that District boy does winds up having more impact on the Clans than what any of us do. Unfortunately, not always for the better." He added heavily.

"Tokutarou-sama."

At that moment the door opened, and Yasuhiro bowed apologetically, raising his head to face his master.

"I'm sorry for the unseemly interruption, sir, but an express messenger arrived at the gate a mere moment ago bearing this for your urgent attention."

He held out a gold box banded in red, and Tokutarou's brows knitted together. He nodded.

"I didn't think it would take long. Not if Kyouki-sama had gone to see Genryuusai-sensei." He said grimly. "Kai-dono, you know what this is, I think?"

"Summons from the Council." Kai agreed softly. "Of the same colour and urgency as that dispatched when Uncle fell."

"There are only seven notches on the box. Not eight." Tokutarou took the item, glancing at it then setting it down on the desk. "All the Districts bar Seven have been marked clearly. We meet without Seimaru, then. It seems the Council will act – I hope, in time enough to be able to save three foolish young boys from their own reckless behaviour!"


	54. Call To Arms

**Chapter Fifty Three: Call To Arms**

"You know, anyone would think that this was your District, the way you managed to sweet-talk that trader."

As they sheltered in the dubious protection of a half-collapsed village shack, Hirata cast Shunsui a rueful glance, his fingers brushing against the rough fabric of the peasant kimono he now wore.

"We were standing out far too much before – so this is much better."

"Not much warmer, but it will do." Shunsui nodded his head. "We came out here unprepared and neither one of us has any actual money with us, but it was a good idea of yours to trade your hair clasp for clothes and food, Hirata. Those things are often made of expensive metal – that was the real sealing of the deal, in honesty. As soon as I presented him with an Endou clasp, he couldn't provide us with enough."

"It'll be melted down and resold." Hirata agreed. "But to be truthful, I…sort of don't mind that. I almost feel…satisfied that something so associated with my family will be treated in that way. I only brought it with me to District Eight because I knew it would be a wedding and I'd be expected to dress as Clan – I prefer just tying my hair back with a white tie like I do at the Academy. Is that terrible? I just…have never felt so disconnected from my Clan as I do now."

"I can't blame you." Shunsui looked serious. "This place is abandoned and deserted. So was wherever we were last night. The place we walked through when my shunpo gave out was burned to the ground. Having met the refugees, I know…that this is where their journeys began. And that the Endou-ke ordered this…knowing that, I can't fault you for feeling that way at all."

"Mm." Hirata nodded, pulling the rough cloak around his shoulders with a shiver, and pushing his long, straying dark hair back behind his ear. "But I'm also resolved to…end it, now. I don't know if I can, Kyouraku-kun. But even so, I can't turn back."

"I'm going to assume that your hands are shaking because of cold, then, and not because of fright." Shunsui said gently, coming to pat his friend on the back. "But I don't really intend to let Seimaru kill you, you know. So I am going to help. First we'll find Juu, and then we'll see about your cousin. All right?"

"All right." Hirata nodded. "I don't want Ukitake-kun caught up in this any more than he already is. It's my fault for giving him that letter in the first place."

"It's his fault for being an idealistic idiot wanting to save the world." Shunsui said dryly. "But then, looking at us, I guess I can't say too much about that either, not at the moment."

He frowned.

"When we head back out there, Hirata, you mustn't call me Kyouraku-kun." He added. "Even dressed like this, it'll attract attention to us if you do."

"Then what will I call you?" Hirata looked blank. "And it will anyhow, if you call me Hirata or if you call me by my family's name. So…"

"I'll just try and remember not to use your name too much, I suppose." Shunsui pursed his lips. "But there's no reason you shouldn't call me Shunsui. Juu and Sora do…and I'm not particularly offended by it, if you start to. Kai's the only one you're really less formal with, and it's about time it stopped with Juu and I at the very least."

"I…suppose so." Hirata's cheeks pinkened, but he nodded his head. "I just…you're both older than me, and…and Kai-kun is…"

"Kai's not that much younger than me, and he's only a couple of months up on Juu." Shunsui said inexorably. "So if you can do it for Kai, you can do it for me. It'll be less conspicuous – so leave it at that, okay?"

Hirata looked rueful.

"Kai-kun pointed his dagger at my throat and told me that if I didn't, he would tattoo his name kanji onto my skin for me." He said softly. "I still don't know if he was kidding or not – but it was…when the Shihouin-ke were in…such a mess. And I hate being called by my family name, because I'm ashamed of them. Kai-kun took a lot of hassle from other people when Kamuki-sama was tried and executed…so I understood and I agreed not to call him Shihouin-kun any more."

"Well, I have Kai-kun's _wakizashi_. I could try the same technique." Shunsui said playfully. "But in all seriousness – there's no reason for you to be that formal with me. You were much younger than us in the first year, but things have changed. You've grown up a lot more than the rest of us, I think. And while we're here at least…it would be safer."

"All right." Hirata agreed. "I'll try to remember."

"And while I'm thinking about it…" Shunsui eyed his companion critically, then, "How well can you see without your glasses?"

"Mm. Blurry at best." Hirata grimaced. "I have done it before…roamed the wilds without them. But…my eyesight isn't very good over long distances. Not good at all, to be honest."

He removed the spectacles from his nose, blinking a couple of times, then sighing. "I'd say maybe…sixty percent of what I can see with the glasses I can see without them?"

"Then it probably isn't safe for you to travel without them. Pity." Shunsui gestured for him to put them back on. "They make you distinctive, but distinctive is better than foolishly vulnerable to attack. And this is your land. Not mine. I need you to be able to pick out that we're going the right way."

"We are." Hirata nodded, doing as he was bidden. "Outside this empty village is a knot of trees and I'm pretty sure if we follow the pathway through them we'll be on the right route to the main house. It's still some distance to walk – but we are in the right region, and your shunpo did take us closer than we would have managed to walk before sunrise."

"It's funny. I only seem to be able to use it effectively when Juu's in trouble." Shunsui reflected, as he pushed back the rickety remains of the shack door, peering out into the wintery daylight outside and nodding his head. "The coast is clear. We can move now. You'd think that with Uebashi's teaching, I'd have improved my technique – but I guess not."

"I'm not sure." Hirata said thoughtfully. "Ukitake-kun is in danger, but we don't know precisely where he is or whether we're heading in the right direction. I think your shunpo is quite good, K…_Shunsui_-kun. And it probably has got better."

He grinned self-consciously.

"If I survive this, I'm going to work doubly hard on mine next term." He added. "Now I've seen how it works first-hand, I think I understand better how to apply all the things we've learnt."

"You will survive it." Shunsui brushed his fingers against Kai's _wakizashi_. "I'm going to promise it, Hirata. We're both going to survive this little adventure and go home so that Nii-sama can chastise me into next month and Sumire-sama can tell you off for being irresponsible and reckless. Okay?"

Hirata was silent for a moment, then he shook his head.

"_This_ is my home." He said softly, all lightness gone from his voice as he surveyed the desolate landscape. "I may feel like a stranger in it, but seeing it like this reminds me of that fact most of all. This is what I've been running from for a very long time. Not just since I went to Midori-sama for help, but before that. Before I came to the Academy. Before Father thought about sending me away to train. The people here have suffered probably since before I was born. I can keep running away, but that won't change anything. I have to stop it. Eiraki-chan was right. Even if I'm weak and feeble and frightened of Seimaru, there's only me now who can. No matter what it takes…I have to."

"Then you also have to live." Shunsui told him sensibly. "All the more, in fact, if that's how you feel about it. Because there's no sense sacrificing your life taking down a despot. If you're the only one with the blood right to change this, then you have to see it through to the very end. So either way, you're going to live through it. All right? No more negative. You are. We both are. And so is Juu."

"Mmm." Hirata nodded slowly. "I suppose so. I suppose that's true, too."

"I'm taking action also." Shunsui reflected. "Nii-sama will be livid, probably. He should be, if I'm honest about it. I squirmed my way around the promises I made him and I guess I'm not as reliable as I told him I was, before. But I make a habit of not doing things that need doing too, Hirata. And it's time I stopped it, too."

He glanced at his friend expectantly.

"So? Which way now?"

"That way." Hirata pointed towards the faint trackway where the path led down to a cluster of raggedy, bare-branched trees. "Through there and out the other side. I'm quite sure."

"Okay. Then that's the way we're going." Shunsui nodded his head. "If you sense Juu's reiatsu at all, let me know, okay? I'll be looking out for it too – if we both do, one of us might get lucky."

"I've already been trying to find it." Hirata confessed. "And I would tell you, if I knew it was there."

"I know." Absently Shunsui reached across to ruffle Hirata's already windswept hair, and the younger boy let out an exclamation, pulling away from his touch indignantly.

"_Shunsui-kun_! I thought you said I wasn't a kid any more!"

"You're not." Shunsui grinned at him. "But I wanted to get that tragic look out of your eyes. You're very good at looking melancholy and troubled, and right now it's more unnerving than endearing, given our situation."

Hirata opened his mouth to retort, but the words faded on his lips as he heard the unmistakeable sound of hoofbeats across the frozen snow. His eyes widened and he grabbed Shunsui by the arm. Shunsui nodded grimly.

"We either run towards the forest or back towards the village." He said slowly. "Or we stay and fake it out, since running is suspicious and the snow isn't hard enough that we wouldn't leave tracks."

"If we run, it implies we have something to run from." Hirata murmured. "In District Seven, if you run…it means someone will come to try and catch you. It doesn't matter who or what your crime is – if you can sell someone to the authorities then you can feed your family for another week. Bad enough we have spiritual power – if anyone realised who we were…"

"Then we'll try and bluff it out." Shunsui said frankly, before Hirata could finish his sentence. "Using _kyakkou_ here would arouse suspicions, so suppress your reiatsu right down and we'll try and walk on by like two random peasants out for a winter stroll. You're good at hiding your spirit power, at least – I'll try and match you and we'll do our best to be insignificant."

"All right." Hirata nodded his head, pausing for a moment then slipping his spectacles off his nose. He pushed them into the rough brown sash, offering Shunsui a rueful glance.

"Less conspicious." He said softly. "Until the coast is clear."

Shunsui nodded his head, and Hirata was aware of his companion's neatly controlled reiatsu dropping to a barely perceivable level alongside him. Even so, however, his heart was in his throat as they rounded the exposed bend of the path, and for the first time they saw the horsemen, their beasts somewhat silhouetted by the feeble winter sun.

"Only two of them." Shunsui murmured. "I think I could out-shunpo two horses, if need be."

Hirata did not answer, his gaze fixed on the two riders as consternation began to creep into his heart.

"Hirata?" Shunsui nudged him, and Hirata swallowed hard.

"Look how they're dressed." He murmured. "No shunpo, Shunsui-kun. No kidou. Nothing. Just…keep walking. Don't even meet their eyes. Keep walking. And for goodness's sake bow as we pass them. Bow properly…all right?"

He reached to pull up the misshapen hood of the peasant's cloak over his head, gesturing for his companion to do the same.

"You know them." Shunsui did as he was told, but suspicion and curiosity glittered in his brown eyes. "Don't you?"

Hirata nodded almost imperceptibly.

"They're dressed in red and brown." He murmured. "And not soldier red and brown, either. They're not retainers, Shunsui-kun. They're Endou Clansmen."

"Clansmen?" Shunsui's expression became one of consternation. "Of what level?"

"Does it matter? They're members of Seimaru's council, else they wouldn't be robed that way." Hirata said flatly. "I don't know why they're here or what they're doing riding in these parts – but they can_not _find us. They cannot see us here. Even without my glasses…I'm fairly sure they'd know who I am."

"You know them even by name, then, don't you?" Shunsui surmised, and Hirata nodded.

"Raiden Umeki-dono and Jinkei Wataru-dono." He muttered. "I can tell by the specific cut and colour of their clothing even from this distance and even without my glasses. It's like an identity badge – how each family wears their Endou colours. It's unmistakeable."

He sighed.

"Both are fourth degree through a female line, but both have land-holdings and were stalwarts of my Grandfather's court. I saw both many times."

"Damn." Shunsui pursed his lips. "Then getting past them won't be easy. Maybe we should have turned back…but then, that might've made them suspicious, too."

"We'll keep walking." Hirata responded. "We have to, now. We've come too far to do anything else…we're in their line of sight."

Shunsui nodded, and Hirata was sure he could hear his heart pounding beneath his ribcage as the two shabbily dressed young students shuffled ever closer to the two men on their horses. At first Hirata thought the two noblemen had paid them no mind, for the clothes they had purchased were worn and nondescript and at a glance, with the hood drawn up, it would be difficult to even tell their age or gender, let alone their identity. But as they bowed their heads low to pass the riders, one of them suddenly tugged on his horse's reins, urging his beast to block their path.

Hirata faltered, but before he could do anything, Shunsui had slipped in front of him, raising his gaze to the nobles in feigned surprise.

"Why are you here?" The horseman – Hirata knew it was Raiden – peered down at Shunsui suspiciously. "No peasants have lived in that village for over six months now – what settlement have you come from, that you travel so openly despite the danger?"

"We became lost, sir." Shunsui spoke in muted, respectful tones, bowing his head towards Raiden once again. "We strayed from our path and as you see, became separated from our settlement."

The silence that followed seemed to last an age, then Raiden pulled his sword from his scabbard, reaching across to knock back Shunsui's cloak. As he did so, Hirata saw Shunsui tense, and in an instant he knew why. Concealed beneath the heavy fabric was the distinctive, Shihouin-hilted blade loaned to him by Kai, and though Shunsui had tried his best to cover it, it had been impossible to do so completely.

"Peasants do not carry arms as a matter of course." Raiden said softly. "Draw it please. I would see it for myself."

Shunsui seemed about to defy the nobleman, but Raiden's sword pointed more firmly at the Kyouraku boy's throat, a dark glint in his eyes. Shunsui flinched as a trickle of red blood began to run down his neck towards the collar of his clothing, but still he did not move to take the gold-hilted weapon from its hiding place, and Raiden frowned.

"I can cut it off your body." He said ominously. "After I slit your throat. It matters not to me how a peasant dies."

"Stand down!"

Before Hirata knew what he was doing, the words had already left his mouth and he had flung the hood of his cloak back, glaring at the two nobles indignantly. "Lower your blade, Raiden-dono! If you take his life, it will be your life next!"

At his exclamation, Raiden drew his sword back in surprise, and Shunsui turned, sending his classmate a look of alarm.

"What are you doing?" He hissed, and Hirata bit his lip, realising in that moment exactly where he was and how badly he had blown their cover.

"I…" He faltered, but Jinkei let out an exclamation, reaching out to grab Raiden by the arm.

"Raiden-dono!" He whispered. "Lower your sword, for God's sake! Do you not see who it is who gives you the order?"

Raiden's eyes widened as his gaze shifted from Shunsui's face to Hirata's, disbelief growing in his expression with every passing moment.

Hirata felt his whole body suddenly go very cold, as the old man's lips parted and two words dropped into the icy atmosphere.

"_H…H…Hirata-sama_?"

* * *

"This meeting of the Council will now come to order."

As the rich, austere tones of the Kuchiki Clan leader echoed out over the Great Hall, the assembled members of seven of the Eight great families began to settle, turning their attention to Guren as they read the identical tension in his grey eyes.

From his position to the Council Leader's left, Nagesu could feel the mingled reiatsu of his neighbouring Clanfolk, each buzzing with apprehension or displeasure at the suddenness of the summons. Yet not one individual defied Guren's sharp instruction, and when the chamber was silent once more, the Kuchiki spoke again.

"We are summoned on your order, Genryuusai-sama of the Yamamoto-ke." He said gravely, getting to his feet and gesturing for the old, wizened form of the ancient Sensei to do the same. "We have acquiesced to your instructions telling us to prepare for such a summoning, and now we are here. I see that your kinsman Hashihiko-dono does not attend – is this, then, a matter you wish to deal with directly?"

"I do." Genryuusai lowered his bald head gravely. "But with the assent and support of you all. I was not the one who sent the final summons. This matter is not a secret to any Clan and must be dealt with immediately…before it is allowed to get worse."

"Seimaru-dono is not here." Midori said thoughtfully. "And nor is there a representative of the Endou Clan present in his place. I thought as much when I saw the gold summons…are we to assume that at last, the axe of justice is about to fall on his overly ambitious head?"

"Midori-dono, please." Guren sent her a reproachful look. "Without knowing the particulars of the event…"

"I know the particulars of the event, Guren-sama, and in far greater detail than you do." Midori cut across him, shaking her head impatiently. "I have known of them for well over a year and a half now. But it is custom, is it not, to bring accusations against a fellow Clan leader only when you hold evidence to do so? My Uncle chose not to speak of it, therefore my Clan were helpless to do anything except obey the Council's strictures and attempt to rebuild in the aftermath of Uncle's execution. But if Seimaru-dono is not present, I know why we are summoned here. Someone must have proof…of the involvement of the Endou-ke in Uncle's _reidoku _experiments."

A sudden hush went over the chamber, and Nagesu felt his heart constrict in his chest.

So it was not over, after all. Had he ever truly believed it was?

He bit his lip, acknowledging to himself that he had not. He had hoped, that was all. He had hoped that with Kamuki's arraignment and execution, everything would once more be behind them. But again, this ghost of his Clan's past had reared its ugly head. And, as he had feared but not wanted to believe – the roots were far deeper than just the Shihouin.

Perhaps those roots were indeed still Urahara.

"Genryuusai-sama, is that the reason for our summons?" He asked softly, and Genryuusai's gaze drifted across the chamber to where Tokutarou got slowly to his feet. He was holding something made of folded paper – a letter of some kind, Nagesu thought, and at Genryuusai's signal, he began to read it aloud.

"_Greetings from the shrike's nest to the hunter in shadows_." He read soberly. "_All progresses as expected_. _I trust that before too long the weapon of choice will be neatly in your hands_. _Our people have been working hard on the formulae you've submitted to me from that kind danna-sama of yours in Second District and it seems work is progressing nicely now. The boy, I suppose, will be easy to convince that the order has come from his Uncle? He's too blind to accept it from any other source, so I'll be relying on you in that respect. Take the keystone and the building crumbles. And even if none of us are a match in blades - there are other ways to kill a cat._

_I will send confirmation via a more secure road when the errand is to be completed. I would like to come myself, but with my grandmother's keeper watching my every move I have to act cautiously to make sure I am not prevented. Even so, your diversions have proved successful and the trail grows cold in the direction of District Two. Your assistance will not be forgotten – when the deal is done, my people will reward you as promised. You need not worry about retribution from your own people. They – like the wizened husk of the man we seek to destroy – will soon lose any power they ever had to control even their own fate, let alone the fates of others."_

A moment of silence followed his reading, then,

"Tokutarou-dono, will you please enlighten us to what it was you just read?" Guren's voice was still somehow calm, though Nagesu could hear the faint ripple of dismay in the other man's normally distant tones. Tokutarou nodded.

"A letter penned from the Endou-ke to Aitori Hideaki, a former teacher at the Academy in District One." He said softly, stepping forward to hand the letter directly into Guren's waiting grasp. "I believe I do not need to spell out _which_ Endou, given the way the note is addressed."

"Indeed not."

Guren glanced it over for a moment, then,

"I ratified Seimaru-dono's sword myself some ten years ago – I remember quite clearly that it bore the spirit of a shrike, and I am sure Hashihiko-dono and Retsu-dono would be able to support me also in that assertion."

"I will do so now." Retsu said gravely. "Yojinmozu was indeed as you recall, Guren-sama."

"Thank you." Guren inclined his head towards her in acknowledgement of her words, then, "My key question is something quite different. Tokutarou-dono, this letter is written from an Endou to a Shihouin. You bear no formal alliance with either Clan - how did it come to be in your hands?"

"From Shihouin Kai-dono." Tokutarou glanced at Midori, then turned his gaze to Guren. "Acting as the messenger of Endou Hirata, who appears to have been concealing it since the death of Aitori two summers ago. And you are not quite correct, Guren-sama. Midori-sama and I are in the process of negotiating an alliance between the Kyouraku and the Shihouin – for this reason, she and her people have been open and frank with mine in many respects."

He paused to offer Midori a grave smile, and Midori returned it with a grim nod of her own.

"I have therefore spoken in some depth to the Shihouin heir and I understand the reference made to a 'boy' in the letter – Kai-dono has confirmed this 'boy' to be him, though I do not believe him to have been guilty in the conspiracy."

"He was not. I stand surety for my brother's honour in this regard." Midori interjected at this point. "The Council found him innocent and I will stand by that finding. He knew of the plan, but tried to prevent it and was assaulted by a kinsman because of that resistance. That kinsman was Onoe Tomoyuki – the nephew of Aitori Hideaki and the boy who, with Kai's refusal, was next earmarked to carry out the assassination."

"We should, then, speak to the Onoe boy." Kyouki murmured, but Retsu shook her head.

"That will not be possible." She said softly. "Onoe Tomoyuki-dono was also a student at the Academy and I had involvement in his care after the incident with Shihouin Kai-dono. He took a powerful soporific that all but stole away his life – I imagine his condition now, if he still lives, remains very much the same."

"He is still comatose." Midori agreed soberly. "Whatever his involvement, it is not possible to call him before the Council as witness."

"There is no hope for a change in his condition?" Tokutarou glanced at Retsu, who shook her head again.

"If he regains his wits, that will be enough." She said evenly. "But the chance of him still having memory even of his own family is very slim indeed. Of a matter of this nature? The evidence was erased when he took the Eiminyaku. I am sorry, Tokutarou-sama. It is my professional opinion that Onoe-kun will never be able to speak of his involvement or otherwise in this scheme."

"Even so, we _do_ have a Shihouin who seems to have some further knowledge than the rest of us." Guren's eyes flitted accusingly to the young Shihouin. "Evidence, if my information is accurate, that led to the recipient of this document being cut down within his own dwelling."

Midori nodded her head.

"It wasn't a Council matter, then, but I killed Aitori for the reasons stated in that letter." She said matter-of-factly. "He was betraying us – as that clearly proves – in favour of the Endou who wanted to lay all the blame at our door and take over our land and territory by framing us for all of the work with the _reidoku_. Any true-blooded Clansman or woman would act the same against a traitor posing a threat to the whole family – even yourself, I imagine, Guren-sama."

"I am not usually in the habit of having to cut down Kuchiki kinsfolk." Guren said, a faint coldness in his tones. "But I accept that what you say is true, at least by Shihouin standards. The one who received this was clearly guilty of treason against his Clan. I am not raising the matter of his death as a subject of Council jurisdiction – but the rest of its contents and the information you have on them would be beneficial to us all in this current situation. You said before you could not speak – now, I would say that not to do so would put the fragile Shihouin-ke in a once more negative light."

"I have nothing to hide." Midori shook her head. "I've been happy to reveal this at any moment, but I kept quiet because Hirata asked me to. I didn't have the proof – I had seen it, but he would not trust it to me, and so I could not override him and use it to prevent Seimaru-dono being sworn into the Gotei. You forget that it was my Clan he sought to hurt most of all – and that is something I would not easily forgive. And besides, there is more to this than simple studies into _reidoku_ that were ill-advised but not originally intended to blow up on this scale. There is the other matter of Seimaru-dono plotting a significant murder – the aftermath of which he believed would be enough to destroy the Shihouin forever."

She frowned, her eyes becoming near slits as she remembered.

"Unfortunately for him, I didn't see things that way." She murmured.

"A significant murder." Retsu spoke softly. "Genryuusai-sama…?"

"Yes." Genryuusai agreed evenly. "The target of their planned assassination was me. The Endou and the Shihouin were united in their fear and prejudice against what my Academy had begun to do. Fortunately, however, the Shihouin were blessed with at least one sharp young mind with the will to stand in their way. Thanks to that, I believe, the Shihouin have survived and begun to blossom once more in District Two."

Midori inclined her head slightly at the compliment, and Guren frowned, rubbing his temples.

"I cannot conceive this." He murmured. "That a Clan member of any level would seek to murder one held in as high esteem as yourself, Genryuusai-sama. Or that he thought he could achieve it…why did Kamuki-dono not mention any of this before our sentencing court? If he had…if he had…"

"Like me, he had no clear proof." Midori said helplessly. "And he was also guilty, Guren-sama. I am not trying to offload my Clan's guilt onto another's head. But I would like it made known for the record that what I speak of refers to then, not to now. Our family have been punished and have moved on. We are no longer involved in the provision of _reidoku_ on any level."

"But you believe the Endou-ke are?" Guren asked. Midori shrugged.

"I believe Seimaru is." She agreed candidly, causing murmurs from the shadows at her casual use of his name. "I've fought him, blade to blade and he's weak, but he's the kind who seeks to be strong. And he planned to use _reidoku_ as his weapon against Genryuusai-sama – I don't see why that modus operandi would have changed."

"You think he still plans to...?" Nagesu's eyes widened.

"Well, his first attempts failed, but it doesn't mean that he wouldn't consider it." Midori said astutely. "I know this man…I was engaged to him and I lived in his District for long enough to learn that he was a thoroughly unpleasant individual."

"But Hirata-dono is an exile, is he not?" Nagesu pointed out. "Tokutarou-sama, you say he has been concealing it?"

"To protect his family." Kyouki observed quietly. "You may not realise, Nagesu-dono – but there is still a rift in Seven as wide as a river between both halves of the Endou-ke. Shouichi-sama had begun to bridge that gap – by bringing his surviving son back into his politics. But Seimaru does not share those ambitions. He hates Misashi-dono and his family with a vengeance – and it seems to be a mutual state of affairs. Misashi-dono is currently a prisoner in an unknown location in District Seven – at the very least, providing he still lives. His wife and daughter are refugees seeking shelter in my kinsman's land in District Eight. When this letter was discovered, I imagine all three of them were precariously placed in District Seven and Hirata feared bringing this to our attention because of the risk of them being caught up in the fallout. He didn't then have a Clan he could trust. Perhaps he now has affiliations with the Shihouin – but I imagine he was still wary of putting his family in danger."

"Yet now he doesn't think so?" Guren asked.

"Now he seems to be acting on his last trump card." Kyouki replied. "I'm not well acquainted with the young Endou boy and I'm finding it a shame that I'm not, because already he seems quite an interesting child. He seems meek and shy at first encounter – the kind of boy you'd easily forget in a split-second and one who'd disappear into a corner without anyone noticing he was gone. And yet…all of this…"

"Endou Hirata is an extremely gifted young boy." Genryuusai said softly. "But one who has lived in the constant shadow and threat of his more brutal Clan fellows. When Misashi-dono sent him to me for training, he acknowledged as much in his letter. I know as well as anyone that spiritual gifts are nothing unless they are trained in the right way – and unless the one who possesses them has the confidence to use them. In the last year, I've seen that young boy improve considerably in both regards. He will never be a vicious sword fighter like his anticedents. But he should not be overlooked. He understands circumstances very well – far more than meets the eye."

"It almost seems as though you wish to persuade the Council to interfere with sovereignty in District Seven and displace Seimaru-dono in Hirata-dono's favour." Guren's lips thinned. "Yet to do so on evidence more than a year old…perhaps Seimaru-dono was involved – almost certainly this was written by his hand. But if he had done so at the coercion of his Grandfather? We do not have Kamuki-dono to testify in this regard, nor the young boy Onoe. Without hard proof that the matter is still ongoing…this letter could easily be overturned."

"It is in the Council's interests to investigate the matter." Genryuusai said calmly. "Now it has been brought correctly to light."

"We ought also to speak to Hirata-dono himself, and find out his motives in all of this." Nagesu pointed out. "He is a student of Genryuusai-sama's, but even so…surely he is still too young to be considered for the Clan?"

"He is a second year." Genryuusai agreed. "And could stand more training yet. He is just seventeen, I believe – three years shy of his formal majority. However, I don't think…that we're going to be given that time before the Council will have to formally declare an allegiance."

"The Council cannot declare in the favour of a minor." Nagesu pointed out.

"It also cannot declare in the favour of someone acting in breach of its own laws." Kyouki responded. "Genryuusai-sama, please, think carefully. If this is what you're asking of us…believe me, there's nothing I'd like better than to go in there and whip some discipline into that firesworded snot-nosed excuse for a Clan leader. However…"

"If Seimaru and Hirata are both no good, then the Endou-ke cannot be sustained." Tokutarou's eyes darkened. "Which would mean a protectorate at my borders."

"Not necessarily." Midori shook her head. "If Genryuusai-sama is asking us to rally behind Hirata's claim and to take action against Seimaru – then we should be doing just that. We have some evidence. We will find more evidence. Hirata himself can provide plenty. And you're forgetting, all of you, that Hirata's father is still involved. Misashi-dono is Seimaru's current successor. Not Hirata. Misashi-dono is of age and the Council would accept him as such. Tokutarou-dono is proof that a Clan leader need not be Gotei to rule successfully and wisely. Therefore _Misashi-dono_ is the candidate in whose name the Council should now act."

"We do not even know for certain that he is alive." Guren pointed out, and Midori snorted.

"A feeble response from a so-called Clan leader." She said derisively. "Of course he still lives, Guren-sama! Seimaru is not as foolish as all that! To kill Misashi-dono would be to immediately make Hirata his heir and perhaps encourage those uneasy within the Endou ranks to take action and oppose him in favour of their prodigal son. Hirata's greater family have not denounced the boy, even if Seimaru himself has, and he is too new a Clan leader to be certain of security. You forget, even if the Council don't judge a majority till the age of twenty – some Clans see adulthood much sooner. If Hirata was by some fluke to come back and fight Seimaru – defeat Seimaru – then at seventeen the Endou-ke would accept him as their leader. Even if the Council did not…Seimaru can't take the risk."

"Midori-dono is correct." Genryuusai agreed levelly, before Guren's pride could rise up in protest against Midori's blunt speech. "At least in her meaning, if not the tone of her words. Each Clan has specific traditions and the Endou-ke are a warrior Clan. Seimaru does not know how strong Hirata currently is, but he knows one thing for certain. He knows the boy's potential surpasses his own. Therefore I suspect Misashi-dono is still alive. And…that before that changes – the Council should act."

"Although there's a small glitch in all of this. Hirata's current whereabouts are unknown." Tokutarou said grimly. "Along with the exact location of my younger brother Shunsui and the District boy, Ukitake Juushirou."

"Seimaru-sama has taken them as prisoners?" Retsu's face paled, and Tokutarou shrugged.

"From the hysterical wailings of the other young ones currently staying in my land, it appears that Juushirou may have been taken as a hostage of some kind." He admitted. "At the very least, if he wasn't taken by force, he is now in some kind of danger. A message was sent to Hirata to lure him to District Seven and apparently Shunsui decided to go with him. Kai-dono told me that that was Hirata's reason for giving him the letter – to act in his absence in case he had taken a one way trip into danger to face his cousin. I was away from the manor when this happened – unless people have forgotten, it's only a matter of a few days since I married Rae-hime and that ceremony and its aftermath seems to have been used as some kind of distraction. The exact events are unclear – but since my guardsfolk were drugged with some unknown sedative the night Juushirou disappeared, I suspect engineered foul play. And more than that."

He raised his gaze, meeting Nagesu's startled eyes with clouded brown ones of his own.

"I believe an Urahara to be involved."

"An Urahara?" Guren's gaze too flitted to Nagesu, and the uneasy feeling in the District Three Clan head's heart began to grow. He frowned, then,

"Such a thing is not impossible." He admitted reluctantly. "Although I can assure the Council that no undertakings of that nature have been made with my knowledge."

"Shouichi-sama said he was hunting Urahara. Rebel Urahara." Kyouki said frankly. "And then Shouichi-sama conveniently died in very suspicious circumstances."

"Retsu-dono, you inspected Shouichi-dono's corpse." Guren glanced at the Unohana. "There was nothing amiss in his death?"

"There were a good many questions that remain unanswered." Retsu said gravely. "But in the absence of proof, Guren-sama, one cannot register a death as suspected murder. There was no indication at the scene that Shouichi-sama's sword had been released, or that a fight had taken place. Therefore there was no other option but to declare the death an accident."

"But you had reservations, even so?" Kyouki asked softly. Retsu sighed.

"Misashi-dono was very afraid his father's death had been murder, and I did what I could to waylay those fears." She said heavily. "I saw nothing of particular significance in my examination and I am only guided by the corpse itself. The dead speak in tongues, Kyouki-sama – and sometimes interpreting their words is more difficult than others. Shouichi-sama died because he fell from the bank onto the stones below. This is a fact. A stone broke his rib and the broken bone penetrated his heart. This is also fact. His heart suffered severe, if unexpectedly fatal damage. Another fact. Why he fell? I do not know. But since Hijirobaya was not unsealed, and since Misashi-dono assured me the entire rest of the Endou-ke's potential suspects had unfailing alibis in each other's testimony…nothing more could be done. There were no illicit substances in Shouichi-sama's blood or body fluids that suggested foul play. If there was no other at the scene, and no drug administered – then I can only rule the death an unhappy accident. Even if…deep down…there are questions I cannot answer."

"In short, yes." Tokutarou sighed.

"Retsu-dono acted properly." Genryuusai shook his head. "Suspicions without proof are nothing more than rumours or gossip. Just as Midori-dono said before – without the letter, claims could not be made against Seimaru-dono. And now, without further evidence, claims cannot be made that Shouichi-dono was murdered."

His eyes narrowed.

"Although I believe not a single one of us now doubts that he was, those must, for now, remain simply our private suspicions and not matters for Council concern." He murmured. "In the meantime, I am aware that Seimaru-dono has assured the Council that the Urahara have been killed and vanquished. This conflicts with your belief, Tokutarou-dono."

"And I don't have hard proof for it, either." Tokutarou admitted. "Hearsay is nothing but that, in the end. But before I left here, I spoke to Eiraki-hime and I spoke to Kibana Hiroto, Misashi-dono's servant. Both of them gave me cause to believe an Urahara is not only alive but…quite probably…right at the heart of this whole affair."

"And it seems Nagesu-dono knows a little about it, too." Genryuusai said thoughtfully. "Nagesu-dono, would you please tell us whatever it is that's caused your face to drain of colour so quickly?"

Nagesu sighed heavily, reaching up to remove his glasses and rubbing them absently against his robes.

"I also don't _know_ anything." He said heavily. "I wish I did, because then I could be of more assistance. I am only aware of possibilities, Genryuusai-sama. Possibilities which may waste time and lead people to the wrong conclusions. However…"

"Before his imprisonment, Misashi-sama gave me the name 'Urahara Keitarou'." Midori said quietly.

"This same name was the name given to me independantly by Eiraki-hime." Tokutarou added. "Nagesu-dono, is that a name you know?"

Nagesu's heart sank even further, and he nodded his head.

"Yes." He acknowledged. "Though it belongs to someone I have not seen in more than a century…not since I was a young boy."

"This has a connection to Keitsune-sama, then." Guren asked, and Nagesu nodded.

"A hundred years ago my Father disowned his brother and signed a warrant agreeing that he would not intervene in the Council's justice against Keitsune-jisama as regards the _reidoku_." He agreed sadly. "I was eight years old at the time, but I still remember the confusion and the number of people who suddenly disappeared from my immediate vicinity. One of them was my cousin – Keitsune-jisama's only son. He was only a boy of four years – but his name was Keitarou. I would not forget that – not so long as I lived – for I was the one who taught him the characters that made up his name."

"And there is a possibility this young boy may have survived?" Retsu asked. Genryuusai nodded his head.

"Before Keitsune and his companions were executed, many of their wives and children disappeared." He agreed. "It's said they fled with a nomadic people, and Rikaya-dono spent much of the rest of his life persecuting this race in the hope of tracing the whereabouts of these missing people. Some also travelled into District Two where Kamuki-dono protected them – a matter that caused some level of unrest between the Shihouin and the Urahara."

"There was a war." Midori confirmed. "Which my Uncle won, but lost his children in the process."

"I have not continued my Father's policies of persecution." Nagesu continued slowly. "To me, those people were already punished simply by association. I don't fault Father's judgement in what he did – with the _reidoku_ as serious a situation as I know it was, he had no choice but to submit my Uncle to the Council's justice or risk the security of the whole Clan. He chose to save the many rather than protect the few – however, I was only a child when this happened, and I didn't want to rule a Clan tainted by the shadow of that memory. So I…I have not looked for exiled Urahara. I have not persecuted the nomadic peoples and I have…done my best…to bring my Clan back into order."

"I suspect this Keitarou has been in District Seven a long time. By the evidence of the letter, long enough to have a working relationship with the Endou-ke." Guren pursed his lips. "All right. I am satisfied then that Council members have reason to go to District Seven – particularly in light of the immediate risk to the life of one Clan heir and another who might become a Clan heir, should things be settled in the right way."

"_And_ a District boy who this world needs as much as any of the others." Genryuusai said chidingly. "_His_ life is in danger too."

"I realise, however…"

"A child ratified by the Council is a shinigami that the Council should protect." Kyouki said firmly. "We accepted him, Guren-sama. _You_ accepted him. He is a part of our spiritual family now even if he is not Clan."

"Guren-sama will not forsake the boy Ukitake." Genryuusai said comfortably. "Whether he seeks to be distant in his judgement or not, he has no wish to see the child die, either."

"Genryuusai-sama?" Guren stared at the old man, suddenly discomfitted, and Genryuusai smiled. He nodded.

"I know who Raiko was. I trained her, so of course I knew." He said softly. "And I know that even despite her bloodline, you would not see her son killed without raising a hand to help. Juushirou is as much Kuchiki in pride as you are – but he has ideals and values that are all his own. His sword represents justice even in the characters that name it – and what is the Council if not a body that protects justice?"

"Genryuusai-sama is right." Nagesu nodded his head, inwardly making up his mind. "Genryuusai-sama, I will gladly go to District Seven. Even if that means facing and cutting my own blood cousin down – I will stand by the Council's duties and I will go."

"My brother is in danger. Of course I will go." Tokutarou said, and Kyouki nodded.

"I also, to fight the battles Tokkun wants to, but won't be able to." She said astutely. "For Shunsui's sake and for Juushirou's sake – I'll go."

"I'm Hirata's ally. Misashi-dono's too. They're relying on me to go." Midori added her voice to the conversation.

"I will go to heal the injured." Retsu said softly. "Because in a matter like this, there is bound to be blood spilt."

Guren sighed, and Nagesu saw the resignation in his grey eyes.

"Raiko was outside the degrees of kinship." He said quietly. "In that respect, her son is no responsibility of mine. But I was fond of her, and I will not forsake her descendant. You are right, Genryuusai-sama. I too will go to District Seven. But I will not raise blades – if I go, I go as a peacekeeper, not to release my _zanpakutou_ in a foreign land on a people who already suffer more than their fair share."

"Then the decision is unanimous." Genryuusai smiled. "We should leave at once, then. We must find and free Misashi-dono, gather the truth about Seimaru-dono's actions and discover this rebel Urahara since he seems to be in breach of our Council peace. And we must also save the young ones who seek to do what we should already be doing – they are our future and we must stop them being killed before they have a chance to make their mark on it. Even if it means a protectorate in place over District Seven – justice must be allowed to prevail."

Guren nodded solemnly.

"The verdict is clear." He said at length. "The Council has spoken. We will go."

* * *

It was probably growing late.

Juushirou sat back against the wall of the torture chamber, setting his sword down at his side with a heavy sigh as his gaze flitted around the smooth, rounded room. It was difficult in this underground world to know whether it was night or day, and though he had only been there for a short few days, every minute dragged into every hour, each hour seeming an eternity from start to end.

The heavy _Sekkiseki _environment, damped though it was, made him feel shut in and stifled, and the lack of natural light and air were beginning to irritate his delicate chest. He had not perceived it before, how much of an outside person he was, for he had spent so much of his young life cooped up in bed with a fever or the fatigue that followed a particularly bad bout of coughing. Yet now he remembered with startling clarity how even on his most unwell of days at home, Anika had propped his window open so that he could smell the soft sea air and know that not far from where he lay, the waves were lapping gently against the shore, waiting patiently for him to recover and come and visit them.

His world was storm and sea. Sougyo no Kotowari had taught him this, and in that moment, in the dimly lit, stonewalled chamber, he felt it starkly once again. He was not locked in his cell, but he did not need to be. He was a prisoner, and he was not sure how much longer he could take it.

How Shikiki had managed so long in this underground labyrinth, he did not know. But then Shikiki was a child, and a child who looked for Keitarou for protection. Perhaps for her the horrors she had encountered in the outside world overrode the dark gloom of being constantly a prisoner in a place where people had suffered and died, one after the other. Though the place was meticulously clean, Juushirou could still feel it when his blade was released - the faint, disjointed fragments of the dead who had spent their last moments in this place. No, he did not like it. He did not like it at all. And somehow, he knew, he had to find a way out.

_I'm not going to sit here and be rescued. I'm not going to sit here and let them be enticed into rescuing me. _

He clenched and unclenched his fists, resolution growing inside of him as he reflected on each of his friends in turn.

_They all have more to lose than me. They're all less well trained than me. Even if they're Clan - even Shunsui...I'm the only one in our class to hold a_ zanpakutou_. True, I barely know anything about it, yet. But I'm beginning to, little by little._

He reached out a hand to brush against the blade, stifling the urge to cough. He had pushed himself through his paces relentlessly, releasing and sealing the blade again and again until he had finally sensed the moment in his blade's divide when the two weapons diverged into separate entities. Keitarou had been right, after all, he relected pensively. His swords were part of the same weapon, yet their auras were minutely different to one another. And he now knew what he had not known before. That his swords were not just a pair - they were designed to _work_ as a pair, too.

He frowned.

_Did Keitarou-san tell me about my sword in the hope I'd train here and find that out for myself? Maybe he did. He seems fairly sure he can manipulate my actions, so probably he thought if he put the idea into my head, I'd spend this time down here alone putting those concepts into action. Still, even if that's so, it isn't as though I did it for his benefit. Just because he gave me some advice and it happened to be true...doesn't mean I'm at all indebted to him in any way._

He sighed, pulling himself to his feet and reaching for his sword.

_Enough for now. Keitarou-san will probably come back here soon, anyhow...if it really is getting later. It feels like I've been practicing for ages...well, perhaps I have, for all I know. This place has no time at all, so I might practice the whole night through and still not know whether or not the dawn's come. I hate feeling so much in limbo...the sooner I find a way to leave here the better._

He slid the bared weapon through the rough sash at his waist, reaching across to pull back the door of the torture chamber and stepping over the threshold into the dark corridor beyond. As he did so, however, he felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere and he froze, a sense of unease rippling through his heart as he tried to place its meaning. The next moment he heard Shikiki's shriek of alarm, and that was enough to force movement into his limbs, his fingers never leaving Sougyo no Kotowari's hilt as he hurried forward to the young girl's aid.

He had half expected to find another half-Hollow humanoid lumbering across Keitarou's lab as a second form of a test, but as he reached the other end of the corridor, he realised that he was mistaken. Shikiki was cowering under one of Keitarou's units, terror in her aqua eyes as she gazed up at an intruder in distress and fear, and as Juushirou's gaze rested on the interloper, he felt a mixture of indignation and apprehension swell inside of him.

"Seimaru."

Before he knew what he was doing, he had spoken the word aloud, and the Clansman turned, his eyes no more than slits as he regarded the District shinigami.

He was robed in fine Endou silks, the dark red and brown of the Seventh District Clan embroidered with the badge of the hunting bird at his throat. Over his shoulders he now wore the _haori _that Juushirou remembered from his brief encounter with Shouichi in the Council Chamber that now seemed like so long ago, and something about its pristine whiteness made the young boy angry. Its purity was in stark contrast to the deep ruby of the man's _obi_, and despite the obviously expensive nature of the fabric, too Juushirou it just seemed as though Seimaru's sash had been dipped in blood.

"Ukitake Juushirou." He spoke now, his tones soft and even, yet Juushirou could tell from his reiatsu that he was far from calm. He had suppressed his presence on entering the hideout, the Sekkiseki further distorting it so that it had been impossible to identify his coming from the torture chamber - yet now there was no mistaking the sly, murderous intent that bristled about Seimaru's body as he glowered at his scientist's prey.

There was a moment of silence, then Seimaru smirked.

"Well. It seems I don't get to torture the brat after all." He said, a faint note of mocking disappointment in his tones as he gazed at her derisively. "Since she didn't want to tell me where to find you, I imagine that means you've formed some type of peasant solidarity between you?"

"Did you hurt Shikiki?" Juushirou demanded, and Seimaru laughed.

"I see you have." He observed. "Funny things, you peasants. It's something Aizen never heeds me on - the peculiar, pack instinct that lower beings seem to find so reassuring. You are of no material use to anyone, not with that sheep-like mentality and those empty, senseless eyes. All of you are the same. One after another, producing generation after generation of people who do nothing but eat, toil and die. I do not understand it...why Aizen is so interested in creatures like you."

"Answer my question." Juushirou knew he was being reckless now, but his edgy temper and the indignant prickle of his sword against his senses would not let him back down. "I asked if you had hurt Shikiki. You surely know the answer to that, Seimaru-dono, if you're in possession of such superior wits."

"I neither know nor care whether peasants feel pain." Seimaru snapped back. "But it seems that even time down here in Aizen's laboratory hasn't dampened your coarse tongue nor taught you submission. It's a good thing I came here...I'll do that myself."

Juushirou's grip around Sougyo no Kotowari's hilt tightened, adrenalin coursing through his body as he met Seimaru's gaze defiantly.

"It saves me coming to look for you, that's all." He said coldly. "Shikiki, go to the round room. Go there and stay there, do you understand? Here is dangerous. You might get hurt."

"I'm not going nowhere." Shikiki shook her head, distress in her aqua eyes. "I'm not going, Juu-nii! _I'm not going_!"

"Shikiki!"

"_I won't go_!" Shikiki screamed, her words more than half hysterical as tears spilled down her cheeks."Dai-nii made me stay behind! Dai-nii made me hide and be safe and Dai-nii died! I couldn't help Dai-nii by staying behind, so I'm_ not going to leave_!"

Seimaru sighed, tapping his fingers against Yojinmozu's hilt.

"It should be heart-warming, but it simply makes me nauseous." He said cruelly. "A screeching brat and a peasant boy who thinks he has the right to take on the world just because one crazy old nobleman took pity on him and decided to use him to further his own ends. You're nothing other than Yamamoto Genryuusai's pet project, Ukitake. You have no right to stand there before me - no right to think you can defend against me, and certainly no right to believe you can protect that child from my fire curse. You saw one friend struck down with it, didn't you? Would you like it, then, if I made her my next target?"

"I would very much appreciate it if there was no fire released in my underground laboratory, Seimaru-sama."

Keitarou's tones cut through the confrontation at that moment, and Juushirou was struck by how relieved he was to hear the man's voice. "Since a lot of my paperwork is stored here, not to mention the final version of the _reidoku_ formula - it would be costly and time consuming to replace. Even with the precaution of _Sekkiseki_ flanking the outer walls...I imagine there might be some people who would become suspicious if an area of the manor suddenly started to burn down."

"Aizen." Seimaru turned, sending his subordinate a dark look, then, "Do you think I cannot control my own _zanpakutou_?"

"Of course not." Keitarou responded, his tones respectful and polite yet Juushirou got the distinct feeling the scientist was mocking the young Endou with his deference. "Only, I'm not so sure about Ukitake. And since his_ zanpakutou_'s innate ability involves absorbing power and firing it back out into the ether - any careless moves may create us both a considerable amount of problems."

"His _zanpakutou_." Seimaru spat the words out, stalking suddenly across the chamber and grabbing Juushirou by the arm. Momentarily taken off guard, Juushirou could not react as the older man wrenched Sougyo no Kotowari from his grip, glancing at it and then tossing it with disdain across the room. It clattered against the hard floor, the sound echoing in the stonewalled dungeon, and Juushirou felt a jolt of fear and pain rush through his senses as Sougyo no Kotowari's feelings mingled once more with his own.

"A toy, not a_ zanpakutou_. He is not Clan. I may accept you hold such a blade, Aizen, considering your true birth. But this one? I will not. So long as I live, I will _not _accept that any District underling could assemble spirit power enough to raise a true shinigami sword."

Keitarou eyed him for a moment, then,

"Why are you here, Seimaru-sama?" He asked curiously. "I had thought you intended to retire to your quarters and attend to Clan business - did something untoward occur in the meantime?"

"Something untoward, he says." Seimaru's gaze became black and he wheeled on the scientist, Juushirou momentarily forgotten. He grabbed Aizen by the throat, pushing him up against the wall, and Juushirou drew breath sharply, even as Shikiki let out a cry of dismay.

"Kei-nii! No! Seimaru-sama, please, don't hurt Kei-nii! Don't hurt him!"

"It's quite all right, Shikiki." Keitarou was still calm, despite the fact Seimaru had him pinned firmly against the cold stone wall. "Stay where you are. You too, Juushirou. You've been foolish enough to raise your sword to a Clan Leader - don't make it worse by seeking to retrieve your weapon whilst Seimaru-sama is otherwise occupied."

Juushirou, who had been on the verge of doing just that, faltered, sending Keitarou a look of consternation.

Was he in danger? Was the scientist really overpowered by Seimaru's burst of rage? He was not fighting back, yet in that moment, Juushirou had the distinct impression that it was not because he could not. He was not trapped because Seimaru had taken him off guard. He was trapped simply because he had chosen to let Seimaru trap him...and he had done so...to...

_  
To take attention away from Shikiki and I?_

The realisation struck through Juushirou to the core.

_Is he protecting us? Protecting the _reidoku_? Protecting...something else?_

"I am not afraid of your peasants, Aizen." Seimaru tightened his grip, his gaze seemingly boring into the scientist's own. "But I came here to claim the District boy. My patience has worn out. I want him now."

"I don't understand." Keitarou gently disentangled himself from the other's grasp, eying Seimaru in concern. "We had a clear agreement, Seimaru-sama. Juushirou was to be in my custody."

"Until Hirata came here. Yes."

Juushirou bit his lip at the sound of his friend's name, and Keitarou arched an eyebrow.

"Such a thing has occurred?"

"I have no clear proof." Seimaru shook his head, and Juushirou could feel the agitation pulsing at the edge of the man's aura. "But two of my nobles have absconded, and the rumour is that they have defected to his cause. That they have ridden in breach of my laws in search of his banner...and that they seek to back him against me for possession of this Clan."

"Then you will simply have to cut him down, and them too." Keitarou said evenly. "Such a thing should not be difficult - I thought that was your end objective, in any case."

"You told me that Hirata would act alone." Seimaru shook his head impatiently. "That he would not seek help - could not seek help. That that snivelling creature whose sword my Grandfather dared ratify was the only one who knew the whereabouts of that damn letter, and the only one in whom Hirata would confide. Take him, take Hirata, and its all over. That was what you said. But do you know something, Aizen?"

"I imagine not, my Lord, though I would be happy if you would tell me." Keitarou responded, and Seimaru growled, irritation in his gaze.

"I sent word to the border in reply to that arrogant fool Tokutarou's elevated claims over my kin." He said darkly. "And I learnt from the messenger that returned that Tokutarou was not in District Eight. That he had been summoned to Inner Seireitei...that the Council had been called into emergency session and as a result, both Shiba and Kyouraku soldiers flanked the divide."

"I see." Keitarou murmured. "And this caused you concern?"

"Of course it did!" Seimaru exclaimed. "Are you quite stupid, or do you only see science and nothing else before you? The Council, Aizen! The Council of Elders! A summons to the Council - of which I am a member, yet I did not receive any such summons! They have met...they have met without me...and now...my nobles are disappearing and I intend to take the Ukitake boy! He is my hostage now - I overrule you! I will use him and force them to retreat - force Hirata to surrender, force everyone to..."

"Seimaru-sama, please. Calm down." Keitarou held up his hands, slowly shaking his head. "I understand your concern, but please, think again."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Seimaru growled. "This is not..."

"The _reidoku_ is ready." Keitarou interrupted calmly. "And the Council can have no proof against you of anything. I am quite sure that Ukitake Juushirou was the one in whom Hirata-sama entrusted the letter you so desperately seek."

Juushirou stiffened involuntarily, and Keitarou's gaze flitted to him momentarily, daring him to deny it. For some reason, the words died in Juushirou's throat, and he swallowed hard, lowering his gaze to the floor.

"If, however, you were to start claiming hostages and sending threats, then the Council would have reason to arrest you." Keitarou continued slowly. "If they come, you should greet them warmly and welcome them into your home. This place is sealed. They will not find it, I guarantee you that, and none of my research material remains in the deserted village. Juushirou is concealed here, and so any stories that you have him are impossible to prove. Perhaps he was kidnapped by a rogue Urahara - certainly, any clues in District Eight lead back to me and not in any way to you. It was how we agreed it, and I am more than content to be your scapegoat. Juushirou is my prize - the _reidoku_ is yours. With it you will be sure to defeat any opponent - no doubt, destroy the cousin you so despise and consolidate your hold on your Clan. But if you upset the Council before that point...it will all be over. Do you see my meaning, Seimaru-sama? If you act rashly now, everything will have been for nothing."

For a moment, Juushirou thought Seimaru would hit out at Keitarou, then he sighed, banging his fists instead against the hard stone wall.

"Your logic makes me hate you and sometimes I would happily pound through your bones to the flesh beneath." He muttered. "But in your logic there is truth, and so I will not. Dammit, I will not. However..."

He glanced at Juushirou, malevolence in his gaze.

"That one I will still kill, when Hirata is no longer a problem." He said coldly. "I will not destroy your lab, this time - nor take your toy away from you. Not yet. But in return, I want the _reidoku_, Aizen. I want it now...in exchange for my letting you keep that boy's life a little longer."

"Yes, sir." Keitarou inclined his head slightly. "I had already planned to give it to you in the next few days, so now is perfect timing."

"No!" Juushirou could not prevent himself from crying out, but Keitarou did not pay him any heed, instead turning his attention to Shikiki.

"Shikiki, take Juushirou's sword and Juushirou and go to the round room." He said softly, his tones gentle enough to break through the young girl's terror. "Go now - make sure he goes with you. It's not safe for you to be nearby when I open my vault - what I have is for Seimaru-sama's eyes only. Do you understand?"

"Y...yes, Kei-nii." Shikiki dried her eyes, getting slowly but obediently to her feet and trotting across the chamber to pick up the discarded Sougyo no Kotowari. She paused as she did so, meeting Juushirou's gaze from the other side of the room.

"You have to come with me, Juu-nii." She murmured, her eyes beseeching him to follow her. "Please. To the round room. Kei-nii said so - we have to go there now."

"I don't..." Juushirou faltered, but Keitarou flicked his fingers in the direction of the door.

"If you do not, someone will get hurt." He said quietly. "I know you will regret that, if it happens. Go there, and wait for me. You have nothing to fear, so long as you obey me now."

Juushirou bit his lip, but Shikiki took the decision out of his hands, coming towards him and tugging plaintively on the sleeve of his robe.

"Please, Juu-nii." She begged. "I don't want to be in that room alone."

Juushirou sighed, but slowly nodded his head.

"All right." He agreed reluctantly. "I...I'm coming, Shiki-chan. Don't look like that. I'm not going to disobey."

"Good boy." Keitarou smiled. "I appreciate your understanding."

Juushirou did not answer, merely gritting his teeth as he let Shikiki lead him back down the hallway to the old torture chamber. Once inside, Shikiki pushed the door shut, sinking down onto the ground with a sigh.

"I hope it's all right." She said hesitantly. "Kei-nii says I mustn't ever be near those chemicals, and you too, by the sounds. But I don't like it when Seimaru-sama comes down here. An' he doesn't like you at all, Juu-nii. He really wanted to kill you - I could tell."

"He did." Juushirou groaned, dropping down beside her. "And for a moment there it was mutual. But the things they said...both of them...it bothers me. Shiki-chan, doesn't it bother you, that Keitarou-san was talking about killing people?"

"Mm..mm." Shikiki nodded slowly. "I don't like it. I don't like it when he says things like that. But he always does, when it's Seimaru-sama. He doesn't kill people, Juu-nii. Jus' Seimaru-sama goes away, when he talks about doing it."

"I think it's more than likely Keitarou-san has killed people before, Shiki-chan." Juushirou said softly, and Shikiki glanced at her hands.

"He...he told me he...he killed a fallen down big person." She admitted, and Juushirou stared at her.

"He did what?"

"A...a...it was a funny word." Shikiki's brow creased in concentration. "A bigot. That was it. That he killed a fallen down bigot. Shouichi-sama. Yes."

"Oh. I see." Juushirou sighed. "Then he has killed someone, hasn't he? If he told you he did that."

"Ye-e-es." Shikiki agreed cautiously. "But Shouichi-sama killed Dai-nii. He killed him so horribly, Juu-nii. He killed him and made Shikiki sad and made Kei-nii cry. So...so...so I think...it was okay to kill Shouichi-sama. It was okay...to stop him doing more bad things."

"Because Shouichi-sama died, Shikiki, Seimaru became leader of this District." Juushirou said gravely. "Because he did that, the mother and sister of my good friend were forced to flee into exile. Because of that, a lot more people may suffer. Even if he did kill Daisuke-san...it isn't always right to kill someone else in return."

A flicker of guilt washed over him as he realised how hypocritical his words were.

_I have been thinking about killing Seimaru, haven't I? Since the death of that Hollowed soul...I've been thinking about killing a whole lot more than I should. Was that Keitarou-san's plan too? Or was that just an extra bonus, that being cooped up here makes every fleeting thought so much more real and dangerous?_

"I know." Shikiki broke through his thoughts, nodding her head soberly. "But...I trust Kei-nii, Juu-nii. Nobody else ever helped us, before. People were killed and nobody helped us. Dai-nii and Kei-nii did...they looked after me and they tried to help the village so that it would stay safe. Dai-nii went out to help the village the night he...the...when he was...taken away. So...even if it's true that Kei-nii killed someone and even if I know that's a bad thing...I..."

She faltered, and Juushirou sighed, reaching over to hug her.

"I'm sorry." He said contritely. "You're right - I don't have any business saying things I know nothing about. I know he protected you, Shiki-chan - they both did. And I'm glad they did. I guess...I just..."

"You don't know Kei-nii yet." Shikiki responded, offering him a faint smile. "I know he can be scary. Sometimes I'm scared too, though he's never been mean to me, not ever, and I don't think he'd ever hurt me. But...bad things happened to Kei-nii. I know they did, even before Dai-nii died. And because of it, Kei-nii was hurt."

She shivered involuntarily, then,

"My family died and so did his. I understand that." She said softly. "Juu-nii is lucky. Juu-nii's family are still alive, and they love him. I only have Kei-nii. And he...he only has me, too. So I trust him. And he looks after me. And that's all."

"You have me too, now." Juushirou said gently. "Even if I'm a shinigami - I won't hurt you, either."

"I know." Shikiki nodded her head. "I'm glad. I like that Juu-nii came here...I'm glad that you did."

Before Juushirou could respond, the door of the torture chamber slid back, and instinctively the District boy tensed, fingers reaching for Sougyo no Kotowari who lay at Shikiki's side.

"Now, now. No swords, please." Keitarou held up his hands, raising an eyebrow at Juushirou's furtive movements. "Seimaru-sama has gone. He won't come back here to bother you again - he has more important things on his mind."

"You more or less told him to go kill Hirata." Juushirou snapped. "I'm afraid that's not really making me relaxed."

"No...I suppose not." Keitarou acknowledged. "But I don't suppose either that your friend is really here. A couple of missing nobles is nothing. They may have done any number of things - and besides, I blocked off the _Senkaimon_ that led you and I here the other night. Even if they could open it and make it stable at the Kyouraku estate, I'm quite sure they would not be able to exit it at the abandoned Urahara village. Though that's assuming anybody would try and come here...and you know already my thoughts on that matter."

"I don't want anyone to come. They'll just be in danger and I don't want that." Juushirou said stiffly. "Keitarou-san, Seimaru called you by yet another name. How many do you have? How many selves have you perpetuated around this District? I don't know whether to believe or not believe anything you do or say, even when you tell me that it's truth!"

"Ah." Keitarou pursed his lips. "Well, names don't matter very much to me. You know my true name. That's all that counts. An exile needs aliases in order to keep hidden from people who seek him. You shouldn't concern yourself too greatly with things that aren't important. Not everything about a person is tied up in their name. One of the better things about the Districts, I think...that you are who you are, not who your family claim to be."

He sighed.

"But Seimaru-sama has become impatient, and I can tell you're restless too. You were foolish to face him in any regard - did you think you could fight him with your _zanpakutou_ in such a basic state?"

"I don't know." Juushirou admitted. "But I was willing to try it, if he hurt Shikiki."

"If he hurt Shikiki." Keitarou's gaze flitted to the young girl, then he nodded.

"Yes. I'm glad." He observed. "You've known each other such a short space of time - that you'd risk your life to protect her makes me glad."

"She refused to tell him where I was." Juushirou said simply. "And I believe in trusting those who show they can be trusted."

"Meaning that I can't?" Keitarou looked thoughtful. "I suppose that's wise. I did tell you as much, and I'm happy you were paying attention."

He turned to go, but Juushirou called him back.

"Keitarou-san?"

"Yes?" Keitarou turned, eying him curiously. "Something else ailing you?"

"What will the _reidoku_ do to Seimaru, if he takes it?" Juushirou asked quietly. "Did you really give it to him - is that really why you sent us away?"

"Of course. It would do you two irreparable damage to be in close proximity to a formula of that nature." Keitarou nodded. "And a deal is a deal. I need to test my final product. Father's work - the reason he died - all comes down to this."

"But...surely..."

"The formula I gave Seimaru is safe inasmuch as it will not devour him the way past formulae did." Keitarou said evenly. "So long as he obeys me to the letter and remembers there's enough in that vial for two battles, I'm quite sure of that. I'm very confident indeed that this solution is stable. Of course, anyone who crosses his path while he is in fighting mood might not find it as safe - if that is what you're asking."

"Then he might use it to kill someone. If not Hirata...someone else." Juushirou's brain was working quickly now, and Keitarou smiled.

"If you think that's the case, you should tell me now." He said lightly. "If anyone else knew the whereabouts of that letter."

"Letter?" Juushirou looked stricken, and Keitarou nodded.

"The one you were protecting for Hirata-sama." He agreed. "You needn't deny it. You're a poor liar. You have either seen it or hidden it, and either way you know its contents and its whereabouts. I'm not going to ask you for either of those things. I'm simply asking if anyone other than you and Hirata-sama knew those details."

Juushirou bit his lip, then, slowly, he shook his head.

"Then you surely have nothing to fear, do you?" Keitarou said sensibly. "Since anyone Seimaru kills now is unlikely to be a friend of yours."

"But..."

"You're becoming tiresome." Keitarou arched an eyebrow. "You are determined, aren't you, to get involved in things that don't concern you?"

"I don't like the idea. That's all."

"And I don't like the idea of you being caught in the crossfire." Keitarou told him firmly. "Aside from the problems it would cause all of us if you were seen above ground after absconding District Eight by your own free will, you are the most likely one to be in danger if you leave this place. You don't understand at all what kind of a place District Seven is. Even Shikiki understands more clearly than you do, no matter how polished or proud your _zanpakutou_ might appear. Seimaru may have left here for now, but that's not to say he wouldn't cut you down as soon as look at you if you were out of my protection. I'm the only one who's able to ensure you stay alive - for the time being at least, you should do as you're told and sit quietly here until all the fuss dies down."

"I can't do that." Juushirou shook his head. "It might be unlikely, but what if Hirata did come here? What if..."

"You should leave that to me. I have already told you, I think, that in return for your cooperation, I'll assist Hirata-sama." Keitarou cut across him. "I can walk above ground. I have a name and a place up there and I am not under any suspicion. You on the other hand are a District boy with a_ zanpakutou_ in a land where it is illegal for the peasantry to have spirit power. You leave here and immediately every man with a sword will be after you. Juushirou - if you leave here, _you will regret it_."

"But..."

"Leave it to me."

"Keitarou-san..." Juushirou faltered, then shook his head, reaching for his sword and sliding it into his sash as he got to his feet. "You're the one who doesn't understand. I can't just sit here. No matter what's going on outside, I can't. Even if it's dangerous. Maybe because it is. If there's a chance any of my friends came here, it's because of me. If there's fighting now, it's because of me. I'm not going to sit back and let people I care for die. It's not in me to do. If you won't tell me how to get out of here, I'll just have to use Sougyo and find my own way out. But I'm going to go, no matter what."

"And break your promise?"

"If you keep yours, I'll keep mine." Juushirou made up his mind. "If you truly help Hirata and stop Seimaru from hurting him, I'll believe that you're not my enemy, either. But I can't risk there being a real war between this land and District Eight. So I'll go and...and if you keep your word then I'll come back, if coming back is what you want me to do. But...I'm still going. I have to. That's all."

Keitarou eyed him for a moment, a strange look in his dark eyes. Then he sighed, nodding his head slowly.

"I knew, deep down, that's how you'd see it." He said regretfully. "And the fact is, I hoped you wouldn't. I didn't want it to come to this yet - not when there's so much at stake and you're already so worn out. But there's no choice. If you're not going to listen...there really is no choice."

There was a sudden glitter of silver, and Juushirou felt the air around him suddenly move as though particles of spiritual energy were speeding towards him through the thick, cloying air of the torture chamber.

"_Bankai_." Keitarou whispered. "_Chudokuga Konshi._"

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_Agh, he's done it again. Bankaied on a cliffhanger just to annoy people._

_He's a tricky one, that Keitarou xD._

_A small clue regarding Keitarou's Bankai technique: Chudokuga is the name of his zanpakutou and, as I think I've said before, it means "Spider's Poison Fang" or "Spider's Evil Intent." Konshi means 'Soul Thread'...you can read into that what you will..._


	55. Treason

**Chapter Fifty Four: Treason**

In the instant that Raiden had spoken Hirata's name, time seemed to have stopped still. For Shunsui, it seemed an eternity even before the man had finished speaking, and he inwardly tensed, aware that at any moment a sword might come flying towards them. Instinctively he found himself drawing desperately on his studies in Kidou class, pulling together the release command for Shou and Byakurai and other spells that he might use in order to allow them to both escape now their cover was blown. Feverishly he tried to work out whether he had enough rough shunpo skill to fire a spell and yet still take them from this place, but even as he was putting this thought together, the second man steadied his horse, dismounting the beast and taking a step towards Hirata.

His hand did not go to his own sword, and instead Hirata gaped as, slowly and solemnly the aging, portly figure of the finely clad Clansman dropped down onto his knees, bowing his head humbly before the young Endou boy dressed in rough peasant clothing.

"Hirata-sama." He murmured, and thrown off guard, Hirata could do nothing but stare at him blankly. The next moment, Raiden too had forced his heavy form off of his mare – a fact for which Shunsui was sure the horse was grateful – lowering himself awkwardly at his friend's side and following his example.

"What on earth…" At last Shunsui found his tongue, and Hirata took a hesitant step back, his gaze flitting uncertainly from one noble to the other as if suspecting a trap. Raiden's sword clattered onto the frozen ground, however, and as both Clansmen raised their gazes, Shunsui drew breath sharply into his lungs.

The gleam in the two men's eyes was unmistakeably the glimmer of hope.

"Forgive my rudeness to your friend, Hirata-sama." Raiden spoke solemnly, his earlier hostility gone in a flash as he fixed his attention on the young boy. "We did not…I did not…it was not possible to…"

"You have come back to District Seven." Jinkei murmured. "Even though…none of us knew if you would."

"What are your motives?" At length Hirata found his voice, his tones wary as he gazed at them. "You bow before me in a land held by my cousin. I have no authority while he holds all. To even speak to me with the suffix ~sama is enough to be found guilty of treason. Explain yourselves."

Even Shunsui was startled by the sudden cold and commanding note in his friend's usually soft, hesitant tones.

Yet even though he was surprised, Shunsui understood. District Seven was not a land in which you could show weakness or mercy. One wrong move and they might both be in serious risk of their lives. Even here, alone and robed in the garb of a simple peasant, Hirata could not lose face.

_But that he had him in it to act that way – I didn't know he could. Although I know he's getting stronger – has got stronger – I didn't realise by quite how much. Eiraki-hime and Juu and everything that's happened have sapped away the last of his childhood, I suppose…that is, if he was ever allowed to have one at all._

Jinkei and Raiden exchanged looks, then Jinkei sighed, lowering his head once more.

"We are as you say. Guilty of treason for even speaking your name." He murmured. "We have both seen one member of Seimaru-sama's court kicked into the ground for daring to speak your Lord Father's before the council, so we are not ignorant to the risk we both take. But we have already made our decision. We are already guilty. And a man can only die for treason once, no matter how many times he commits it."

"Treason?" Hirata whispered. "Against…my cousin?"

"Seimaru-sama is young and as yet he does not understand many things that Shouichi-sama knew by instinct." Raiden said gravely. "Now there is great unrest, especially since the disappearance of your Lady Mother and sister Eiraki-hime. Seimaru-sama has not rested but has interrogated many staff at the manor and his general behaviour has been…erratic and dangerous. At least one of the serving wenches was driven to suicide – or murdered - by his aggression, and others have been thrown in cells or dismissed from their posts with little or no warning. The whole household is on edge, not knowing who he might strike at next. Then, some days ago, it was said that he had received communication from District Eight. What was in that note I do not know…but it was enough to throw him into a fresh rage."

"Shouichi-sama was a firm and harsh leader, but he was able to hold this Clan together and he understood this land well." Jinkei added. "He was a man of war, true enough…but now not even we of the Endou council are sure of our lives or our livelihoods."

Hirata's eyes narrowed.

"This land is a wasteland." He said flatly. "My Grandfather made it so, my cousin is perpetuating it. Our peasant classes live in fear or have fled to neighbouring Districts for help. Yet only now you begin to realise that the destruction of the Clan is almost inevitable?"

"It is not inevitable." Raiden shook his head. "We had thought to act sooner – but we were persuaded not to by your own father – by Lord Misashi after Shouichi-sama's untimely death."

"Father…told you not to fight Seimaru?" Hirata was taken aback, and Jinkei nodded.

"He seemed a man resigned to his death." He agreed. "And he said that, if we rose up and created uncertainty, the Clan would surely be doomed."

"In a short time I imagine it will be doomed." Shunsui decided to add his piece at this moment. "I can't speak for certain, but I very much suspect evidence against your fearless leader is already being paraded up and down Inner Seireitei for the Council to pass judgement on. That being the case…"

"Evidence…to the Council?" Raiden paled, and Shunsui nodded.

"Courtesy of the heir to the Shihouin-ke." He said gravely.

"The Shihouin…" Jinkei whispered. "Midori-sama is finally taking her revenge for being so snubbed and treated by Seimaru-sama…"

"The Shihouin-ke are my allies. They will not move against me." Hirata said quietly. "The question is, what are both of you? You can't possibly have been seeking me, since I didn't know myself that I would find myself here this morning. Therefore…?"

"We were looking for Misashi-sama." Raiden said soberly. "Though rumours have perpetuated that he is held somewhere securely near the main house, Jinkei-dono and I think this to be a falsehood. It would be too great a risk to keep such a prisoner so close to the centre of power. Therefore…we had resolved to ride this morning. And to discover, if we could, the place that he was being kept."

"The place where…" Shunsui frowned. "Somewhere far away from here, yet secure enough that Seimaru can be certain he won't escape on his own?"

"Hokujou." Hirata breathed, and Jinkei nodded.

"That is our belief too." He agreed. "It is but a rumour, but it is said commonly around the court that, far from beng a true prisoner there, Lady Riku has a considerable amount of influence. She has not attempted to leave, yet since the arrival of her kinsman at the main estate, circumstances have changed. It seems certain that Hokujou is no longer a place of her confinement, but rather becoming her stronghold of power. And Riku-sama never did see eye to eye with your Lord Father."

His gaze flitted uncertainly towards Shunsui for a moment, then,

"Hirata-sama, I apologise for my impertinence but…who is your companion? And why is it he knows so much of our affairs?"

Shunsui slid his fingers beneath the rough fabric of the peasant robe, pulling his Clan pendant and holding it out so it glinted in the pale sunlight. At the sight of it, Raiden let out an exclamation, horror flooding his features.

"K…K…Kyouraku-ke? God forgive me, I raised my sword to…"

"Kyouraku Shunsui, at your service." Shunsui bowed his head, a faint, humourless smile twitching at his lips at the other man's sudden panic. "I'm sure my brother would be most grateful that you decided against slitting my throat this morning, Raiden-dono."

"Y…your b…brother?" Jinkei swallowed hard, and Hirata nodded.

"Shunsui-dono is my associate and friend…the heir to our neighbours the Kyouraku." He said quietly. "He is my ally and he will not act against me - but nor will I allow him to be hurt. Not by anyone who claims any allegiance with my father or with I."

"If Seimaru-sama finds either of you, it will be death." Raiden said softly. "He hates Kyouraku just as much as he hates Hirata-sama and his kin…you would have done better not to come, Shunsui-sama."

"But Hirata is my friend, and Misashi-sama is not the only prisoner we're interested in freeing." Shunsui said frankly. "So instead of standing around here talking about nothing, we could talk about something more useful instead. Such as a good way to get to the manor, and most importantly, about Seimaru-sama's erratic behaviour."

"Further than that." Hirata said grimly, gesturing to the two aging nobles to get to their feet and they did so, some relief in their eyes at his command. "Raiden-dono, Jinkei-dono, if you truly are allies of my father and I, then I would ask you clearly the circumstances of my Grandfather's death."

"The circumstances?" Jinkei and Raiden exchanged looks, and Jinkei's lip curled slightly at the recollection.

"He appears to have fallen." He said finally. "There were no suspicious circumstances except for the fact he was dead. Every man of the Endou council was in session at the time he fell - your Lord Father and Seimaru-sama among them. Nobody is guilty. It was an accident...though perhaps a convenient one."

"What about Minazake-dono?" Shunsui asked softly, and Raiden's eyes narrowed.

"He did not arrive at court until after Seimaru-sama's inauguration." He said softly. "He had not ridden here from the North at that time."

"On the contrary, we think that he did just that." Shunsui shook his head. "There's good circumstantial evidence to suggest that Minazake Roukei may have been here a lot longer than anyone realises. In fact, there's quite convincing indications that Minazake Roukei may be an assumed name. Hirata, I think you've had your question answered. Nobody could possibly have done it - unless, of course, at that point they didn't officially exist."

"An assumed...but...that weed, in a battle of wills against Lord Shouichi?" Jinkei snorted. "Impossible. Shouichi-sama was a shinigami unequalled in District Seven. Only Lady Yayoi had a reputation of the same level - and she laid down her sword through ill health long before she passed away. There is no way..."

"Minazake Roukei is most probably an agent of my cousin." Hirata said frankly. "An illegal shinigami and more than likely, Urahara by birth. Grandfather was the most powerful Endou shinigami in some time, true enough - but we are not talking about an Endou shinigami. We're talking about an exile - a man who should not exist."

"Aizen Keitarou." Raiden looked frightened, and Shunsui eyed him in interest.

"You know his name?" He asked curiously, and Raiden nodded.

"Shouichi-sama would rage and rampage about how the man constantly eluded his attentions." He agreed, a troubled, agitated note in his cultured tones. "He took a close ally of that man, tortured and killed him and hoped to lure Aizen out, but even drawing and releasing Hijirobaya did not succeed in snaring his target. It was as though this Aizen was one step ahead...always one step ahead."

"Perhaps he was." Shunsui reflected. "The Endou-ke's inner issues are enough to give anyone a headache...if there's a rift between Misashi-sama and Shouichi-sama, and between Seimaru-dono and Hirata...it seems tragic common sense to me that there'd be one between Seimaru-dono and Shouichi-sama, too. Power is everything in this Clan, isn't it? No wonder it's in such a mess."

He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"But it confirms it in my mind, even if I don't have the proof here in front of me." He added grimly. "This Keitarou took Juu, and he's working for Seimaru. And that means we're heading for the manor - and probably we're going to face both problems at once."

"You intend to...confront Seimaru-sama?" Jinkei asked anxiously, and Hirata nodded his head.

"It's time I did." He said softly. "He's taken enough from me and the people here. Now he has a close friend of mine prisoner, and I've had enough. So yes. I'm going."

"Can you win?" Raiden murmured, and there was a pause.

"I don't know." Hirata admitted. "But it's no longer something I can pick or choose over. I may be exiled, and I may hate so many things that this Clan stand for, but this is my family and this is my homeland. Father expected it of me - to get to a point where I'd feel that way and try and do something about it. If I don't..."

He faltered, and Shunsui nodded his head.

"The Shihouin-ke are Hirata's formal allies." He said quietly. "But the other Clans and their actions will depend largely on what happens from this point on. If the evidence I think they now have really does single out Seimaru as being guilty of breaching Council law, then any who side with Seimaru now will fall and will face the same judgement as Kamuki of the Shihouin did for his crimes against Soul Society. My Clan are not allies of the Endou-ke. Seimaru is already guilty of murdering a young girl who I considered my friend, as well as displacing hundreds, maybe thousands of hungry, frightened refugees. My brother and I have no interest in supporting neighbours who back Seimaru and his despotic regime. However, Hirata is my friend. For that reason, my brother acknowledges him. For that reason, my brother would act, I believe, to safeguard his interests in District Seven. And not only Tokutarou-nii. Hirata has other friends too among other Clans. With my brother's aid comes the aid of the Shiba, and even the Kuchiki might reach across their border to help if Guren-sama's nephew was to put in a good word. This is the choice your Clan face now. Back the leader Seimaru and fall with him when the Council come - or back the exile Hirata and find a way to save your Clan from liquidation."

Colour had drained from the faces of both noblemen as he had been talking, and Jinkei nodded his head.

"For this reason, we sought Misashi-sama." He said quietly. "We are already Hirata-sama's allies, Shunsui-sama. We have walked too far this path. We see it too - that if we do not act, it will mean death anyway. If we do, perhaps we still die. It's uncertain, but it's the only chance."

"We are your servants, Hirata-sama." Raiden agreed. "And we will act as you see fit to command us."

Hirata eyed them for a moment, slowly nodding his head.

"Then let us ride with you to the manor, and help us to enter unseen." He said evenly. "Then you may ride to Hokujou and seek my father's holding place. But a classmate of mine is Seimaru's likely prisoner and Shunsui-kun and I will go to his aid. Even if it's dangerous - that is what we must do."

"Understood." Jinkei grabbed the reins of his horse, offering the young nobleman a faint smile. "We will do as you instruct us, Hirata-sama - and pray you have the strength to prevail."

* * *

"Juu-nii?"

The world was fuzzy and black, and a dull, heavy feeling resonated throughout his body as he tried to pinpoint the source of the noise. Had he been sleeping? Was he still? It was impossible for him to tell, yet with every passing moment he became more aware of something gripping hold of his arm, shaking him desperately and persistently as it tried to pull him from his slumber.

"Juu-nii! Juu-nii, wake up! Wake up!"

There was fear in the voice now, he realised, and despite the lethargy that had engulfed him, Juushirou found himself trying to reach out to the speaker, struggling to move and reassure her that he was all right.

At first, all he could do was flex his fingers a very tiny bit, but he persevered, and little by little he forced himself to consciousness, opening bleary eyes and blinking as he tried to bring his surroundings into focus.

A fuzzy blob hovered over him, with each passing moment becoming more vividly recogniseable and Juushirou could see the tears glittering in the young girl's aqua eyes.

What had happened? Was he hurt? She was clinging to him so desperately - why did she look as though she was ready to cry?

"Juu-nii!" As she met his gaze, the young girl let out an exclamation, flinging herself on him and hugging him tightly. The sudden addition of the child's weight against his body sent shock waves of pain through his tender rib cage and he coughed, pushing back against her as he struggled to haul himself into a sitting position. Shikiki eyed him anxiously, and he closed his eyes briefly as the world swam and twisted around him. His chest hurt, he realised belatedly, moving his left hand absently to rub it against his body. Had he had an attack? Was he fevered? What had make this child so frightened?

"Juu-nii, are you all right?" She spoke softly now, genuine concern in her gaze, and Juushirou wetted his lips, slowly nodding his head.

"Shikiki." He murmured, then, "I think...I think so. What happened? I feel...strange."

"Kei-nii put a spell on you." Shikiki's expression became troubled. "He said it was to make sure you stayed here - that he didn't want to risk you going outside because he thought you'd get hurt. But it was a powerful spell, Juu-nii. You fell right over and I...I was afraid. Kei-nii told me to look after you...so I...I am."

Juushirou digested this carefully, fragments of his own memory slipping back into place at her words.

Keitarou had released his sword. He had said something...a word Juushirou had never heard anyone use to command their blade before. Had he imagined it? He wasn't sure. Everything was still blurry, but surely he hadn't...surely somewhere in that moment he had heard the word 'Bankai'.

The next moment he had been engulfed by what had seemed like a thousand tiny fibres, each one yearning to slip inside of his body and stifle his breath. He had fought against them, but they had been relentless in their attempt to overwhelm him, and little by little he had lost the ability to move, his consciousness seeping out of him as though he was falling into a deep, deep sleep.

He glanced at Shikiki.

Had she healed him, then? Had she used her unusual barrier power to protect and heal him from the effects of Keitarou's attack? Could a child so small hold that power? Or was it simply that Keitarou's attack had been weak in the first place?

_Keitarou-san was so certain that his sword's attacks wouldn't work on me. I guess that he was right, in the end. Perhaps even this 'Bankai' thing lacks strength if you haven't properly trained to use it as a shinigami. Keitarou-san is an illegal shinigami...perhaps it matters after all._

He flexed and unflexed his hand cautiously, finding that it did exactly what he had asked of it.

_I can move now. There's nothing stopping me. I was caught in a web, before...perhaps that was just how it felt. But whatever it is...it isn't there now. Maybe Shikiki did do something..._

A shiver ran through his body at that moment and he coughed, putting his hand to his mouth. As he drew his fingers away, he was aware of specks of blood against his pale skin, and he frowned.

_Or perhaps Keitarou-san felt he could only render me weak enough to be unable to escape here. Perhaps that's why...because in the end, his sword is also weak and he didn't want to have to use it._

Out loud he said,

"Where is Keitarou-san now?"

"He left." Shikiki said dolefully. "He said he was going to find Seimaru-sama and stop him from killing people. He said I should look after you, and that I shouldn't be scared. He said that you weren't dead, so...I did."

"I'm not dead." Juushirou assured her, rubbing his aching chest a second time. "I'm not sure what he did to me, but it's starting to wear off. I feel heavy and knocked about, but that's about all. I suppose he didn't really want to hurt me."

"He wants you to stay here. He said it was important." Shikiki settled herself at his side once more. "He said that there were people above ground who would hurt you, and he didn't want that to happen. I don't think he wanted to put the spell on you, Juu-nii. But he didn't know how to keep you away from the people who might attack you. People with shinigami swords, perhaps...he said that he thought they would come to District Seven. And...and he wanted to find your friend. Hirata-sama. He wanted to find him and stop Seimaru-sama from killing him."

"I wonder why he bothers, since he doesn't think that Hirata's coming here." Juushirou muttered, and Shikiki shook her head, agitation in her eyes.

"He told you a lie." She whispered. "He said so to me, when he told me why you had to stay here. He said that he knew Hirata-sama and another had come here, because of the fact they broke through the wall of the _Senkaimon_ when he blocked the exit and escaped it somewhere in the wilds of District Seven. That's what he said. Only he knew you'd worry, if he told you. So he didn't. He told you nobody was here."

"_What?_" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Shikiki bit her lip.

"He told me not to tell you. That it was a secret." She whispered. "But Hirata-sama is Juu-nii's friend, and...and I...I thought about Dai-nii. Kei-nii never told me where he was going to find Dai-nii, and then he could only tell me Dai-nii was dead. He was sure he'd bring him back alive, but in the end he couldn't. I loved Dai-nii, Juu-nii. I loved him and I loved his family. I played with his children and now they might be dead too - he won't tell me anything about them, even though they were important to me. I...I think I wanted to know...what really happened and if I could have saved Dai-nii by going to find him too. So I wanted to tell you, Juu-nii. I didn't want to lie to you. If Hirata-sama is your friend...Juu-nii?"

For Juushirou had pulled himself to his feet, his gaze roving around the chamber for his discarded sword.

"Where's Sougyo no Kotowari, Shikiki?" He demanded, and Shikiki's eyes became big with alarm.

"Juu-nii, you aren't going to...?"

"I'm going to find Hirata. Obviously." Juushirou said flatly. "Keitarou-san may or may not have good reasons for keeping me here, but if Hirata's come, it's because of me. If he dies, it'll be because of me. I can't stay here and ignore that fact - you understand, don't you, Shikiki? You just said that, if you could've helped Daisuke-san, you would have wanted to. As far as I know, Hirata's still alive. I have to make sure it stays that way...so I'm going to go and find him."

Shikiki bit her lip.

"Kei-nii said it was dangerous." She whispered. "To go outside where people might want to kill you. He said you'd get hurt...that you wouldn't be able to take it back, if you tried to leave. I think he was worried about you, Juu-nii. He doesn't want bad things to happen to you because he likes you."

"I don't know about that." Juushirou replied. "We don't have the same kind of trust between us that you have with him. My life is different, Shiki-chan. My world is different. This isn't a place that I belong. You might be all right, living here...but I'm not. And if I stay here and let my friends be killed, then it's as though I killed them. I can't have that."

Shikiki eyed him for a moment, then she let out a heavy sigh.

"Sougyo no Kotowari is in Kei-nii's office." She said softly. "Locked in one of the cabinets there. He told me that it was best if it was locked away...but I know which one. I don't have a key, Juu-nii, but..."

Juushirou frowned, his fingers glittering briefly with white light.

"I have one." He said grimly. "Show me which cabinet, Shiki-chan. Then I'll take my sword and I'll go. You're safer staying here - if he comes back and asks where I am, tell him you couldn't stop me. All right?"

"Uh-uh." Shikiki shook her head emphatically. "If Juu-nii is going, Shikiki is going too. I promised Kei-nii to look after you, Juu-nii. And I'm not being left behind again. If Juu-nii is going to help his friend, Shikiki is going too!"

"Shikiki..." Juushirou faltered, words dying on his lips as he saw the resolution in her aqua eyes and he sighed, reaching across to pat her on the head.

"I understand." He murmured. "You were left behind before, and you don't want it to happen again. All right. But if we run into danger, you must hide. Understand? Your barriers are strong and one day they'll be even stronger. But right now I don't think they're a match for someone like Seimaru. And I don't want you hurt any more than you want Keitarou-san or I to be."

"All right." Shikiki was reluctant, but she nodded her head. "I'll do as you say, Juu-nii."

As they stepped into the office, Juushirou reached out his senses, trying to locate the reiatsu of his sword. Before he could, however, Shikiki had darted in front of him, resting her hand against one of the wooden divides.

"This one, Juu-nii. Sougyo no Kotowari is in here." She said firmly, and Juushirou nodded, summoning his _reiryoku_ as he muttered the words to the Byakurai spell.

As the kidou lashed out across the chamber, he felt a matching surge of pain and uncertainty inside his raw chest, and he swallowed hard, hoping he wasn't going to have a full blown coughing fit in front of the young girl.

_I'm not one hundred percent, but I can breathe and I can walk. Being down here has taken its toll - I was feeling funny before all of this - and whatever Keitarou-san did to me, I doubt Shikiki is powerful enough to have reversed it completely. She might have managed to wake me up, but I can't burden her with any more than that. She's just a child. And I'll just have to manage._

The door of the cabinet splintered as the spell hit it, fragmenting into a shower of wooden pieces that scattered across the stone floor and Juushirou hurried forward, closing his fingers around the hilt of his sword.

"Juu-nii." Shikiki's eyes were huge as she registered the mess, and Juushirou cast her a rueful glance.

"I'll clear it up later." He told her. "We don't have time now."

He put his fingers against Sougyo no Kotowari's bare blade, feeling a sudden, unfamiliar edge to his sword's power that he had not felt before.

_So you hear the call to arms too, do you? You want to release and fight and make sure everyone is safe just as I do?_

He frowned, waiting to hear the voices of his fish or feel the soft sensation of their fins against his thoughts, but there was no conscious reaction from his _zanpakutou_'s spirits, just a dull humming of impatience from the blade itself. He sighed, taking a deep breath into his aching lungs and walking purposely towards the section of stone which was least affected by the aura of the Sekkiseki. This was how Keitarou slipped in and out, bypassing the barrier of the draining stone. Therefore this must be their way out too, even though he did not have shunpo.

"_Nami kotogotoku, wa ga tate to nare_." He murmured the release softly, relieved to feel his sword respond to him without even the faintest of hesitations. "_Ikazuchi kotogotoku, wa ga yaiba to nare. Sougyo no Kotowari_!"

The blade glimmered with golden light, separating into its two distinct blades, and as a prickle of energy trickled down the connecting cord, he turned to glance at his young companion.

"Shiki-chan, this might be a bit reckless, but I want your help." He said quietly. "I want you to form a barrier and fire it at my sword as though you were trying to block me."

"A...barrier?" Shikiki was confused, and Juushirou nodded.

"Please." He agreed. "Against this blade...fire a barrier."

"I don't understand."

"You will when you do it. Please, Shiki-chan. If we're going to get out of here, I need you to do this."

"All right." Shikiki was surprised, but she nodded, spreading her hands until a glimmer of pink light shone out between them. Her brow creased in concentration, and she pushed her small, fat fingers forwards, thrusting the divide towards her companion.

As she did so, Juushirou lowered his weapon deliberately to meet it, positioning his second blade so as its flat surface was directly opposite what he thought was the weakest section of the wall.

As the two made contact, Juushirou found it impossible not to draw breath suddenly, for the clash of Shikiki's barrier _reiryoku_ against his own raw power caused fresh spasms of pain to ripple through his injured lungs. Still, he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to bear it as he felt the wave of power run through his first blade, morphing and changing along the cord and then, at the last minute, he thrust the second blade forward. A beam of strong, pinkish light burst forth from the tip, illuminating the whole chamber in its glow, and there was a huge crash as it made contact with the wall, driving through the stone with force and determination. A cloud of dust rose up around them, and Shikiki shrieked, darting behind Juushirou as a second barrier suddenly flared up between them and the growing pile of rubble.

Juushirou coughed, casting her a grateful look as he sealed his weapon once more.

_Kyouki-sama was right. There is the power in this blade to kill someone, even if I don't mean it to happen._

As the dust cleared, he squinted towards the wall, gauging the opening he had made. It was not huge, but substantial enough for them to creep through, and he thanked his lucky stars that he did not have Enishi's broad frame to squeeze through such a tight space. Clean air drifted in from beyond, and Juushirou took a tentative step forward, unsure as to where the pathway would come out.

_But we must follow it. I don't know why, but I'm certain that we must. This is where we go from here, Shiki-chan. To find Hirata and to make sure nobody gets hurt._

Out loud he said,

"Stay close to me, all right? If we're doing this, we're doing it together."

* * *

So Raiko's son was missing.

As he left the Council Chamber, Guren pursed his lips, his expression troubled as he reflected on this fact.

_How Genryuusai-sama knew anything of it is beyond me. The Kuchiki-ke's influence is far reaching, and my Father worked exceptionally hard to keep it quiet. Yet he too has connections and I suppose words pass from person to person even despite the best attempts of a Great Lord. Even so, though, it should be left well alone. Raiko is long dead. There's no sense in unsettling the distant past._

"Guren-sama?"

As he made his way down the corridors towards the chamber given over to the current Head of the Council for his personal use, a voice stopped him and he turned, a quizzical look glittering in his grey eyes as he met the identical slate gaze of his second in command officer. Robed in the black and white of a squad shinigami, the flower of the Kuchiki adorning his arm, Shirogane looked the part of a proper adjutant, smart and standing to attention, his sword sheathed quietly at his side. Yet it was the consternation he saw in the young man's gaze that made Guren look again, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Yes, Shirogane? What is it?"

"I apologise for disturbing you. I simply wondered if you had orders for me to take back to Sixth." Shirogane bowed his head politely, but Guren did not miss the implication in the other's words.

"Orders?" He murmured, and Shirogane raised his gaze.

"I assume that you are taking a journey, Guren-sama." He said gravely. "It is not my place to observe it, but I know that a meeting of this nature is usually...followed by an investigation and, ultimately, arrests."

"You're a quick-witted boy, and you are not wrong." Guren admitted. "But I cannot divulge such things to you, not yet. All you need know is that I will be away a few days. You are in control of the squad in my absence - my brother will guide my son in any decisions relating to the Clan and you should consult them on any drastic decisions impacting on the Kuchiki-ke's well-being. Otherwise I entrust our shinigami duty to you, Shirogane - it will be your first test of true leadership since your graduation."

"I will not fail you, sir." Shirogane said simply. "You need not worry. All will be well when you return."

"I trust so." Guren managed a faint smile. "You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir." Shirogane bowed his head, turning to leave, but Guren faltered, holding up his hand.

"Wait. One moment." He called, and Shirogane gazed back at him, a question in his gaze.

"You trained Ukitake Juushirou." He said softly. "Without asking me any questions, I wish to know your honest opinion. What kind of a boy is it that you taught to raise his sword?"

Surprise flooded Shirogane's handsome features, and he sighed, spreading his hands.

"What kind of a boy indeed." he murmured. "A boy with no appreciation for status or wealth, Guren-sama. A boy who has his beliefs and stands by them as though the world will crumble if he lets them go. A boy who does not believe in 'impossible' and will not stop at 'no'."

"I see." Guren's eyes narrowed. "And in him, do you see...the blood of the Kuchiki?"

Shirogane pursed his lips, then, slowly, he nodded his head.

"I have heard he has distant blood that links him to our Clan. So Ryuu has said, and others too." He agreed. "He has not the appearance of it - I don't see him as a Kuchiki when he looks at me with those defiant, peasant's eyes. But in his spirit, in his fighting..."

He paused, then,

"He has pride, Guren-sama." He acknowledged at length. "A pride that, despite his low birth, is not unlike the pride by which our Clan live and die."

Guren considered this for a moment. Then he smiled.

"Thank you." He said simply. "That is all. You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir." Curiosity blazed in Shirogane's clever gaze, but he did not ask any questions, merely bowing his head and withdrawing to carry out his orders. For a moment Guren remained where he was, running his nephew's words over in his head as he did so.

_A pride that reminded him of our Clan. A boy who doesn't believe anything is impossible. Raiko, your son indeed._

A faint, bittersweet smile touched his lips as for a brief instant the image of a ten year old girl flashed before his gaze, her clothes dishevilled and her fists raised, her cheeks smudged with dirt and her thick dark hair loose and tousled over her shoulders as defiance glittered in her grey eyes.

_Well, we will do our best, Raiko-neesama. We will go and we will try - to find your son and patch up the pieces of a collapsing Clan. You would be proud too, I think, to see him in the way he is now. When I saw him stand before the Council, I knew that he was yours. When I heard his name, I knew. Now his life is in the balance - we'll do what we can to bring him back."_

"Guren-sama?" Retsu's voice made him turn, sending her a quizzical look as she bowed her head.

"You seem most lost in thought." She murmured. "I am sorry - I just wondered if you were ready to depart? Genryuusai-sama and Nagesu-sama have returned to District Eight with Kyouki-sama and Midori-sama to investigate and stabilise this Senkaimon that Kyouki-sama is so sure is at the heart of all of this. We should move also - Tokutarou-sama is already waiting for us, and Genryuusai-sama will meet up with us when we reach the other side."

"Yes, you're right." Guren nodded. "I was just giving my Vice Captain instructions for my absence. I'm coming now, Retsu-sama."

He fell into step with the healer, and they walked for a while in silence towards the main entrance of the Council building, following the path that led to the crossroad of gateways that divided the openings to each District.

As they stepped into the open air, however, Retsu paused, eying him keenly.

"Ukitake Juushirou is a very special young boy." She said quietly. "You see it too, I think, Guren-sama?"

Guren did not answer, and Retsu smiled.

"For a Kuchiki to notice the potential of such an unusual District boy is something exceptional." She murmured. "He must indeed have made a great impression on you."

Guren's gaze flitted to his companion, and as he met her eyes, he understood the things that she had not said aloud. He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"We must do our duty as Council members." He said evenly. "And bring back all three boys however we can."

"I agree." Retsu said comfortably. "They are all known to me, and I am worried for them all. But also...I find it heartening that they can take such serious decisions and forge such strong bonds with one another. The Seireitei of the future is sure to be in safe hands, given that fact...don't you think so?"

"Perhaps." Guren acknowledged. "Though it will take a lot longer to forge stronger bonds between the Clans."

"I suppose we will see." Retsu looked thoughtful, then, "I will not ask you about Raiko-sama, though I have heard Genryuusai-sama speak of her and I know her to be Ukitake-kun's mother. It is no business of mine to pay any mind to an illegitimate daughter of a Kuchiki Clansman or the manner in which her secret and her origin were carefully concealed."

Guren stopped dead, staring at Retsu in alarm, and Retsu smiled.

"My mother was present when your uncle's mistress was delivered of her child." She said softly. "She was there when the baby took her first breath, and was blessed into the world. It is not uncommon for the Unohana to be involved in such things - or for us to conceal the secret births of noble families who have not sealed themselves in the bond of marriage before bringing life. We do not judge, Guren-sama. All life is precious to us - all children as equal and whole as each other. However, I had not realised that you were so conscious of this child's existence. That Raiko-sama was in fact someone known to you."

"It is something my Clan doesn't speak of." Guren said quietly. "Her mother died quickly after the birth, and my Uncle tried to acknowledge her, but she was badly treated by the other Clansfolk and my Father's will over the matter prevailed. He forced my Uncle to send the girl away, and so she was hidden and hushed up, given over to a manservant who was paid well to raise her and take her from our sight. Until I was six years old, Retsu-sama, Raiko was my cousin and I saw her every day. And then...in a flash...she was gone."

"I see." Retsu became thoughtful. "And now her son is in danger..."

"I do not know this son." Guren shook his head. "He is without the degrees of Clan, as is his mother. When I became Head of the Kuchiki, I did not try to intervene. She was married to someone she grew up with in the common society and I learnt he was someone she had become close to. Her guardian thought it better she married than was trained, in case her true roots ever surfaced, for Uncle had forced Father to let her keep the Kuchiki name in return for her being so exiled from our Clan heartland. I hoped she was happy, and so I left it alone. She birthed her son, and then she died. We did not speak again, after Raiko was sent away. Whether she remembered or not, I do not know. But I remember. I don't suppose that will ever change."

Retsu smiled.

"I am sure she would not forget such warmth of emotion." She said sincerely. "And that being the case, let us go and find her son. Even if you cannot tell him - even if he never knows who his mother was or where she first came from. Even if your Clan responsibilities forbid you from doing that, Guren-sama - at least let us go save the boy's life. She would ask it of you - to protect the son who she could not protect herself."

"Indeed." Guren nodded his head. "Well, then. If the Endou-ke falls, then it does. Whatever occurs - it is time to save those children and bring justice to District Seven."

* * *

It had been less difficult than Juushirou had expected to follow the winding tunnels up towards the light.

As he stepped out into the cold wintery air, he stifled a shiver, turning to help Shikiki manage the last few steps up into the snowy clearing.

With nothing to guide him but his own desperate instincts, he had expected to take wrong turnings and find dead ends, but each crossroads he had come to had seemed to be charmed, guiding him in the right direction and taking them closer and closer to the surface world. The tunnels were old and had probably not been used in more than a year, for the floor had been thick with dust and there had been no sign of footsteps. But even despite this neglect, Juushirou had somehow seemed to know where he was going.

"We made it." He murmured, a faint feeling of unease settling in his stomach as he gazed across towards the abandoned village where he and Keitarou had first arrived in District Seven. At night, it had been less easy to see, but now, even covered by a light blanket of white, he could see the desolation and emptiness of this forbidden world. The people who had lived here had lived in fear, dependent on a despotic Clan for their only protection as they sold their knowledge and worked to the bone to ensure they kept their lives.

Keitarou had been right, in the end. This District was an empty shell of a place, but even so, faint flickers of trace reiatsu lingered on the wind, making it seem as though the souls of those oppressed Urahara had not fully left the place where they had lived in virtual slavery.

Juushirou did not like how that felt. His mind flitted to his own family, safe along the coast of District Six, and inwardly he gave thanks that he and they had been born under the auspices of the Kuchiki, not the Endou.

"Juu-nii?" Shikiki's voice brought him back to the present, and he turned, casting her an apologetic glance.

"I'm sorry. I was spacing out." He acknowledged. "I just...I realised something, standing here. This is like your village, isn't it? Poor and empty...and with people ready to destroy it and drive you out at a moment's notice. Even though Keitarou-san said this was where his people lived - your village was the same, wasn't it?"

"My village was set on fire." Shikiki said softly. "And everything was burned to ash."

"Ash, huh." Juushirou's brows knitted together, and Shikiki nodded.

"I didn't like it." She whispered. "Dai-nii was taken and I was left all alone. If Kei-nii hadn't come back to find me...if he hadn't..."

"But he did." Juushirou slipped his hand gently through hers, offering her a faint smile. "And even if I'm not sure what to make of him, it seems that where you're concerned, he's done nothing I can fault him for. I think probably he was worried about you, Shiki-chan. And so he went to find you."

"Yes." Shikiki agreed. "And he'll be worried again. Those tunnels..."

She turned, glancing at the hidden opening in the hillside that they had just stepped out of, then, "How did you know they were there, Juu-nii? I never saw them before, but you seemed to know..."

"Lucky guessing, that's all." Juushirou shrugged his shoulders. "I just felt...that we were going the right way. I can't explain it any other way - it's like some part of me knew something I didn't."

He grinned ruefully.

"That doesn't make sense." He acknowledged. "But we shouldn't waste time wondering on it. We found our way out, and that's what's important. Now we're free, we can try our best to find Hirata and then, hopefully, get away from this place for good."

"Away...from it?" Shikiki was startled. "But...Juu-nii, you told Kei-nii that you would come back. If you left, you said...you would come back."

"I did." Juushirou admitted. "But I was lying, Shiki-chan. Just like he lied to me about Hirata...I was lying to him, too. I can't go back. I can't stay here. So long as I do...people will put themselves in danger to find me. And if that's the case, it would bring Keitarou-san into danger too."

"Are you...trying to help Kei-nii?" Shikiki stared at him. "Are you trying to _protect_ him?"

"I don't know, yet, whose side he's on. If it's mine, or Seimaru's, or his own." Juushirou ran his fingers through his uneven white hair. "But what I do know is that he hasn't hurt me in the time I've been held here. He's not someone I trust, Shiki-chan, but he's also not someone I want to hurt, either. It's hard to explain...but...that's how I feel."

His gaze flitted back to the hidden path.

"He has secrets." He added. "And some of the truths he tells are unpleasant to the ears. But I've no doubt that he protected us from Seimaru. And...and he probably did the same for Hirata's sister and mother, helping them to escape this land so that they weren't wrapped up in whatever was to happen next. I...I'm starting to think you're right. He talks about killing people for Seimaru's benefit, but..."

He sighed, burying his head in his hands as a dull ache began to spread across his skull.

"I'm confused by him." He admitted. "In District Eight, I was angry because he'd manipulated a young girl to hurt her brother. But now...now I don't know...if he meant that at all. If he just made it seem that way...so that I would come to him and so that he could take me to District Seven without having to use force or hurt me. And because of that, it makes...everything that happened to Eiraki-hime my fault. All the fear and apprehension Hirata suffered is also my fault. If it was really me Keitarou-san was trying to find all the time...I'm to blame in this too."

"Do you think the shinigami will come?" Shikiki asked apprehensively, and Juushirou nodded.

"Seimaru said the Counci had been summoned without him." He agreed. "The last time that happened was when Kamuki-sama of the Shihouin was arrested. I think they will come - some of them, anyway. And if Seimaru has _reidoku_..."

He paused, tensing suddenly as he heard the sound of hoofbeats and he muttered a curse, grabbing Shikiki and pulling her with him into the sparse cover of the nearest abandoned shack. It smelt inside of musty neglect and damp, the floor patched with snow where the ceiling had given way, yet the walls still held firm against the elements, and Juushirou peered cautiously out into the snowy world beyond, trying to work out where the sound had come from.

_If we're found, what Keitarou-san said will come true. Shikiki and I both have spirit power, so even if they didn't know who we were, they'd still take us as prisoners or kill us on the spot. I might be able to fight my way out of it, but it depends on how many of them there are. Suppressing my reiatsu is taking a lot more energy than usual, and Shikiki..._

He glanced at the youngster, who stared up at him in fright.

_  
She's just a child. What are you doing, Juushirou, bringing her out into this world that she fears so much on a selfish whim of your own? You should have made her stay behind, no matter how much she begged you! You should have..._

"Juushirou!"

A voice pierced the winter air, and in an instant all of Juushirou's reservations and self-admonishment flew away as he recognised the familiar turn of the speaker's voice.

"_Shunsui_?" He whispered, half-sure he had imagined it, but the next moment the fabric divide that had once served as the shack's door was ripped back, and Juushirou found himself standing face to face with his Academy classmate, robed in the garb of a rough District peasant, yet unmistakeably the son of the Kyouraku Clan.

"I _knew_ it." As Juushirou found himself struggling to form words, Shunsui grabbed him by the shoulders, giving him a rough shake. "I knew it was your reiatsu. Faint and stifled, but yours all the same. You idiot...what are you doing, playing hide and seek in the snow and making so many people worry about you?"

"I...I..." Juushirou stuttered, unable to find a coherent response, and Shunsui sighed.

"You look half-frozen and blue with cold." He said frankly. "You're an idiot, but at least you're still an alive idiot, and that in itself will do for now."

He grabbed Juushirou by the arm, yanking him out into the snow beyond, and as he did so, Juushirou heard another exclamation of disbelief.

"Ukitake-kun!"

"H...Hirata?" Juushirou found his voice at last, gazing at the young Endou heir in consternation. "Then...you did...you have...come here...after all?"

"Of course, you moron." It was Shunsui who spoke again, shaking his head impatiently. "What do you expect? You disappeared in the middle of the night. Of course we were going to come to find you. What else did you think?"

"But...it's dangerous." Juushirou's eyes widened, and he darted forward, grabbing Hirata by the folds of his peasant cloak and gazing at him urgently. "Hirata, it's dangerous. You mustn't be here. You can't be. If you are..."

"Take your hands from Hirata-sama, peasant boy." A sword suddenly glittered between them, forcing Juushirou to loose his hold, and he took a step back, staring up uncertainly at the man on horseback who glowered down at him.

"It's all right, Raiden-dono." Hirata raised a hand, shaking his head. "This boy is my classmate and my friend. He's the one I thought Seimaru had prisoner - but it seems not."

"But...I don't..what....?" Juushirou swallowed hard, trying to piece together what was happening, and Shunsui grinned.

"These are Clansmen. Endou-ke who've seen the sense in defecting when the Council are about to trample down Seimaru's door." He said pragmatically, as Raiden reluctantly resheathed his sword. "They were bringing us to the manor, but since you're here, we don't need to go further. We've found it, haven't we? The thing we were looking for."

He reached over to pat Juushirou's cheek, then,

"And in one piece, if a little rough around the edges. You need to get your hair cut by a professional, Juu-kun - that look really doesn't do much for you."

"Hirata-sama, what would you have us do?" Jinkei asked softly. "Time is pressing - if the Council really does come..."

"Mm." Hirata's brows creased and he nodded, turning to face the noble with a look of decision on his young features. "Then ride to Hokujou, as you first intended. Ride there and if you can, find my Father's holding place. Don't stop or turn back, no matter what...that is what I want you to do. To go to Hokujou and seek my Father."

"Yes, sir." Raiden inclined his head slightly, reining in his horse as he turned it about. "You heard him, Jinkei-dono. We have an important errand to complete - we must ride like the wind to reach Hokujou before this place plunges into chaos."

"Agreed." Jinkei also bowed his head towards Hirata. "We will ride as you command us, Hirata-sama. The Gods preserve you and keep you safe."

With that he pressed his feet against the beast's flanks, urging him into a canter and as Raiden followed suit, Juushirou stared after them in non-plussed silence.

"Not everyone in District Seven supports Seimaru." Hirata said softly. "Oh, but Ukitake-kun...I was so worried you were hurt. That Seimaru had taken you...and done horrible things to you."

"Seimaru hasn't touched me." Juushirou gathered his wits hurriedly, shaking his head. "But you shouldn't...coming so far was foolhardy at best! Even if you were worried about me, why do such a stupid thing? Hirata, you especially - don't you realise this is what Seimaru wants? He seeks to kill you!"

"I know." Hirata agreed. "But the options have gotten a little limited, now."

He sighed, looking suddenly weary, and guilt flickered across Juushirou's heart.

"I'm sorry." He murmured. "To have frightened you both so badly."

"We worked out that if you left, you did it for a reason." Shunsui shook his head. "It was Eiraki-hime you were protecting, wasn't it? That was the reason you left. Because something had happened to her, and it was the only way to stop it."

Juushirou nodded.

"If I hadn't, she would've died." He said sadly. "But even so, I didn't mean to cause all of this..."

"You didn't. You're just the catalyst." Hirata shook his head.

"Juu-nii?" At that moment Shikiki poked her head out from the shack, fear in her eyes as she gazed at the two unfamiliar faces. "Juu-nii, what's happening? Who are these people?"

"Shiki-chan!" Juushirou bit his lip, and Shunsui cast him a confused glance.

"Juu, did you adopt some random stray children on your journey here?" He asked quizzically, and Juushirou shook his head.

"No." He responded, holding his hand out to beckon Shikiki too him. "Shikiki was kept in the same place I was. She wanted to come with me to help me, so I said she could."

He offered her a smile.

"It's all right, Shiki-chan. These are my friends. They're not people who'll hurt you. This is Hirata, who we were looking for, and my other friend, Shunsui."

"Hirata-sama?" Shikiki gazed at Hirata for a moment, then her eyes widened and she took a step back. "You...you look like...Seimaru-sama."

"Yes. He's my cousin." Hirata nodded. "But that's where the similarities end. I'm not his ally, Shikiki. On the contrary, I came here to stop him."

"So did Kei-nii." Relief flickered in the young girl's eyes. "Kei-nii said he was going to help Hirata-sama and stop Seimaru-sama...so that means you're on our side too."

"Kei-nii?" Shunsui shot Juushirou a sharp look, and Juushirou nodded.

"Urahara Keitarou." He said gravely, and Shunsui's eyes widened in alarm.

"Juu! You've met that man? Do you understand what he is? What he's capable of? How many people are looking for him?"

"Yes." Juushirou nodded. "I know, Shunsui. He told me himself. Everything...probably more than you even know. I know who he is. What he is. Why people want to find him."

"Then you need to tell us where he is." Hirata said softly. "Because he's probably the one who killed my grandfather, and..."

"He told me that, too." Juushirou agreed. "Because Shouichi-sama killed his kinsman."

"Because Seimaru told him to." Shunsui shook his head, and irritation crossed Juushirou's gaze.

"Stop looking at it so black and white." he said flatly. "You don't know his reasons and you've never even met him. You have no idea whether he's acting on Seimaru's orders or not."

"Juu..." Shunsui stared at his friend, and Juushirou opened his lips to continue, but at that moment a spasm wracked through his chest and he coughed, stumbling as he put a hand to his mouth, blood spilling onto the snow below.

"Ukitake-kun!" Hirata exclaimed, even as Shunsui reached out to steady the other boy's trembling body.

"You're probably starting a fever, which is why you're talking nonsense." He said bluntly. "And no wonder - it's freezing cold here and you're barely wearing anything to combat the weather. I wish I'd brought my Clan cloak with me - but for the time being, you'll have to make do with this."

He pulled the misshapen grey-brown cloak from his shoulders, winding it forcibly around Juushirou's shoulders. "Now stop getting wound up and arguing and concentrate on not coughing, all right? You're frightening the chibi, and debates on Urahara Keitarou can wait till later. Much later. Right now the priority is getting you out of the firing line."

"No." Juushirou pushed Shunsui's hand back, shaking his head. "I...have to find Seimaru. I need to...stop Seimaru. I have to...else..."

"You're not going anywhere near Seimaru." Shunsui said firmly. "No matter how much you cry, kick or scream. He's not the kind of opponent you should be looking for. Stand down and realise it, all right? You can't always save the world - and it's much harder to do anything if you're dead."

"But he has..._reidoku_." Desperation rippled through Juushirou's body. "He has...he could...he has to be stopped. Keitarou-san gave it to him so he wouldn't k...kill Shikiki or I, but...he has it and he could hurt someone. And..."

"He might hurt Kei-nii! Kei-nii went to stop him!" Fear flooded Shikiki's gaze, and Juushirou bit his lip.

"We_ have_ to stop him." He whispered. "Whether the Council are coming or not, I don't know. Seimaru thought they were, and he was resolved to find Hirata and kill him before taking on the Council in some way. Keitarou-san tried to talk him out of that - but he wasn't having any of it. Shikiki's right - he might kill anyone in the mood he was in when we saw him earlier."

"You really believe this Keitarou is an ally, don't you?" Shunsui realised and Juushirou faltered, realising how like that his words had sounded. He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't know." He admitted. "I don't believe everything he says, and I don't know whether his motives are good or bad. But...he did stop Seimaru from hurting Shikiki and I. And...and he's done that since I came here. Protected us from Seimaru. He...he may not be our ally. But I don't think...he's really Seimaru's, either. Not deep down. Not with the things he's said about the Endou-ke and what they did...to..h...his f...family."

A fresh spasm of coughing hit him at that moment, and Hirata sighed, slowly shaking his head.

"Then there's only one line of action we can take." He said softly. "Shunsui-kun, Ukitake-kun's in no state to do anything. He needs to be got to safety - and so does the child. This isn't your fight and if you get killed, Tokutarou-sama will probably declare outright war on District Seven. So you...you should take him and try...to find shelter. Until the Council come...and put things right. If Ukitake-kun thinks they are coming, it means that Kai-kun took the letter and showed it to them. And that means...they will act."

"The letter?" Juushirou murmured, and Hirata nodded.

"I know I can stand being around _reidoku_, because I've carried it before."He continued slowly. "So I don't think being in proximity to Seimaru and his will do me any harm. And perhaps he would attack me - I don't know. But...but I'm also the only one who can probably...stall him. Because of that letter...I think...I can."

"That's a hell of a risk." Shunsui looked disapproving, and Hirata grimaced.

"I know. But so long as he thinks he can get the wherabouts of it out of me, he won't kill me straight away." He said evenly, his voice trembling very slightly as he spoke. "So it might be enough...time to distract him until the Council come. I'm sure they will come...they must come. And so...that's...the only thing we can do. If Raiden-dono and Jinkei-dono ride to Hokujou and find my Father alive, then there is still an Endou with a claim to the manor. If I am killed...then..."

"You being killed isn't an option, I told you that." Shunsui shook his head.

"Maybe not. It's not my ideal ending, either." Hirata said darkly. "But if we all stay here and Seimaru finds us, we'll all be in danger and the situation will be far worse. Please, Shunsui-kun. You can use shunpo. You can get Ukitake-kun and the child away from here and find shelter. I promise not to do anything more than I have to, and to do my best to simply stall him till the Council arrive. But in the worst case...in the worst case...one casualty is better than four. This is my homeland. If I die here...it won't cause a war with a neighbouring Clan. If _you_ do..."

He trailed off, and Juushirou felt a cold sense of unease rising in his stomach.

"Hirata..." He whispered, but Shunsui sighed, closing his eyes briefly.

"The kid is right, just as he so often is." He said reluctantly. "I don't like it either, Juu, but Hirata is right. We're out of other options and you're not in any state to be near Seimaru. Even if he appeared now, with the_ reidoku_ in his possession and with a fire curse that burns you from the inside...with your dodgy chest you're the most vulnerable one of all of us. And we didn't come here to let you get killed."

"I didn't...come...to...let Hirata...either." Juushirou protested weakly, and Shunsui patted him gently on the shoulder.

"Hirata came to stop Seimaru." He said simply. "He came to find you too, and so did I. But Hirata knew...we both knew...that was the real reason why he came. You don't like it. I don't like it. But this is something Hirata has to do. Making it harder on him is just unfair. Understand, Juu...this is Hirata's family. He wants to do something to help them, if he can."

Juushirou swallowed hard, but did not reply, and Shunsui reached over to take the young girl gently by the hand.

"We're going for a little trip." He said softly. "Hold on tight to me, and try not to scream. I don't know how well I'll manage it with three people, but I'm going to give it a go. I'll need you to help me look after Juushirou - will you come with me and help me do that?"

"Kei-nii told me to do the same." Shikiki nodded her head. "I want to help Juu-nii."

"Then it's settled." Shunsui cast Juushirou a resigned smile, though it did not fully reach his dark eyes. "Let's go."

* * *

_**Author's Note: Raiko**_

_  
So I decided to reveal Raiko's past after all. _

_For some reason I have this image of a six year old Guren trailing around in Raiko's shadow, and Raiko fighting all comers who dared to give her hassle about her roots. It stands to reason that the Unohana would be aware of things like that. Obviously the man who raised her and who she called 'Father' was the guardian picked out by her real father, and although doubtless Raiko understood who and what she was, she probably did not ever speak of it to Hidenobu or the Ukitake family she married into. _

_I envisage that she probably met Hidenobu not long after she was sent to live with the manservant - and from that point they became friends and allies. The kidou spells Raiko taught Hidenobu would have been things she learnt while living with the Kuchiki-ke, although Hidenobu's spirit power was not of a level to properly learn shinigami skills._

_Probably Genryuusai went looking for her to train her - perhaps he was even told about her by Raiko's birth father, but those plans were thwarted by her marriage to Hidenobu. _

_Also, I wanted to give Shirogane another brief cameo, since a few people have asked if we'll see him again xD. _


	56. Moonlight Goddess

**Chapter Fifty Five:** **Moonlight Goddess**

Hirata stood at the edge of the abandoned village for a long while, following the shifting reiatsu of his friends until they had faded completely from his awareness. Despite his own criticisms of the technique, Shunsui's proficiency in Hohou had indeed improved over the course of the last few months, and it was not long at all before Hirata knew he was entirely alone in the snow.

He swallowed hard, as a surge of panic and fear washed up through his young body. He felt dizzy and sick, his hands shaking and he clenched his fists tightly, struggling to contain the terror that now flooded his every thought.

He had asked them to go. He had asked for it to be this way. He had done it for a reason, and...

He closed his eyes briefly against the tears that longed to fall.

_I may never see either of them again. _

The thought pounded against his brain, and for a split second he wanted to run after them, to canvass the landscape for their means of escape and to follow them to safety. He didn't want to be here, in this desolate, empty land...he certainly didn't want to give his life for a Clan he hated and values he despised.

Yet still he did not move. Still he remained there, alone in the snow, drawing cold air into his lungs as he attempted to force the logic over the fright.

He was an Endou. He had no choice. And besides...

_If I never see them again, the chances are they'll still manage to escape. Between now and the Council coming - how much time? Time enough, I'm sure, for them to be out of Seimaru's reach. But that...that's what I have to make sure of. _

He swallowed the rising bile that threatened to choke up into his mouth, taking another steady breath of air into his lungs.

Then he refocused his senses, instead reaching out across the landscape in search of a darker, more cloying presence than that belonging to either of his friends.  
_  
__Seimaru. Where are you? I'm sure you're not far._

Hirata bit his lip, then, not without misgivings, he flared his own reiatsu up from its habitual neat control, turning his back on the path that he knew his friends would have taken and instead beginning to walk purposefully down the uneven track that led towards the Endou manor.

Every step was an effort, but as he plodded resolutely through the snow, he felt his feet sink down through the crisp white surface as if weighed down by the burdens of his Clan that now hung heavy over him. His sister. His mother. His father. Even his Grandmother. Though Yayoi was long gone now, somehow Hirata felt that her piercing gaze was also watching him - commanding him forward and preventing him from making an escape.

"A coward isn't a person who is afraid. A coward is one who runs away."

He muttered the words under his breath, encouragement given him by his beloved father so many years ago now, when Hirata had confessed tearfully to being scared of Seimaru and his Uncle Mibune's wild, psychotic rages. Hirata understood now what he had not known then. That he could run - and run forever, but he could not escape. This was his home. These were his kin. And he was bound to them just as much as they were to him.

The only escape from being Endou-ke was death. It just depended on which way the axe would fall.

"So you did come here, after all."

The voice was colder than the snow covering the fields for miles around, and at the sound of it Hirata froze in his tracks as though he had been struck by a sudden bolt of lightning. He had not felt Seimaru's approach, yet the other was unmistakeably there - and as he raised his gaze in trepidation to face his cousin, he realised that the other had probably been stalking him from a distance, waiting for a good opportunity with which to strike.

And one more thing.

Hirata could also sense the distinctive, foreboding aura of the illegal _reidoku_. It was localised and controlled at present, so it did not seem as though the Clan leader had ingested any of it - but it was still there, and still, unmistakeably, full of dark, raw power.

This understanding sent fresh waves of fear rushing through his body, but somehow he controlled them, standing his ground as he met those cold, pale eyes.

"Seimaru." He said softly, and Seimaru snorted, striding forward and bringing his hand down briskly and firmly across the young boy's cheek. Taken off guard, Hirata slipped on the icy surface and went flying, his glasses shooting off into a nearby hedge as he tumbled to the ground.

"Seimaru_-sama_." Seimaru's words were hard and he glared down at the younger boy in derision. "I am your Clan Leader now, Hirata. You should learn to speak to me with respect."

Hirata merely stared up at him, and Seimaru sighed, kicking an idle foot at the other's spindly, thin frame.

"You are supposed to have gotten stronger." he said mockingly. "You are supposed to have come back here, all guns blazing and sword drawn, ready to challenge me for the honour of the Endou. Yet this is it? This is what Misashi-jisama put his hopes in? I wonder why I bothered. You are just the same as you were before, aren't you? Just as weak. Just as simple. Just as feeble and just as easy to crush beneath my feet as though you were nothing more than an insect."

He bent down, grabbing Hirata by the throat of his kimono and hauling him to his feet.

"Say it." He murmured, his tones menacing and dark. "Seimaru-_sama_. _Say it_. I want to hear you acknowledge me before I send you to your death."

Hirata stiffened, casting his cousin a defiant look.

"I told you to say it." Seimaru's grip tightened. "Acknowledge me! Or are you too much of a coward to even do that?"

"A coward is someone who orders someone else's murder behind closed doors." Hirata snapped, sudden anger flooding through him as he remembered Eiraki's tears and the aftermath of that night. "Grandfather. Me. Genryuusai-sama. Maybe even Father. I'm not a coward, Seimaru. And I won't acknowledge you. No matter what you do to me...I won't."

"I see." Seimaru's expression twisted into one of displeasure, and he released his grip, letting Hirata fall heavily once more onto the hard, unforgiving ground. "Then you haven't lost that unpleasant attitude you had the last time we spoke. Never mind. I will still kill you - so it's up to you how you die. Acknowledge me and I'll make it a quick death. Refuse and you'll meet the same fate any traitor to the Endou-ke meets. A slow, painful one in the family dungeon."

Hirata flinched, fear momentarily touching his senses, then he rallied himself, scrambling into a kneeling position and glaring at his cousin through unfocused yet determined eyes.

"The traitor to our Clan is not me." He said coldly. "The traitor to our Clan is the one who plotted and schemed and had Grandfather murdered in cold blood! Grandfather was the head of this Clan and you can't be acknowledged as his successor, because you are the one who ordered his death. I know the law of the Endou as well as you do, Seimaru. I know that to claim the Clan from a living Lord, you have to challenge him and kill him outright on the field of battle. You did no such thing. You had him murdered. Therefore the Clan cannot acknowledge you. And nor shall I!"

Seimaru stared at him, and for a moment Hirata was sure that the rage boiling in the other man's aura would be enough to melt the snow and ice even without the release of his sword. Yet just as he was preparing himself for another physical attack, Hirata heard the sound of laughter.

"It doesn't matter what you think." Seimaru said softly. "You may suspect me of murder, but that is all it is. A suspicion. You were not here when Grandfather met his tragic accident. You know nothing of the circumstances. As it happens, I have an alibi for the moment he died. I was with the Endou council, you see? The Endou council and among them your own father, all of whom accounted quite happily for me on that particular day. The Unohana Clan even investigated Grandfather's death fully and comprehensively, under Misashi-jisama's watchful gaze. I ordered it to be that way, and their verdict was accidental death - that there was nobody of the requisite power or motive abroad that day who could have stifled Grandfather's life so quickly he did not have time to draw his sword. In the end, you can have no real complaints about my accession. As you see...your fancies are just that. The desperate claims of a jealous, hopeless, feeble brat. There was no murder here. Just an accident. The Council have ruled it so, and that's all."

"Urahara Keitarou." Hirata said accusingly, pulling himself to his feet. "Aizen Keitarou. Your scientist in the shadows. He was the one who killed Grandfather. You might have been accounted for - you might even have engineered it so that Father was the one providing your alibi. But I know that it was Aizen and I know it was done on your order. And when the Council know it too..."

"You shouldn't have said that name." Seimaru shook his head, his fingers closing around the hilt of his weapon. "Now I _have_ to execute you here and now as a traitor to the Endou Clan. Knowing about and supporting traitor Urahara is against Council Law. I am honour bound to kill you now...you should have kept that information to yourself."

"_Hadou no Ichi: Shou_!" Hirata flung out his hand just in time, deflecting the swing of the still-sealed blade and pushing himself some three or four feet back in the snow, enough out of Seimaru's immediate reach for him to breath. "You might want to keep things a secret, but you're not the only person involved and no matter what you say, the truth is there for all to see. Your secret assassin doesn't seem to be so bothered - he seems quite happy to claim responsibility for Grandfather's death to all and sundry."

Seimaru's eyes became slits and he glared at Hirata as if seeing him anew.

"You've spoken to the District brat." He murmured, and inwardly Hirata berated himself for his carelessness. "You must have done...somehow you've seen him and spoken to him about this. Even now that wretch confounds me...but...hrm. It seems that, after all, he's not with you."

He paused, as if checking the area for hidden reiatsu, and Hirata gathered his wits, shaking his head.

"How could I have seen Ukitake-kun?" He demanded, his tones as derisive as he could make them as he voiced his lie. "Unless you're confessing to being involved in his disappearance, of course. _I_ came here to settle things with you - I'm simply repeating what's being said among people who inhabit this District. That Shouichi-sama was killed - and he was killed by your order."

His eyes became slits.

"You wouldn't be so foolish as to try and breach District Eight, too, surely?" He said softly. "You doing that would be an act of war - and kidnapping a registered shinigami would also be a crime before the Council, wouldn't it?"

"You think you're so clever all of a sudden." Seimaru snapped. ""You try my patience far too much considering the precarious nature of your position. Do you realise how easy it would be for me to snap your neck like a twig? You shouldn't provoke me. I might prefer to suffocate you slowly - breaking one bone at a time."

He smiled coldly.

"And you're wrong. Compared to me, that District boy is nothing but a peasant without bloodline or support. Even if the Council call him shinigami, he can barely hold a sword. He is nothing. He doesn't matter. He can be erased and the world will move on as if nothing had ever happened. You may cling to him, but in the end, that's all he amounts to. Another common wretch who aimed too high and got burnt."

"Like the girl you killed, in the town in District One?" Hirata demanded. "The one who was spying for you and for Aitori - the one who was involved in your web?"

"That isn't even worth answering." Seimaru smirked. "If I remembered every peasant I killed I'd have a considerably clogged up memory."

"Megumi-san." Hirata nodded. "Her death began it all, and now here we are. The_ reidoku_. The scheming. The treason against the Shihouin. The fall of Kamuki-sama. All of those things began to open up when Megumi-san was murdered. So how can you say that a District born person has no effect? Killing her had a huge effect. You don't even care, but it did. Kai-kun's family...they almost fell apart because of what was going on between you. And..."

"I have no knowledge of what you mean." Seimaru cut across him. "The Shihouin were foolish, careless and desperate. They sought more than they rightfully could claim and have been punished by the Council accordingly. The Endou-ke supports that justice. End of matter."

"You can try and twist it all you like, but there's proof." Hirata's voice shook slightly. "Evidence of your treason, Seimaru. Evidence you don't have. Evidence that - if you kill me - can still convict you and take from you this Clan. I kept it hidden, after Aitori-sensei was killed. I thought I had to - I thought that if anyone ever saw it, the whole of my family would perish and I couldn't let that happen. So I kept it and I protected you as well as protecting them. But now there's nothing left here to protect. I don't even know if my Father lives - and as for the Clan..."

He twitched his lips into a look of distaste.

"I don't want this Clan. It's rotten, empty and full of worthless, outdated values." He added scornfully. "I have no interest in it and I never have had. If Grandfather had lived, maybe I would never have come back - the life out there is much happier than the one here. But things changed. I only came here because someone needs to stop you. And there's nobody else to do it - so that someone has to be me."

"And you really believe you _can_ stop me?" Seimaru arched an eyebrow. "I'm not afraid of you or your proof, Hirata. I know that you gave it to the District boy, and if he isn't with you, ready to jump out and kill himself to save you then he's still in the custody of one of my men. You won't be able to prove anything against me, so your pretty words are as worthless as our family's values apparently are. You've wasted your time and your life - if you don't even want the Clan, you should never have come back at all."

He smiled coldly.

"Your father lives, for now. But that can change at any time, you know. Even if you manage to escape me here...you'll never manage to find out where he is."

"The proof is in District Eight." Hirata ignored the veiled threats, facing Seimaru bravely as adrenalin pumped through his veins. "Ukitake-kun may have had it, but he did not have it when your people lured him and kidnapped him and did whatever you did to my sister to force him to leave the Kyouraku manor. I don't have it, either. I wouldn't be so foolish as to bring it near to you when it's the only thing stopping you from killing my Father and I both with that cursed sword of yours. It's still in District Eight and if you kill me, you'll never know where."

"You little..." Seimaru lunged for the younger boy in anger, but even without his glasses Hirata was able to predict the movement and he darted back, taking refuge behind a nearby tree as he faced his cousin solemnly.

"Ukitake-kun is not my only friend." He said softly. "You forget that I chose allies for myself once already, Seimaru. Those allies now have that letter. If something happens to me...by default, something will happen to you."

A cold smile touched his lips.

"They are assassins, if you remember."

"Are you daring to threaten me?" Seimaru's eyes widened in disbelief. "A worm like you daring to tell your Clan Leader what to do?"

"In your eyes I'm already an exile." Hirata shook his head. "And I told you. You're not the leader of this Clan. If anyone is, Father is. He's Grandfather's son and he wasn't involved in Grandfather's murder. Neither of us have a valid claim to this land, Seimaru. Yet one of us is going to have to die over it anyway. Maybe both of us, in the end. That's what the Endou-ke is...a slaughter ground for greedy nobles who think they have everything when they have nothing at all."

"You've certainly learnt to use a lot more words than you seemed to know when you still lived here." Seimaru said nastily, running his fingers against the blade of his weapon. "Is that what your fine school has done for you? Taught you to bore your elders with meaningless rhetoric about right and pride and moral worth?"

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Besides, if the letter is not in your hands, you are of no interest to me anyway." He said flatly. "If it's in the hands of others, I will sever those hands and since you've told me who holds it, I will know who to target with my blade. You've been quite helpful even though you didn't realise it - or did you really think I was just a fool who'd take your bone and run with it without looking for the rest of the skeleton?"

Despite himself Hirata stared at his cousin, alarm stirring in his pale eyes, and Seimaru laughed.

"_Subete o moyase, Yojinmozu_." he murmured, and little by little the sword began to blaze into life, the lick of amber flames forming around the tip as he swung the blade lazily in Hirata's direction. With his vision compromised, it was only his sharp senses that told the younger boy how quickly the ball of fire was coming towards him. Just in time he threw himself to the cold ground, watching in horror as the flames engulfed the tree that moments before he had been using as his shield.

"Time to melt some winter snow, don't you think?" Seimaru observed off-handedly. "I had hoped to kill your District friend in front of you, but it seems I'll have to do things the other way around. You first. Then your father. Then that brat. And then...the people you dare call 'allies'. I'm not afraid of Shihouin Shadowcats or their weak, bleating kinsmen who can't carry out the most simple tasks. With everything so fresh and recent, nobody is going to listen to them if they start bandying about so called evidence. You gave it to the wrong people, Hirata. I'll simply claim the Shihouin forged it to try and shed blame. Maybe Aitori himself did it. Who knows?"

He raised the sword again, and Hirata shuffled back on the snow, fear paralysing his heart as he felt Seimaru's reiatsu building for another attack.

_He's going to curse me._

The realisation shot through him like a bullet.  
_  
__He's going to do to me what he did to Shunsui-kun and...and then he's going to watch it kill me, little by little. That's what he wants...what he's always wanted. To curse me and watch me die so that he knows I can never fight back. He doesn't need the reidoku to kill me. He doesn't even need to release his sword. Against his strength I have nothing but basic kidou...and without my glasses, I can't even see clearly what's going on._

"_Chi ni_." Seimaru tilted his weapon, glinting the cold winter sunlight off its red hot surface as he began his sword's special attack. "_Ju_..."

"_Bakudou no Sanjuu Kyuu. Enkousen_."

A woman's voice ripped through the cold winter air, followed by a rush of familiar, reassuring reiatsu forming a circular shield between the frightened Hirata and Yojinmozu's blazing blade. As Seimaru swore, Hirata was aware of someone at his side, a hand resting gently on his shoulder as if to tell him he was no longer alone. He turned to face her, blinking through his blurred vision, and was comforted to see a haze of dark and violet, with two unmistakeable gold smudges for eyes directed straight at him.

"Midori-sama." He murmured, and the woman grinned, nodding her head.

"You sit tight there for a moment." She advised lightly. "I know Genryuusai-sama prides himself on pushing his students, but this is a bit ambitious even given that fact."

"The Shihouin jezebel again." Seimaru's eyes narrowed and he lowered his weapon, eying Midori in undisguised disdain. "Do you follow this runt of a boy everywhere? An Endou who constantly needs a Shihouin to protect him should be stifled at birth before he has a chance to bring shame to his Clan."

"I'm not here because I followed Hirata." Midori got to her feet, putting herself bodily in front of the young Endou boy as the kidou barrier flickered and fragmented into specks of light. "I'm here because it's my duty to be here. As representative of District Two for the Council of Elders - I'm charged with the duty of bringing you to Inner Seireitei."

"Bringing me to..?" Seimaru echoed, then he smirked, shaking his head in derision. "You think you can do such a thing? You can't take me anywhere. This is my land. These are my laws. You have no right to be here - to come like this and make demands is a clear act of war and I am within my rights to defend myself!"

"If you do, I'll defend myself too." Midori's fingers rested against her _obi_, and though Hirata could not make it out, he was sure he felt the faint, pulsing reiatsu of the Shihouin princess's demon blade. "I wouldn't come here without Akekage. But I don't want to fight you again - it was tedious enough the last time, and that's not my duty. My duty is to bring you back to Inner Seireitei to answer questions before the Council. Attacking your cousin doesn't look particularly good to begin with - you might want to think a little more carefully about your demeanour given the charges that will hang over your head."

"You have no right." Seimaru repeated. "In District Seven, I make the law!"

"And even so, you are subject to the laws of the Council." Midori stood her ground. "If you continue to defy me, I will have to take you by force instead."

"And if you continue to get in my way, I will have to kill you and then save the brat for later." Seimaru's eyes glittered with malicious intent. "To curse him would be overkill. To curse you...far more entertaining."

"Sheath your sword, Seimaru." A second female voice entered the conversation at that moment, and both Seimaru and Hirata started as a faint smile touched Midori's lips.

"Of course, you didn't think I'd come here alone?" She asked softly. "Though it would have been my pleasure to drag you off kicking and screaming by myself, with the history there is between us, the Council decided that it would not be wise. As Hirata's ally, I felt that it was important I come to help him. But as a Council shinigami and member of the Gotei - I have to obey the decision made by the majority vote."

"And I decided that if someone else was coming, it might as well be me."

Kyouki strode into the clearing, her sword already drawn from its sheath as she approached them, tapping the weapon pensively against her leg as she surveyed the scene. "Well, Seimaru? I've told you already. Sheath your sword and come with us - else we will take you by force."

"I have no intention of doing anything either of you tell me." Seimaru spat out. "Women may have rights where you come from, but in my District, they're kept where they belong! I will not be talked down to by a couple of jumped up Clan _hime_ who think they have value beyond breeding and a right to a political opinion! My business with Hirata is no concern of yours - get out of here, the both of you, before I call Seventh Squad to incarcerate you instead!"

"I think that's unlikely." Kyouki's tones had an unpleasant edge to them, and despite himself, Hirata shivered at their sound. "I imagine by this time Guren-sama will have taken charge of the squad and confiscated all weaponry - and that your council of nobles will be well cowed by Genryuusai-sama and his companions. All that is left is bringing you in, Seimaru - and that is what we have come to do."

Seimaru did not respond, but the defiance in his aura was enough to tell Hirata he intended to fight, and Kyouki sighed, casting Midori a sidelong glance.

"I'm overruling you, this time." She said briskly. "With experience, if nothing else. You take the kid and keep him safe. His life is important - remember what was said at the Council meeting about this sorry excuse for a Clan?"

Midori sighed, but she slowly nodded her head.

"You're not the only one who'd like to use a little force." She said reluctantly. "But all right. I can see you're serious - and if that's the case, Hirata will probably need me to protect him. I've heard about Gekkoushin - if Seimaru hasn't, God help him."

An unpleasant smile touched Kyouki's lips.

"He'll soon find out." She said simply, turning her attention back to the Clan leader who glared at her in undisguised disdain. "But enough talking. Since it's clear you won't sheath your sword, Seimaru, I'll even things up by releasing mine. Just don't regret it, when I do. Gekkoushin's not a very forgiving lady, and I like to give her her way."

Her smile widened, but the coldness in Kyouki's aura still gave Hirata chills.

"_Kagayaite, Gekkoushin_."

All at once the copse was filled with a bright light, and despite himself, even Seimaru was forced to shelter his eyes from the sudden glare that burst forth from Kyouki's elegant blade. In the confusion, Midori took her chance, grabbing an unprepared Hirata firmly by the shoulders, and pulling him forcibly into shunpo, rematerialising to one side of the copse and reaching for his discarded glasses.

"Here is probably not safe either." She explained, as the other boy blinked at her in dazed confusion. "But nowhere will be, right now. In the shelter of Kyouki-sama's _zanpakutou_ and with mine ready to go at any time - that's the best place for you for now. Here. Put those on. At least then you can see if danger's coming at you."

"Th...thank you." Hirata murmured, doing, as he was bidden. "Midori-sama, you came...to..."

"The Council came because you finally did the right thing and gave up that letter to Kai." Midori said matter-of-factly. "And not a moment too soon, by the looks. Though I expected at least to find the Kyouraku boy with you. I understood you'd left together - but he's not here."

"We found Ukitake-kun, and so Shunsui-kun took him to safety." Hirata shook his head. "I told him to. I told him...Seimaru was...was someone I had to face alone."

"And he listened?" Midori was surprised. "You're becoming more forceful in your commands, if that's the case."

"Ukitake-kun was coughing blood and he didn't look very well. It's so cold here, and he's been...we don't know where." Hirata replied. "We don't know what he's been through, or if he needs medical help. So I wanted...I didn't want him to get in Seimaru's way like that."

"Sensible." Midori nodded. "You really do care about that boy, don't you?"

"Yes." Hirata chewed down on his lip. "It might sound silly but...since we began at the Academy, it's been like having an older brother always protecting me from the things that scare me. I'm scared of a lot of things, Midori-sama. I'm scared of this, too. But I know nobody can protect me from this one. So I wanted...to be able to protect Ukitake-kun instead. Somehow."

"Well, I understand your feelings." Midori sighed. "But still, facing Seimaru by yourself wasn't the smartest idea, in all truth. Good thing we got here when we did."

"Mm." Hirata turned his gaze back to the two shinigami in the centre of the clearing, as the light faded and both Kyouki and Seimaru were once more visible.

"Do you think that by dazzling your opponent, you can win?" Seimaru demanded, his grip on his sword shifting as he prepared to charge forward to meet Kyouki's blade. "You've sent up a lot of light, Kyouki-sama, but I don't see much change. Your sword looks just the same to me...just a bit of metal that Yojinmozu and I are going to melt. _Kouen Kougeki_!"

He swung his right arm briskly down, slicing through the air as a flare of vibrant red-orange flame coursed through the winter atmosphere, sending faint steam up as it seared towards where Kyouki stood. Hirata instinctively flinched as he anticipated it's impact, but Kyouki merely snorted, bringing her own weapon up and cutting the fire blast in two, sending each part careering harmlessly past her. They struck two more trees to either side of her, sending them up into a blaze, and Seimaru shook his head.

"You won't get any benefit from doing that." He said softly. "My sword's fire is under my control. Even now, I can tell that flame to lick across the frozen grass and consume you, _haori _and all."

"I see." Kyouki looked thoughtful. "Very well. Then I'll fight fire with fire. In a manner of speaking."

She lifted her sword, pointing it to the sky and, hovering her free hand over the hilt as she did so.

"_Yo ga aketemo, ten ni nokotte. Hitsuki._" She murmured, and in an instant the weapon glowed a vibrant golden, stray light trailing from the edges as it moved through the air. As Seimaru commanded his fire forwards, Kyouki slashed Gekkoushin down, a sudden beam of light blazing from the tip of the blade. It crashed against Seimaru's flame, and the clearing was lit up for a second tme with a dazzling bright light as the two spells mingled and collided with the burning trees, exploding them into a mass of shattered wood and fragmented spiritual energy. As charcoal shrapnel was sent flying in all directions, Kyouki darted back, raising her weapon in front of her face, and Hirata saw a golden sheen spread out from either side of its blade, providing a shield from the resultant debris. On the other side of the explosion, Seimaru uttered a curse, slipping into shunpo and re-materialising some feet further back to avoid being splintered by the black shards of flying wood.

"_Hadou no Ichi: Shou_." Midori raised her hand to deflect away stray fragments that had shot out in their direction. "Kyouki-sama! Please, be careful where you're aiming! You could have impaled both of us then, if you hadn't been careful."

"That's what you're here for, isn't it?" Kyouki seemed unrepentant, raising her weapon and shifting at speed across the grass towards where Seimaru was only just recovering his stance. "In case of moments like that. Don't moan, Midori. You're Kidou is more than up to it - else you'd never be able to light that demon blade of yours!"

Before Midori could respond, the two _zanpakutou_ clattered against one another, and Yojinmozu flared with energy, Seimaru gritting his teeth as he poured his hot, angry reiatsu into his _zanpakutou_. Kyouki merely offered him a playful smile, slipping into shunpo and re-materialising behind him, tilting her weapon so that the sun glinted off her blade. Unlike Seimaru's weapon, which had only reflected the weak light faintly, Kyouki's sword seemed to be drawing on this energy, a soft haze of light spreading out around its golden surface as she brought it down towards the ground.

"_Hitsuki no Kagayaki_." She murmured, and the haze of dazzling light spread out all around her, blurring her body and making it harder for Hirata to pinpoint where she was. Seimaru was having the same trouble, he realised, for the nobleman had paused, his weapon clasped so tightly in his hand that Hirata could almost see the white of his knuckles. For a moment, the gentle haze of light seemed to drift and settle, bringing an uneasy calm to the clearing. Then, with a sudden gleam, Kyouki's blade appeared from the midst, sweeping ruthlessly down towards Seimaru's right shoulder. Metal met flesh, the razor sharp edge of the golden sword slicing though the tendons and muscles in Seimaru's shoulder and he let out a yell, instinctively slipping into shunpo and re-materialising across the other side of the clearing.

He dropped to the ground, his left hand clutching his right shoulder as blood ran through the expensive fabric of his clan robes, streaking across his skin and pooling around the hilt of his blade. Somehow he had kept his grip on his weapon, though Hirata did not know how, because Kyouki's aim had been direct and decisive and even from this distance he could tell that she had aimed to disable Seimaru's sword arm.

"That stubborn fool." Midori obviously felt the same way, for she let out a sigh, shaking her head slowly. "With his arm cut up like that and he still won't drop his blade? Kyouki-sama's going easy on him. She could've sliced his head from his shoulders in that last attack, but she didn't. And yet he till won't relinquish Yojinmozu and surrender?"

"This is Seimaru." Hirata shivered as a chill wind whipped through him. "He doesn't surrender. He'll keep going...till someone dies."

"Well, in that case, it will be him." Midori said matter-of-factly. "Because he's no match for Kyouki-sama's sword. I'm probably not a match for Gekkoushin, either, and I could quite easily have killed your cousin two summers ago. He doesn't stand a chance."

"I wonder..." Hirata's heart skipped a beat, and he grabbed Midori by the arm. "Midori-sama...Ukitake-kun said that Seimaru...that he has..._reidoku_."

"_What_?" Midori's eyes opened wide. "With him? Now?"

"Yes." Hirata nodded his head. "And he does...I could sense it before he released Yojinmozu. He hasn't taken any yet...but he has it with him."

"Is he a complete idiot?" Midori demanded. "No wonder he's fighting so hard - he doesn't want to be taken with evidence like that on his body."

Hirata turned his gaze back on his cousin, reading the dark, resolute waves of reiatsu that surrounded his body, and he knew that that was not the reason Seimaru was fighting.

"No." He murmured. "He's doing this so that he can kill me. So that he can kill anyone and everyone in his way, and hold Seventh District, just like Grandfather did. He hasn't cast his curse on Kyouki-sama - that means he's holding on to it so he can use it for me when the battle ends. He's holding back too so far...this isn't everything he can do."

"Then that will be his death, probably." Midori said matter-of-factly. "I'll say it again. Even if he has _reidoku_, he's not a match for Gekkoushin."

"You must have nerves made of steel, not to have loosed Yojinmozu from that last slash." Kyouki raised her voice, swinging her blood-stained sword idly as she walked towards the still crouching Seimaru who was breathing heavily on the ground. Specks of red spattered across the snow as she walked, yet she paid them no attention, pausing a few feet from her opponent. "Or perhaps I didn't sever through your limb as effectively as I thought I did. Still, if you drop your blade now, I won't continue. I don't want to kill you here...I'd like to see you answer for your misdemeanours in the proper place, rather than on the end of Gekkoushin's sword."

"You don't think that a lucky swing like that can stop me from fighting, do you?" Seimaru snorted, glaring up at her defiantly. He released his grip on his bleeding shoulder, grabbing the trailing end of his _obi _that had worked loose in the battle so far and tearing a strip from it, wrapping it around the wound and holding the ragged fabric with his teeth as he fastened a makeshift bandage around his injury. "Did you forget for a minute which Clan I was born into?"

He grimaced, taking the hilt of his sword in his left hand and using it to pull himself to his feet, standing upright once more as he faced Kyouki defiantly. Pain rippled through his aura and Hirata knew that Gekkoushin's strike had hurt Seimaru badly - yet even so, he was ignoring it, and Hirata knew that his cousin was not going to be taken out so easily.

Despite himself, he felt faintly sick at the thought.

_He doesn't believe in Kidou, but he was first trained in swords by Mibune-jisama. To be trained by a madman who leaves bruises and blood on his own son in practice matches...he can fight with both hands. He'll keep fighting until he can't move any more...that's what it means to be an Endou in battle._

. "I'm a soldier. I trained two handed from when I was six or seven." As if echoing Hirata's thoughts, Seimaru's words carried clearly through the crisp, smoke-dusted air, a bragging note in his harsh tones. "You have to do that, when someone smashes your right wrist from its socket before you even begin then chases you down with the intent of slashing you open. I can fight you just as well with this hand as from the other...and a little pain is nothing I can't deal with. I was taught to fight for my life, not just to win a practice round. You've barely touched me in comparison to the training I went through with my father as a boy."

"I see." Kyouki's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, her gaze flitting to the wound. "Your power is fire, and Gekkoushin's Day Moon blade can cut you, but _because_ your power is fire, you can draw on it and stop your bleeding from running out of control. My reiatsu is too similar to yours in this form, isn't it?"

"As you say." Seimaru smirked. "I don't know what your sword's native power is meant to be, but when you slice through me with a hot blade, my body instinctively draws on its own power and it deflects the worst of the pain of the attack. Hence I can still fight - and you'll have to try far harder than that if you really want to stop me, Kyouki of the Shiba."

He swung his sword across in front of him, flames springing up from the frozen ground to form a blazing shield between them.

"You'll have to find a way to break down my fire first." He observed, a mocking note in his tones. "It may not be cursed fire - yet - but it's real enough, and if you touch it, it will consume you just as readily as any other flame. Believe me. It will protect me so long as I command it to - if you can't get past it, how will you be able to drag me away to the Council at all?"

"Mm." Kyouki looked thoughtful, glancing at her blade. Then she nodded, shrugging her shoulders.

"Very well." She said softly. "Then how about I fight you with night instead of with day?"

"With...night...?" Seimaru blinked, looking nonplussed, and Kyouki grinned.

"_Hi ga shizundemo, sora ni hikatte. Yozuki._" She murmured, and Hirata let out a gasp as the golden blade began to glimmer and change, a sudden chill surrounding the head of the Shiba Clan as the weapon began to glow a soft, winter blue. She cast it down against the ground, and a burst of freezing white energy surged forth from the weapon's tip, powering through Seimaru's fire shield and causing the Endou Clan leader to dart out of its line of attack with an exclamation. Hirata's heart leapt in his throat as he realised what had happened - though the flames still burned merrily on either side of where Kyouki's strike had hit, through the middle there was a gleaming path of crystallised energy, as though Gekkoushin's beam had simply trampled the fire into going out.

"Ice...?" He whispered, and Midori shook her head.

"No. But just as effective." She murmured. "Haven't you heard about Gekkoushin's twin moon powers before? Kyouki-sama's simply turned her blade from day to night, that's all. And the light of the cold, midnight moon...is freezing enough to stifle any fire."

Kyouki glanced at the broken fire shield, then nodded, a grin touching her features.

"Yes. We'll try that instead." She reflected. "Well, Seimaru? I'm ready for you. If you can still fight me...come."

* * *

Well, he hadn't planned it quite like this.

Keitarou picked his way carefully across the uneven landscape, his brow creased thoughtfully as he tracked Juushirou's flickering reiatsu towards the place where the young boy had taken shelter. Following him was not hard - no matter where he moved or how, Keitarou simply had to focus his thoughts and he could feel the young boy resonating against his own senses. It was not an ideal situation, he acknowledged to himself darkly, glancing up at the sky as he tried to work out from the hazy sun what time of day it was. He was dealing with a limited amount of time now...time in which he had to make sure his protegee didn't get too far out of his reach.

_But I didn't think he'd be so foolish as to use his sword to break out of there. Not now, of all times - not with so many dangers around him. I warned him, after all. I told him that it would be better for him to stay put. Perhaps I should have been more forceful, but I did think that keeping tabs on him would be enough._

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

_I don't want to waste the opportunity, however. You made your decision, Juushirou. Let's both hope that you live to see it through. If that's what you want, then I won't stop you. But...without my help, the Council will slaughter you. And...I'm not about to let that happen._

In the distance he felt the distinctive flare of Seimaru's _zanpakutou_ blade, and he frowned.

_So you're fighting too, are you, Seimaru? Very well. That at least keeps you out of my way for the time being. Probably, your idiocy will buy me time and provide an adequate distraction. Especially if you use the reidoku - though for the time being, I won't have the opportunity to see my work in its final testing stages. Still, this is more important. I should have time enough to reclaim my test subject and remove the effects of Chudokuga's web before it can have a permanent effect on him. I underestimated his willpower. I underestimated his foolishness. And to take Shikiki with him too...the situation just became especially grave._

He paused at the end of the path, narrowing his gaze as he picked out Juushirou's distinctive presence. Shikiki was with him, he could tell, but there was someone else there too...a reiatsu that he did not clearly recognise, yet even from that distance he could tell it belonged to someone of considerable spiritual potential. Had the Council arrived already, then? Consternation crossed his features, then he shook his head. No, surely not. Whoever was with Juushirou had strength, but it was raw and untrained. Like Juushirou's, it still required polishing.

_Well, then. A friend. A fellow student, perhaps. A young fool who slipped through the Senkaimon with the boy Hirata and somehow found himself in District Seven?_

A faint smile touched Keitarou's lips as inwardly he made up his mind.

_In the end, perhaps, this is better. In the end, showing is far better than telling in many respects._

He leant up against the sheer stone face of the hill path, pursing his lips as he considered his options.

_I have some time, yet. Some little time, perhaps, but enough to make my warnings a reality. Already I can sense his confusion - he doesn't know truly if I'm his friend or his foe, which is more than he did when we first stepped into the Senkaimon in District Eight. If I can show him plainly how reckless he's been...if I can make him regret it enough...then he will come back to me of his own accord. No, more than that. He will need me in the absence of anyone else to fight his cause._

He crept closer until he could bring the young boy in sight, seeing for the first time the companion that was with him. They were disagreeing on something, Keitarou realised, and the taller boy seemed to be paying far more attention to Juushirou than to anyone stalking them in the shadows.

Although Keitarou knew that he could not be detected - not by those with such a feeble command of their potential, in any case.

_But I was right. The other one is a young boy. Perhaps...Kyouraku, from his appearance. I would say so, at least. Someone you care for, Juushirou? Someone that you're pulled back towards instead of focusing on the plans I have to make you stronger? Well, this will do just fine. While Seimaru is busy...we'll play a little game of our own, shall we?_

He slipped his _tantou _knife from his _obi_, running his finger along the blade.

"_Enkairaishi: Zenrei_." He murmured, and across the clearing he saw Juushirou stumble, his hand going to his chest as the tendrils of latent spiritual energy began to seep their way through the young District boy's body.

Immediately the others crowded around him, and Keitarou nodded, returning the weapon to its resting place.

That would do, then, for now. There should be enough time. Enough time to do what he needed to do, and still disappear from sight. Enough time to...

He faltered, as a sudden, unmistakeable reiatsu filled his senses, and his eyes widened as he registered what it was.

_So. After a hundred years, you've finally come after me, have you?_

His lips thinned, and he cast Juushirou one last glance, regret in his eyes.

_In that case, I can't stay here and watch things happen. I have to make sure nobody disturbs you - and I have some unsettled family business of my own to finally bury, too. Take heart, Juushirou - wherever I am, you can rest assured I will be watching over you._

And with that he closed his eyes, slipping into shunpo as he shifted through the threads of spiritual energy, returning once more to the place where Shouichi had drawn his last breath. Absently his hand went to the breast of his _hakamashita_, fingering the badge of the Endou hawk that he had hidden under for the past few weeks.

Somehow, in that moment, it disgusted him, and he slid his fingers around it, pulling the pinned crest from the fabric and tossing it down into the empty river basin. It bounced and rested against the rocks that had taken Shouchi's life, and Keitarou nodded, satisfied. He had finished playing at being an Endou. Now he would put an end, too, to his being an Urahara.

_I know that you'll come after me, so I'll let you find me._

He gazed down at the dry river bed for a moment longer, then turned on his heel, making his way to the heart of the abandoned village to wait.

_And then we'll see how things are, won't we? Nagesu-nii._

**

* * *

**

"Juu!"

As Juushirou stumbled, Shunsui was immediately alert, catching his friend's falling body as a spasm wracked through the younger boy's chest. He gasped, coughing violently, and as blood bubbled at his lips, Shunsui was aware of the glitter of fright and pain in his companion's hazel eyes.

"Juu-nii! Juu-nii!" Shikiki hovered at the boy's other side, fear in her own expression. "Oniisan, we can't walk any more! Juu-nii is sick again...he needs to rest!"

"We're out in the open, and I can't shunpo any further." Shunsui bit his lip, sliding his hand across Juushirou's back to support the other's shuddering form. "Shikiki, I don't know this land at all...but you're from here, aren't you? Do you know where we are?"

"Mm." Shikiki nodded her head. "It's not far...not far from where my village used to be. Except it's all burnt and gone now, so there's nowhere to shelter. But there were trees...if the trees are still there."

"Do you think you can run on and see?" Shunsui glanced at Juushirou's ashen features, alarm gripping him as he realised how heavily the other boy was breathing. "See if there's enough shelter there for Juu to rest properly. I'm not a physician and I can't do the clever healing kidou stuff that others learn - but if we can stop moving, and keep him warm...if we can do that..."

"I'll help too." Shikiki said fervently. "I'll help Juu-nii, too, Oniisan."

"You can help best by running on and checking the area for a safe shelter." Shunsui said gently. "All right? I'll stay with him, so nobody will hurt him - and if necessary, I'll carry him to wherever you find."

Shikiki cast Juushirou a hesitant glance, but at length she sighed, nodding her head.

"I will." She agreed. "It's okay, Juu-nii. We'll find some place safe an' then Shikiki will help you an' your chest won't be hurting so bad any more."

With that she darted off through the snow, and Shunsui sighed, tightening his grasp on Juushirou's body as he felt another shudder go through the other's thin frame.

_I wish Mitsuki was with us. I'm sure you do too. People might mock healers and call them weak but I swear, Juu, right now I would rather have her than an army of shinigami with swords drawn._

"You really don't take the cold that well, do you?" He murmured out loud. "We've been here before, Juu. You and me, stuck out in the freezing cold while you choke blood all over me. You'd have thought I'd have had enough of it the first time around - I guess neither of us learns our lesson particularly well."

His brows knitted together.

_Dammit, and just like before, even though I know you're hurting, I can't do a damn thing to help you._

"Shun...sui." Juushirou managed, then, "Let...me...go."

"Not a chance. You'll fall over." Shunsui shook his head firmly. "I know you're worrying about Hirata, but ranting and raving at me about it on the trip here is probably what brought on this attack. You weren't well before - which is why he sent you away in the first place. At least have the decency to sit quiet and let people look after you. We want you get you out of here in one piece, if it's at all possible."

"_Let...me...go_!" Juushirou's expression became one of desperation, and Shunsui felt his friend's hands groping for his chest, trying to push space bodily between them. "Please...let...me..."

"What are you doing?" Shunsui stared at him in confusion, reaching out to touch the other's brow. "Are you fevered? You're being really stubborn, even for you. You must be..."

Words faded on his lips as his fingers brushed against Juushirou's skin.

"Ice cold." He whispered. "Juushirou, what..."

"Let...me...go." Juushirou took advantage of his momentary lapse in concentration, finding the strength from somewhere to shove the other boy away from him. He struggled to his feet, taking an unsteady step or two forwards in the snow as if consciously trying to put space between him and his companion.

A sense of unease washed over Shunsui.

"Juushirou?" He murmured. "Where are you going?"

There was no answer, as the white-haired student merely took another two or three steps forward, drawing a ragged, hoarse breath of air into his lungs. Even without seeing his features, Shunsui could tell from the tension in the other's fragile frame that he was in pain, and struggling against something - but was it simply to take in air, or something more?

Shunsui got to his feet, ready to grab hold of his unsteady companion once more, but as he did so, he felt the flickering, raw surge of his classmate's spirit power swelling and engulfing the other boy's body in a faint, blueish haze of energy. His heart in his throat, Shunsui found himself remembering the flare of power that Juushirou had unleashed once before to defend them from a Hollow, but even so he knew that this was not the same as then. There was something else in this flare...something dark and indistinct, yet something that struck fear through to the core of Shunsui's heart.

And then, Juushirou turned and Shunsui saw for the first time true emptiness in the other boy's hazel eyes.

For a moment, there was silence. Then Juushirou's brows furrowed into a look of grim resolution, and he raised his right hand.

"_Hadou no Yon_." He murmured. "_Byakurai_."

* * *

**Author's Note: Gekkoushin**

_Yay! Kyouki's sword finally gets its debut!_

_There's no end of irony in my mind about the vague similarities between Kyouki's zanpakutou and the shadow/light power that we now know belongs to Katen Kyokotsu. Gekkoushin has actually been devised in my mind since Second Manuscript, when it was first mentioned in a conversation between Tokkun and Kyouki. I wanted it to be in a similar vein to Matsuhara's sword, since this is one of the reasons that Kyouki and Matsuhara worked together so much in the first place. In fact, it can be said that because of the similarities in their swords, they developed an understanding and from that understanding, Matsuhara met and fell in love with Tokutarou's unfortunate mother._

_It would be wrong to say that Kyouki's zanpakutou is the same as Tensonshin, however, or the same as Katen Kyokotsu. Gekkoushin means "Moonlight Goddess" and Kyouki's spirit power relates to light and dark but also to other more abstract things such as eclipse and reflection. The sword has two key aspects of release with distinctive commands:_

_"__**Yo ga aketemo, ten ni nokotte, Hitsuki.**__" (Even if the dawn comes, linger in the heavens, Day Moon.) and "__**Hi ga shizundemo, sora ni hikatte, Yozuki.**__" (Even if the sun sets, shine in the skies, Night Moon.)._

_Within those releases, Kyouki's powers are similar but on the opposite end of the spectrum. Her 'Day Moon' (Hitsuki) attacks make the blade turn golden and allow her to meet fire with a beam of hot light and flare bright dazzling light into the battlefield, as well as create a haze around her to conceal her whereabouts from the enemy's view (__**Hitsuki no Kagayaki**__). The Night Moon (Yozuki) attacks make the blade turn blue, and instead of hot light, the weapon casts out a beam of freezing white energy which is kin to an ice attack without actually being formed of ice. Night Moon also allows her to cloak her surroundings in darkness as though it were night, and reflect an image of herself in a place where she is not (__**Yozuki no Kage**__)._

_Both releases allow her to use the blade to form a shield of light to protect herself._

_Of all of the Council of Elders, Kyouki is the shinigami closest to achieving Bankai (aside from Retsu and Guren who already have it, of course!). For that reason, she does not always have to call the commands to power her zanpakutou, and her attacks are highly varied and of a strong level. Hence why Midori said that she's not a match for Gekkoushin and why the sword has such a fearsome reputation around Seireitei._

_Let's just say that Kyouki's the ultimate in strong, capable women in the Meifu world xD._


	57. Ex Luna, Scientia

**Chapter Fifty Six: Ex Luna, ****Scientia**

There was no mistaking it.

Standing in the remains of the deserted village, Nagesu could already make out the slender, solitary figure, cloak blowing in the wind as he stood surveying the surroundings. His aura was pensive and settled, yet Nagesu could read the faint flickers of tension at the edge of his consciousness. A knot formed in his throat as he recognised the distinctive, charismatic flare of his cousin's _reiryoku_ - warped and twisted by his years of suffering yet still recognisable, even now.

So he had been right, then. He had feared it, yet he had come expecting it. He had stretched his senses looking for it. And as ever, his logical deductions had proven to be correct.

After more than a century, they were about to be reunited.

The rest of the Council had been reluctant to allow him to act on his own, but he had pushed his case, saying that in the end, it was a matter of Urahara justice and that the only one who could and should deal with it was him. Yet it gave him no pleasure to have won that argument. He did not want to be here - but for that exact reason, he knew he had no choice but to be. If for no other reason than to find his own sense of closure on the events of a hundred years before.

_"This way now, __Nagesu-nii__!__ Come see this! Come see!"_

Briefly an image flashed into his head of the wild-haired, bright eyed young four year old who had grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to explore this place or that, their walks punctuated by excited questions and cheerful chatter on a wide variety of subjects.

But that child was gone. That memory was the past, and not the present. Nagesu swallowed his hesitations, forcing his mind back to the present. The person he had come here to meet was an enemy - of his, of Soul Society's, of the Council of Elders whom he represented.  
_  
That boy I played games with, and taught things to, he may as well have died. I realise it now. I can sense it. That __Keitarou__ is gone. No matter what comes of today...the __Keitarou__ I knew then...is already dead._

As he drew closer, hand already clasped around the hilt of his sword, the figure spoke.

"I was waiting for you."

He turned, and for the first time in a century, the cousins locked gazes.

"I knew that you'd come to find me. Nagesu-niisama."

The words were faintly mocking, bitter yet light and soft-spoken, only just carrying on the faint breeze. For a moment Nagesu did not respond, his gaze running instead over the man who stood before him.

He was indeed a stranger, adult now and as tall as he was himself, with his thick hair stained black and his clothing coloured in the red and brown of the Endou Clan. Yet something had been torn from the fabric, and Nagesu wondered whether it had been the hunting bird of the Seventh District family. Over the unfamiliar Clan robes he wore a loose grey cloak with a hood, tattered and stained with dust and other things Nagesu did not want to identify. His eyes - classic Urahara eyes muddied with the Kyouraku blood of his mother's line - were hard and closed, no longer eager and bright with energy and enthusiasm - yet even so, Nagesu recognised their uniqueness and knew that he was right in his deductions. At his waist, the Clan leader could see the edge of a knife hilt, and he realised with a jolt that this was probably the source of the second, dully humming presence in the surrounding area. That even though the Council had never seen it, his cousin had risen a _zanpakutou_. And that, here, in this village, he had waited for Nagesu in order to fight.

"Keitarou." At last Nagesu found his voice, and the other man chuckled, bowing his head mockingly towards his companion.

"A hundred years and yet you remember. I'm honoured. Most of the family wouldn't. Most of them wouldn't even acknowledge that I have a name, let alone what it was."

"I'm not most of the family." Nagesu said quietly. "I'm the one who taught you to write that name, after all. Why would I then forget it?"

For a brief instant, something flickered across those unusual eyes. It was gone in a moment, but Nagesu had seen it, and had known that Keitarou also remembered that day as clearly as he did himself.

"Much has happened since then." Keitarou spoke evenly. "I've learnt quite a few more words. I've had plenty of time, you see. Time to do all kinds of things...time away from the pressures of Clan life."

There was a faint, cold note of sardonic humour in his tone, and Nagesu frowned.

"Exiling you wasn't my choice. Keitsune-jisama's fate, neither." He said evenly. "But Father made a decision that he felt he had no choice but to make. And I didn't like it, either. I cried just as much as I'm sure you did when that day came. I loved him too - I was a child, just like you."

Keitarou snorted, shaking his head.

"You think that you can talk to me about the past, and suddenly I'll surrender myself to you?" He asked curiously. "If so, I advise you follow a different strategy. I'm not part of your family now. They and I both agree on that fact. And I've got my own reasons - my own agenda - for being here now. I knew you'd come to me, Nagesu-niisama. I thought that you'd feel it was your duty. Because I remember, too. And I swore a long time ago...that I would get my revenge on the Urahara for what happened to my Father."

Nagesu's lips thinned.

"A pointless vengeance, then." He reflected frankly. "A cold, empty one with no eyes to see it. Those you hate are dead, Kei-kun. My father. The others who condemned him. Everyone who was complicit in sentencing Keitsune-jisama and the others to execution. You can try to kill me, but all you would do is rob my children of their father the way you were robbed of yours. Father will never know, whether you kill me or not. He is gone, like Uncle is gone. That time is over."

"Over." Keitarou repeated the word, a heavy note in his tone. "Such a nice, final word, isn't it? Over."

He shook his head as if to clear it, then,

"I know that they're all gone, now." He murmured. "Those who signed the warrant for Father. The last member of that Council died only a short time ago. There are none left now - none of them there for me to face and bring down."

"The last one..." Nagesu bit his lip, then, "Shouichi-sama?"

"Yes." A frightening smile crossed Keitarou's lips as he nodded, and Nagesu knew that his suspicions were correct.

"You killed him." He murmured, and Keitarou laughed.

"Yes, I did." he agreed pleasantly. "It wasn't hard. He wasn't expecting anything particular from me, so it wasn't hard at all. Even though he had hunted me down, he never managed to snare me. He didn't know what kind of an enemy he'd made, after all."

"From what I understand, Shouichi-sama and the Endou-ke originally gave you shelter." Nagesu pointed out. Keitarou sent him a derisive look.

"Shelter? No. He used us. Well, of course he did. No sensible man would do anything else with homeless, desperate men and women whose only form of repayment was the skills they learnt from their own Clan. We were slaves to the Endou whims for a hundred years, Nii-sama. Slaves, and then, when the old witch died, she signed our death warrant with her final breath. Take out the Urahara, that's what she told that fool husband of hers. And so he did. One by one, in all the villages and the towns in District Seven. Whether they were scientifically involved or not - it didn't matter. Every one he found, he purged. All of them, cut down and then, to spite us, the bodies burnt and ashes scattered on the wind. That is the Endou-ke. That is the level of their shelter."

Nagesu closed his eyes briefly, half feeling he could hear the screams of the dying simply from the sudden flaring of Keitarou's reiatsu.

"The last one he killed was our cousin. Daisuke." Keitarou slipped his fingers into his _obi_, and Nagesu tensed, readying himself to face the other's weapon. "And I could not forgive it. Did not forgive it. It sealed an already decided fate. I took his life."

"Daisuke." Nagesu repeated, and Keitarou nodded.

"I'm the only one left with a direct blood link to you and the Clan." He continued casually, running his fingers over the silver blade of his weapon - though even at this distance Nagesu could tell there was something not right with the knife's form. "If you got rid of me, the shame of Father's work would finally be buried. Wouldn't it?"

"So you lure me out here with the intention of making me fight you." Nagesu's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "And so to kill me without witness, like you killed Shouichi-sama. Using whatever demon technique you hold in that knife of yours."

Keitarou chuckled, shaking his head.

"You are not Shouichi-sama." He said regretfully. "I do not expect you to be so easily fooled."

"Then why?" Nagesu demanded.

"To see my cousin, perhaps, after a century of estrangement?" Keitarou was toying with him now, Nagesu knew, and he frowned.

"You already told me you have no connection to my family - that you hate me and want the Urahara dead." He pointed out. "So I find it hard to believe that that's the case."

There was a long silence, then Keitarou spoke.

"I don't remember ever saying I hated _you_." He said softly.

"What?" Nagesu was taken aback, and Keitarou fixed him with a regretful look.

"I would like to." He said sadly. "It would make life much easier if I could, and for a century I've tried. The cousin who was left behind - the one raised to forget us and to move on. But you're an annoyance in that respect. You haven't forgotten. I'm written out of the Clan's history, yet not by you. And even now you head the Urahara-ke - you've not yet done anything to make me hate you. Since Rikaya-jisama died, the Urahara expeditions to search for those like me have ceased completely and the taxations on those who helped us escape have been removed altogether. Almost as though you were trying to placate a ghost…or trying to make peace with a past you didn't choose. It annoys me. But there it is. As Daisuke was my weakness - so, perhaps, are you."

He laughed ruefully, though the emotion did not reach his eyes.

"Even here and now, after so long, you knew who I was." He murmured. "Even though I look like this, disguised and robed as a foreign Clansman - even so, Nagesu-nii - you knew before I spoke, didn't you?"

"Yes." Nagesu said simply. "I've never forgotten. I've never hated you, either. We were children. What happened then involved us, but we could not control it."

"You see?" Keitarou gestured languidly in his companion's direction. "And arguing with you is pointless - because now, as then, you'll always be right."

"But..."

"I hate the Clan, yes. I hate everything about the Urahara. Everything." Keitarou continued. "Even if don't hate you, what Rikaya-jisama did, I can't forgive. Won't forgive. For Father's sake, I've perpetuated his work and his dreams - I've done what he could not do. I stabilised his _reidoku_, to prove it could be stabilised. I continued with the projects he could not continue with, thanks to all the notes smuggled out of District Three when we fled. I grew up with that and only that in my mind - to vindicate and follow Father's work and to use it, somehow, to show Seireitei exactly what they did. To make them regret it...that was my wish."

"And yet...?" Nagesu paused, gesturing to the landscape. "You've stopped. Here, where nobody but me can see you. I don't understand."

"No, you don't." Keitarou said regretfully. "For an Urahara, you're sometimes narrow in your vision, Nagesu-nii. You always were - even when we were boys, you were cautious and hesitant about the things I wanted to drive forward into exploring. And that caution holds you back from all the things that are truly possible."

He raised the knife, sunlight glinting off the blade.

"Right now, we are here." He added. "But I - and Chudokuga - we're going into a different battle, in a different place. I brought you here for that reason. Because if you're here with me, you're not there. And if you're not there, you can't do anything to prevent it."

Nagesu's eyes widened as suddenly he realised what the man meant.

"Ukitake!" He whispered. "The District boy!"

"There. At last, you get there." Keitarou chuckled, nodding his head. "Yes. That's right. You see, I grew somewhat bored with the _reidoku_ experiments after a while. And although I intended on testing them on him - I discovered something far more precious when he came into my power. A boy with twin blades - a District child with power and strength that even I haven't quantified fully yet."

He looked amused.

"The Council and the Clans have got into such a flap about this." He reflected. "When all I see is potential and ability and a tool worth sharpening to its full strength. The Clans are a frightened, hollow bunch, in the end. They run scared from anything that surprises them. They don't see it clearly – what that boy is going to be. And that whoever can control him…will have a weapon to be proud of."

"A…weapon?" Nagesu paled. "But…he's not…Ukitake is…a student at Genryuusai-sama's Academy. The Clans have accepted him – I ratified his sword myself! He will not be rejected by Soul Society – you are wrong!"

"Am I?" Keitarou snorted. "Think closer on that and wonder about it some more, Nagesu-nii. About the thousands of District children who've been downtrodden and forgotten for years. Powerful ones. Individuals just waiting to be discovered. I've seen plenty, in the last one hundred years. Many of them have helped me, after all, with the perfecting of _reidoku_."

"Helped you?" Nagesu whispered. "Are you telling me that you have an army of _reidoku_-infused peasantry at your beck and call?"

"See? Even you are afraid, when I put such ideas in your head." Keitarou reflected. "But you can rest at ease. No. They were untrained – they were simply steps in the process. I hadn't realised, after all…that _reidoku_ is not necessary in the Districts. That the Clans fuss and flurry about choosing a successor with the power to hold on to their Clan – Kamuki of the Shihouin did so and died because he did so, did he not? But out there, in the wider world, there are children like this District Shinigami. If there is one, there are more. I will find them. They will be the ones, in the end, who prove the real strength of Seireitei. What the Clans have failed to see, I've seen all too clearly. In Ukitake is the first step – the first one, but there will, I'm sure, be more."

Nagesu's eyes narrowed.

"Ukitake would not so easily bend to your suggestions." He said blackly. "I've met the boy – he has pride and integrity and a determination to follow this course for the sake of Soul Society. You cannot so easily corrupt him to your own bitter feelings of revenge."

"The Districts have a grudge against Seireitei too, in the end." Keitarou shrugged. "I've seen the refugee camps in District Eight. They are all victims of Clan – their crimes being that they have too much _reiryoku_ for the Endou-ke's liking. I'm not so foolish as you think, Nagesu-nii. You are all naïve, in your manor houses, ignoring the truth about this world over which you rule. The Clans are very small in comparison to what lies beneath."

He smiled slightly.

"As for Ukitake, I am aware of his views. He insisted on becoming involved, even despite my strong advice to the contrary. Since that is his will, I decided to test him. He has more use to me now than my allies in District Seven ever will. Seimaru is reckless - he will prove a worthless ally once he believes he has ultimate power, and even if he kills Council members and causes confusion, he has no way back now. There are too many suspicious - so he will fall, and my protection will fall as well. In the end, his _reiryoku_ is half that of the District boy he hates - therefore...I no longer have any interest in fighting to protect or cover him. He can fight for himself - he can make decisions for himself. And he can live with the consequences of what he has done – I have moved my interest elsewhere."

"And you intend to what? Take the District boy and...?"

"Yes. I'll keep him." Keitarou agreed. "Because he's a whole new project of study I haven't even begun to explore yet."

"You think you'll be allowed to do that?"

"I don't see anyone able to stop me." Keitarou said honestly. "I will take the boy – already, he is beginning to trust me. After today, he will see the consequences of not following my guidance and he will rue bitterly the fact that he did not listen. He will understand, then. Those proud values of his will fall and everything will change. It's the first step, not the last – Ukitake Juushirou is my current and my future project. The Clans should beware."

"You won't sway him that easily." Nagesu said sharply. "You're misjudging the Clans – Ukitake has allies among them. Powerful ones, too. Shihouin. Shiba. Kyouraku. He's not as isolated as you think – nor does he have a reason to hate Soul Society."

"But he'll choose to come along with me." Keitarou laughed. "Because I tell him truths, while other people pander to him with lies. The truth is that the Council and the Clans also want to use him or destroy him. Those who see potential in him also see him as a weapon, in the end. Pretty words like protect and defend come into play, but the bottom line is still the same. Those of you who see potential in him want to train that potential to slay hollows and work according to your aims and ideals. Clan aims. Clan ideals. What about _District_ ones? What about Ukitake's own? You haven't stopped to think of those. You've simply driven forward with what you see as the path to follow."

"Training to be a shinigami was Ukitake's own decision." Nagesu snapped, and Keitarou looked amused.

"Perhaps." He murmured. "Or perhaps it was simply the way in which his idealistic nature was appealed to that made it seem that way. Who brought him to the Academy? Who took him from his rural home and put those ideas into his head? I doubt he woke up one morning and decided, 'today I'll become a shinigami'. Somewhere, someone else was involved. Someone was the trigger...someone told him that the only way he could use that power of his was to become a shinigami and live by the Clan's rules. In contrast, I've made no secret to him that I wish I utilise him. In the end, he'll come to respect that honesty far more than the deceit and shadow games of the Clans."

He shrugged.

"And even if he doesn't, it doesn't matter now. You see, Chudokuga has a special power, Nagesu-nii. This sword can cut and it can hurt. But it can also control. Like strings of a puppet, my spider's web can control the hearts and minds of others. Weak ones like Eiraki-hime...and strong ones, like Shouichi-sama and Ukitake Juushirou."

"You made Shouichi-sama kill himself!" Nagesu realised, then, "Wait, like the boy? What have you...what did you...?"

"Others are here. Bothersome youngsters in whom I have no interest." Keitarou shrugged. "The Endou boy Seimaru will deal with - he has that in his sights and whichever wins, I don't really care. I told you – Clan is no longer my concern. I'm more interested to see what happens with the other. He is scantily trained yet, but with a bit of help the District boy's power is truly frightening. I will make him exploit that strength. When he comes to himself, when he realises with that power he's managed to kill his own friends - then he'll come with me. He'll see, after all, that I'm the only one who can possibly protect him from the chaos that will follow. Once a shinigami blade tastes blood - there's no going back. I gave Sougyo no Kotowari that chance - the chance to take a monster's life to protect an innocent. Because he is of that type, I know - it has preyed on him, whether the beast he slew was a Hollow or a man. What comes from this...he will regret it. He will see no other choice but to agree to my terms. He will see no other way out."

"I'll stop you!" Now anger coursed through Nagesu's body and he drew his weapon from his sheath. "I'll fight you here and now, and then you'll have to concentrate on this instead! I'm not a weak shinigami, Keitarou!"

"Nor am I." Keitarou's eyes glittered, narrowing to near slits. "Unregistered, perhaps, but of a higher level than you can imagine, my cousin. Even with Chudokuga's highest level of manipulation taken from me, I can still fight you. It's not my wish, Nagesu-nii. I brought you here to keep you out of it, and I don't want to raise my blade against you. You don't understand, after all. A _zanpakutou_seals itself when its owner is taken down. But Chudokuga has already become a part of Ukitake's body. I can only use this technique on one individual at a time – but even so, that is enough. Its tendrils have seeped through and taken control of his heart completely…he is my puppet in his entirety. I am the only one who can withdraw the spell from his body without killing him. And time is running out before the child's own _reiryoku_ starts to see him as its own enemy and attempts to break him down from the inside out. No matter how hard you fight me, that will be true. I am the only one who can stop Ukitake Juushirou. And the longer you and I talk here, the less chance there is of ever undoing that fact."

Pain rushed through Nagesu's senses, followed by resolve.

"Then I will take you down and go stop the boy myself." He said firmly. "If you aren't there to control him, there is no puppet master, after all. There is nobody to pull the strings if you are no longer there."

"But if I do not withdraw it in person, my final command will linger, even until he dies." Keitarou said softly. "And that final command could be anything, after all. Do not underestimate me, Nagesu-nii. Even if Chudokuga is active inside the boy, I still have skill enough to kill you."

"Then you will have to do so." Nagesu said quietly, extending his sword towards the ground. "Or I will kill you and the boy both to stop your plan from taking effect. _Jishin__ o __yobe__, __Sekizanha_!"

* * *

Nagesu had released his _zanpakutou_.

From her safe place out of the range of battle, Midori's lips thinned, her gaze flitting automatically towards the direction from which she had felt the sudden flare of the other Clan leader's reiatsu. Her grip on Hirata automatically tightened as she tried to work out what her comrade was doing. Had he, then, encountered trouble? Her eyes narrowed slightly as she processed what this might be. Had he found his kinsman after all?

At her side, the young boy shivered involuntarily, and Midori cast him a concerned glance.

"Hirata? Are you all right?"

"Yes." Hirata nodded, though Midori was sure that his answer was not the truth. "I just…you felt it too, didn't you? Something on the horizon. Something strong and powerful."

"Nagesu-dono's _zanpakutou_." Midori said softly. "Sekizanha. Most probably that means he's found what he's looking for – and I've no doubt at all that he intends to keep his word to the Council, however much pain it causes him to do it."

"Seki…zanha?" Hirata murmured the word, then, "Nagesu-sama? The Head of the Urahara-ke…is here too?"

"The Council are here en masse because of this little situation you boys have sparked off." Midori nodded. "But you needn't look guilty about it, Hirata-kun. On the contrary, I think it's a good thing. Finally all of this is out in the open. Finally, action can be taken and the suffering can be stopped. This is the only way to do it now – we both know that, don't we? Kyouki-sama will have to defeat Seimaru to take him into custody. And Nagesu-dono knows that the same applies to him and his kinsman – which is why he's showing his intent right away."

"His kinsman." Hirata's brow creased. "Urahara…Keitarou."

"Mm." Midori nodded. "But you already knew that. You already know all about him, I think – don't you?"

"I'm not sure what's real and what's simply our assumption." Hirata admitted. "But yes. I suppose…I know at least who he is. And that he's involved with Seimaru somehow. Even if Ukitake-kun thought…"

"Juushirou thought something about this?" Midori asked sharply. "Can you tell me what?"

"I think it was Urahara Keitarou who had Ukitake-kun prisoner. He seemed…to know a lot of things and he snapped at Shunsui-kun when Shunsui-kun called Keitarou Seimaru's servant." Hirata sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I don't think…he thought Keitarou was really an enemy."

"Then that's his naivete coming through." Midori said bluntly. "He's an enemy, Hirata. Make no mistake about that. He is an enemy. He may have been the victim of unfortunate circumstances as a boy, but then, so have you been. He's used and manipulated and twisted his family's work and his own ability to perpetuate poison and to help the regimes of two very evil men. He probably saw to murdering one of those men – and I very much doubt that he cares overly about it. This man was instrumental in helping to bring down my Uncle and my Clan and is doing the same within yours. All in the pursuit of his so called science – he's an enemy, no matter how you choose to look at it."

"It's all right. I think so too." Hirata nodded his head. "I'm pretty sure he manipulated my sister and hurt her badly in the process. I think Ukitake-kun's been fooled, that's all."

"But Juushirou isn't with Keitarou now?"

"No. He's with Shunsui-kun." Hirata assured her. "It's all right. Shunsui-kun doesn't think Keitarou is an ally, either. He won't let Ukitake-kun do anything foolish like interfering in Nagesu-sama's fight."

"Good." Midori let out a sigh of relief. "Because enough reiatsu and blades are already clashing. If we can restrict it to simply dealing with Seimaru and the scientist then there will be far less work for the rest of us when the dust finally settles."

"Mm." Hirata nodded, his gaze flitting back to the battle in the copse beyond, and Midori followed his line of sight, gravity in her golden eyes.

Seimaru was flagging, she realised, his breath coming in ever more heavy gasps, and despite his best attempts to staunch his wound, his constant activity meant that blood had seeped through the fabric, trickling down his wounded arm and dripping onto the snow around his feet. Each drop sizzled against the frozen white as if it was formed of the same scalding flame that coated the end of Seimaru's weapon, and Midori knew that he was throwing his all into his fight.

Yet even with his weapon in his left hand, he had not faltered for a moment. When Kyouki had broken through the barrier of flame, for a moment he had stood there, staring at it with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Then, as if woken from a deep dream he had darted forward, the remaining flames parting for him as he had launched a resolute attack on Kyouki's less well defended left side. Midori did not know whether the Shiba leader could wield her sword with both hands, but from the manner in which she had fought so far, the young Shihouin suspected not. Seimaru's flame-tipped blade had come very close to slicing through Kyouki's left arm, and Midori knew that there was some way to go yet before he was defeated.

_In the end, it might be the only way…to kill him outright._

She frowned, chewing on her lip.

_Kyouki-sama__ wants to avoid it, because she hopes that the Council will interrogate him and we'll learn all the things we don't yet know. She doesn't want to dispense her own justice, no matter how much she despises him. She's still holding back a little – she hasn't flared a single beam of light directly at him, yet, and even though I know she's proficient with __Kidou__, she hasn't tried to use any destructive spells to take him down. I wonder if she can really fight that way…I wonder if she really can just stop him, rather than taking it all the way._

"Kyouki-sama won't take him alive." As if he had read her thoughts, Hirata spoke softly, tension rippling through his young body as he watched the fight. "I know my cousin, Midori-sama. There's no way. She'll either have to kill him…or…"

He left the rest of the sentence unspoken, but Midori understood.

"I know." She agreed soberly. "I feel it too, Hirata. That edge to his reiatsu that says he intends to stand and fight all comers. If I dove into the battle now, or you, or anyone else…I think he'd still just raise his sword and charge into the fray."

"But he hasn't released his curse, yet." Hirata reflected. "I wonder…why. I wonder…"

"_Kouen__Kougetsu_!"

Seimaru's voice cut through the crisp winter air, followed by a volley of flame that proved that despite his injury, he still had plenty of energy with which to fight. Kyouki slipped neatly out of its line of attack, bringing her own weapon through the air to counter it. Cold, frozen light seared across the clearing, stopping the flames dead as the two attacks collided.

"_Yozuki__ no __Kage_." She murmured, and as though the moon had danced across the sun, a darkness began to fall over the whole area, the air still thick with frozen smoke and the fragmented residue of used spirit power. Midori squinted, trying to make out Kyouki in the dark haze that had engulfed the clearing.

At first she could not see the Shiba Clan leader, then she let out a gasp, for where there had been one woman with a gleaming blade, there now stood two, identical in every way except for the fact they were mirror images, the dark, heavy air reflecting back Kyouki's spiritual aura and making it take form in the unexpected eclipse.

"What the…" Despite himself, Seimaru took a step back, uncertainty flooding his features as his gaze flitted from one apparition to the other. In the ghostly light, neither one looked quite real, and Midori found she could understand what the man was thinking – were either of them actually Kyouki, or was the whole thing simply an illusion brought about by her lunar eclipse?

_Gekkoushin__ really is exactly as I'd heard it._

She let out a faint sigh, sitting back on the grass.

_I'd heard the stories – of __Gekkoushin__ and __Tensonshin__ and the way in which they dazzled their opponents with trickery and light magic. It's almost a shame that __Matsuhara-sama__ is no longer fighting. __Tokutarou-sama's__ sword isn't anything like this calibre – but if __Kyouki-sama__ and __Matsuhara-sama__ had the same kind of power locked away in their __zanpakutou__, and if they were of a similar level…__it's__ little wonder they made such a good team. Little wonder indeed that they were so good at what they did._

She frowned.

_I wonder what that young boy has inside of him, given that. If __Tokutarou-sama's__ brother really is his father's son…whether one day __Tensonshin__ might have a successor in the world of shadows and light._

In the gloom, everything had descended into a soft, oppressive hush. Then, with her blade glittering as though infused with moonlight, Kyouki darted forwards, breaking through the darkness and slashing her weapon down across Seimaru's chest. The young man let out a gasp as the tip of her frozen weapon sliced through his clothing to the skin beneath, and he fell back, struggling to keep his footing as blood spurted from the resultant wound.

It had not been deep enough to cut through more than flesh, yet the unmistakeable pain on Seimaru's thin features told Midori that this blow had hurt far more than the last one.

"I thought so." Kyouki shook her sword slightly as the dark haze began to lift. "I thought that if my sword didn't hurt you when it was hot, it would do more damage cold. It took out your flames so easily, after all – I thought that Yozuki might burn you where Hitsuki couldn't. Your power is fire, after all, and it's rippling through you – even to the blood you're spilling onto the snow. I noticed that…and I thought, surely only something colder than ice can truly burn someone who has command of fire?"

"You're…underestimating…me." Seimaru spat back at her, raising his weapon with some difficulty to clatter against hers as the two swords met. He winced, and Midori could tell that the chill of Gekkoushin's frozen blade was spreading through Yojinmozu to its master's core, attacking the very heart of the fire that powered it. "I'm…not going…to be taken out by…such a weak…slash."

He slipped into shunpo, reappearing on the furthermost side of the copse as he struggled to catch his breath. He was not so far now from Hirata and Midori, and Midori felt the youngster shrink back as if afraid his cousin would launch an attack his way. Midori flexed her fingers, ready to fire a second barrier of protection just in case, but Seimaru paid neither of them any heed, his gaze fixed on Gekkoushin's night moon blade.

"Fire…might be weak…against the cold." He said softly, and Midori picked up an unpleasant note in the young lord's voice. "But…fire…can also…burn through the cold. Even…cold…like…yours."

His eyes narrowed, and Midori saw him transfer his weapon to his compromised right hand, his left hand fingering at his belt for something.

"The _reidoku_!" Hirata whispered, and Midori stared at him, her eyes widening in dismay.

"Kyouki-sama!" She exclaimed. "Watch out! Seimaru has…"

"Shut up, wench." Now Seimaru turned towards her, eyes burning defiantly as he fixed her with a dark glare. "I will deal with you two afterwards – for now you can simply be quiet and wait your turn. Don't think your demon sword or your demon arts will get the better of me this time."

"Midori, stay out of it." As Midori's hand went to her weapon, Kyouki shook her head, impatience in her green eyes. "I'll handle him. I'm more than enough for him. It doesn't need your help."

"But he has _reidoku_, Kyouki-sama!" Midori protested, desperation in her tones. "He has…"

"I told you to shut up!" Somehow Seimaru managed to raise his wounded right arm, flicking a weak fireball in Midori's direction, and she grimaced, releasing an instinctive Bakudou to deflect it away from her position. "Your opinion is not asked for. This is not yet your fight!"

He opened the vial that he now clutched in his left hand, glancing at it for a moment. Then he put it to his lips, drinking from it.

"No…" Hirata whispered, fear in his eyes, and Midori bit her lip, gazing anxiously between the two fighters as she tried to gauge what might happen next. She had heard plenty of the legends surrounding _reidoku_, and she knew that it could cause both insane strength and fierce madness. Which would manifest in Seimaru first? Would there even be a battle? Or…

Seimaru's thumb restoppered the vial, and he tossed it onto the frozen ground, casting Kyouki a derisive glare.

"Now it's time for round two." He murmured, and as he spoke, his whole body lit up with an eerie, golden flame. "You said you'd fight fire with fire, and now you've resorted to dirty light games and playing with the cold. Well, I'm going to warm everything up from hereon in."

He transferred his blade back to his left grip, flexing his right hand absently as he did so, and Midori realised with a jolt how much more easily it was already moving.

_Does the __reidoku__ have regenerative properties? Was this what he'd been intending all of the time?_

"_Kouen__Kougeki_." Seimaru's eyes narrowed coldly, and he swung his blade in a decisive arc, a crescent of angry fire shooting out across the copse towards where Kyouki stood. The blast seared through the trunks of two trees, rendering them instantly in charcoal, and Midori's heart clenched in her throat as she realised how much his strength had risen simply in that one attack.

Kyouki cursed, trying to dodge the attack, but it moved too swiftly for her to evade and in a split-second, the fire engulfed her, consuming the white of her haori in its hungry blaze.

"_Kyouki-sama_!" Midori screamed, and Seimaru grinned, eying her in amusement.

"Now the real fun begins." He said softly. "It's time to fight this battle for real."


	58. District Storm

**Chapter Fifty Seven: District Storm**

"It truly seems as though the master is not at home."

As they walked along the halls of the Endou manor, it was Retsu who first raised her voice, a pensive expression in her eyes. "We have so far met no opposition, Genryuusai-sama – it seems rather as though there is nobody here to give clear orders."

"That would fit with what we already know." Tokutarou said grimly. "Seimaru's formed a stranglehold over the family and its administration and any others with any blood right to lead have been exiled or imprisoned in other locations – providing we don't find them already dead. Seimaru himself doesn't seem to be here…so nobody knows what orders to give in dealing with sudden visitors from the Council."

"Rather like a henhouse after a fox has had its fill." Retsu murmured, and Genryuusai nodded his head.

"But Seimaru is not currently our concern." He said quietly. "Kyouki-dono and Midori-dono had already picked up his reiatsu when we arrived here, and headed out to neutralise that problem. I feel we can happily entrust him to them – him and any young strays that happen to be in his vicinity."

"You think he's gone after Hirata, don't you?" Tokutarou asked sharply, and Genryuusai sighed.

"I think it is the most likely thing." He agreed. "But of my second year students, Tokutarou, you have to understand that Hirata is one of the most adept at suppressing his spiritual emissions. He is quite able to conceal himself completely from my senses at this distance – and so I am not sure whether to consider him with them or not."

"I see." Tokutarou pursed his lips. "I didn't think him particularly strong physically, but in other respects…?"

"As I have said before, he is not as strong as your brother, nor as strong as our headstrong District boy." Genryuusai shook his head. "His great weakness is his lack of physical presence, and in a fight with one like Seimaru there is no clear-cut way for him to win. But he has used that lack of physical presence to help him to survive in a place like this, so perfecting his other skills became paramount. He is the only member of second year to not only know _Kyakkou_ but use it to a high level of competence without needing an incantation. I believe he has practiced it since his infancy, and his time with the Shihouin has only amplified his abilities in stealth and nimbleness. Those skills alone may come to save his life as I am sure they have often done before."

"_Kyakkou_? That's greek to me." Tokutarou admitted ruefully. "I never was much for demon magic, as you probably remember."

"Mm. A great pity." Genryuusai reflected. "If you applied yourself better, you would have at least a working knowledge of far more than you currently do."

"Tokutarou-sama has used his skills in other areas." Retsu pointed out evenly. "He has had a Clan to rebuild, and we are all finding now how that is not an easy process. Far easier to make one fall than bring it back to former glory."

"Something like that." Tokutarou agreed. "Though I do regret it in one way. That I won't be able to face Seimaru myself and teach him a lesson for daring to curse my brother."

"Such foolish acts would simply get you killed, as I'm sure Kyouki-dono has already told you." Genryuusai said frankly. "You will remain with Retsu-dono and I, Tokutarou – your administrative brain is far more use to us here than your desire to recklessly kill yourself over some petty family squabble."

A faint smile touched Retsu's lips at this, but she said nothing, and for a while they walked on in silence.

The halls were eerie in their stillness, and the Unohana Clan Leader wondered whether or not they had entered the manor after the bulk of the family had already fled. Not even the servants seemed to be anywhere around, though occasionally she felt the fleeting sense of someone watching them, hidden in the many shadows and alcoves that flanked their way. Nobody had challenged them, and it was as Tokutarou had said.

_They lack leadership, and so they do not know what to do._

She sighed.

"May I make a suggestion, Genryuusai-sama?" She asked quietly, and Genryuusai nodded, turning to give her a quizzical look.

"Yes? What is it?"

"When I was summoned here to inspect the corpse of Shouichi-sama, I spoke also to the Endou council and established that they had all, indeed been wrapped up in political discussion that morning whilst their Lord had lost his life." Retsu pursed her lips. "The halls were quiet then, as they are now. I wonder if, even in Seimaru's absence, a meeting may have been called?"

"Or scared men have gathered in a place they consider safe." Tokutarou reflected. "And all those who are meant to be guarding the rest of the manor are instead guarding that one room."

"I think the suggestion is a sound one." Genryuusai agreed. "Very well. It has been some many years since I set foot within the Endou estate. Retsu-dono, if you would lead us, I would be grateful."

"Of course." Retsu bowed her head slightly. "It is this way."

"I'm not good at sensing reiatsu." Tokutarou observed as they turned down a narrow hallway and began to descend a set of old steps flanked on each side by carved pillars engraved with the hunting bird of the Endou. "But if all of the minnows of the Clan were gathered in one place, shouldn't it be possible to sense it?"

"The Endou are a secretive Clan and District Seven has been known in the past for its Sekkiseki mining." Genryuusai shook his head. "The most secure areas of the manor are surrounded by this stone which damps down spiritual power and makes it difficult to discern exactly where someone is. The living quarters are exempt, since in excess Sekkiseki causes some discomfort and dulling of ability for those blessed with high-level spirit power. However, the areas of political significance, such as the administration chamber and the prisons – these are often walled at least in part by Sekkiseki. The barrier the stone creates makes it almost impossible to sense who is beyond the divide – especially when dealing with weak individuals of basic Clan level."

"Sekkiseki, huh." Tokutarou rubbed his chin. "Now you mention it, I have come across that before in Father's documents."

"District Seven has one of the richest natural resources of Sekkiseki in all of Seireitei." Retsu agreed. "But the political upheaval and the preoccupation with military might and prowess has seen it largely neglected in recent years. I do not remember there being a huge trade from this District to others at least in the time I have led the Unohana Clan – and that is coming up for twenty five years now. I only know that it was true before, for I heard my father speak of it when I was a girl."

"Then surely the best way of getting District Seven back on its feet would be to reopen that industry and forge trade links once more." Tokutarou reflected. "That seems common sense."

"But Seimaru is not blessed overly with common sense." Genryuusai reminded him. "In this regard he is largely his father's son."

"Enough said." Tokutarou pulled a face.

"There are individuals waiting to greet us ahead." Retsu said softly. "Guardsmen of the Endou, I imagine – certainly none of any spiritual standing. If possible, Genryuusai-sama, I would prefer it if we did not fight them. They would come to great harm simply for doing as their leader bade them – and I cannot condone the deaths of such people in a situation like that."

"I've no intention of killing anyone." Genryuusai said simply. "Tokutarou, you too must calm your soldier's instinct for a time and leave your sword at your side. We are here to negotiate. We are not here to harm. The one under suspicion is Seimaru. All others must be given their chance to prove or disprove their innocence."

"I understand." Tokutarou nodded. "I despise this place, but I understand, Sensei. It's all right. I won't do anything rash."

As they turned the corner, Retsu soon saw that her earlier supposition had been correct, for where one or two men would normally stand, now seven or eight were gathered, each somewhat confused and uncertain as they rested their hands against their swords. At the sight of the intruders, several of them froze, and Genryuusai stepped forward, raising his hand.

"We come from the Council of Elders to speak with your noble Clan." He said quietly. "We do not wish to fight you – we have only come to talk."

"Seimaru-sama is not here at present, sir." One soldier bowed his head apologetically. "He had urgent business and instructed his council to gather in the chamber, but he has not yet returned, and…"

"Seimaru instructed them to gather, did he?" Tokutarou pursed his lips. "Hrm. I wonder whether he had planned something else, then. Perhaps to bring back the spoils of his battle to display and dismember in front of them."

"Tokutarou-sama." There was a faint, chiding note in Retsu's tones. "That is not appropriate given the situation in which we find ourselves."

She turned to the guardsman, lowering her head respectfully, then,

"I am Unohana Retsu from District Four, and I was called here by your Lord and the lord Misashi to inspect the sad remains of your past Lord, Shouichi-sama." She said gravely. "I am a healer, and I do not choose to bring violence when I make such trips to other lands. If Seimaru-sama is not available, then it is unfortunate. However, we must still speak with your Clansfolk – would you not please permit us entry?"

"We…" One soldier faltered, but the first one to speak shook his head, holding up his hand to silence his companion. It seemed this young man was in overall seniority, and Retsu frowned as she saw the mixture of hope and gravity in his dark eyes.

"We heard a rumour that the Council were coming to District Seven." He said quietly. "We won't stop you from entering. Please, do as you will. We are subject to your authority."

"Shinnosuke-dono, are you sure?" Another officer's eyes widened, and Shinnosuke nodded his head.

"Some weeks ago my sister died here, and in mysterious circumstances." He said quietly, meeting Retsu's gaze with a sober one of his own. "She was nothing more than a simple servant and maid to lady Eiraki, but when the _hime_ disappeared, Seimaru ordered my sister to be arraigned and interrogated about her disappearance. He let her go, but two days later another maid found her hanging from a tree in the grounds. She was frightened of something…terrified, but of what I couldn't tell you. Just the fear in her eyes…"

He faltered, and Retsu rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She said regretfully. "Had we arrived sooner, perhaps we could have saved your sister from her fear."

Shinnosuke bowed his head.

"There had been talk in the barracks that you had been summoned, and that you would come here to investigate a secret crime." He said quietly. "I have kept quiet and I have done my duty, but I am not loyal to anyone who was involved in my sister's death. I have waited for you to come, Unohana-sama. You and your companions. The Endou-ke have need of you – before everything falls to ruin."

He gestured to his companions to step back, and hesitantly they did so, each bowing their head as Shinnosuke moved to unfasten the door.

"Since the disappearance of Eiraki-hime and Sumire-sama, much has been at odds here." He added carefully. "Kibana-dono also disappeared – a man known for his loyalty to Misashi-sama – and it was said he fled with them, though nobody has known for sure. Since the Council rumours begin, Raiden-dono and Jinkei-dono have also disappeared – and we cannot be sure if they left of their own accord or were secretly taken and concealed as Misashi-sama has been. Minazake-dono is also missing – many suspect he has been killed, since Seimaru-sama appears to so dislike him and without Eiraki-hime there seems no point his being here. It's even said by some that he fell in love with the princess and so helped her to escape. The remaining council members are all ill at ease…everyone is fearful. If the Council can somehow put all to rights…can straighten things out..."

"We can only try." Genryuusai said solemnly.

As the great doors opened, Retsu faltered, her brow creasing as she turned to gaze back along the hallway behind her.

"Retsu-sama?" Tokutarou cast her a startled look. "Is something wrong?"

"Something…" Retsu paused, her lips thinning as she interpreted the wave of dark, forbidding energy that had just pierced her senses. "Conflict. Conflict outside of our reach, Tokutarou-sama."

"Nagesu-dono and Kyouki-dono have released their swords." Genryuusai agreed, but Retsu shook her head.

"No. Not that." She responded. "Something else. Genryuusai-sama, you must surely feel it too? It can't only be my healer's wits that feel it resonating so strongly through the air?"

Genryuusai's eyes clouded, and Retsu knew that her old teacher had already picked up on the vibe long before she had voiced it out loud. She nodded.

"Yes. I thought you must have." She murmured.

"Ukitake Juushirou lives." Genryuusai said frankly. "That seems to be clear."

"Juushirou?" Tokutarou's eyes widened. "You can sense Juushirou? But…I don't…"

"Juushirou and Shunsui are both in close enough proximity for me to follow their reiatsu and trace their whereabouts, even here." Genryuusai agreed. "When we arrived here, I began to do so – and I discovered both were alive and in each other's company."

"Then surely that's a good thing?" Tokutarou demanded. "My brother found his classmate, and they're both alive…?"

"A poison that lacks a clear antidote." Retsu murmured, and Tokutarou sent her a wary look.

"Retsu-sama?"

"I'm sorry." Retsu drew herself from her reverie, slowly shaking her head. "I do not mean to alarm you. It's just…as a healer, I cannot ignore it. When there is pain and confusion in one's spirit…such a thing is crystal clear even if I do not want to feel it. At present I sense great disturbance in Ukitake-kun's spirit – a darkness that I cannot fathom and which makes me ill at ease."

"A…darkness?"

Genryuusai's eyes narrowed under the bristling white of his brows, then,

"It is already too late for us to intervene." He said quietly. "Even if we were to go there now, there is nothing that we can do to change things. You know it too, don't you, Retsu? That the child's spirit has already started to change."

Retsu nodded gravely.

"I cannot heal this poison." She admitted sadly. "The taint is another's taint – another's ambition, perhaps. A reiatsu that I do not recognise, yet I am certain of it all the same."

She sighed.

"Juushirou has been poisoned?" Tokutarou grasped Retsu by the arm, and she shook her head, gently detaching his anxious grip.

"Possessed…would be a more accurate word." She said solemnly. "And in such a way that we are helpless to stop it. If it can be overcome…if it can be stopped, only Juushirou himself might find that will to stop it. And if anyone _can_ intervene, perhaps your brother might be the only one to break the spell."

"Either way, our job is here." Genryuusai said firmly, glancing at the waiting soldier. "We cannot intervene and we will not intervene."

"You're saying that something has _possessed_ Juushirou, and he's with my brother, yet nobody's going to do anything to protect either one of them?" Tokutarou demanded, anger suddenly flaring in his gaze, and Retsu reached out to touch his hand gently.

"There is nothing that can be done." She said quietly. "Ukitake-kun's bond with Kyouraku-kun is greater than with any of his other friends. That much has become clear. Kyouraku-kun may be the only one who can break the spell that his classmate has fallen under – you or I would be of no use, and nor would Genryuusai-sama. If we were to go there, it would be for one reason and one reason alone."

"Which is?" Tokutarou seemed ready to fly back up the corridor at a moment's notice, and Retsu glanced at Genryuusai.

"To exterminate the problem on the end of a spirit blade." The old man said bluntly. "This is not some basic spell, Tokutarou. This is the power of someone's _zanpakutou_ and we are at the whims of its commander as regards that young boy. If Shunsui cannot break the hex – then Juushirou probably cannot be saved. And nothing we can do can change that. Our only option would be to kill the boy…before he caused harm to many."

"Cannot be saved…" Tokutarou's eyes flashed with pain. "And if he attacks Shunsui? What then?"

"That possibility also exists." Genryuusai agreed. "But if Shunsui is one day to wear the _haori_ of Eighth, then he must pass tests like these. He does not have his _zanpakutou_ on account of his own doubts and hesitations – the power is within him and we all know that he is strong. He is not weaker than Juushirou…perhaps now is the time he can prove to us how strong he truly is."

For a moment Tokutarou seemed about to retort, then resignation replaced defiance in his brown eyes and he lowered his head.

"I know you're right." He said heavily. "I know that Shunsui has power…and I know that physically he's stronger than Juushirou is. Maybe…perhaps he can stop it. Perhaps he can…do something to change it. I'm sorry, Sensei. I'm sorry, Retsu-dono. We have Council matters to attend to – for a moment there I lost my head."

"You care for your brother and for his friend. Such a reaction doesn't require apology." Retsu said softly. "I do not wish them harm either, and I hope that Kyouraku-kun can indeed break through this spell. But you are right. We have more pressing things…and we must attend to them right away."

She pursed her lips, evaluating once more the flickers of spirit power that had brushed against her senses so strongly.

_Perhaps we are the ones who should make the apology, Tokutarou-sama. Even if Kyouraku-kun and Ukitake-kun are friends, this is not a spell that can be easily broken. This is the power of a Bankai level sword – and I know that Sensei realises it too. A child of Kyouraku-kun's inexperience cannot hope to prevail against it, and as for Ukitake-kun…_

Her eyes narrowed.

_His body will not withstand it long, either. Perhaps, in the end, death would be a mercy. As it stands, both boys may die…but if we hesitate here, the whole population of District Seven may be in similar jeopardy_.

Her gaze flitted to Genryuusai, taking in the tension in his aging form.

_You know this best of all, Sensei. That your students may sacrifice their lives here in this land, but there is nothing you can do to change it. You have to act for the many, even if it means suffering the loss of those you consider important to you. You dispatched people to protect Endou-kun so that his family have a chance of stability, to subdue the Endou government, to ensnare Seimaru, and to keep Seventh District from revolting against our actions. For the sake of all who do live and will live again in District Seven, these concerns must override all others, regardless of sentiment. I understand how you care for your students – and I know that you would like nothing more but to rush from this place and defend them from harm. But there is no way to do that. Not this time. Whoever cast this spell…is probably the one that Nagesu-sama has gone to face. And all I can do now is put my hopes in that fact…that if Nagesu-sama can prevail, somehow, both young boys' lives may be saved._

**

* * *

**

The Seventh Division barracks were in some state of disrepair.

Guren stood at the entrance of the shinigami's military quarters, pursing his lips in disapproval as he took in the scene. There was no distinct separation that he could see between those blessed with spiritual duties and those that were retainers to the Endou-ke, and even without stepping inside the building he could tell that very few of those who served within met the minimum requirements to be called 'shinigami' at all.

_An excuse to exceed the Council's legal limits for personal armies by hiding common soldiers in shihakushou, it would seem._

Guren's lips thinned.

_Well, not entirely a breach of regulation that would see a leader stripped of his rank - but certainly cause for considerable concern. I wonder how much of this was Shouichi-dono's legacy, and how much is Seimaru's own work._

"Who goes there?"

As he moved towards the main entrance, a gaggle of black and white clad officers poured out to surround him, each clutching an _asauchi_ as they gazed at him with suspicious, confrontational eyes. Guren's gaze flitted between them each in turn, taking in their physical and spiritual fitness, then he sighed, shaking his head slowly.

_Barely within the recognised requirements. No wonder it's some time since any members of Seventh were dispatched beyond the confines of this District. When the new 'squads' came into place, it was at least desired that the senior most officers bore zanpakutou to a passable level. Yet even so, to pad it out with men of this calibre...men who not only lack spiritual and fighting finesse, but also an awareness of their betters..._

"Step aside." He said now, his tones soft as he raised his hand to indicate for them to part. "I have no business with any of you, and do not wish to cause casualties."

"You were asked a question!" A broad-set individual thrust himself forward, clearly full of his own self as he glared at Guren defiantly. "You stand in our territory, stranger - who are you and why do you come here?"

"Who am I?" Guren raised an eyebrow, and there was a long silence. "Are you really so ignorant as to not know the answer to that very impertinent question?"

He smiled, a derisive look entering his grey eyes.

"It seems that the men of Seventh District are entirely without social education." He added cuttingly. "To think that I could travel here and not be known immediately by those who consider themselves members of the noble class? Preposterous."

He touched his fingers to his clothing, then,

"Because I choose to come here in the base _shihakushou_ of a shinigami, you cannot identify me?" He asked softly. "Because I have left my _haori_ and my robes of state in another place, you are so easily foxed by my appearance? A shameful reaction. I had expected better."

"_Haori_?" At this, one of the younger officers' eyes widened, and he darted forward, putting a hand on the arm of the man who had first challenged Guren. "Hey...wait. Stand down. He said _haori_...he said..."

"Summon your Lieutenant." Guren commanded. "Immediately. I should hope that he at least would have the sense to know who I am. Until he is summoned, I shall wait here. And the rest of you shall stay where you are, if it pleases you - I have no will to raise my blade to any who do not raise theirs to me. Not even despite the unforgivable nature of your ignorance...to take out insects is not the purpose of my coming."

"What is the commotion out here?"

Before any of the young men could move, another stepped through the wide doors of the barracks, the crest on his arm telling Guren that this was the individual he sought. "Why are you all gathered here? What..."

"They have done so because I have come to see you." Guren cut across him, turning his slate-grey gaze on the newcomer gravely. "And I trust that I will be greeted with a little more sense by a man who Shouichi-sama denoted his second in command here."

The Lieutenant stopped dead, his jaw dropping in alarm as he took in Guren's presence among his men. Colour drained from his face, and for a moment he just stood there, eyes bulging and mouth gaping as though he was a fish out of water. Then at length he gathered his wits, bowing his head low before the other man.

"Kuchiki Guren-sama." He whispered. "To what honour do we owe your presence among us this day?"

"_K...K...Kuchiki_?" The man who had first challenged Guren paled, stepping back, but the Clan leader paid him no mind.

"I see then you at least can recognise a man your Clan calls neighbour, even if your men cannot." He said softly, addressing the Lieutenant directly instead.

"If any of my men have been rude to you, Kuchiki-sama, please, I beg forgiveness on their behalves." The Lieutenant was stumbling over his words, clearly sweating under the unexpected pressure of greeting such an important person, and Guren wondered idly whether it was simply his status or a sign of more rule breaking being covered up within Seventh District's squad. "I will see they are all sorely punished for it later...for not greeting a Clan Leader in the acceptable manner."

"As it happens, there is no need." Guren dismissed this with a flick of his fingers. "I have not come robed in Clan attire, nor with the _haori_ of the Sixth Division floating about my shoulders. I have come as a lone shinigami to do my duty to the Council and the Gotei to which I am an elected member. I am here to tell you to stand down from your duty, Lieutenant of the Seventh Division. You and all those who surround you are ordered to submit your swords and stand down from any other military obligation you may have for the time being."

"Submit...stand down?" The Lieutenant raised his gaze, fear in their depths, and Guren nodded.

"This is the order of the Council of Elders." he said quietly. "Your Captain is under suspicion of grave crimes against Soul Society. Till these allegations can be ratified or dismissed, Seventh Squad is hereby suspended. I have therefore come to ensure all of you submit your swords and are in no state to rise in armed defence of your master."

His eyes narrowed, and his fingers brushed against the hilt of his sleeping sword.

"I am a fair man." He added quietly. "Any who do as they are bidden will not come to harm. You are, after all, sworn to obey the man you have as Captain and Clan Leader and your complicity in his crimes will be overlooked so long as you are obedient to my orders now. But any who seek to defy me are in breach of the whole Council - and my blade will answer for them."

It was impossible for the Lieutenant to go any paler, and from where he stood, Guren could see that the man was trembling. Very slowly he clasped his hand around the hilt of his _zanpakutou_, and several of his companions drew breath sharply, as if wondering if the man intended to fight a Clansman of Guren's legendary calibre. Carefully and tentatively the Lieutenant pulled his weapon from its sheath, and then, with a shaking grip, he tossed it down onto the ground. It hit the frozen, snow-speckled cobbles with a muted clatter, and Guren nodded his head.

"Your choice is the right one." He said quietly, as one by one the gathered shinigami followed suit. "If that is the way of things, there need not be any violence here. I'm glad of it...for it seems there will be violence elsewhere."

His gaze strayed to the horizon, as he picked up the distinctive flares of Kyouki's Gekkoushin and Nagesu's Sekizanha, and he sighed.

_I wonder what this day will truly bring when the sun sets into night. I fear that whatever the outcome, it will take much time before everything becomes settled and even once more._

He frowned, his brow creasing in consternation as he felt the faintest flicker of electric energy on the winter breeze.

_A storm?_

He bit his lip.

_Or...no. That's someone's reiryoku. Someone's spirit power...a fleeting memory on the wind, stirring at my thoughts?_

_"Guren should stand back. I can handle this on my own."_

_  
"But Raiko-neesama!"_

_  
"I said stop it! There's no reason for anyone to hurt you, so stand back out of the way. Ojisama wouldn't forgive me, after all, if anything happened to you!"_

_  
"I can fight too! I can fight and defend Raiko-neesama!"_

Guren closed his eyes, remembering the gathering darkness and the flashes of spectral lightning that had darkened the sky that day.

"Raiko." He murmured. "Your son's spirit power is just like yours. Is that what you intended? To give it all to him - to live on through him by trusting your storm to his blade?"

He bit his lip, tasting blood against his tongue.

_  
But your storm raged fiercely and often out of control. And now, this feeling...it's just the same. The same, except...something else. Something dark is entwined in it...I wonder, can that frail young boy's tainted peasant blood really stand up to the strain of your lightning's legacy?_

**

* * *

**

For a moment after Juushirou had fired his bolt of kidou, everything seemed to stand still.

Shunsui took a deep breath into his lungs, staring in disbelief at the black, ugly weal that had scorched through the hollowed trunk of a nearby dead tree, realising as he did so that the blast had hit only a few inches over from where he stood. Had it not been so saturated and frozen with ice and snow, the tree would surely have blazed into flame from the force of the spell – as it was the wood had been fair cleaved in half, the two sides hanging at a precarious angle as they held on by thin slithers of damp wood to the rotting roots below.

His gaze flitted back to Juushirou, who was still breathing heavily, his head lowered as he struggled to draw air into battered lungs and his aura flickering and flaring still in a menacing, foreboding way.

What was going on?

"Juushirou?" He took a step forward, and at his movement, Juushirou's head shot up, alarm flaring through his hazel gaze. It was like a sudden bolt of wild insanity, and Shunsui faltered, knowing that his friend was not in his wits yet still too dazed to piece together what had happened to cause this sudden change in behaviour. Blood still lingered on the younger boy's lips, and Shunsui could tell from the hoarse way he was dragging air into his lungs that his companion was not well enough to be firing spells at random across a frozen stretch of deserted land.

_Yet it's like he's frightened of me. Like he's trying to protect himself from me. Like suddenly he sees me as his enemy._

Shunsui frowned, casting a furtive glance around him for any sign of the young girl.

_I was right to send her away, then, but if she comes back in the middle of this…whatever's caused Juu to take a weird turn, it's better she's not here to see it. Maybe I can talk him down – maybe I can work out what's gone wrong. But if she reappears, that makes it complicated. I don't want him to hurt her because he's not acting like himself._

"Juu?" He spoke again, moderating his tones so as they would not startle his classmate. "Juu, whatever's upset you, you need to calm down. There's nobody here who's going to hurt you. Seimaru's a long way off. It's just you and me and the chibi – and you have my word that neither of us want to attack you."

Juushirou stared at him, and a knot formed in Shunsui's stomach as he realised there was no recognition in Juushirou's clouded gaze.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" He whispered, as suddenly a dark sense of foreboding began to wash over him. "Juu…this is that man's doing, isn't it? That Urahara…that Aizen Keitarou? This is like Eiraki-hime…he pulled the strings and made her attack someone that she cared for. This is his work – somehow he's put the same spell on you that he put on her."

Juushirou drew a deep breath of air into his lungs, his fingers closing slowly around the hilt of Sougyo no Kotowari. Shunsui's eyes widened, and he shook his head hurriedly.

"Wooah boy!" He exclaimed, throwing all caution to the wind as he darted forward, grabbing his friend firmly by the right arm as he tried to separate boy from sword. "That's not a good idea. In the state you're in right now…"

"_Hadou no Ichi. Shou_." Juushirou's words were once more flat and mechanical, and Shunsui suddenly found himself thrust across the clearing, landing with a heavy thud on the frozen ground some two or three feet from where his classmate stood. Momentarily dazed, he quickly gathered his wits, struggling to his feet.

The blow had winded him – Juushirou had fired it from his free left hand directly against Shunsui's gut without even hesitating, and it had not been a gentle spell.

_But somehow you snapped Eiraki-hime out of it. Somehow you brought her back to herself, and you used Kidou when you did – isn't that what she said? That your fingers were glittering and something shook her awake. Then if that's the case…maybe I can do the same. If that's the case…_

He hauled himself once more to his feet, rubbing his gut ruefully as he did so. For a moment he eyed Juushirou's tense form, then he sighed, swallowing his misgivings as he extended the fingers of his right hand towards his friend.

"I'm sorry if it hurts, Juu, but I have no choice._ Bakudou no Yon: Hainawa_."

Spiritual ropes of energy shot out towards Juushirou, trailing through the air as if guided by an invisible hand, yet as they started to close in on their prey, there was a sudden glint of silver and Juushirou darted back, his weapon pulled free from his _obi_. The sword slashed through the kidou restraints before they could loop themselves around his wrists, the spell disintegrating into the cold air at the touch of the _zanpakutou_'s sharp edge, and Shunsui was aware that the katana was prickling with energy, alive and ready to fight.

_So it's not going to be so easy to hold you down, then. Your blade has more resolve than my Bakudou. I don't want to fire Hadou at you, though, Juu. I don't want to hurt you, just stop you attacking me while I try and drum sense into your skull and get you to snap out of it. But even so…_

He paused, stretching out his hand to fire a second spell, but before he could mumble the incantation, he heard his friend begin to speak once more.

"_Nami kotogotoku, wa ga tate to nare_." Juushirou muttered, and the copse was lit up as Sougyo no Kotowari's blade was bathed in golden light. It was strong and vibrant light, yet to Shunsui it was empty and hollow, as though it lacked any feeling or substance behind it, and even as the weapon began to separate from one blade into two, Shunsui knew that Juushirou's body was struggling to contain the sword's overwhelming rush of spiritual energy.

"Juu, stop it!" He begged. "Your body can't take it – all you're going to do is spit up blood again, and if you keep on like this, you'll wind up killing yourself for real!"

Juushirou's eyes glittered faintly with something that froze right through Shunsui's soul, then,

"_Ikazuchi kotogotoku, wa ga yaiba to nare_." He whispered. "_Sougyo no Kotowari_."

The weapon glimmered a second time, as if echoing his call, then the light faded, and Shunsui saw his friend's sword, separated and gleaming in the winter sunlight.

It was the first time he had seen Sougyo no Kotowari's release, for all of Juushirou's training sessions since he had had his blade ratified had been conducted with Genryuusai's close attention, and no other student had been permitted to watch. That his classmate had mastered this initial stage was something he had known, yet he found himself taken aback by the sudden swell of energy that seemed to pulse from the two blades. Over their heads, the sky began to darken, the clouds thickening and becoming heavier and Shunsui almost thought he could feel the prickle of energy surging through it, a faint spark here and there hinting at the threat of lightning still to come.

"_The storm is what Mother calmed inside of me, but it feels like maybe it's coming back little by little to take control again."_

Juushirou's words echoed through his thoughts suddenly, and he bit his lip.

_A storm raging out of control…when you can't reel your power in and it flies free. Juu, your body isn't up to this. Whatever that mad scientist did to you…you have to snap out of it and I have no time to be sissy about finding the best way to help you do that._

Under his breath he began to mutter the spell for _Shakkahou_, but before he could get even halfway through the incantation, Juushirou let out a screech, darting forward with his swords raised ready to attack. Struck off guard, it was all Shunsui could do to evade the sudden swing of not one sword but two in quick succession to each other, the left blade narrowly missing cutting off his ear, whilst the right one seared through the edge of his peasant robe. His fingers went automatically to his waist as Juushirou turned and attacked again, pulling Kai's _wakizashi _from its cloth wrappings and swinging it up to match the fine silver weapon against Juushirou's humming _zanpakutou_.

The sudden clash made Juushirou flinch back, as though hitting the sword had somehow hurt him too, and Shunsui frowned, gazing at the _wakizashi_ for a moment before tightening his grip around its carved hilt.

_It's all I have, but if I can wear you down first, I'll do that instead. My sword skills are better than yours, Juu, and you've only just begun to fight with two weapons, whereas I've been fighting with both hands for years. I don't suppose that, even given that that's a zanpakutou, it will make much difference when it comes down to basic skills. And the wakizashi may be all I have – but I have it, and thank God, I can use it to deflect your swings._

His eyes narrowed as Juushirou drove forward again, picking up clearly the weakness of the boy's left swing compared to his more familiar right. Shunsui shifted the _wakizashi_ into his left grip to compensate, stepping neatly to the side and bringing the blade up swiftly and cleanly through the air to collide once more against the left-hand weapon. Juushirou's grasp faltered slightly this time, and Shunsui found he had time to jerk his body around, grabbing Juushirou's left arm in his right hand whilst bringing the _wakizashi_ up to block the attack of the District boy's right.

Juushirou quickly shook himself free, jumping back as a spasm wracked through his chest, causing him to cough. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and Shunsui gritted his teeth, knowing that he did not have all afternoon to play sword games with his companion.

_I can hold you off like this for as long as I need to, but not if it's doing you harm to have that weapon unsealed. I don't know where that Urahara is, or what exactly he instructed you to do – but I don't intend on letting this go on all day. I want to stop this quickly, Juu – so forgive me if I'm a little rougher on you than normal, okay? You'll thank me for it later – maybe we'll laugh about it, who knows? But right now, I'm going to have to be serious. Even if it means I break a bone or two – forgive me, all right? In the end, it's all in your own interests if I do._

His sharp gaze caught sight of a discarded length of branch lying on the ground not far below the tree that Juushirou had neatly divided with his initial _Byakurai_, and Shunsui realised that it had fallen from the wounded trunk in the force of the blast. It was uneven and not quite straight, but as he glanced at it, an idea began to briefly surface in the older boy's brain. Summoning his spirit power, he forced himself into shunpo, dropping out of it beneath the shuddering, groaning tree corpse and pausing to catch his breath.

_I mustn't use that unless I have to. I haven't the energy for it, not after bringing Juu and the chibi here. It'll be enough if I can keep my physical energy going long enough to disarm him – I should save my reiryoku for kidou, just in case._

He bent down, sliding the fingers of his right hand around the rough end of the branch and lifting it, tilting it from side to side for a moment as he gauged its weight. It was lighter and some inches longer than the _bokutou_ with which they practiced in Ouyoudou class, yet in the circumstances it was the best he could hope for, and he tightened his grasp, turning to face his friend a second time as Juushirou charged forwards once more.

Shunsui was ready for him, however, and he brought the makeshift _bokutou _up sharply, aiming it against Juushirou's weaker left hand and sending the weapon flying up into the air. The sudden loss of one blade caused the District boy to lose his momentum, and he stumbled, Shunsui parrying the weakened stab of the right blade with the Shihouin _wakizashi_. Now one blade on one, Shunsui pushed his physical strength home, putting all his pressure into the swing of his right arm as he worked to knock Juushirou completely off his feet. The trailing left blade of Sougyo no Kotowari acted as an anchor in his favour, and Juushirou's sandaled feet slipped on the slick ground, causing him to drop to his knees.

Shunsui eyed him for a moment, moving to put his foot very purposefully on Sougyo no Kotowari's left blade. As he did so, he saw the pain reflected in Juushirou's eyes, and inwardly he sent an apology to his friend for treating the beautiful weapon in such a rough manner. Yet he did not alter his stance, instead using the _wakizashi_ to hold down Juushirou's right hand blade.

The spiritual cord that tethered the two halves of the weapon together had become its weakness, for Shunsui could quickly see that Juushirou's movement on the right was restricted by his imprisoned left sword, and he let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Right, then." He said softly, his tones as light as he could manage. "I really don't like this, Juu, but if you're not going to listen to reason…"

"Shun…sui?"

The word was little more than the faintest of whispers, but Shunsui faltered, staring at his friend in confusion. Had he imagined it, or had Juushirou just called him by name?

A desperate, pale hand reached out at that moment, trembling as it clumsily tried to grasp at the edges of Shunsui's peasant _hakama_, and Shunsui bit his lip, seeing a flicker of something other than wild fight in the other boy's hazel eyes.

Were those…_tears _glittering against Juushirou's lashes?

"Juu-kun?" He asked softly. "Can you hear me?"

"Shun…" Juushirou coughed, and blood bubbled at his lips a second time. "My…sword. Sougyo…hurt…"

"I know. I'm sorry. You went at me like a lunatic, so I took evasive measures." Shunsui said frankly. "And I can't move off it. Not right now. You're not acting like yourself, and I need you to stop it. Understand? I need you to put the right blade down before I take my foot off the left one. Just in case…for your own sake as well as mine."

Slowly Juushirou's right arm began to withdraw his sword from its position against Kai's blade, shaking and tentative as if every muscle movement was a huge effort to complete. At length the weapon rested on the ground, but Juushirou's fingers were still curled protectively around the hilt, and he sent Shunsui a plaintive, almost pleading look.

"Stop…" He whispered. "Please…Shunsui. Stop…"

He coughed again, and Shunsui felt his heart clench at the pitiful figure his friend now cut.

"What am I going to do with you?" He murmured, thrusting the branch into the frozen ground and reaching his freed right hand across absently to ruffle his fingers through Juushirou's shorn white hair. "You like to scare people, that's for sure. Keitarou did this to you, didn't he? That Urahara. He used the spell on you that he used on Hirata's sister…talk about a low blow."

Juushirou simply stared at him, the tears running silently down his cheeks, and Shunsui sighed.

"Juu-nii!"

At that moment, Shikiki returned, stopping dead as she caught sight of the two students. "Oniisan, what happened? What are you doing to…to Juu-nii?"

"Shikiki!" Shunsui turned, momentarily distracted by the young girl's distress. "Don't come any closer, okay? Juu's not feeling well – and he's not able to control his power properly at the moment. I don't want you to get hurt as well – so stay where you are, okay?"

"I won't!" Shikiki hurried forwards. "Don't hurt Juu-nii, Oniisan! Please, don't hurt him! I'll help him, I promise, so don't hurt him any more!"

"Hey, be careful!" As the young girl came closer, Shunsui reached out his right hand to stop her, his foot shifting slightly on the grounded blade. "Shikiki, please! I'm serious. This isn't a safe situation for you…right now the best thing you can do is stand back out of the way. Juu wouldn't like it if he hurt you – so please, don't do anything to make it worse, all right?"

"But I want to help him! Juu-nii helped me…I want to help Juu-nii!" Shikiki stopped, but there was defiance in her tone. "Juu-nii's _crying_, Oniisan! He's hurting, let me help him!"

"He'll be crying all the more if he hurts you by mistake." Shunsui felt his reiatsu curl and flare up around him as he prepared to fire a mild _bakudou_ spell to keep the youngster at bay. "I can handle it on my own, and he'll be fine – but if you got hurt, he'd never forgive himself. He'd never…"

He faltered, seeing Juu's right arm move out of the corner of his eye. He lifted his weapon to counter it, but instead of a swinging blade came was a sudden, vibrant blast of powerful energy, aimed directly at his outstretched right arm as he sought to keep the Shikiki out of harm's reach. There was no time for Shunsui to dodge, and the blast cannoned into his unguarded limb, the force of the flare sending him flying once more across the impromptu battlefield. He collided with the sheer cliff face that flanked the path behind them, letting out an involuntary cry of pain as his body met the jagged edge of the unforgiving rock.

Fierce, unyielding agony flared through his right arm, and a wave of nausea washed up inside him as he caught sight of it hanging loose and limp at his side. He did not need the pain or the fighting experience to know that it was broken, for it was kinked at an odd angle midway between his wrist and elbow, and again just above the elbow, flopping uselessly against his bruised body as though it belonged to a rag-doll. The fabric of the sleeve had been completely burnt away by whatever attack had grounded him, and his skin was red and raw, as though the heat of the blast had scalded across it. It had not felt hot, he realised dully, but then perhaps such sensations had been put into second place by his brain as the bones had shattered one by one.

He slid to the ground, the waves of pain intensifying as the crumpled limb touched the freezing snow, and he struggled to keep breathing, his vision blurred and indistinct as his body was overwhelmed by shock.

_What the hell was that?_

He swallowed against the bile that rose in his gullet, half sure he was about to be sick, yet somehow he managed to quell the sensation, trying desperately to rationalise what had happened. His gaze flitted to Juushirou, who was slowly picking himself up off the ground. The wild look was back in his eyes, and whatever brief moment of respite had caused his friend to return to his senses had clearly passed with the flaring of that spell.

If it had even been a spell.

Shunsui could not be sure, for it had all happened so quickly…but he had almost felt like that blast had come from Juushirou's right hand blade.

"Oniisan!" Shikiki was at his side, he realised then, tugging on his good arm with anxiety in her aqua eyes. "Oniisan, are you all right? Are you…?"

"I told you to get out of the way." He managed thickly. "Juu isn't himself…Shikiki, he'll hurt you too!"

Shikiki's gaze flitted back to Juushirou, then,

"If you're his friend, why did he fire Sougyo at you?" She murmured. "If you're friends, why did he do that? I don't understand."

"Someone's controlling him." Shunsui muttered. "Someone who doesn't like that I've come to interfere."

He swallowed again, then,

"What do you mean, _fired _Sougyo? You've seen…him do that…before?"

"Mm. In Kei-nii's lab." Shikiki nodded. "He did it to open the door so we could get out."

"It would've been nice to have been briefed on it."

"I didn't think Juu-nii would do it again. It seemed to make him in pain before." Shikiki admitted.

"Tell me…what he did…before."

"Just that." Shikiki shrugged. "He sucked in the spirit power with the left blade and shot it out at the wall with his right. And a hole appeared. And we went through it. And then we met up with you and Hirata-sama and…that's all."

_Absorbed through the left, fired through the…_

Shunsui grimaced.

_When I flared my spirit power to protect Shikiki – was that when he did it? From my standing on his blade, he managed to…?_

He shivered, flinching as pain ran through his damaged limb.

"No wonder Kyouki-sama said that sword could kill someone." He whispered. He touched his right arm tentatively, then his eyes widened as he realised he no longer held Kai's _wakizashi_.

"Damn..." He muttered, his gaze flitting across the ground to where it had fallen from his grip with the force of Juushirou's unexpected attack.

_Too far for me to shunpo to, and too far for me to walk. Heck, can I even stand like this?_

He gritted his teeth, reaching out his uninjured hand to pull himself up into a standing position. By leaning against the cliff wall, he found he could maintain his balance, but the world seemed grey and surreal, and every so often the edges flickered, as though he was seeing the end of a brief, fleeting dream.

But Juushirou had not finished yet. He was already on his feet, his_ reiryoku_ flickering around his body in an eerie bluish haze. Shunsui's heart skipped a beat as he ran through his options for defence.

_I can't fire Kidou. If Shikiki's right about what that sword did, and if he can absorb even my stray reiatsu, then firing Kidou is a bad, bad idea. All it will do is make same thing happen again…and even if I'm the one with the broken bones right now, he's still feeling this. Every attack he makes, I can tell…his reiatsu gets a little darker, a little more raw._

Shunsui bit his lip, as the white haired boy steadied his grip on his twin blades, readying himself for a new assault on his companion.

_I can't back away, because this wall is the only thing holding me up. And Shikiki…I have to protect Shikiki, too._

In that moment, Juushirou let out a yell, charging forward with his twin blades both aimed directly at Shunsui's body. Above their heads, the dark, cloying sky split suddenly with a flare of eerie golden lightning, and Shunsui felt real fear begin to well up inside of him as the unforgiving tips of Sougyo no Kotowari surged closer and closer towards him.

_Is Juushirou going to kill me?_

That was the last thought he had, before his world became swamped in shadow.


	59. Kakugo

**Chapter Fifty Eight: Kakugo**

Seimaru's reiatsu had changed.

From his position at Midori's side, Hirata bit down hard on his lip, anxiety flooding through him as he processed the dark, intense spirit power that now flowed around the Clan leader's body, pouring into his sword as he flicked it back to release a second crescent of flame to follow the first. It had seemed for a moment as though Kyouki had been swallowed up by his flare, but as the second strike let loose from Yojinmozu's gleaming tip, Kyouki herself hazed out of shunpo on the opposite side of the copse, letting out her breath in a rush as she dusted stray ash from her clothing.

"Whew. That was a close call."

She had lost her _haori_, Hirata realised with a jolt. No...he corrected himself, she had _sacrificed_ her _haori_. In the moment that Seimaru's flare had touched the delicate fabric she had discarded it, using it as a barrier between her and the flames to give her time to evade their blazing heat. Yet although Kyouki had escaped the attack unharmed, Hirata understood that it had not been easy. What had ignited so brightly had been the white symbol of Fifth Division and Fifth District leadership - the proof that the one Seimaru was fighting was one who battled with the Gotei's pride in her blade.

That symbol of pride was now no more than ash, and Seimaru did not seem to have any intention of abating his attacks.

"You slipped your _haori _and escaped me." He said darkly, his gaze flitting to where Kyouki now stood. "You used it as a distraction and a shield for my flames - but you won't be able to pull that same trick a second time."

"No. I imagine stripping off here would not be a good idea, seeing as there are minors present." Kyouki spoke flippantly, but Hirata could see that her green eyes had become grave. "I hope you know what you've done to yourself, Seimaru. What that _reidoku_ is truly capable of. In the end, it may not be me you find yourself fighting."

"Don't be stupid. I've never felt better." Seimaru's features lit up with triumph and he fired another crescent of hot red flame, forcing Kyouki to bring her weapon up in its ghostly blue shield to deflect the force of the attack. Even so, the flames battered against the light shield, making Kyouki take a couple of steps back to maintain her stance, and Hirata's heart clenched in his throat.

_He's got stronger, but as yet, he hasn't lost control. Is he right? Is the reidoku Seimaru just took...really stabilised enough to let him fight Kyouki-sama and win without losing his wits?_

"This isn't the same_ reidoku_ as the Council ran scared of a century ago." Seimaru raised his weapon, sparks falling from the tip as he eyed his opponent pensively. "A hundred years has seen some changes...this formula is stable and I can use it. I will use it. To burn you into nothing more than ash."

At his side, Hirata was aware of Midori's tensing, and he knew that her thoughts had flitted to her uncle. A sudden stab of anger rushed through him as he digested this.

_Kamuki-sama lost his life trying to create this kind of reidoku - the Shihouin-ke has suffered and I know as well as anyone how much. Yet they've taken me in and supported me - allied with me - although I've shielded the true evil from facing justice up to now. Seimaru and his scientist...the Endou-ke are the ones who were the real danger. Kamuki-sama was led astray - his plans for his son became something bigger and darker. Yet...this reidoku...had Kamuki-sama managed to obtain it alone - would he then be using it to try to cut down others for his own ambition? Or simply to secure the future of his Clan by infusing his heir with spirit power he lacked?_

He clenched his fists, feeling his nails digging into the palms of his hands.

_In the end, it isn't the Shihouin who are truly guilty. I knew that. I've known it a long time. It's the Endou-ke. This rotten, twisted Clan. The Endou-ke deserve to be destroyed...if all they're founded on is other people's spilt blood._

"You already sound delusional, if that's the case." Kyouki's sword glittered with light as she brought it down, flaring a frozen beam of light towards where Seimaru stood. "And I'm going to cool you down and make you see things rationally. Or don't you have any shame in enhancing your feeble ability with false chemicals?"

"I say that a shinigami should do what he can to be strong." Seimaru darted neatly out of the way of Kyouki's flare, and Hirata realised that his speed had also increased. "Whatever that might prove to be. Isn't it the duty of a shinigami to be the strongest in the Clan? Isn't that how it should be? The Gotei elite?"

"But by natural diligence and hard work, not dabbling in illicit chemicals." Kyouki dropped into shunpo, reappearing behind Seimaru and firing a second flare of light. "That's the difference. That's what makes someone Gotei."

"Old fashioned values." Seimaru whipped around, sending a blaze of fire to meet Kyouki's beam and this time, instead of being washed out by the cold light, the two met in the middle, sending an explosion of spirit power up into the ether. "Old fashioned beliefs that will see people trampled underfoot. Under my feet, most probably, considering that your sword doesn't seem to be as effective as it was against my fire."

He grinned, tapping Yojinmozu idly against his leg as a faint amber haze began to surround his body.

"What's next?" He asked mockingly. "I've countered the day moon, and deflected the night one. Don't tell me that's the end of your repertoire, Kyouki-dono. I didn't suppose that the great Gekkoushin would be so easy to neutralise."

His eyes narrowed.

"Or is it simply that without its partner in crime, it's nothing more than a trick sword?" He taunted. "Was it Tensonshin, after all, who had all the true strength?"

"You know nothing about Tensonshin." Kyouki's aura bristled with indignation at this. "Nor do you know anything about Gekkoushin. You should curb your tongue, Seimaru. You deflected one beam, that's all. You've yet to lay a hit on me - I'm completely unhurt and quite capable of continuing for some time. You'll have to do more than that if you want to take me down - even with _reidoku_ in your system, you're still not a match for Gekkoushin's power."

"We'll see. I'm just warming up." Hirata saw Seimaru's gaze flit briefly towards the fallen _reidoku_ vial, then, "You seem to be moving more slowly, and your attacks seem less effective. Forgive me for thinking you were tiring - you certainly seem to be fighting that..."

"_Hadou no Hachi-juu Hachi._"

Kyouki's voice cut across him, deep foreboding in her tones as she disappeared, reappearing in the sky over his head.

At his side, Midori cursed, grabbing hold of Hirata and pulling him forcibly down onto the ground.

"What...?" Hirata was startled, and Midori shook her head.

"Stay down." She muttered. "You'll see why."

From his prone position, Hirata could just about make out the form of the Fifth District shinigami, her form silhouetted by the light of the winter sun as she thrust her left hand up against the blade of her still glittering weapon, then,

"_Hiryuugeki Zokushin Tenraihou!_" She exclaimed.

The next moment Hirata was sure that the whole of the copse had been consumed by light, for a flare of energy like none he had ever seen or felt before had blazed from the shinigami's hands, merging with the natural power of her _zanpakutou _and surging unforgivingly down at speed towards where Seimaru stood. The trees, the sky, the clouds, everything seemed to be a mass of light, and Hirata found himself screwing his eyes shut as the heavy wave of spiritual power shook the ground around him with its inpact. Struggling to draw breath, he felt Midori's grasp on him tighten, and then, from somewhere, he heard her voice.

"Kyouki-sama's getting serious." She said softly. "If there's anything left of Seimaru now, we've got a real battle on our hands."

"How could anyone...survive...that?" Hirata murmured weakly, and Midori sighed.

"Unfortunately, we don't know how much his power is augmented by _reidoku_." She acknowledged. "Normally, only someone capable of higher level Bakudou would be able to deflect a spell like that. But...I can still sense Seimaru's reiatsu. Can't you? Who knows what level that chemical can drive him to."

Hirata opened his eyes cautiously, and as the light began to fade, he became aware of a flickering line of fire from one side of the copse to the other. It was not quite a complete shield, for the force of Kyouki's kidou had broken through it in several places, but though Seimaru seemed somewhat singed around the edges, he was still on his feet, breathing heavily but defiant and triumphant as his opponent landed neatly on the grass opposite.

"Is that all a level eighty eight Kidou can do?" He asked mockingly, his voice slightly hoarse but still easily audible in the silent grove. "No wonder I never bothered learning much magic. It barely even touched me at all."

Kyouki's brows knitted together.

"You're lying." She said softly. "My _zanpakutou_'s power is light, and that spell is also light. When I fire it from Gekkoushin's blade, I know exactly where it goes and what damage it does. It ate through your reiatsu, and you had to flare the strongest flames you could to stop it consuming you completely. Your reiatsu is faltering again, Seimaru...even with the _reidoku_, this isn't a fight you can continue indefinitely."

"The same is probably true for her, however." Midori murmured, and Hirata shot her a look of alarm.

"You mean...?"

"_Hadou #88_ is a powerful spell, and to use it without an incantation consumes a lot of _reiryoku_." Midori spoke gravely. "Even given her natural disposition towards it as a light-based attack..."

She smiled faintly.

"Maybe you can't feel it. You are only a student yet." She acknowledged. "But you do know _kyakkou_, and that's another light-based spell. You should understand that light manipulation requires a lot of concentration...even though Kyouki-sama is proficient in kidou, using that in battle is meant to be a finishing move. To keep fighting in _shikai_ beyond it...her _reiryoku_ has taken a hit, too."

Hirata frowned, his gaze flitting towards Kyouki as he assessed his companion's words.

"Then is it a case of...who lasts the longest?" He whispered. "But...Midori-sama...the_ reidoku_..."

"We don't know what it can do." Midori agreed grimly. "But I'll tell you this, Hirata. By now, using the kind of power that Seimaru is...he should have lost control. He should be struggling to control his spirit power - but he isn't. It's reacting on a much higher level than he can handle, yet he's handling it. That _reidoku_...is probably what he said it was. Stable. And if that's the case..."

"He's at least as strong as Kyouki-sama until it wears off." Hirata bit his lip. "If it even does."

"Mm." Midori nodded. "I doubt the effects of one dose are permanent. His reiatsu isn't completely steady with it...so I imagine it's the first time he's taken it. But even so...I hate to admit, it's an impressive debut. Seimaru as he is now...I couldn't fight him, Hirata. And you..."

She did not finish her sentence, but Hirata understood her meaning all too well.

_I wouldn't stand a chance. But I knew that anyway. With or without reidoku, that remains the case. I'm weak. I've always been weak. And now the stakes have changed...he's so far away from me now that..._

His gaze fell on the _reidoku _vial again, and he frowned, his brow creasing.

_There's still reidoku inside. He didn't consume it all. _

For a moment he pondered on this realisation, wondering what it meant.

_Is he planning on pacing it out? Matching Kyouki-sama blow for blow and then using that to up his levels again to finish her off? Or...?_

His gaze flitted from Seimaru to Kyouki, then back to Seimaru.

_Midori-sama is right. He's handling himself without a problem, but his reiatsu isn't totally secure. Is that it, then? He's taken just enough to make sure he augments his fight power without breaking through and falling apart? _

"It's time to wind this up." Seimaru's weapon glowed with fresh amber fire as he slipped into shunpo, reappearing at Kyouki's left hand side. "If you're so sure that I can't hurt you, let's see exactly how far that theory bears out, shall we?"

His eyes glittered with something that had Hirata not known Seimaru for so long as he had, he would have mistaken for madness, then,

"_Chi ni, juso o_." He murmured, his tones sinister as the flickering amber flames flared around his body. "_Kouen Kougeki._"

He swept his blade cleanly through the winter air, the flames shooting out towards Kyouki and the other Clan leader cursed, slipping into shunpo as she tried to dodge it. Seimaru simply began to laugh, however, flicking his blade towards the spot she reappeared and to Hirata's horror, the flames changed direction, bearing down on Kyouki with ruthless determination.

Kyouki slipped into shunpo a second time, then a third, but Seimaru's blade seemed able to hold the fire in the air indefinitely now, for he simply shifted their aim, powering them forward once again towards their prey.

As the heat licked up towards the edge of Kyouki's _hakama_, Hirata's stomach flip-flopped, fear in his eyes.  
_  
"Hadou no Gojuu Hachi. Tenran!"_ Kyouki spun her blade out in front of her, and a swirl of air whirled out to deflect the flames, sending them flying in all directions across the copse. Hirata was aware of Midori muttering the words to a spell under her breath, and falling fragments of flame deflected harmlessly off the kidou barrier she had erected over them just in time.

Kyouki dropped to the ground, sweat beading her brow as she drew breath raggedly into her lungs. She had avoided being touched by the curse, Hirata knew, but in doing so she had been forced to fire another powerful kidou spell, and now it was clear that the Clan leader's _reiryoku_ was starting to falter. Shunpo, kidou, shikai...yet still Seimaru stood before them, and still his blade gleamed with amber flame.

The _reidoku_ was strong, then. In this state, Hirata realised, he would have even been able to challenge Shouichi face to face to win the Clan by open means.

_To claim the Endou-ke legitimately, you have to battle and defeat the existing leader...take his life and therefore his title in full view of witnesses. _

Hirata's eyes narrowed as his gaze fell once more on the _reidoku _vial.

_Using poison to enhance your power is not honourable...but is any of it really honourable? As it stands, Seimaru will kill Kyouki-sama and then...Midori-sama and I, too, since neither one of us are anywhere near Kyouki-sama's level of fighting. Seimaru seems as though he can keep going...but avoiding the curse has exhausted Kyouki-sama's spiritual power. At this rate...at this rate..._

"You seem tired." Seimaru eyed Kyouki in amusement. "I'll congratulate you on managing to avoid my curse - but even so, the effect is about the same. I doubt you can bring out any more big spells like that - do you even have enough to fire your sword at me again?"

"Try it and find out." Kyouki glared at him defiantly. "If you have anything left in that tainted blade of yours."

"Plenty, as you're going to see." Seimaru laughed, darting nimbly forward and sweeping his sword down towards Kyouki's upper body. "While you feel my weapon cut through your flesh and bone, that is. Have you ever wondered what it feels like, to be sliced open by burning metal? I've wondered, often. What it feels like, when my sword slashes holes in my opponent. You'll have to tell me - if you live long enough to voice the words - just what it's like to be cut down by a firesword."

"He's losing it." Midori hissed. "Things like that...even Seimaru..."

"No. This is Seimaru." Hirata said blackly. "He's just like his father. _Just like_ him. This is how he is, when he corners his prey. Usually it's someone who can't fight back...and then, instead of simply cutting their throat and making it clean, he curses them and watches them die. Mibune-jisama was the same - he used to slash holes in his victims until they had no more blood to spill, whether they were alive or dead. This isn't the _reidoku_, Midori-sama. This is my cousin's true nature coming through."

"Hirata..." Midori cast him a glance, and Hirata's eyes narrowed.

"Enough." He murmured. "I've had...enough."

As Seimaru's sword slashed down, Kyouki managed to raise Gekkoushin's gleaming blade to counter it, pushing back against it with as much strength as she could muster. She was not using the weapon's spirit powers now, Hirata knew, but her ingrained, native sword skills that she had probably been learning since she was a small child. It was all she could do now to maintain that level of defence, and he made up his mind.

_There's no honour in this Clan. Therefore, if we both die, and the Clan fades...then maybe, in the end, that's the best thing. So long as Seimaru is no longer there...it must be the best thing. If Father is still alive...if he is then...he'll know what to do. And if not...if not, the Council will. _

"Hirata?"

As he gently detached Midori's grasp from his body, the Shihouin Clan leader stared at him, confusion in her golden eyes. Hirata bowed his head before her solemnly.

"Thank you." He whispered. "For everything done before and everything I know you'll do from now on. I have faith in your Clan...I trust your Clan. And I'm sorry...that mine caused it and you such harm."

"Hirata, what are you..." Midori's eyes widened, and Hirata offered her a sad smile.

"_Bakudou no Nijuu-roku. Kyakkou_." He whispered, feeling the swirl of _reiryoku_ wrap itself protectively around him as he concealed himself from sight.

"_Hirata_!" Midori's voice pierced through him, but he forced himself to ignore it, suppressing his spirit power to its lowest level as he fixed his attention once more on the vial of _reidoku_ lying forgotten on the ground. Not far away, Seimaru and Kyouki's blades clashed and clattered against one another in a fierce battle of swords, and Hirata bent to pick the wooden container up, feeling the ominous aura of the _reidoku_ within.

_I was right. There is still...in that case..._

He turned towards the fighting Clan leaders, quashing his fear as he slipped the vial within the confines of his spell, and making his way carefully across the grass until he was a bare few feet from the two oblivious shinigami.

They were too close together, now.

Hirata's eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he gauged their positions.

_No good. Not yet. I can't risk it...Sora would be sad, after all, if I...if her mother...because of me._

He took a deep breath to steady himself, then, as Kyouki mustered a burst of strength, pushing the firesword away from her glittering blade of light, he took his chance, darting between the two combatants. As Seimaru's blade drove forward hungrily once more, Hirata acted, thrusting the wooden vial forward boldly against the sheer point of the weapon.

Yojinmozu pierced cleanly through the wooden container at once, and Seimaru let out an exclamation as it immediately ignited against the heat of the_ zanpakutou_, flaring into a great ball of energy that smouldered with an eerie, choking black smoke. Seimaru's eyes widened in alarm and he tried to bring his weapon back, but it was too late. The sealed wood vessel gave way within seconds, and the remaining drops of the potent solution spattered across the amber blade, causing it to flicker and flare with unnatural crimson light. Seimaru let out a yell as though he had been burned by some kind of acid, taking two or three steps back from the astonished Kyouki as his focus was suddenly distracted from the fight.

There was a sudden explosion of flame and _reiryoku_, and Hirata found himself flung backwards across the grass, his _kyakkou_ disintegrating with the force of the blast. He fell heavily on the ground, his glasses shattering against the icy surface, and from somewhere around him he was aware of Kyouki's exclamation of horror. As the flames swarmed out across the copse, he closed his eyes, knowing that without the ability to shunpo, he could not escape their speed.

_But if we both die, Seimaru, then it really does end. And nobody else can be made to suffer for being put in the middle of the two of us. Even though I never really wanted to fight...if in the end, we both die...maybe District Seven can start over again. Finally._

From somewhere in the hot, burning darkness, he thought he heard a bird's shrieking cry, and then, silhouetted against a backdrop of simmering brimstone, he saw the spectral form of a hawk, bearing down on him with a glitter of resolve in its golden eyes. Something washed over him, and as the heat seemed to dissipate, he opened his eyes slightly, half-wondering if the hazy image before his gaze of the hunting hawk beating its wings towards the fire was a hallucination caused by the _reidoku_'s fumes.

Then he felt hands grabbing at his body, and a harried, angry voice in his ear, and the moment was gone.

"Damn you, Hirata, what are you trying to do? Get yourself killed?"

It was Midori, yanking him into shunpo and back away from the fire, her eyes glittering with frustrated gold light, and Hirata's lips twitched into a faint, comprehending smile.

_It wasn't a bird, then? It was Midori-sama, after all? Midori-sama...using that whirlwind spell that Kyouki-sama used. But for a moment, without my glasses..._

"Midori! Get him well away from here!" That was Kyouki, and from the sound of her voice, Hirata knew that she was at his other side, urgency in his tones. "Whatever he did...I don't know, but whatever it was, staying here is a bad idea. Get him clear!"

Hirata felt the grip on his heavy body tighten, then,

"A poisoned fire raging out of control is a danger to everyone." She responded evenly. "Kyouki-sama, you take him. You take him far. I have my _reiryoku_ intact...you can't possibly stop that fire, but I...can."

"Midori!"

_"Bakudou no Hachijuu Ichi. Dankuu!"_

The Shihouin princess's voice was firm and Hirata was aware of another flare of concentrated spiritual magic shooting out across the copse, forming a resolute barrier between them and the oncoming burning surge of energy.

"What about Seimaru?" Kyouki demanded. "_Dankuu _can block the fire, maybe, but..."

"Seimaru can fend for himself." Midori's words were cold, and Hirata remembered the ruthless precision with which she had dispatched Aitori in the little town in District One. "Taking him alive is no longer an option, Kyouki-sama. Hirata saw that too, so he acted. We can't save him. It's too late for that."

"Mm." To Hirata's surprise, Kyouki did not argue, and the boy turned his hazy gaze back towards the fire, watching the angry flames beating up against Midori's kidou barrier.

He could not see clearly, but in the flames beyond, he was aware of a shape, its silhouette shifting and deforming in the glow of the fire that surrounded him. Though he could not focus in on his cousin, he knew that Midori's assessment was right. He could feel it, after all - the deep, agonising swirl of Seimaru's reiatsu as bit by bit it broke through it's normal limits and flared up beyond the other's control.

_So I was right. He was at his limit...a little more and it tipped the scale._

Hirata took a deep breath into his lungs.

"You are a reckless idiot." Midori was glaring down at him once more now, and he swallowed hard, staring up at her blankly. "What did you think you were doing? You could've been killed too!"

"Taking...down...Seimaru...was...my duty." Hirata murmured. "And...if someone...else died...I couldn't...let that...happen...again."

"Don't bully him, Midori." Kyouki dropped down at his other side, and Hirata was aware of the relief in her voice. "He probably saved my life, acting how he did. You're right. Taking him alive was not possible. Maybe it wasn't ever possible...I don't know. If I'd fought with my all from the start...perhaps it wouldn't have got to this point."

She reached across to ruffle her fingers through his dark hair.

"You are an interesting kid, after all." She reflected. "And you're right. This was your duty. I'm glad you saw it that way, too."

Midori sighed.

"Even if he had been killed?"

"Midori, you sound fond of the boy." Kyouki chided, and Midori paused for a moment.

"I am." She admitted. "He's been my ward and charge for a year and more, Kyouki-sama. He's like a part of my family. I came here to defend him because he's my ally...and also, because he's Kai's friend. I had no intention of letting him in harm's way."

"It's over." Kyouki gestured towards the barrier, which was starting to fragment and break down as the inferno on the far side of it quieted into a smouldering black wasteland of ash and charcoal. "Whatever you did, Hirata, I guess we're not taking much of your cousin from that."

"It was _reidoku_." Hirata struggled into a sitting position, squinting across the grass to where a strange, misshapen lump of something black was hunched in the middle of the devastation. "The rest of what was in his vial. I thought that...if I tipped it on his blade...if he...he overloaded then..."

"Cruel, but ruthlessly effective." Midori reflected. "You are an Endou, then, after all."

Hirata did not answer for a moment, then he nodded his head.

"It would seem so." he agreed softly.

Kyouki got to her feet, moving cautiously into the burnt out area and pausing beside the hunched up lump. She sealed Gekkoushin, then tapped the end of the blade gently against it.

"There's not much left of him." She said gravely. "His body warped and changed before it was completely engulfed by his own flames. But there's enough here...a skull, what's left of it, and limbs...he didn't escape. This is Seimaru. He's dead."

_Seimaru is dead._

Hirata pursed his lips.

_I killed Seimaru. I killed my cousin. I...Do I regret it? Do I feel...that I did something terrible? Do I feel...that way?  
_  
His eyes clouded and he gazed down at his hands, making out the blurry smudges of ash against his skin.

_I don't. I don't feel anything. Just relief. And empty. And...that's all. It's over. That's all I feel. That in the end...it's over._

He frowned, as a sudden prickle of energy pierced through his thoughts, and his eyes widened as he turned to grab Midori by the arm.

"Midori-sama!" He exclaimed, and Midori nodded her head.

"I feel it too." She agreed grimly. "Juushirou and Shunsui-dono."

"Something's wrong." Hirata struggled to his feet, but stumbled, and Midori caught him, pulling him back down to the ground.

"You're our priority here." She said quietly. "This is Endou territory and the Clan leader has just died. Right now, we need you and in one piece as far as we can manage it. Nothing else matters...for the time being, your Clan has to come first."

* * *

The world around him was a brightly coloured carpet of petals, pinks and blues and yellows surrounding him and softening the ground onto which he had fallen.

Cautiously Shunsui opened his eyes, glancing around him in hazy confusion as he tried to make out what had happened. All was quiet, and try as he might he could not pick out Juushirou's reiatsu anywhere in his surrounds. Above his head, the sky was dark, speckled at intervals with the bright glitter of stars, and a haze of something silver indicated that the moon was this time hiding behind the delicate gauze of a fleeting cloud.

Confused, he pulled himself into a sitting position, and as he did so, he realised that his right arm no longer seemed to be hurting. As his gaze fell on it, he saw that it was unharmed, and tentatively he flexed and clenched the fingers of his right hand, watching them obey his instruction without hesitation.

His eyes narrowed.

So, this was not the field of battle.

"Seibara?" He murmured, and something hazed into view before him, stepping daintily over the petals as she came to acknowledge his call. There was a smile on her face, but Shunsui was not fooled - her eyes were grave and troubled, and as she reached out tiny fingers to brush against his, he found that he was all the more aware of her distress.

"You remembered." She murmured. "You knew that it was me and that I'd brought you here. I'm glad, Shunsui. We don't have much time to talk."

"Here being my inner world." Shunsui's lips thinned. "Which is why I can move this...?"

He lifted his right arm, and Seibara nodded.

"In here, you are without injury." She said softly. "Your physical body has been battered and your right arm is broken. But inside here is your soul alone. This time, your spirit hasn't taken injury. At least...at least, not yet."

"Not yet?" Shunsui echoed her words sharply, grasping her by the shoulders in his alarm. "What do you mean, not yet?"

"Calm down." Seibara shook her head, and although she had not touched them, Shunsui found his fingers loosening their hold, slipping down from her shoulders and falling harmlessly to his sides once more. "If you're not calm, I can't explain to you. I told you already. We don't have time!"

"Explain? Explain what, exactly?" Shunsui struggled to control his frustration, shaking his head. "Seibara, out there my best friend is about to kill me. If you've got some magic trick up your sleeve that can do something about this..."

"There is a way." Seibara nodded, though again Shunsui saw that grave look flit across her eyes. "But it depends, Shunsui. It depends on what we talked about before. On your...resolve."

"My...resolve?" Shunsui repeated, and Seibara nodded.

"Ukitake Juushirou is under the spell of another _zanpakutou_." She said briskly. "You suspect that already though, don't you?"

"Mm. Urahara Keitarou's." Shunsui's eyes narrowed angrily. "Like he used Eiraki-hime as his puppet, now it's Juu. But Juu snapped Eiraki-hime out of it somehow. So if you can just tell me the way to snap Juu out of it..."

"As I said...there is a way." Seibara agreed carefully. "But you must listen...and consider everything I have to say."

She sighed, settling down before him on the ground.

"You've lost the power of your right arm, therefore it is useless and we cannot use it." She added. "But you have your left arm, and you must use it, Shunsui. If you lose the use of that arm too...I cannot help you. Amaki is already barred from entering this fight - even though I feel him pulsing at the edge of my awareness, he cannot join you because your arm is in the state it is. That was careless. You must not let it happen again."

"I didn't expect Juu to fire God knows what at me." Shunsui muttered. "It wasn't something I knew he could do."

"Regardless, that's how it is." Seibara fixed him with a piercing glare, and Shunsui realised he would do better to shut up and listen, for this was not the gentle, slightly exciteable Seibara he had encountered the last time. There was a seriousness about her that he didn't like, and he felt his stomach knotting up as he wondered what she was going to say.

_This time my life is in danger. So this time she's got serious. And I don't think I like it, that she has. Even if she is going to save my life._

"Because it's another _zanpakutou_, we understand what's happened better than you." Seibara said at length, letting out a heavy sigh. "Amaki and I...we knew from the start. But this was the first time either one of us could break through to speak to you. You really need to lower your barriers to us more naturally - we're your allies, and you don't have to fight alone."

"I'm sorry." Shunsui acknowledged. "I suppose it's something I'm not used to, yet."

"Mm." Seibara nodded. "Well. I hope we'll get time to change that."

She tilted her head on one side, eying him for a moment, then,

"You care a good deal for the one you're fighting. I know that." She said softly. "What I am going to tell you, therefore, will be difficult to hear. You will not want to hear it. But I will speak to you only the truth. How you act on it...will be up to you."

"All right..." Shunsui frowned. "Spit it out. You said yourself we don't have a lot of time."

"The spell that afflicts your friend is a _zanpakutou_'s manipulation technique." Seibara said slowly. "But it is not the same technique as the one that controlled the young girl. Her spirit power was weak - and whatever was done to her was neatly and swiftly removed in an instant. The uneasiness you felt with her condition was because of that _zanpakutou_'s faint aura - but in the night that you slept through, that sensation disappeared completely."

"And Juu?" Shunsui pressed.

"Mm. Ukitake Juushirou is different." Seibara repeated. "He is not weak. Therefore the spell that controls him is also not weak."

She patted him gently on the arm, then,

"The sword that controls your friend - it would be better to say, 'poisons' him." She said sadly. "Because the other's spirit power is burrowed deep into his body and lodges within his heart. I can feel it, radiating from him - he is not acting on his will, but he will still act and continue to act until someone brings him down. Even though it puts a strain on his spiritual power - he will keep going until it kills him."

"Then how do we get it out of him, the way Juushirou got it out of Eiraki-hime?" Shunsui demanded. Seibara shook her head.

"Ukitake Juushirou could not have removed this influence from the young girl." She said frankly. "I imagine that it was removed willingly by the one who holds the _zanpakutou_ - I don't suppose any other could do so, without causing extreme damage to the child's vital structures. The same is true of your friend - only in his situation, things are far more grave."

"More...grave?" Shunsui's heart clenched in his throat. "How so?"

"Do you know the word 'bankai', Shunsui?"

"Bankai?" Fear flickered into Shunsui's gaze, and he nodded. "Yes...oh God. Do you mean...are you saying...that Urahara Keitarou's sword does have Bankai? That that's how...Shouichi-sama...and now Juu...?"

Seibara nodded solemnly.

"The one who wields this sword is unusual. Their blade is not a combat blade, and never has been." She said quietly. "It has a specific taint to it, therefore...a taint that works itself inside its victims and consumes them from inside out. It steals their free will and as their bodies attempt to reject it, it breaks them down and destroys them too. The more spirit power they possess, the more quickly this transition occurs. In the case of your friend - I imagine there is very little time at all."

"But then...what..."

"Even so, there is enough time for him to do serious harm." Seibara cut across him. "Not just to you, but also to the little girl. Maybe also to others. His technique is reckless and his spirit power raw and beyond his control. He will eventually kill himself trying to use it to fight - his body is in a constant state of fear and is attacking instinctively even though his mind is not necessarily aware of all that's going on. Perhaps there is no mind left to be there. It's hard to know for sure."

"Juu is still there. He's still there." Shunsui pushed her away, shaking his head emphatically. "He said my name, Seibara. He spoke to me...he said..."

"A trick of the manipulator's blade, perhaps?" Seibara murmured, and Shunsui shook his head again.

"No! I don't believe that! Juu is there! He is! He..."

"You said you wanted to know a way to stop this." Seibara said quietly, and Shunsui nodded.

"I do." He agreed grimly. "Tell me. Tell me how to break this stupid spell. I'm sure Juu's still there, so if we break it..."

"Do you have resolve?" Seibara asked, and Shunsui nodded.

"In this respect? I have resolve." He said frankly. "So tell me..."

"You cannot save your friend's life." Seibara eyed him mournfully. "Even though I see how much pain that will cause you, it still remains the truth. Therefore the lives you must save - the ones you must protect - are yours and the girl's. You cannot save Ukitake Juushirou. You can stop this, but you cannot save him."

"But you said..."

"The only one who can withdraw the spell from his body is the one who holds the sword." Seibara said flatly. "And even now, if he tried, I think he'd be too late. Ukitake Juushirou's spirit power is wild and raw and out of control at the least thing. Probably the sword's wielder has miscalculated how unstable he is - in any case, it's gone too far. Probably it's lodging too deeply within his heart now to be pulled back. To pull it out would likely kill him anyhow...there is nothing else that can be done."

"Then..." Shunsui stared at her, colour draining from his face, and Seibara nodded.

"Your choice is to take one life, or sacrifice all three - yours included." She said soberly. "He may or may not be aware of what's happening, Shunsui. I do not know for sure. But his body is in pain and his sword is crying out for someone to help them. I will help you - I will stay with you, and together we will accomplish this horrible thing. But you must stop his heart. The source of the poison is there. You must kill him quickly and without hesitation - it is the only way to save anything from this situation."

"You're asking me to kill my best friend." Shunsui was numb. "I can't do it, Seibara. There's no way...I can't...I..."

"Then you will die, and the child too." Seibara said matter of factly. "And then he will, slowly and painfully, as he uses his spirit power against more and more imagined enemies. Perhaps he will attack other friends of yours. Perhaps he will kill them, too. He cannot be stopped in any other way than this, Shunsui. So I'll ask you again. Do you have resolve?"

Shunsui bit his lip, tears glittering on his lashes as he stared at her in dismay.

"That's not fair." He whispered. "When you said you'd test me...when you said that, I never thought..."

"Nor did I." Seibara's voice was tinged with regret. "It brings me no pleasure, Shunsui. Ukitake Juushirou is a special friend to you - but more, he is _like_ you. His sword is also possessed of two spirits - he and you are probably so drawn together on account of that twin bond. I had hoped that Amaki and I might learn from them and in our turn, teach them things as well. That the two of you would grow and strengthen together - but there is truly no other path. I will help you, I promise. I will not abandon you even though you are battered and disarmed. If you have resolve, I can fight with you. And I will, Shunsui. I promise that I will."

Shunsui closed his eyes, then,

"I understand." He whispered. "In that case, Seibara...let's go. Shikiki's life - other people's lives...Juu wouldn't want those to be sacrificed because I was a coward and I didn't protect them. He would...he would be the first to...say...to lay down...."

He swallowed hard, unable to continue, and he felt Seibara's gentle fingers brush against the skin of his left hand.

"Then we'll do what we have to." She said regretfully. "I'm sorry, Shunsui. If there was any other way, I'd tell you - but there is none. This is the only one."

_"Onii-san!"_

Shikiki's shriek shattered through Shunsui's inner world at that moment, bringing him back to consciousness and he opened his eyes, seeing the faintest haze of something pink shoot out across the clearing as Juushirou made his death charge forward. The other boy stumbled for a moment, falling back a couple of steps, but then a second flare of energy burst forth from his zanpakutou's right hand blade and Shunsui swore, somehow forcing his heavy, mangled body forward to knock Shikiki out of the line of fire.

"Juu-nii." The young girl sobbed. "Onii-san, why is Juu-nii...why won't he stop! Why..."

"We'll stop him." Shunsui spoke quietly, hoping he could keep the true emotion from his tones. "But you have to trust me, Shikiki. Because what I'm going to do...I don't want to do. But for Juu's sake...I have no choice."

"Your arm is broken." Shikiki's eyes widened, reaching out a tentative finger towards it, and at her touch, Shunsui recoiled with pain, shaking his head.

"Please...don't." He begged. "I know it is. But it's just bone. It's all right. I can fight left handed. If I can get to Kai's _wakizashi._.."

His gaze flitted across the landscape to where the fallen blade lay, but Juushirou stood between it and him, and he sighed.

_Your resolve is all you need, Shunsui._

Seibara's voice echoed in his head.

_  
Don't falter now. Look at him. Look at him carefully. Do you see anything in his eyes to tell you that the one you're fighting knows you?_

Shunsui's gaze flitted to Juushirou's face, his heart heavy as he realised the truth in the spirit's words.

"Juushirou isn't there." He murmured, and he felt Seibara sigh.

_  
Then you can set him free?_

_I..._

Shunsui faltered for a moment, then he nodded, pulling himself painfully to his feet and casting Shikiki a glance.

"Shikiki, stay back." He said firmly. "Until the fighting stops...stay back. All right? You may hate me or you may forgive me - but it's the only thing I can do. I won't forgive me - so I don't mind, if you're mad at me too."

"Onii-san?" Shikiki stared at him blankly, but Shunsui took no notice, fixing his attention once more on his classmate. Juushirou had readied for a fresh attack, swinging his blades forward as he began to run towards them anew, and Shunsui could hear his rasping breaths, blood still trickling from his lips as though he was truly being eaten from the inside.

_  
Seibara is right. This is killing him. If he can feel it, then God only knows how afraid he must be. Even if it's something so awful as this...even if it's killing someone...I can't let Juu suffer like this. I can't do that to him. Not if I really consider him my friend._

His eyes narrowed, as light began to flicker and take form between the fingers of his left hand.

_He said it, didn't he? He told me to stop. He didn't mean me stop attacking him. He meant that he wanted me to stop him. That he didn't like it...that he wanted it to end. So...so it's my duty, in the end. Even if I hate it, I have no choice. I have...I have resolve, Seibara. I will do this...I'm the only one who can._

Almost before that thought had crossed his mind, the hazy glow of spiritual energy around his left hand glimmered and sharpened, and Shunsui drew breath sharply as he felt his fingers close around the unmistakeable hilt of a sword. It was a _wakizashi_, just like the one that Kai had lent him - but unlike Kai's, this one was throbbing and pulsing with life and awareness, and he knew somehow that he held Seibara in his hand.

Buoyed by this proof of her promise not to let him face the inevitable alone, he somehow found the energy to push forward and as Juushirou swung at him he forced his injured arm up, trying not to scream in pain as it clattered uselessly and heavily against the flat side of Sougyo no Kotowari's blades. Juushirou's grip on his left sword faltered once more, and as he hesitated, Shunsui drove forward, his mind a haze of pain and grief as he thrust his left hand towards the other boy's exposed chest. He could almost hear the beat of Juushirou's heart, he realised, and its erratic rhythm seemed to thunder through his head as Seibara's tip grew closer and closer to his friend's ribcage.

It was only one second in real time, but it seemed forever before the glittering spirit weapon pierced through the fragile wall of Juushirou's chest, splintering through his ribs and protruding deep into the core of his heart below. Shunsui had not known where he was aiming, or even if he was aiming, yet Seibara had guided him forwards, and as Juushirou let out an unearthly shriek of pain, warm blood gushed from the wound, splashing against Shunsui's fingers.

As Juushirou began to fall to the ground, his eyes met Shunsui's for a moment, and Shunsui faltered, his resolve fading and dying as he saw the startled, confused look in his friend's eyes. The boy's lips had moved slightly, and though they had not had time to finish the word, Shunsui knew that Juushirou had tried to say his name.

Had Juushirou known everything, after all?

The blade flickered and faded as Shunsui's resolution eroded into grief and regret, and he dropped to the floor as Juushirou slumped beside him, feeling giddy and sick as he put a shaking hand to the other boy's throat.

There was no pulse.

Even though he knew it, Shunsui could not fathom it...he could not form the words or even rationalise what they meant despite the fact all the evidence was right there before his eyes. Time seemed to have stopped still, yet though the seconds dragged by like hours, the fallen District boy did not move again.

In the end, Shunsui's numb senses realised that he was not going to move again.

Juushirou was dead.

**

* * *

  
Author's Note:**

_Twice in one chapter. O.o Drama overload!!_

_For anyone unaware, the title of this chapter is the Japanese word for resolve. Actually, it has a stronger meaning/implication in Japanese and is often used in Bleach and other anime to describe a character whose mind is completely fixed and accepting of the task ahead. Therefore it applies to both Hirata and Shunsui in this chapter - what Seibara is trying to teach Shunsui is 'kakugo'._


	60. Weaver

**Chapter Fifty Nine: Weaver**

"Things aren't going entirely as you've planned, it seems."

In the abandoned village, Nagesu raised his voice over the rumbling of earth, watching as Keitarou leapt nimbly out of the way of a deep crack that had begun to split from one side of the abandoned settlement to the other. "Are you simply trying to kill time with me, Keitarou? Or are you really trying to kill me – because I don't see much intent in your moves."

"I didn't say I wanted to kill you. Only that if necessary I could." Keitarou dropped down behind the trembling wall of an empty shack, slipping Chudokuga from beneath the folds of his sleeve. "_Ore, Chudokuga_!"

Nagesu let out an exclamation as light caught the edge of the glittering threads, but his eyesight was not quick enough to follow the movement of his companion's sword release and instinctively he swept his sword from right to left in front of him. The whole area shook again as a wall of earth shot up between him and his cousin, taking down two or three of the ramshackle buildings as it did so, and Keitarou tut-tutted, reeling back his weapon and hazing out of view. He reappeared a moment later atop the newly formed mound of earth, gazing down at Nagesu with a quizzical look on his clever features.

"I might say the same about you that you say about me." He reflected, settling himself more comfortably as he tapped the silver blade against his palm. "You're moves are defensive ones too, Nagesu-nii. From your release and your reiatsu I can tell that that sword is quite a high level earth element blade and I'm sure that within its core must be stronger attacks than the feeble ones you've shown me so far. You've no desire to kill me either, have you? Even in the name of your Clan and all that goes with it – when it comes down to it, you're not Rikaya-jiisama, are you?"

He launched himself from the mound, dropping down neatly in front of Nagesu and eying him curiously even as the other man prepared to raise his _zanpakutou_ for a fresh assault. Keitarou was not, after all, a man who fought with blades – if that was truly the case, Nagesu felt sure that his advantage lay in the long years of basic sword practice he had done as Kyouki's_ kouhai_. At the time he had found it stretching him to his physical limits, but now he inwardly said thank you to Kyouki for devising the high-powered training regime that had in the end rendered him quite a skilful swordsman. And, he reflected darkly, the more of his _reiryoku_ he could hang on to the better – he did not know, yet, what Keitarou's true strength was or whether the spell that had so afflicted Juushirou might come to be wielded against him, too.

_I can't risk that happening. His sword's aura doesn't feel strong enough to cast a second manipulation spell – but that might easily be a deception. Keitarou has survived in exile for a long, long time. There's no telling what skills he might have honed or how little he might be showing me his true self. I have to be cautious – I'm not going to let him rob my children of their father in the way my father robbed him of his._

"I don't know whether to pity you or respect you." Keitarou was still speaking, and Nagesu turned his attention back to his cousin's mocking tones. "For not having Rikaya-jiisama's ruthless nature. You should discard me. I'm not your family any more and believe me, I'm not someone you ought to be lenient towards. I killed your erstwhile Council comrade, Shouichi-dono. I've used Father's notes and I've experimented on people to perfect the things that he wasn't able to do. Surely in your eyes I'm a contradiction of everything you believe in? In which case, why do you not try to strike me down?"

"_Bakudou no Kyuu, Geki_!" Nagesu responded with a burst of binding kidou, but Keitarou simply laughed, flicking his own fingers towards the stream of red light.

"_Hadou no Ichi. Shou_." He murmured, and his burst of demon magic clattered into Nagesu's, deflecting and dispersing the crimson energy with ease. "Are you serious? Even your _bakudou_ lacks conviction. Surely you haven't grown into a shinigami this weak, Nagesu-nii? You had so much potential, everyone said. Father said so, too. That you'd be a strong fighter and a great leader of the Urahara-ke one day. Have you forgotten that? Spent too long in your administrative meanderings and sacrificed spiritual power for books and accounts instead?"

"A Clan Leader needs to know how to do both." Nagesu said grimly, gazing at his companion through the earth-specked lenses of his glasses. "To kill when it's time to kill or have mercy when it's time to have mercy. To defend his people with his sword and support them through his government. A strong person isn't just one who fights. You who are not a soldier should know that best of all."

"That's the kind of answer I expect from you." Keitarou nodded. "Well reasoned, thought out and measured, without any room for stray impulse or reckless emotion. You always were that way, even when we were children. You saw the dangers and kept away from them – I suppose I shouldn't have expected you to change."

He smiled.

"I'm at a disadvantage fighting you in open combat." He added now, slipping into shunpo and reappearing some few feet away. "If I stay within the range of your sword, the chances are that sooner or later you'll find your nerve and try and cut me open. I can't counter that kind of attack – Chudokuga is a sword who attacks from distance, not from close range. I don't intend on letting your _zanpakutou_ touch me – after all, your deductions are right. Killing you isn't important to me or my plans. Keeping you here and out of trouble is."

His eyes narrowed.

"I _know_ you, Nagesu-nii." He murmured. "Just like I know that District boy's strengths and weaknesses, I know yours. Your responsibility is what traps you here – a wanted fugitive like me can't be left to his own devices, and your duty to your Clan is such that you will insist on stopping me yourself. So you'll stay here, but you won't kill me. Because in the end…that's not the man you are. I'm the boy to whom you taught how to write his name. I'm that person and this one. You can't separate us in your mind and your sword is hesitating because of it. That's why I still call you Nagesu-nii. Because so long as I do, you won't put any intent into that blade's attack."

Nagesu's gaze glittered with frustration. His cousin was not wrong, he knew that. In that short few moments Keitarou had exhibited his most potent weapon – his analytical understanding of character that had allowed him to manipulate not only the vulnerable Endou princess but also the idealistic boy from the Districts and the ambitious, hot-tempered Seimaru. Now it was his turn, yet even though he could feel the dangerous flaring of Juushirou's stormy reiatsu not so far away, he could not simply turn his back on this battle.

_Keitarou knows me too well. Even after this long, he has my measure. Even now he knows I can't leave him here – but he also knows I don't want to kill him. Even if he is the creature he's become now…I'm not sure I'm capable of that._

He raised his head, interpreting the other flickers of spiritual energy on the wind.

"Seimaru-dono is defeated." He said at length. "Your Endou protégé has taken a step too far, it seems, in battling against the heads of the Shiba and Shihouin Clans."

"I've told you already, I'm no longer interested in him." Keitarou shrugged. "His power overloaded, which means he didn't follow my advice and he deserves what he gets in return. I gave him strict instructions – it's no loss to District Seven that he's dead. I've not cared for a long time who really holds power in this wasteland District. You won't distract me with concern for one who was, really, just another pawn to me."

Nagesu frowned at the clinical nature of his cousin's words. Again he remembered the lively-eyed young boy, and he sighed, shaking his head.

"You didn't know, did you?" He said quietly. "How peaceful and gentle your Father really was."

Keitarou flinched, glaring at Nagesu as he did so.

"You aren't going to tell me things about a man your father had killed." He said coldly, and for the first time his reiatsu flickered and flared, showing a different side to the mocking, lazy front he had put up in the battle thus far. "If there's something I don't know about him, it's because he was taken from me when I was too young to do anything about it. That argument won't work with me either. I told you. The past is the past."

_But it has worked._

Nagesu gazed at Keitarou thoughtfully, taking in the uneven edge that now coated his cousin's spirit power.

_Keitsune-jisama is still your weakness, after all this time. _

He nodded.

"I know that." He said out loud. "That's why I thought you should hear it, too. I'm sure you haven't forgotten how kind he was – to you, to me and to my sisters – and how he was always happy to answer questions or show us new things. But you were still young. So young…just learning to read and write. You didn't have the opportunities I did to spend time in the archives with him, going over ideas and learning about the Clan."

He pursed his lips, remembering.

"Father was a judgemental man and a harsh one, at times." He said softly. "He was strict and demanding of me then and as I grew up. I would not say I loved him – because he was not the kind of man you loved. I respected him and I obeyed him – that was so far as it went. But when we were small, Kei-nii…I envied you. Because Keitsune-jisama was a man I loved."

A faint smile touched his expression.

"He was a kind man. A gentle man. A man whose greatest joys were his family and his science." He added quietly. "A man who had no ambition to be great or dominating. A man who provided support, but not a man who ever wanted to lead. He wanted his research to help people, and perhaps he made mistakes. But even if Soul Society remember him as the man whose spirit potion drove many to madness and death, I don't remember him that way. Perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't…but I'm pretty sure my way is how he'd want to be remembered."

"I don't remember him that way, either." Keitarou snapped, and Nagesu's eyes became grave.

"Yes you do." He said sadly. "What you've become proves it. The way you've taken his research and warped it to hurt and destroy people and lives…you see him the same as the rest of Soul Society do. You're not representing him, you're misinterpreting him. You're taking what everyone's always said about Keitsune-jisama and engraving it even deeper into the minds and hearts of a generation who might, without your actions, have forgotten."

His gaze flitted to the sky, then,

"I always think the dead can't rest while people still speak ill of them." He added. "And Keitsune-jisama has been trying to find his peace for over a hundred years now. You're the reason he can't find it, not anything else. You've perpetuated the legend and the myths surrounding _reidoku _by perfecting it. You haven't vindicated my Uncle. You've added further shame to his name."

Keitarou stared, for a moment struck silent by Nagesu's words, and in that instant the Clan leader felt a flare of something from across the horizon, followed by a deep, sweeping sensation of emptiness and negativity. Keitarou tensed, his eyes widening in dismay, and Nagesu frowned, interpreting the two things as he did so.

"Ukitake Juushirou has been defeated." He said softly, lowering his sword as he cast his cousin a regretful look. "It seems you underestimated your ability to control him –perhaps in the end he chose not to fight against one he considered friend."

He sighed heavily, then,

"Unfortunately, I don't have the same freedom to choose." He said sadly. "Ukitake may have found the will to overrule you and sacrifice himself to prevent an innocent getting hurt. I have to sacrifice my memories to prevent anyone else being hurt by you. I'm sorry, Keitarou. But in this I have no choice. _Dachi Yoganryuu_."

With that he struck his sword down deep into the earth, and Keitarou let out an exclamation as the entirety of the ground rippled and erupted around him, sending sprays of earth in all directions. As the land split and crumbled, red hot lava began to surge up through the resultant holes, the land pushing up to form mini craters that spewed more and more of the hot, unforgiving liquid rock into the open air. Keitarou slipped into _shunpo_, trying to avoid the lava's flow, but a second and then a third shudder wracked through the village, opening fresh crevasses and belching hot, noxious gas into the atmosphere. There were a series of explosions as the compressed, scalding air collided with the freezing winter wind, and as the ground shook a fourth time, a gaping chasm began to open up through the centre of the abandoned village. Lava licked at the structures of the last surviving huts, dragging them down in its boiling current towards the deep, choking darkness.

In the midst of this there was a sudden flash of energy, and for a moment, Nagesu could not see clearly through the haze and smoke. He frowned, firing a weak burst of kidou to clear it, but even as the Tenran whirlwind swept the heavy air aside, there was a final rumble that rent through the whole area. As the mountain of earth he had drawn up as a shield between them collapsed down onto the place that Keitarou had last stood, Nagesu watched detachedly, the landscape erupting and settling, and the lava already cooling and setting to earth in the winter wind.

In an instant the eruption was over. And in that same instant, Keitarou's reiatsu was gone.

Nagesu sighed, reaching to pull his now sealed _zanpakutou_ from the ground, giving it a slight shake to remove the stray fragments of dirt from its shining blade. Slowly he slid the weapon into its expensively carved sheath, pausing for a moment as he ran his thumb up against the insignia of the Urahara Clan.

_I'm sorry, Uncle. In the end, I had to make the same decision Father did. In the end I had to remove a danger – even beyond my own family feeling._

He turned back to what had once been a village, realising that his sword's most potent shikai attack had rendered it dangerous and unrecognisable from what it had been when he had first arrived. The place where Shouichi had died was no longer in evidence, for there was no sign now of a dried up river, and only a few charcoal stumps remained of what had once been the Urahara-ke's refugee camp.

_Perhaps it's best that this is destroyed too. This place had some resonance for Keitarou – and for our family's shameful secrets. In the end, I can't blame Keitarou any more than I can blame you, Keitsune-jisama. All of this could have been prevented…if only the Council then had given us more time. If only they'd tried to understand…but hindsight is hindsight and I won't let it blight my own judgement._

Weariness washed over his body as he registered that he had used a large part of his _reiryoku_ in the battle with his cousin. He had not realised how much energy he had pumped into Sekizanha at the end, yet now he found it difficult to take even a few steps towards the main road and the Endou estate. Somehow he kept moving until he was out of the battle zone, pausing to catch his breath against a tree that marked the perimeter of where he and his cousin had been fighting. Leaning up against it, he raised his gaze to the muggy winter sky. It was starting to snow, he realised absently, yet despite it he was not cold.

_Kyouki-dono has often said it – that if I let my sword rail out of control and push my limits I'm capable of a frightening amount of power. But unless I find the boundaries for it, I'll never be able to maintain it for more than a few minutes. If he hadn't been startled by Ukitake's loss…_

He frowned, closing his eyes briefly to steady himself.

_His reiatsu is gone. It vanished in the blink of an eye behind a haze of smog, and that makes me suspicious. Considering all the things my cousin has managed to do with his time over the past century, I find it hard to believe such a low level landslide would have been able to crush him. He said that he could fight without his sword's full power – and that suggests what he used on Ukitake was the ultimate level of zanpakutou ability. I didn't defeat him, in the end. He chose to be defeated. And…_

His gaze flitted back towards the sulphurous landscape, taking in the dense haze that still lingered over the cooling lava.

_And I expect, if they excavate, they won't find his body there. I think he used more of his power than he thought on Ukitake – or perhaps the boy's loss affected him more than I've anticipated. Maybe he was even fond of the child, in the final analysis. Either way, that's no longer an avenue of investigation. _

_Maybe Keitarou is dead. But I somehow don't believe it. It would be too easy. He was there to keep me busy…to protect the boy whose life force has now faded completely from my senses. We won't learn anything from him unless Keitarou's spell left a corpse for Retsu-sama to examine. From the way his power was flaring…there's no clear guarantee even of that._

_Keitarou probably saw that fact too. That if that strategy failed, his risking being captured to distract me also becomes a pointless gamble with no clear reward. I'm sure he took that moment, knowing that my eyes are not as keen as his and my senses were stretched by my zanpakutou's technique. It was a chance and he escaped – perhaps using the Senkaimon technology that he seems to have perfected beyond the level the Council understands. All I can be sure of is that Keitarou's reiatsu is gone and gone in its entirety. And I…do not have the strength to try and follow him, even if I knew a way to find out where he's gone._

He took a deep breath to steady himself.

_  
But if Seimaru-dono has been taken down, then the Council's objectives can continue. Find Misashi-sama. Find Hirata-dono. Establish stability in District Seven at all costs. For now that has to be my objective too. _

He made to continue his walk, his lips pressed together tightly as he reigned in his emotions.

_Wherever you've gone to, Kei-kun, don't try and come back. Stay there, think about what I've said and try to repair your life. Wherever you are…if you still live…for Keitsune-jisama's sake. Don't come back to Soul Society. Because if you do, I will have no choice next time. The Council and I will have no choice…the next time will be death._

* * *

Shunsui did not know how long he had sat there, cradling Juushirou's motionless body protectively with his good arm. Though he knew that there was nothing he could do to change things, he found himself unable to loose his grasp, his senses still desperately searching for a clear sign of the other boy's reiatsu in the morass of spiritual vapours that still hung heavy over the battle-stricken landscape.

The storm clouds that had gathered over their heads had fragmented and dispersed as Juushirou had fallen, and now a pale greyish sky was beginning to darken as the evening approached, a chill wind blowing through the exposed area and teasing at Shunsui's messy curls. The first fine flakes of snow began to fall from the sky, settling gently around the two boys, yet still Shunsui did not move, his thoughts on one thing and one thing alone.

_Resolve._

He bit his lip, trying in vain to hold back his tears as he gazed down at the bloody wound that marred Juushirou's chest. The bleeding had not been extensive, for there was no longer a heart pulsing to push blood around Juushirou's body, and the cold winter weather had already caused the slick red substance to thicken and congeal like a makeshift barrier between the fresh air and the devastation that lay beneath. To Shunsui, however, the amount of blood did not matter. More vivid in his thoughts was the sensation of the spirit blade going in – of it shattering bone and piercing through the soft organ tissue beneath. Unlike Kai's cold, soulless _wakizashi_, still laying unheeded on the snowy grass, the sword Seibara had entrusted to him had been aware of everything – and somehow this awareness had made it worse. He knew that his reiatsu probably still lingered around Juushirou's wound – marking him out as the killer of Genryuusai's District prodigy.

There would be ramifications. Political ones. Judicial ones. He would have to face up to his brother and his friends and admit what he had done. His only witnesses were the young girl Juushirou had sheltered – and his own soul, the spirit Seibara, whose voice only he was able to hear. Yet he found he didn't care. If they arrested him, so be it. Imprisoned him, even killed him – so be it. He had broken his own convictions and had taken a life. There was no power in Seireitei who would be more unforgiving of him than he was of himself.

"Oniisan?"

Shikiki's voice at his right hand made him turn, casting her a weary, empty glance. Her eyes were big and apprehensive, he noticed, yet she had not kept away, instead padding purposefully through the falling snow to where the two boys were huddled.

"I want to help Juu-nii." Her words were soft, almost carried away by the breeze, and Shunsui felt fresh pain well up in his heart as he tried to work out how to tell her his friend was beyond help.

"I know." He said at length. "So do I. But it's too late."

"It's not." Shikiki shook her head. "It's not too late. Oniisan, I want to help Juu-nii. Juu-nii's sick, he needs help, he needs…"

"Juushirou is dead, Shikiki." The words came out more harshly than Shunsui intended. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing you can do about that. He's dead. I killed him. You saw it, didn't you? You saw how the fight ended. I had to stop him – but there was no other way. You can't do anything to help him now. He's gone."

"No. He hasn't." Shikiki's eyes became obstinate, and Shunsui felt anger sear through him as he gazed at her stubborn features. "He's still here."

"Dammit, Shikiki, don't make this worse than it is!" Shunsui exclaimed. "Please…Juu's dead. He's dead. His heart has stopped. I…I can't keep repeating those words, so please don't make me!"

"Don't say them, then. Shut up." Shikiki retorted, sending him a dark glare. "It's not my fault if you can't tell. I can tell. He's not gone. He's still here. And I want to help him. So there."

"I…" Despite himself, Shunsui stared at her, and Shikiki poked out her tongue.

"You don't know anything after all." She said stolidly. "You wouldn't let me help him before, or in the fight, or now. You wouldn't let me do anything at all, because you think I'm just a silly little village girl, don't you? You had a special sword – I _saw_ it. That means you're a shinigami too. Like Juu-nii. And shinigami don't know anything about village people or anything like that. You just sit and cry while he needs you to help him – but you don't even know how to do that, do you?"

"Shikiki?" Shunsui blinked at this sudden onslaught, and Shikiki sighed.

"Kei-nii was right. Rich people are stupid." She said resignedly. "But if you can't do anything, don't. Stay where you are. Let me do it. I can help Juu-nii. I _want_ to help Juu-nii. And I'm going to, so stop telling me I can't!"

And before Shunsui could respond, she had pushed past his injured right hand, ignoring his wince of pain and settling herself down at Juushirou's side. Very gently she touched her finger against the ripped fabric of Juushirou's _hakamashita_, then she nodded, a triumphant smile lighting up her features. To Shunsui, her expression could not have been more inappropriate, but he found he no longer had the strength or will to argue with her, instead watching numbly as she ripped a bigger hole in the abused cloth, spreading both chubby hands across Juushirou's bared ribs. She did not seem to mind the blood that now coated her fingers, Shunsui realised – and the determination in her aqua gaze suddenly made him feel ashamed.

_But Juu was dead. I checked. I know he was. She can't do anything. Even if she yelled at me…there's no way you can bring someone back from being dead_.

A faint glow began to encircle Shikiki's fingers, and she closed her eyes, pulling a graphic face of concentration as the pink light grew bolder and more intense, slipping around Juushirou's chest in a smooth, protective shield. With a jolt Shunsui remembered the haze of pink he had seen as he had regained consciousness during the battle, and he stared at Shikiki as if seeing her anew.

Had _she_ been the one who had thrown Juushirou off balance? Was it because of her that he had not been impaled on Sougyo no Kotowari whilst Seibara had had his attention? Had that been why she had been in Juushirou's line of fire…had it been _her_ spirit power that he had reflected back out into the atmosphere?

Inwardly he berated himself for not realising it sooner – that this odd looking, ragged child was not just a random peasant child after all.

_She was with Urahara Keitarou. She was with him and Juu – Juu said so. She was part of the experiment – whatever that experiment was. She's right – I looked at her as a helpless child. But she's not. Clearly she's not. Still, even so…_

"Dai-nii died because I wasn't there when he was hurt." Shikiki said softly, drawing Shunsui's attention back to the present. "I'm not that strong, Oniisan. I couldn't fix a whole body and I couldn't bring him back because he had already gone by the time Kei-nii brought him to me. But I promised myself then I'd practice and practice and practice as hard as I could. I didn't want anyone else to be gone, you see. I had to do better. I had to be stronger. Kei-nii said so too – that if I did that, nobody would be able to hurt me and I'd be able to use my magic to help them."

Shunsui swallowed hard, then,

"Your _magic_?" He whispered. Shikiki nodded.

"I can turn things back to how they were before." She said brightly. "At least, not all things. But some things. I brought a kitten back from dead before. It was only just dead, so its spirit was still lingering and lost around its body. I helped it go back in again, you see – I put the body back how it was before, so the spirit didn't go out of it but stayed."

Shunsui's eyes widened.

"You mean…you can…with Juu?" He asked thickly, and Shunsui sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Juu-nii is bigger than a cat." She said unnecessarily. "An' I've never done a whole person, so I don't think I can heal up all of his wounds and stuff from the fight. He's all messed up inside, Oniisan. His chest and his heart and everywhere is all burnt and tired and horrible at the moment. But…he's not gone. Dai-nii had gone, but Juu-nii's still here. He's all broken up at the moment, but if I try really hard…I think…I can make it so that he goes back where he should be."

A faint, incredulous slither of hope began to flare in Shunsui's battered heart, and he reached up his left hand to grasp Shikiki by the arm.

"Can I…help?"

"If you can't feel where he is now, then you can't." Shikiki said bluntly. "Jus' let me do it. An' don't speak for a minute cos I want to concentrate on finding all the bits of him before the wind blows them away."

The pink sheen of the barrier thickened and strengthened as she spoke, and Shunsui could feel it brush against the edge of his skin as the young girl intensified her focus around the site of Juushirou's destroyed heart. His eyes widened as little by little he saw the puckered skin begin to smooth and stretch to meet edges across the gaping hole beneath, and Shikiki screwed up her face once more, sweat beading her brow as she redoubled her effort, putting all of her strength into bringing Juushirou's heart back into its former state.

At length she fell back on the grass with a sigh, rubbing her blood-specked fingers against the fabric of her gown absently as she did so. She took a deep breath into her lungs, and Shunsui felt afraid to even ask her whether or not her magic had succeeded.

"Juu-nii's pretty big, really, isn't he." At length, Shikiki spoke, eying her hands with a resigned look in her aqua eyes. "I wanted to do more, Oniisan. But I guess I need to practice some more than I have yet."

"Shikiki…" Shunsui faltered, and Shikiki offered him a grin.

"Feel." She instructed, grabbing the fingers of his left hand and pulling them once more towards Juushirou's throat. Shunsui hesitated, then, obediently he drew his index finger down towards Juushirou's jugular. His own heart set up an anxious rhythm in his skull, and for a moment he could not feel anything but the mad palpitations of his own pulse. Then, very faintly, he was aware of it. Soft, and weak, but definitely there…the gentle beat of his fallen friend's heart.

He sent Shikiki a look of disbelief, and Shikiki giggled.

"You look funny with that face." She said frankly. "I told you. I could help Juu-nii. Do you believe me, now? Or are you still going to be rich and stupid?"

Shunsui stared at her, then a faint smile touched his own lips. Gently he shifted Juushirou's heavy form onto the ground, lowering his head towards Shikiki in a tentative bow of acknowledgement.

"I'm sorry." He said soberly. "I'm afraid I'm both rich and stupid, but even if that can't be helped, I'm grateful. I don't know what you did – how your magic works…but…"

His gaze flitted back to Juushirou, noticing for the first time that the sightless eyes had closed.

_When did he…did he close them? Did he know we were here, or…?_

"He's still sick." Shikiki shook her head. "It took all of my power to do that much, an' his chest is still full of blood an' stuff. I could only heal his heart an' his broken rib – the rest was too much. An' I can't fix your arm either, Oniisan. I wanted to – but I used everything for Juu-nii. He was stubborn. It was like his body wanted to stay dead."

"Perhaps it did." Shunsui felt suddenly giddy as he watched the shallow rise and fall of his friend's ribs. Shikiki was right, he realised – Juushirou was not breathing properly, and he was still in a dangerous condition. But he was alive, and a moment ago he had thought that impossible. "He was poisoned, after all. Poison that made him do bad things. Juu would never attack anyone like that, so…"

"Kei-nii did this." Shikiki cut across him, and then Shunsui knew that her smiles had been masking her own grief. "I don't know why. I don't understand it. But I felt it, when I was healing Juu-nii. Bits of Kei-nii's magic were lodged in his heart. Even though it was broken and dead, I knew what it was. Kei-nii made Juu-nii try to hurt you. An' because of that…because of that…"

She sighed, shaking her head.

"I'm so tired." She whispered. "I'm tired and I don't understand. Kei-nii wanted Juu-nii to stay with us…but he tried to escape and so Kei-nii tried to stop him. I understood that. But this…I don't understand it, Oniisan. I don't know why…Kei-nii would want to hurt you."

Shunsui's gaze softened as he registered the young girl's uncertainty.

_So she is just a child, after all. A child with a gift, but more, a child who just didn't want to see someone she liked die._

Out loud he said,

"Perhaps it got out of his control, too." He suggested, knowing he was lying but not wanting to cause this young one any further distress. Shikiki smiled, and Shunsui could see in her eyes that she knew he was trying to protect her.

"Maybe." She agreed, in a tone that told him she didn't believe it either. "Thank you, Oniisan. You might be rich and stupid, but you're kind, I think. You love Juu-nii, don't you? You didn't want to hurt him, after all."

"He's the closest friend I have. Probably, the closest friend I'll ever have." Shunsui agreed softly, his gaze shifting back to the unconscious Juushirou as if to check he was still drawing air into his beaten, _haibyou_-ravaged lungs. "I don't have many people like that…to tell you the truth, Shikiki, he's the last person in the world I'd ever want to hurt. Let alone…"

"Mm." Shikiki looked thoughtful, settling herself beside him on the grass. "Oniisan is like me too, in the end. Even if you're a shini…shinigami. I don't have many people either. My parents died and Dai-nii was killed by the shinigami. Kei-nii…I had Kei-nii, but now…"

She shook her head as if to clear it.

"I don't know." She whispered. "So I didn't want Juu-nii to die too. Because even though I've only known him a little while – I love Juu-nii, Oniisan. And I want…I want to keep knowing him. I don't want him to be someone who dies…so I…I wanted to bring him back."

"Maybe we are alike." Shunsui acknowledged, struggling to pull his heavy, aching body into a better position. "People around me die or disappear, too. But Juu isn't the kind of person who does that, Shikiki. It doesn't matter how long you've known him…that's just how he is. I don't know how he does it…but people flock to him, and he never pushes them away."

Shikiki raised aqua eyes to his dark ones, then,

"What's your real name, Oniisan?" She asked curiously. "Juu-nii said it, but I don't remember. But I'd like to know – since you know mine. Even if you are rich and a shinigami – I'd like to know anyway."

"Shunsui." Despite himself Shunsui smiled at her manner of asking. "My name's Shunsui."

"Mmkay." Shikiki nodded. "Shun-nii, then."

She grinned sheepishly.

"I never had a real brother." She admitted. "But it's nice to say, even so."

Shunsui's thoughts flitted to his own brother, and he frowned.

"Mine will be worried." He murmured. "I can feel it all around – fighting in the air, though it's too meshed and I'm too tired to make sense of it. I don't feel all that great, to be honest with you – my arm hurts and I'm starting to feel the cold here. It's not good for Juu to be out in the snow for longer than he has to, either, not with a chest like that."

He glanced at his left hand, then,

"I'm going to fire a kidou flare – or I'm going to try to." He murmured, as the world around him shook slightly. "It might take the last of my strength, Shikiki, and I may faint – so I want you to promise me something. Until help comes, will you watch over Juushirou for me? I'm hoping that it won't be long – but since you're obviously less stupid and more skilled than me in that regard – I'd appreciate it if you would."

"Okay." Shikiki nodded. "I don't know what a kidou flare is, not really – but if it will help Juu-nii…"

"Well, move away from my hand since I'm not sure how well I can control it." Shunsui instructed, reaching his good hand up towards the sky as his vision flickered and went in and out of focus. "I think it will take everything just to manage the incantation…so Shikiki…I'm trusting…everything to you."

He dragged together the last stray threads of his spirit power, then thrust his left hand up towards the sky.

"_Hadou no S…Sanjuu Ichi. Sha…Shakkah…hou_." He murmured, and sparks of red light danced up towards the heavens, ragged and broken and far from the normal neat burst of _reiryoku_ he had been firing since the first year. It illuminated the darkening skyline, and as he heard Shikiki let out an exclamation, the world blurred for the final time. He could feel his body falling backwards, but he could not stop it, and as his consciousness faded away, he thought he could just make out the faintest outline of Seibara's silhouette against his darkening vision.

She did not speak to him, but she did not have to. Comforted by her presence, Shunsui let go of his senses, allowing himself to fall once more into the black.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Sekizanha**

_Nagesu's sword didn't get much of an outing, because fighting against Keitarou wasn't something he really wanted to do. However, his sword is an earth type blade, with what you might call 'tectonic' characteristics. His command to release is Jishin o yobe – Summon the Earthquake, and his techniques include throwing up a wall of earth as a barrier. By pushing his zanpakutou into the ground, he can increase the intensity of the earth splitting attacks his sword uses by nature. His ultimate shikai technique is Dachi Yoganryuu which allows lava to be pulled up from the mantle below in a mini eruption of strength covering a very small specific area (in this case, the immediate battle ground)._

_  
However, this technique has serious consequences for his reiryoku and his strength so he only uses it as a last resort and can only maintain the tremors for a maximum of four or five times before the technique fades and his sword reseals itself. He has not yet reached bankai – though his final Shikai technique is a clue to what his Bankai might manifest at and after Kyouki, he is the second closest to obtaining this level of those who have not yet done so. The probable truth is that Nagesu's shikai spills out of control and towards Bankai levels but because he lacks that control of the final technique, he cannot yet master that level of power within his sword. _

**Shikiki**_  
Please, people must know now who Shikiki is the ancestor of? And no, it's not Orihime, although she has Hime's name kanji just because it was fun and the 'weaver' aspect made sense. I suppose if you consider the reincarnation possibilities, Shikiki might ALSO be Orihime's ancestor and that various rebirths between the two worlds have meant that now Hime lives outside of SS. But…I had another character in mind!! Answer in the next chapter's AN!_


	61. Hokujou

**Chapter Sixty: Hokujou**

"Are you sure that this is the right path?"

As Kyouki reined in her hastily acquired steed to avoid the half-hidden shape of a snow-covered branch across the ground in front of her, she cast Hirata a questioning look.

"There are so many trackways and trails – are you certain we're heading the right way, Hirata? This Hokujou is something I've never even heard of – but it sounded very much to me like it was several day's ride."

Hirata shook his head absently, gazing around at the devastated winter landscape. He had lost all concept of time since the battle with Seimaru had begun, and the heavy sky made it seem deceptively late in the day, yet even so he found himself wondering whether they could get to the northern fortress by the time the sun set over District Seven. They had left almost immediately, finding that with nobody on duty at the stable stealing three horses had been easy – and since then they had been riding, but for how long Hirata did not know. It all seemed somehow unreal to him, he reflected absently, tightening his grasp on the horse's reins as he struggled to make out the fuzzy landmarks through his compromised vision. The landscape was awash with spirit matter, teasing at his senses and making him even more confused. The battle, Seimaru's death, the fierce flare of defensive Kidou that Midori had fired towards the terrible explosion of his cousin's flame-cursed _reiryoku -_ it was all a part of the same indistinct spiritual blur. And in the distance, there was Juushirou and Shunsui. Hirata had put it down to his general haziness regarding the whole situation – but it had seemed very much like his friends' reiatsu had been directed at each other, not at a common foe. And then…

_But something like that is impossible. Unthinkable. So I can't think it. If I do, I might not manage to keep riding forwards and right now that's all I can do._

"Hirata?" Midori's voice reminded him of Kyouki's question and he sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"No. Riding at speed or in a fast carriage, I think it's only a matter of hours before you reach the border of Hokujou's territory." He said carefully. "Beyond that…another hour, maybe, until you reach the fortress itself. It's not physically far – just politically far. And as for whether or not this is the path – I don't know either, to tell you the truth. Only this is the way Raiden and Jinkei started out, when they left me at the manor. So if they rode this way and they were heading to Hokujou – it seems the right way for us to go, too."

"Raiden. Jinkei. Endou Clansmen?" Midori asked, and Hirata nodded.

"Fourth degree men who supported my Grandfather and want to support Father and I because they see the other path as death." He said bitterly. "I have never been to Hokujou myself – nobody would ever have allowed it. But it is possible, I think, that they have. And…"

"You're tracing their reiatsu, aren't you?" Kyouki's eyes widened, and Hirata sighed.

"It's faint and fleeting, but I'm trying." He admitted. "In this sea of spirit matter, somehow I'm managing to pick them out. I can't explain it, Kyouki-sama – but at the same time Seimaru's fire exploded and devoured him, I felt my own spirit surge up, too. Perhaps some specks of the _reidoku_ residue fell on me after all – either way, right now my senses are more aware than they were before the battle. And even though Raiden and Jinkei are poor spiritually, they do have some latent skill in shunpo and kidou techniques. I hope…it will be enough to trace them. If not, I don't know where we are going at all."

"If you think you got hit by even a tiny bit of that _reidoku_, we'd better keep close eyes on you, too." Midori said decidedly. "Since that stuff is evil, Hirata, whether stable or not. Don't push yourself too hard, all right? That explosion could have killed you – and I wish we didn't have to make you ride like this, not when you know your friends are in danger. But right now, this is important. So don't force yourself. With Seimaru in no position to give orders, we can take a little more time."

"On the contrary, we should hurry." Kyouki said grimly. "If what Hirata said about Hokujou is true – if Seimaru's mother resides there – she may well be primed to kill any prisoners should news of her son's defeat reach her before we do. We can't risk delaying, Midori. I'm concerned for the boy as well – and exhausted myself into the bargain. But we don't have the luxury of rest time. If Misashi-dono really is there…and is still alive…we have to find him as quickly as possible."

"I agree." Hirata nodded grimly, adjusting his grip once more on the leather thongs that guided his horse. "So we'll keep going. I'm all right, Midori-sama. Kyouki-sama's right. We must. It's why I came back, after all. We must."

"There was nobody in the stables." Midori reflected as she kicked her horse into a faster canter. "I expected guards, but there was nobody around at all. It was the easiest thing in the world to just take three horses without anyone asking any questions - I'm sure security wasn't as lax as that when I was sent here as Seimaru's prospective bride."

"I imagine that's down to Guren-sama." Kyouki said sensibly.

"But he's only commandeering the shinigami squad, surely?" Midori blinked. "Not the entire guard of the Endou estate."

"There's not much difference between the two." Hirata shook his head. "Grandfather didn't really want a squad, so simply made it an extension of his military retinue. The difference between shinigami and soldiers in District Seven is that soldiers are common born, usually...whilst shinigami are kinsfolk. Most of them can't hold a sword, and would be easily beaten in a battle. Only a few of them actually hold proper_ zanpakutou_ - Grandfather's chosen Lieutenant and a couple of sub-Captains. Father said it was because he was afraid of insurgents gaining too much power and causing a coup."

"The Endou's way of clipping the claws and wings of a bird before it has a chance to hunt." Kyouki murmured, and Hirata nodded.

"Like Father." He agreed frankly. "Those with potential are only allowed to have it if it benefits the Clan leader. Grandfather...really...did oppressive things to this family, didn't he?"

"I imagine it wasn't his work alone." Midori reflected. "Seimaru. Mibune-dono. Even Yayoi-sama. Perhaps Misashi-dono, too, for not standing up and raising rebellion sooner. And generations before...this is a long time in the making, Hirata. It isn't simply the last few months or even years. The Endou-ke have been decaying for a long while. Really, what we're doing is cutting away the dead wood and allowing them to start again."

"It sounds so clinical that way." Hirata murmured. "And I'm to blame too, Midori-sama. I also stood back and did nothing."

"You're not doing nothing now." Kyouki pointed out. "You're battered, bruised and worried about your friends, but you're striking out for the Endou-ke. When we reach this fortress, you will have to take command and you know that, I think."

"Mm." Hirata bit his lip. "I killed Seimaru. I killed him in the view of witnesses - the both of you. And I...to do that means I...I fought to take the Clan from him. I understand, Kyouki-sama. Believe me, I know...the weight of what I've done."

_And yet I don't feel any guilt for it, even now._

He frowned.

_Maybe I never will. I felt it...the eruption and then the way in which Yojinmozu devoured Seimaru's spirit power, eating him from the inside out and burning him alive. I was close enough to feel every change and fluctuation. To burn to death is not pleasant...but all I could think of was the way in which he made Shunsui-kun suffer with his curse two summers ago. Shunsui-kun and all the other innocents he's put that sword to before and since. I don't feel anything for your passing, Seimaru. I just feel, at last, justice has been done. _

He raised his gaze to the heavy, wintry sky, then,

_Did you fear that happening? Did you know that one day it would, if you left me to live - even in exile? But you didn't think that I could act against you yet. You thought me weak...and I thought myself above the violence and butchery of the Endou-ke. But in the end, we were both wrong. You misjudged me. And I...by dishonourable means, I killed you. Maybe I'll never feel guilty for it - so long as I live, maybe it will remain this empty, gaping space inside of me. I am Endou, after all. And as such, I'm going to see this through to the end._

"There's still a lot of clashing spirit residue in the air."

As they crossed the northern river, it was Kyouki who made the observation, a troubled look touching her features. "Even so far afield as this, I can feel it, dispersing on the wind. A mixed melee of different reiatsu. My own. Seimaru's. Yours, Midori. Nagesu's. And..."

"Juushirou's storm." Midori's own features became grave. "His storm and something else. I don't like it. It isn't just him - Tokutarou-sama's brother is wrapped up in this also. I hope that Retsu-sama has managed to get to them...if not..."

"Ukitake-kun's reiatsu disappeared as we left the main estate's territories." Hirata said quietly. "I can't feel it, just like I couldn't when he left the Kyouraku manor. I don't know what it means, or if it means anything at all. But...it was gone. And then...I don't know."

He sighed.

"I feel nothing for Seimaru's death, even at my hand." He murmured. "But even though I wasn't with them, if something happened to my friends...that blood will be harder to wash from my fingers."

"But Midori's right. Retsu-sama and Genryuusai-sama are both nearer at hand than we are." Kyouki said matter-of-factly. "So no time for regrets right now, Hirata-sama. Until we know the fate of your Father, you've made yourself leader of this Clan by defeating and killing Seimaru. There's no room for deviations or distractions."

A wry, humourless smile touched Hirata's lips.

"I can barely see the path in front of me." He murmured, reaching up to touch his face briefly as he did so to indicate his missing spectacles. "That seems somehow right, doesn't it, for an Endou in my position?"

"You've ridden without your glasses before, and time is of the essence." Midori told him. "Besides, you already said it – it's not geography you're tracking, but reiatsu. That being the case…"

"I don't need glasses to do that." Hirata nodded. "It's not something you can see, after all."

"Genryuusai-sama was right about you, then." Kyouki reflected. "That you lack physical presence, but there's nothing wrong with your spiritual wits. It's almost a shame, really…that the Council can't act in your name and back your claim to the Clan."

"Now's not the best time to raise that little problem." Midori warned, and Kyouki shrugged.

"It's still the truth." She said frankly. "Hirata here is still a child by Council standards. Although I can't say anything I've seen him do today makes me think of him that way – law is law. As a Shiba, I would give him my confidence and ratify his position with a clear conscience. It's rare that I ever meet an Endou that I don't want to run through with my blade on first acquaintance, and that's the truth. But as a Gotei representative and member of the Council of Elders…"

"Exactly." Midori frowned. "The Council can't act in his name…and so…"

"We will find Father." Hirata said softly. "We must, mustn't we? There's nothing else for it but to."

"Whatever comes from this point, Hirata, you know you have the Shihouin-ke to call your allies." Midori assured him. "That bond was formed when Shouichi-sama and my Uncle signed papers to conspire together about District shinigami, but even though they're both dead and gone, I still consider that binding. You and Misashi-sama have the support of the Shihouin-ke – of Kai, of me, and of anything we can do to help your people rebuild this land."

"It needs rebuilding, that's for sure." Kyouki said gravely. "We've ridden for some time now, but we still haven't seen any positive sign of a thriving peasant settlement. Some clusters here and there of what might be houses – one or two deserted towns and another couple half-burned and full of beggars. District Two's ruling class suffered a good deal two summers back, but their common folk did not…not thanks to you, Midori, and your quick actions. In contrast…"

"In contrast, the Endou are predators." Hirata responded. "Birds of prey. Even me. We take things and rip them apart. That's the nature of my Clan, Kyouki-sama. It's in all of us – the beast that hunts and kills."

_And in my aunt, too, most likely. _

His eyes narrowed.

_I wonder if she's truly still a prisoner. If she's been involved in Seimaru's plans, I really can't imagine that she is._

They rode on for some time, the sun dropping further and further behind the thick winter cloud as soft flakes of fresh snow began to flurry and dot themselves across the already frozen landscape. Hirata stifled a shiver, remembering that he was still wearing the attire of a peasant and that in the cold wind he had very little protecting him from District Seven's bleak weather.

_It's easy to forget, in District Eight, that it's so much colder here at home. It's easy to forget a lot of things when you don't have to see them all the time._

"Hirata, there's a fork in the path ahead." Midori glanced across at him. "Which way do you say we should go? It looks like another wrecked village off to the right, but…could that be one of the tenant settlements for this Hokujou we're looking for?"

"Hokujou hasn't had tenancy lands for a long long time. Not since it became Riku-sama's prison." Hirata shook his head. "I think we should go left. I can't sense any reiatsu clearly now…I guess whatever happened before has begun to wear off. But I remember Father once saying that the road leading to Hokujou was a bleak one and lined with stone. He didn't say anything about any villages…and I know he's been here before in person."

"Then we'll take your word for it, and go left." Kyouki said decidedly, swinging her animal around to face the left-hand fork. "But are you sure you can handle this, Hirata? You're pale and you look freezing cold. Are you sure your adrenalin didn't just run out? If you faint and fall from the horse…"

"I won't faint." Hirata spoke quietly, but there was determination in his tones. "Clan leaders don't faint, Kyouki-sama. No matter what faces us when we get to Hokujou – I'm not going to falter. I'm just cold, that's all."

"There's a lot more than winter weather to make one feel cold in District Seven." Midori said acerbically. "But if the boy says he can ride, we should let him ride. He outranks the both of us here, Kyouki-sama – in this, Hirata's word is final."

"I suppose it is." Kyouki looked rueful. "First Shunsui in Eighth and now Hirata in Seventh. I'm being put nicely in my place by whelps all round at this rate – but I don't mind seeing it. I start to think Seireitei is going to have a prosperous future, when such young'uns are already taking their responsibilities so seriously."

She cast Midori a grin.

"That applies to you too, as it happens." She added. "You're not much older than any of them, when it comes down to it."

"A leader is made on spirit, Kyouki-sama. Not age." Midori said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "And twenty two is a good deal older than seventeen when it comes to the legalities of the Council of Elders."

"True." Kyouki acknowledged. "It's all right. Your colours are proven, Midori – and I'm sure the kids will be the same way."

"Those who survive become Shinigami." Midori murmured, and for a moment Hirata's blood ran cold at the cryptic edge to her words.

_She felt it too. Ukitake-kun's reiatsu. She felt it disappear too…and she thinks…_

He bit his lip, forcibly turning his mind away from such thoughts.

_Ukitake-kun is with Shunsui-kun. Shunsui-kun would never hurt him. Would never let him get hurt. I shouldn't get frightened…I should focus on what I need to do. It will be all right – I have to hang on to that thought. It will be all right._

"There's a proper track-way up ahead." Kyouki said now, gesturing ahead of them. "And it looks formally laid, as though we're entering the immediate land surrounding a great house. Is this where we're heading, Hirata? Have we finally reached the outskirts of Hokujou?"

Hirata squinted through his blurry vision, making out something dark and shapeless on the horizon. A chill ran down his spine and he nodded.

"I have never been here." He murmured. "And I can't see far enough in front of my nose to know where we are. But I can feel it, Kyouki-sama. We've arrived. This is Hokujou. We're here."

* * *

_Reckless. Foolish. Idealistic._

Genryuusai settled himself on his knees at the makeshift bedside, setting his cane to one side as he reached a wizened hand over to brush stray wisps of snow white hair from the young boy's brow. He was still cold to the touch, he realised, although it had been almost an hour now since Retsu and Tokutarou had brought the frozen youngsters in from their battleground. Despite the hoarse, shallow breaths he pulled into his lungs, there had been no movement of his eyes nor clear indication that he would ever return to consciousness, and regardless of his milennia of experience, Genryuusai still did not know for certain whether the boy he had selected and fostered was even still alive inside this pale, fragile shell. He had known that Juushirou was full of potential, but even with that aside, over the last two years he had become genuinely fond of the young boy too. Yet if the worst happened, it would be he who would have to write - no, in fact, he would go in person - to explain to the Ukitake-ke what had happened to their precious brother and son.

Retsu had cast a barrier of light and warmth around him, yet she had not been so cruel as to prevent the old man from reaching out to his student, saying that to the contrary, contact from a familiar voice was what Juushirou needed most of all. She had been calm and reassuring, seemingly confident that Shikiki had done enough to save the student's life. Though her opinion carried weight, Genryuusai was old, and although he trusted in her opinion, his age and past experiences had meant he was unable to quell all of his lingering doubts.

Though there was nothing to be done now but believe that the Captain of Fourth District's Gotei squad was right. And until he knew otherwise, outwardly at least, he would believe it. Because if he did not, everyone else's conviction would slowly slip away.

Retsu had left them alone now, and, even as the young Unohana leader had gone to tend to Shunsui's broken arm, Genryuusai had been glad of her moment of silent understanding.

In one small moment, he had felt the weight of the world drop down on his shoulders.

_Juushirou._

He sighed, sitting back and gazing at his student's pitiful form with regret in his eyes.

_Letting you go to District Eight was a mistake, in the end, wasn't it? It was too soon for you...too easy for them...and now here we are, with an incident that will likely scar the lives of two boys rather than one. Even if I told Kyouki that risks have to be taken...some risks are a step too far. I did not realise, in the end, how potent the Urahara's power of manipulation was - nor did I know that he would use such a young and guileless victim to help lure you into his trap. I did not know that you were his objective, Juushirou. Had I known that it was he and not Seimaru who sought you...I may have acted differently._

_But it cannot be taken back. Nothing can ever be taken back. And so, as before, we move on instead._

"O...Ojiisan?"

An apprehensive voice from the doorway made him turn, seeing an apprehensive pair of aqua eyes staring at him from around the edge of the wooden divide. At the sight of her, Genryuusai's eyes softened and he reached out his hand to her, beckoning for her to come into the room.

"Shikiki is your name, isn't it?" He asked softly, and Shikiki nodded, obediently and hesitantly doing as she was bidden.

"Ojiisan, do you know Juu-nii?" She murmured, and Genryuusai smiled.

"He's a student of mine. I'm his sensei, you might say." He agreed. "But even despite my many, many years experience, it wasn't me who was able to bring him back from the bring of death. You have a very remarkable gift, Shikiki - a talent that I had thought all but dead among souls in Seireitei in this era. You understand, don't you? What you've done for Juushirou. You realise, I think - that if you had not done it, he would surely have died."

"I couldn't fix all of him." Shikiki shuffled closer, dropping down with a soft thud onto the wooden floor as she gazed up at Genryuusai sadly. "I wanted to. I wanted to fix all of him. But Juu-nii isn't a kitten and he was too big. So I could only do part of it. An' then my powers ran out, and I couldn't help Shun-nii either."

"Shunsui will be fine." Genryuusai assured her. "A broken arm isn't a fatal injury and it will soon mend, I've no doubt about that. His brother is with him and he will recover - he passed out from shock and exhaustion, but his life was in no danger. Your decision was not the wrong one and you shouldn't look so melancholy. You used your power where it was most needed - and that's what matters most."

"Will he wake up?" Shikiki's eyes flitted to Juushirou's pale face. "I don't like it like this. I know he's not dead any more, Ojiisan, but I...I don't know how to wake him up. I felt his heart going thump thump again and I fixed up his rib so it wasn't broken any more...but...he didn't open his eyes. And..."

She faltered, tears on her lashes, and Genryuusai stretched out his hand to pat her reassuringly on the head.

"You can cry." He told her gently. "It was a frightening moment for you, as well. I know that Juushirou has an easy way with making and keeping friends - even after such a short acquaintance, he did the same to you, didn't he?"

"He saved me from a Hollow." Shikiki sniffled, nodding her head. "Even though I was mean an' I was scared cos he was a shinigami, he still did. An' he was never cross with me. He was kind to me. I...I don't want him to die yet, Ojiisan. I haven't known him long enough yet...I want him to wake up an' be all right."

"The most talented healer in the whole of Seireitei is watching over him, now." Genryuusai told her. "If anyone can bring him back to health, she can."

He sighed, his moustache twitching as he considered how to ask the next question.

"You aren't going to be cross with Shun-nii, are you?" Shikiki prevented him from speaking, anxious eyes flitting to the old man's face. "He didn't want to hurt Juu-nii. An' even though he's stupid and rich, he's Juu-nii's friend. Only he had to stop Juu-nii cos Juu-nii was being mani...mani...manippolated and..."

"By Urahara Keitarou. Yes?" Genryuusai asked quietly, and Shikiki chewed on her lip.

"Yes." She whispered. "I don't know why, Ojiisan, but...I know that that's what happened."

"Shunsui acted in the only way he could have done." Genryuusai assured her. "He is not to blame for this, and I am proud of him for realising what his responsibility was. He won't be in trouble with me for what happened. As you said, Juushirou was not himself."

He eyed her keenly.

"You spent some time with this Keitarou, didn't you?"

"Y...yes." Shikiki seemed reluctant to respond, gnawing absently on the ragged nail of her thumb as she considered his question. "He was...he looked after me. Cos my parents were killed, and then Kei-nii saved me, and Kei-nii and Dai-nii looked after me, only Dai-nii got killed by Shouichi-sama so Kei-nii killed Shouichi-sama and I had to live in the underground place and then Juu-nii came and...and I don't think Kei-nii wanted Juu-nii to die, Ojiisan. He seemed to like him. And he was worried, too, that Juu-nii would get hurt. But Juu-nii wouldn't stay in the underground place and...and...then all this happened."

"I see." Genryuusai sifted through this information carefully, drawing out the salient points as he did so. "Urahara Keitarou told you that he killed Shouichi of the Endou?"

"Yes. Because Shouichi-sama did horrible things to Dai-nii and Kei-nii loved Dai-nii. So did I." Shikiki's tears were trickling down her cheeks by now, and Genryuusai slid his hand into his _obi_, pulling out a hankerchief and holding it out to her. She took it with a tiny smile, twisting the fine fabric around her fingers.

"Dai was a kinsman of Keitarou's?"

"Yes. Kotetsu Daisuke-nii." Shikiki agreed. "His family were sent away cos it was dangerous, but Dai-nii didn't go. Then the shinigami took him, and Shouichi-sama hurt him and killed him and I couldn't bring him back so Kei-nii..."

"Killed Shouichi-dono in revenge." Genryuusai mused carefully. "But not on the orders of Seimaru?"

"I...don't know." Shikiki faltered. "Seimaru-sama was scary. He wanted to kill me and to kill Juu-nii but Kei-nii never let him. But now Juu-nii's like this and...and I don't know what happened, Ojiisan. I don't know why...Kei-nii would want Juu-nii to hurt his friend."

"I'm sure there are some things we won't find the answers to easily, even if Juushirou wakes up and remembers everything that happened to him." Genryuusai said gravely. "Sadly, there are often things left unknown...and those unknown things return at a later point to show us our past failings and remind us that we can never know everything about this world. This is a lesson Juushirou hasn't learnt fully, either...his idealism is his strength and his weakness and he became embroiled in this because he is both strong and weak. But that he was kind to you, and that he protected you...that is the Juushirou I chose to teach. And I have faith that he will be that Juushirou again - even if it takes a little time."

"Mm." Shikiki nodded her head jerkily, wiping her eyes with the hankerchief.

"You mentioned an underground place - what place was this?"

"I think it was a prison before. It was dark and scary and had funny stone in the walls." Shikiki said thoughtfully. "An' there were no prisoners any more, but nobody came there except Seimaru-sama an' Kei-nii. And there wasn't a door, except Juu-nii blew a hole in it when we left, so now there is one. We couldn't have got out otherwise."

"Former dungeons, maybe." Genryuusai rubbed his beard pensively. "Would it frighten you, if you were asked to go there again?"

"No." Shikiki shook her head. "So long as...so long as Seimaru-sama wasn't there."

"I don't think there's a risk of that." Genryuusai assured her. "And I didn't mean that we would leave you there. You are far, far too important a young person to be abandoned in such a dark and dingy place any longer, believe me. But if that was where you and Juushirou were before you escaped, there may be things there that might help us understand what went wrong. Why Keitarou made Juushirou attack his friend...and other things."

"Kei-nii had lots and lots of notes and stuff." Shikiki remembered. "As well as chemicals all locked away because they were dangerous. But I can't read except numbers, so I don't know what any of it said."

"Then we should take a look and see what is there." Genryuusai reflected. "I suspect there will be many who'll want to see those things."

Shikiki let out a sigh, then,

"Will you kill Kei-nii?" She asked hesitantly. "If you read his stuff and find out the reasons - will you kill him?"

"Would that upset you?" Genryuusai asked, and Shikiki nodded.

"I loved Kei-nii." She said simply. "He was kind to me - always. But I know...I know he wasn't always kind to other people. I kinda didn't want to see it always, but I knew he was scary, too. That bad things had happened to him. But I understood too, sort of...that he lost his family because of bad things happening and so he was like me. He said that we were the same - that we'd seen people killed who shouldn't have been and that because of it we should be allies. That he'd help me be strong enough to protect myself from being hurt ever again. Because he did that, I was able to help Juu-nii. I..."

She faltered, touching the hazy spirit barrier gently, then,

"I wonder if that's what he wanted me to do anyway." She murmured. "I don't think Kei-nii ever wanted to kill Juu-nii. He may have killed people, but they were people he said were bad people. And..."

"What he's done is probably unforgivable before the Council of Elders." Genryuusai said gravely. "And whether or not holding him in eternal custody would work, I do not know. I cannot answer your question, Shikiki. If Keitarou is taken alive - then it will obviously come under much discussion. But..."

"I don't think he should have been a bad person." Shikiki said sadly. "Only he felt like nobody wanted him and nobody cared that he was there. I think...maybe...if he hadn't found me...maybe I would feel like that too. Only I never did...because Kei-nii wanted me. Dai-nii wanted me. They looked after me...so I didn't end up sad and angry like they were."

_For such a young child, she has considerable perception._

Genryuusai eyed Shikiki thoughtfully.

_Yet no discernable reiatsu from outside that indicates the gifts she holds deep within. A barrier of self-protection, perhaps, locking her aura away so that nobody can target her? Possibly. And so young yet already able to see so many things - a child who has never been a child, and whose talents and experiences make her realise even the things that some of my students might struggle to grasp. The lessons of hardship that only the Districts can teach - sometimes those lessons are more valuable than anything. But whether the sacrifices required to learn them are too high is another matter._

Out loud he said,

"I have no doubt you are right. You probably knew Keitarou better than anyone, and so, I will make you a promise. If he is captured and brought before the Council for trial, I will recommend that you be allowed to speak there on his behalf. So that you can make them understand what you just told me."

Slowly Shikiki nodded.

"All...all right."

"For now, though, you're probably tired too. Shouldn't you rest and recoup your strength?"

"I'm worried too much about Juu-nii." Shikiki bit her lip. "Everyone around me goes away, you see. Everyone always has - either died or left or disappeared. And I...I wanted to stop that happening to Juu-nii. I know I can't do anything else now to help him but...if I'm here, he can't disappear, can he? If I'm watching over him, he can't just vanish."

"We won't let him vanish." Genryuusai promised her, inwardly making up his mind that somehow, helpless as he was, he would see that that was the case.

_Even if I have to send Ryuujinjakka forcibly into his soul and drag the fragments of his spirit back together myself. He is too important for the future - to too many people. I will not let him die...and I think Retsu knows that as well as I do myself deep down inside. My students are like my children - and I will never abandon one of them, even when things are so serious as this._

Out loud he continued,

"And besides, things will change for you now. You saved one life, but Shikiki, the impact of that life is greater than you realise. Juushirou has a family back in District Six - seven siblings, an anxious stepmother, not to mention school friends apprehensively waiting for news. By helping him, you've saved the tears of all of those people. And in the future, when I'm sure Juushirou will be a great Shinigami - every life he touches and thing he does will be in some way thanks to you and what you did today. Giving life is the most important and valuable gift a soul can have - far greater in all respects than the ability to take life away. Your talent is precious, irreplaceable and needed. Not just for Juushirou's sake - but for the whole of Soul Society."

Before Shikiki could respond, there was a gentle knock at the door, and Genryuusai frowned, interpreting the reiatsu that flickered faintly through the wood divide.

"Enter, Nagesu-dono." He said softly. "I've been expecting your report."

The door slid back, and Genryuusai took in the Clan leader's dishevilled appearance, his messy blond hair loosed from its taming ties and his Clan robes soiled and dirtied from the fallout of his battle. He had used a lot of strength, and his face was pale, yet from the clouded look in those clever pale eyes, Genryuusai knew that he had been victorious.

"I see." He said now, nodding his head. "Then you were able to achieve your goal."

"I...do not know if I achieved it." Nagesu pursed his lips. "Certainly, I was the only one to leave the battlefield - his reiatsu is gone and I could not trace it. Even as a kinsman...but I do not believe he was killed. Not without putting up more of a fight. When he felt the Ukitake boy's life force disappear..."

He faltered, his eyes widening as he took in the sleeping Juushirou for the first time, and Genryuusai nodded.

"He is very weak, but thanks to this child's talent, the boy appears to have survived." He said evenly. "But for the time being, that is not important. What is more important is whether or not you have enough strength left to carry out a little investigation. Of all people it should be you - if you can hold on for a while more."

"Mm. I'm all right." Nagesu's gaze fell on Shikiki, curiosity replacing the preoccupation as his scientist's wits took over. "But I don't...what do you want me to do?"

"There is an abandoned, disused dungeon beneath this estate that Shikiki here knows the way to." Genryuusai patted the young girl on the shoulder. "She's agreed to show us where it is, since it seems your cousin used this place as a laboratory and hideout while in District Seven. There may be clues there..."

"I'll go at once." Nagesu nodded his head decidedly. "If the young one will come with me."

"I'm sure she will." Genryuusai smiled. "Shikiki, this man is Keitarou's cousin, Nagesu. He's an Urahara, just like Keitarou - and he'd like to see where you stayed all this time."

"You...are Kei-nii's cousin?" Shikiki asked faintly, and Nagesu nodded.

"Yes. By blood, at least." He agreed. "When I was very small, we played together - but it was a very long time ago."

Shikiki gazed at Nagesu for a moment, then she nodded.

"Your eyes are like Dai-nii's eyes." She said reflectively. "Kei-nii's too, but his were darker. But Dai-nii's eyes were just like yours. And his hair, too. And if you are Kei-nii's cousin, you must be Dai-nii's cousin too."

She smiled, holding out her hand to take Nagesu's fingers in hers.

"I'll show you." She decided. "Since you're Kei-nii's family, it will be okay."

Nagesu's expression became pained, but slowly he nodded his head.

"Then please, take me there." He agreed. "But before we go - Genryuusai-sama, what of the Endou boy? I heard the Kyouraku one was here, but...what of...?"

"Kyouki-dono and Midori-dono have moved northwards in a specific direction." Genryuusai said quietly. "I believe the boy to be with them, since neither one is equipped to know the layout of District Seven. Seimaru's reiatsu flared then vanished - I believe he was probably killed. And for a moment I detected Hirata...before they left my range of awareness. I think we will find him safe - my guess is he knows something of his father's whereabouts and has gone to locate him."

"I see." Nagesu was relieved. "Then things are going somewhat to plan after all."

"Somewhat." Genryuusai's gaze flitted back to Juushirou. "And somewhat not. But for now, we can only work with the little we have. Please go, Nagesu-dono, and see what can be found in this hidden lab. From there, perhaps, we'll begin to build a full picture of what's been happening in District Seven."

* * *

"I wish I could say it wasn't what I was expecting." As they stood outside the front entrance to the northern fortress, Kyouki let out a gusty sigh, shaking her head in resignation. "But unfortunately, they're all the same, these kinds of places. Austere and cold from the outside - doubtless winding and dark from the inside. A proper, cliche Clan castle prison...I thought the like of these had largely been torn down, but I guess not everywhere."

"I don't know how old Hokujou is. It's been here a while." Hirata nodded. "But since Grandmother sent Riku-obasama here...nobody's visited. On her orders, nobody was ever allowed. Father told me that Mibune-jisama tried it once...and Grandmother threatened to cut his head off the moment he got back if he dared. He wasn't afraid of many people, my Uncle. But he was afraid of her. So he didn't go."

"Someone Mibune was afraid of." Kyouki's lips thinned. "Having heard the stories from Tokkun of the rebellion he faced down in Eighth and his experiences with that madman, I'm beginning to think that the legends about the old woman were right. Truly the lynchpin that kept the Clan stable -without her, it all crumbled away to nothing."

"No." Hirata gazed up at the worn stone of the castle as a chill breeze whipped around them. "Grandmother ruled by fear. That's all. She had everyone afraid of her reputation, so nobody acted out before her. But they still did things in secret. And those things carried on after she died. So in the end...nothing Grandmother did really mattered. When she died, the secrets became less secret. That's all."

He rubbed his temples.

"Father would probably punish me for saying that." He acknowledged sadly. "But I don't see any other truth in that but this one. I've spent the last year and a half among Clansfolk of different types and with those who aren't Clan at all. I've learnt that my Clan is rotten from the core and that rot began before Grandmother and Grandfather had the Clan in their grasp. Riku-basama's people were murdered, after all. Generations before that were slaughtered, too. I was taught it as a boy - the proud, dominating history of the Warrior Clan of Seireitei. But in truth, we're not warriors at all. Just murderers."

He glanced at his hands.

"Even me."

"You didn't murder anyone." Midori said sharply. "And if you're going to be any use to your family now, you need to stop having such a negative outlook on what you've done today. Seimaru was not a legitimate leader of your Clan. We all know that if he resisted arrest, we would have killed him. And the fact that you did it in the end, Hirata, if you're going to agonise over it..."

"I'm not agonising at all." Hirata shook his head. "I don't feel the slightest bit sorry for it, Midori-sama."

He smiled faintly.

"That's what I'm agonising over." he added. "The fact that, when it came down to it, I reacted probably like all of them did in the past. Even if the circumstances were a little different - I killed him and walked on. I never knew I could do that. But I could. And I did. And here we are."

"Some things are necessary. Even death." Kyouki said quietly. "Midori knows this first hand, and now so do you. For the benefit of the many, Hirata, sometimes a single individual life must be taken away. It may not be morally right, and there are probably those idealists who will fight against it. But you've seen the reality for yourself. You knew Seimaru had to be stopped. You stopped him. You've no reason to feel guilt for stopping a tyrant who was searing through your land and causing incalculable suffering to those subjects he was sworn to protect."

"It's a Clan leader's job to put to death those who betray their Clan." Midori added simply. "I don't feel guilt for Aitori's death, and you mustn't for Seimaru's, either. The Shihouin have moved on. Now the Endou must, too."

"Yes." Hirata sighed, a dull ache beginning to spread across his skull as he digested their words. "I suppose I know those things, too."

"So the next step is getting inside this place." Midori looked thoughtful. "It seems quite fortified, at least from the outside. Whether Riku-hime is a prisoner or is active inside, I imagine the reception might be hostile. I don't know how many guards are stationed here, Hirata, but I don't see any sign of your noble kinsfolk."

"Me either, nor sense their reiatsu." Hirata shook his head. "But I'm sure they came here. It's what they told me, after all - and I believed what they said."

"Well, there are horse tracks before ours, and recent ones." Midori swung herself nimbly down from her mount, bending to touch the snow-spattered ground as she did so. "Definitely today's, since they've not had a chance to freeze or be filled over by snow. I'd say two horses - so I imagine that you're right, Hirata. They did come here, and so we should be able to find them too."

"You Shihouin notice everything, don't you?" Kyouki dismounted her own horse, casting the Shihouin princess a rueful grin. "Come on, Hirata - can you get down on your own or do you need a hand?"

"I'll manage." Hirata scrambled down from the back of his own mare, patting her absently on the neck as she let out a faint protest at his clumsy descent. "I'm not the best with horses, but I can at least get off them without too many problems."

"A few more inches over and you'd have fallen." Midori told him dryly. "Don't take stupid risks. You don't have your glasses - your judgement of distances is bound to be impaired."

"We'll leave the horses here." Kyouki was already tethering her mount to the nearby branch of a very dead looking tree. "This place is ugly and unpleasant, but I don't think there's any reason why we should suspect high spiritual defences on the outside. We should be able to shunpo past the barricades and into the main courtyard - Midori, can I trust you to take care of the whelp? My spirit power is recovering, but I'd rather not blow it all out at once."

"With pleasure." Before Hirata knew what was going on, Midori had grabbed him firmly by the arms, and the world spun around him as they slipped into shunpo, dropping down onto the hard cobbles of the inner courtyard. "Shunpo is something of a speciality of mine - we Shihouin pride ourselves on how far and fast we can move without being detected."

"I think that's about to be challenged." Kyouki set down neatly opposite, dusting stray snowflakes from her clothing as she glanced around her. "I can sense people...coming this way. Minnows, I think - but a few of them and probably armed."

"Well, that means we've found the guards, I suppose." Midori sighed, and Hirata turned to look in the direction Kyouki indicated, seeing a huddle of brown and red clad retainers hurrying across the cold cobbles towards them. Several had their hands on their swords, and one or two were already waving katana in a menacing way as they approached.

"Who are you and why are you breaking into Hokujou!" The lead guardsman demanded, and Hirata took a deep breath, stepping forward.

"Endou Hirata." He said clearly. "On the errand of visiting my Lady Aunt, Riku-hime."

At the sound of his name, the guards faltered, several exchanging apprehensive looks. Faintly Hirata heard whispers from a few of the furthermost men, and then the lead guardsman bit his lip.

"We have no notification of this visit from the head of the Endou-ke, Seimaru-sama." He said frankly, and Hirata shook his head.

"You will receive none." He said briskly. "Seimaru is dead. I have therefore come to retrieve from Hokujou the next Head of the Endou Clan - my father Misashi-sama."

"Dead?!" The guards reeled back, then, "Wait...Misashi-sama? Misashi-sama...?"

"The Council of Elders have reason to believe Lord Misashi is being held a prisoner here." Kyouki took a hand now. "I - Shiba Kyouki - and my companion, Shihouin Midori are its representatives and Gotei shinigami, here to acknowledge the passing of Endou Seimaru and locate the whereabouts of the new Clan Leader. Is this a matter of which you have knowledge?"

As she flashed her Shiba pendant, the guard bowed his head towards her.

"I'm sorry, Shiba-sama. We guards are stationed outside Hokujou and we have no knowledge of what goes on within." He said apologetically, raising his head to eye her doubtfully. "If we had...if we had known that it was Hirata-sama...that something had befallen...but we have only the orders that this castle should be protected from outside invasion at all cost."

"Did you see Raiden-dono and Jinkei-dono?" Hirata asked, and the guard shook his head.

"There are two or three shifts of us though, sir." He added helpfully. "I have just begun mine - perhaps one of my comrades would know more."

"Then take us to them, please." Midori said softly. "We would like to know, after all, what became of those two men."

"Yes, ma'am." The guard saluted, signalling to his companions who followed suit.

"Keep patrolling here." he ordered. "I will take our noble guests to the barracks, but you must hold this place firm. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers chorused, and once they were out of earshot the guard nodded, turning back to the Clansfolk.

"Seimaru-sama did not welcome the Council's interference." he said quietly. "But I am not a man of District Seven by birth. And I have only my military orders. If someone supercedes them, I will not stand in their way."

"Not born in...?" Hirata blinked, and the man smiled.

"I was born in District Eight." He responded. "But like a few of my fellows, I defected and fled here when civil war against Tokutarou-sama broke out across the border. We had high principles, you see, but I had a wife and babe to feed - so this was my only choice. Yayoi-sama gave me my orders to patrol this place and I have done so ever since - the North is cold and bleak but it pays well enough to raise my family without problem."

"Another of Kibana's regiment." Hirata whispered, and the man looked surprised.

"Kibana...Hiroto?" He asked, and Hirata nodded.

"A manservant of my Father, Misashi-sama." He agreed, and the guard smiled.

"Then I understand why your Lord Father has kept his life so long as he has, having heard any number of whispers of plots over the years." He said wisely. "A fearsome soldier, Kibana. And loyal, too. I did not realise he had also come to District Seven - but I am glad that not all of my comrades died."

He gestured towards the barracks.

"Because of my bloodline and roots, I am not told secure information about the prisoners here." He added regretfully. "I am not trusted. My comrades may be more so, though if so, they have been sworn to secrecy and have never told me anything, either. I do not know if Misashi-sama is here, nor have I seen any come here today but you. However, that doesn't mean those things are not true. And if you truly are Endou Hirata-sama - and you must be, if you are in the company of the Council of Elders - then I will do what I can to assist you."

"Thank you." Hirata managed a smile. "I appreciate it."

"Riku-hime is still a prisoner here, I think?" Kyouki asked, and the guard nodded.

"So far as I know." He agreed. "But again, I've never been allowed inside the house. And I have no contact with those who work the halls inside...so I couldn't tell you for sure."

"I think she's here." Hirata turned to stare at the building, a fleeting wisp of something brushing against his senses. He closed his eyes, trying to make it out, but all he could feel was the cold wind on his cheeks and the shrieking sound that it made as it blew past his ears towards the trees below.

"Can you sense her?" Midori asked, and Hirata shrugged.

"I don't know." He admitted. "I've never met my aunt, so I don't know her reiatsu. There are people here, but..."

"It would make sense for her to be here. It's the safest place to operate from." Midori said wisely. "If she's meant to be a prisoner here, then nobody would question her being here - even if she's no longer as imprisoned as we think she is. We should be careful, Hirata...we don't know what kind of a person she might be."

"Twisted and strange, judging by her son." Kyouki said darkly, and Hirata shrugged.

"She never really met him either, so who knows?" He murmured. "It's not a very affectionate family, so anything is possible."

"Anything has already happened enough for one day, so let's stick to one thing at a time." Kyouki suggested. "Come on. The guard's leading us this way - and if it was a trap, he and his comrades would be cut down in an instant, so I think it's fine to...Hirata?"

For Hirata had paused, staring up at the building once more.

Had he just seen a shape move past that window, or had it been the delusion of his blurred vision against the winter weather?

"Hirata, are you listening?" Midori frowned, but Hirata was not paying attention. He took a step or two towards the building, then paused.

Something was calling him inside.

Briefly he thought he saw the silhouette of a bird patterned briefly on the snow white ground, then, the next moment it was gone.

Had he imagined it? Or...?

He frowned, remembering his father's words clearly from his childhood.

"All Endou-ke who wield swords are blessed with a bird of prey as their guardian spirit. Your Grandmother's is an eagle, your Grandfather's a gyrfalcon. And one day, you will also know yours."

"But what of yours, Papa?" The young Hirata had asked, and Misashi had frowned, touching his son gently on the shoulder.

"I have never trained to hold a sword." he said, the regret in his voice resounding even more vividly in Hirata's heart now than it ever had before. "But I have dreamed once or twice about an owl, flitting through a moonlit sky. Perhaps...that is the bird that guides me, although I doubt I will ever hear it speak."

_Was that Otousama's owl, then, patterned on the ground outside the forbidding castle?_

Before Hirata knew what he was doing, his legs were moving, and he was running towards the main door of the estate. He could hear Kyouki and Midori calling him back, but something was driving him and he could not stop, suddenly gaining a second wind as he felt certain that in that brief instant he had seen proof of Misashi's presence at the castle. Even though all he had seen had been the unmistakeable shadow of spread wings, he felt sure...

_  
For ladies of the Endou-ke don't carry _zanpakutou_, other than Grandmother. And there's nobody else to whom a bird could belong. Nobody except...the true leader of the Endou-ke._

Hirata's heart leapt in his throat, as something surged around him, and his surroundings blurred and changed, the frozen skyline replaced by dull wood panels and heavy fabric drapes as he found himself somehow inside the castle itself.

He drew breath sharply, putting a hand to his chest as the world swayed around him.

Had he just...used shunpo?

He closed his eyes, his heart beating fit to burst in his young chest as adrenalin rushed through his body.

Hadn't Shunsui said that his shunpo worked best when Juushirou was in trouble? Had he, then, discovered the same? In the heat of the moment, following his instincts...had he really used shunpo...in order to find his father?

"Stop right there."

At the sound of a fresh voice, Hirata froze, turning slowly to stare at the figure that had just emerged from the top of the long, claustrophobic hallway. Through his fuzzy vision he could make out the form of a woman, taller than he was and slender, and two further indistinguishable shapes behind her he realised were more soldiers, their spirit power weak and insubstantial enough for him to be uncertain of their true skills. There was, however, no mistaking the woman's potential. Though he could not clearly see her face, Hirata could feel the waves of challenging, defiant reiatsu pouring forth from the newcomer's body, and his heart clenched for a moment in apprehension.

"Riku-sama." He murmured.

* * *

_**  
Author's Note: O.o.**_

_Birds in the snow. Mysterious...o.o. This was a very Hirata chapter...I like to think of this as being towards the end of his character's evolution. But boy, has he come a long way since that first scene in Second Manuscript when Enishi and Juu found him crying in the Dorm!! _

_And Shikiki's descendant? Of course...as some of you have correctly guessed, she's the ancestor of Ushouda Hachigen xD._

Finally...two apologies are due. Firstly, there was no chapter on Tuesday because Tuesday was my 28th birthday (T_T I'm getting old) and I was in London then swamped with stuff the rest of the week. So that's why there was no update. I haven't died. Gomen nasai. Good thing it wasn't a bad cliffhanger, ne?

Secondly - for the above listed reason, some people I didn't get to reply to reviews for. Again, to those people, gomen nasai. I read and appreciate every review I get, but this week has just been manic and this is the first chance I've had to post here! Forgive me? 


	62. Endou Inheritance

**Chapter Sixty One: Endou Inheritance**

At the sound of her name, the woman let out a chuckle.

"So you know who I am, then, whelp?" She demanded, disdain in her tones as she strode forward, her long robes creating a shuffling sound against the hard stone floor beneath her feet. "You've come far, I'll give you that much. But if you think a boy like you is going to break down Hokujou's mighty fortress, you should think again. I've lived here for a long time…and I have no intention of letting worms invade it at this late stage."

So his suspicions had been right.

Hirata's brows knitted together as he processed this information. Riku was no longer a prisoner – she was held here in name only, but in truth she was more in charge of the fortress than she was confined by it, and Hirata greatly suspected that this had been at least in part Seimaru's work.

_Perhaps in return for lying about Urahara Keitarou and adopting him into her branch of the Clan. Maybe that was the trade off. To give over Hokujou to her and allow her to surreptitiously grab power in the North._

But then, he remembered, Seimaru was dead. And that meant…

He stiffened, standing up straighter as he faced her head on. Defiance glittered in his unfocused blue eyes, though he hoped that she could not see the uncertainty and fear that coursed through him, making his palms slick with sweat against the fabric of his peasant clothes.

"Yes." He said quietly. "I know who you are, Riku-sama. Riku…_obasama_. I know very well."

"_Obasama_?" There was incredulity in the woman's voice, and her shuffling movements stopped as though from that distance she was trying to size up his appearance. "Then…do you mean to say, dressed in those ragged clothes and in such a pitiful, feeble state…that you are my nephew, Hirata? That you…are the son of that idealistic fool Misashi?"

Hirata bowed his head curtly towards her, though inwardly his heart was still racing both from fear and from his sudden, unexpected shunpo. Riku had not been trained as a warrior, and he was sure that she had never studied demon arts, either…so in that respect, he was above her. But he was not foolish enough to believe her helpless. This was the woman who had tried to organise the assassination of his Grandmother. The woman who had birthed Seimaru. The woman who had cloaked Urahara Keitarou in the security of her Clan name so that he could go about his business…the woman who had married and manipulated Mibune and had taken hold of a castle that was meant to be her prison. This was his aunt, Riku, and he would not underestimate her, not even for a moment.

"I can't believe it." Riku's voice was soft and faintly mocking, and she stepped more slowly towards him, raising her hand to indicate to the guardsmen behind her to hold their ground. "This pitiful, insignificant little boy is the Hirata I've heard of? The one who is said to possess the skill and potential to outstrip my son? I don't believe it. It's not possible. You can't be…"

She faltered, then a low chuckle of amusement escaped her throat.

"But I see it." She whispered. "Misashi's countenance…your appearance…I see it all too clearly. You are not lying to me, are you, boy? You truly are my nephew Hirata – the one that people believe could be a match for Seimaru one day."

She snorted.

"Impossible lies." She added derisively. "Why have you come here? So I can kill you, and deliver your body back to the main house? You aren't even worth time fighting – and for this reason, Seimaru hesitated in dealing with Misashi? Incomprehensible."

Hirata's eyes narrowed.

Did that mean, then, that Misashi _was_ at Hokujou after all?

Out loud he said,

"I have come seeking Raiden-dono and Jinkei-dono. I believe they rode this way earlier this morning."

"Those two fat old fools." Riku snorted. "Yes. A nice distraction they gave me, too, turning up in pomp and splendour and demanding I hand over to them the prodigal prince Misashi."

"Did you kill them?" Hirata demanded sharply, and Riku shook her head.

"They're simply cooling their heels in one of the cells below." She said sweetly. "Execution of a noble is an order given by the Clan leader, after all. I wouldn't dream of disobeying or overruling that right."

"Then I'll have you take me to them, please." Hirata said firmly, and although he could not clearly see her face, somehow he knew that disbelief had crossed her features. He clasped his hands together to stop them shaking – though he wanted to believe it was from cold, he knew that it was really fear and apprehension that was overtaking his body bit by bit. He was frightened of Riku – of her reputation and of her presence, and every instinct was telling him to turn tail and flee for safety or the protection of his two Council guardians. And as he realised this, he felt once more ashamed.

_I'm always scared. Always hiding. But no more. I can't hide. Not any more. This time I'm standing my ground. This isn't a fight for Midori-sama or Kyouki-sama to take on. This isn't something they should put their lives in danger over. I've come so far as this and I'm not backing down now. I'm still alive as it stands, even though I easily might not have been. So if I'm alive now, I'll use that fact. I've come to find Father, and I won't stop until I do. If that was his bird I saw outside, I won't leave here until I find him. _

"_You_…are giving _me_ instructions?" Riku demanded now. "Know your place, boy!"

"I _know_ my place." Hirata shook his head. "I've tried to – wanted to – escape it for a long time. I still do. If I had a choice, I wouldn't be here…and that's the truth. But I know what my duties are all the same. And because of that, I would like you to take me to Jinkei and Raiden, please. I didn't come here to harm you – I don't want more blood spilled than is necessary. But I want to know they are safe. And then I want to know where my father is being held, too."

"Harm me?" Riku let out a derisive chuckle. "A weed like you…? Believe me, boy, that is the last thing on my mind. You're almost not worth killing – you're shaking like a leaf and white as a ghost. I feel like if I even touched you you might shatter – why would I think you could cause me harm?"

"I would like you to answer my question, please, Obasama." Hirata met her gaze as calmly as he could, inwardly glad that his bad vision prevented him from seeing the mocking expression on her face. "And I would prefer you do it now, so as you don't cause more trouble for yourself and other people. You are after all still technically a prisoner of Seventh District and as such, you should consider your decisions and their consequences very carefully."

"You are very arrogant, considering your feeble form." Riku said disdainfully. "But even a grandson of Shouichi doesn't have the right to command a _hime_ of my bloodline. I had no loyalty towards that old man, and I despise the fool that is your Father. You should simply count yourself lucky that Seimaru hasn't ordered me to kill you on sight – because otherwise, you would be dead in a heartbeat."

_She used the present tense._

Hirata's heart leapt as he processed the woman's careless reference to his missing father.

_If that's the case…if he is here…then that means, surely, he's still alive. And if so, I can find him. I can find him…I can bring my family back home safely after all._

Out loud he said,

"That order will never come."

"You shouldn't be so sure about that." Riku was right up close to him now, reaching out a long, elegant index finger to touch his ash-smudged cheek. "Just because he takes pleasure in the idea of killing you himself – in the end, a corpse is a corpse and a dead man can do nothing at all."

"That's why I say the order won't come." Hirata reached up to push her arm away, his hopes for his father's safety giving him a new sense of purpose and resolve. "Seimaru won't be giving you or anyone any orders any more, Riku-sama. He can't. He's no longer head of this Clan. He's dead."

Riku froze, tension enveloping her whole body for the briefest of instants. Then she laughed, shaking her head.

"You expect me to believe that? Such a ruse…from such a boy…to make me give up my fight?"

"No. I don't expect you to believe me." Hirata stood his ground. "But you should be able to see it for yourself. The ash on my cheek that you just touched – where do you suppose that ash came from? You birthed Seimaru. Even if you are strangers, surely as a mother, you more than any should know his reiatsu. Surely you know that…that this is Yojinmozu's ash that stains my clothing and marks my face?"

"I…" For the first time, Riku faltered, and Hirata pushed his advantage home.

"Would I be alive now, if I had faced Seimaru and he had won?" He asked softly. "Do you think it likely that he would have let me walk so easily and so uninjured from the field of battle if I had not managed to best him and come here of my own free will? Your son is dead, Riku-sama. The Clan looks to me now. To me and to my father, Misashi-sama."

"Impossible." Riku's words were barely more than a whisper now, and from the distress in her tones, Hirata knew that she believed him. "A boy like you…a man like my son…impossible. How could…how…I don't…"

"Your son was greedy. He sought to take too much and ended up with nothing at all." Hirata said softly. "I'm sorry, Riku-sama. Even though he was a stranger to you – I still robbed you of your son, and for that I apologise. Even though he would have robbed my mother of me, I still…"

"Are you mocking me?" Now anger spiked through Riku's aura, and Hirata only just dodged back in time to escape being hit across the cheek by a wildly flung left hand. "Are you trying to gloat in your victory, you worm of a boy? How dare you come here…how dare you show your face to me! I'll kill you. _I'll kill you_!"

There was a stifled sob in her last exclamation, her reiatsu flaring and scattering in confused waves as pent up emotion flooded through her body. Hirata took a second step back, raising his hands to defend himself from her irrational, desperate lunge.

"_Bakudou no Yon. Hainawa_." He murmured, and tendrils of amber energy shot out from the tips of his fingers, snaking around Riku's exposed wrists and pulling her hands together as they fastened into a holding knot of kidou fibres. Riku let out a yell, but Hirata's spell held fast, and he sighed, rubbing his temples as he felt suddenly exhausted.

It had already been a long day, and yet this was still only the beginning.

"Stop him!" Riku shrieked, and the guards that had waited at the far end of the corridor now drove forward, weapons raised as they made a bee-line for Hirata's slim form. Hirata tensed, aware that he could make out their movements less clearly than he had his aunt's, and his only guidance was the sweep of a weapon through the air…

His eyes widened as he understood the deeper significance of this.

_Without my glasses, I can't see. Yet I can sense people's reiatsu, and now…by following the movement of air around them…I can work out where they intend to strike. In a narrow corridor like this one I can feel it even more keenly. The exact shift of the current between the far window and where I am…it's as though it's drawing a line around them, so even though I can't…_

"_Bakudou no Ichi! Shou!_" He exclaimed, firing a blast of compressed kidou energy towards the nearest guard and he saw the man's hazy outline stumble, pushed back by the unexpected wall of spirit power that had gone his way. They were, after all, normal fighters, unprepared for dealing with demon magic – and as the first guard fell heavily onto the stone floor, the second faltered, eying Hirata uncertainly.

"I want to know where my father is." Hirata said clearly. "I don't want to hurt anyone here. I have only come to find Misashi-sama – who by Seimaru's death is the true head of the Endou Clan."

A deathly hush greeted his words, punctuated only by the sobs of the fallen Riku, and Hirata felt the fight and resolve slowly seeping out of her as she struggled in vain against his kidou restraint.

"Hirata!" Midori's voice came from behind him at that point and he turned, offering her a relieved smile.

"Midori-sama." He murmured, and Midori let out an exclamation, her gaze flitting to Riku and then the fallen guard.

"Hirata, what have you…on your own, what were you…"

"Sorting my family out." Hirata said gravely.

"But by yourself?" Midori's fingers rested against his arm, and Hirata nodded.

"I don't want anyone else hurt because I'm a coward and I'm weak." He said quietly. "The _bakudou_ I used probably won't last very long, either – but I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to…"

He faltered, dropping his gaze and putting a hand up against the wall of the hallway as the world seemed to grow even more hazy.

"I'm tired." He admitted. "And cold. But we're not done yet, are we?"

"No." Midori's voice was grave. "That woman's your aunt, I presume? The Lady Riku – Seimaru's mother?"

Hirata nodded, biting his lip as he read the waves of anguish that now dominated Riku's broken reiatsu. All too easily he understood…that from her cell and throughout her captivity, Seimaru had been the thing that had kept Riku strong. Far from their bond growing weaker by the forced divide, Riku had put her entire heart and soul into her hopes for her only son, continuing to love him with a level of resolve and obstinacy that maternal instinct had kept burning deep inside of her. Now, in an instant, he had gone, and it was as though that fire had been doused with ice – Riku's fight had faded and all that remained was a grief-stricken mother weeping for her slain child.

"I took her son away from her, and now they will never meet." He said sadly, as for the first time a twinge of guilt touched his heart. "I hated Seimaru, Midori-sama. I don't regret what I did or what happened. But I…I regret making Riku-obasama hurt like that. Because…I suppose…he was still loved by someone. And…and no matter who is killed, someone would cry."

"For an Endou, you're still a little soft-hearted." Midori told him evenly. "You don't have time to worry about mercy for Seimaru's mother now…you have other things to do. If your _Hainawa_ won't hold out, let me use a spell that will – but lingering here is a waste of time. Killing her would be more effective – and quicker into the bargain."

Hirata pursed his lips, then,

"I don't want anyone to hurt her." He said quietly. "Seimaru used his connection to her and her loyalty to him, that's all. Riku-obasama's crime was against my Grandmother, and my crime against Riku-obasama is greater. If I leave her in your custody, Midori-sama…I don't want any harm to come to her."

"I understand." Midori nodded her head, letting out a heavy sigh. "But you realise, Hirata, that far more than with men, a woman's grudge is hard to break. She won't ever forgive you – if you leave her alive, she'll hate you until the day she draws her last breath. Probably she has already conspired against you here – and most likely she will plot and scheme and try to bring you down – are you all right, knowing that?"

"I'm prepared for her to hate me." Hirata nodded. "But my mind's made up. Even if she has been acting here on Seimaru's behalf – I don't intend on killing anyone else today. I was only trained to take down Seimaru. That was all Father asked of me. He didn't ask me to cause a massacre of kinsfolk."

His gaze flitted to where he could make out the huddled, broken form of the Endou princess.

"Please, Midori-sama." He added. "Seimaru committed crimes…Grandmother already punished Riku-sama for hers. I don't intend on punishing her for loving her son – and Father won't, either, I'm sure. This is Hokujou…this is where she'll remain. That…that's my decision. In my Father's absence…as…as acting leader of the Endou Clan."

Midori paused for a moment, then Hirata made out her bowing low towards him.

"I understand, Hirata-sama." She said gravely. "I will do as you instruct me. And also, one other thing. With the help of that District Eight guardsman, Kyouki-sama has found some sorry souls in the cells at the bottom of this place. A guard or two at the barracks have confessed to locking them in there – I believe they're your missing Raiden and Jinkei. Either way, there seems to be another, more firmly fastened cell beyond theirs. It's possible…that your father is inside. Though if he is…I cannot sense his reiatsu."

"Then I'll go there." Hirata made up his mind. "I can sense where she is, even if I can't sense him."

He inclined his head towards Midori, then took to his heels, hurrying along the corridor that Riku had done her best to barricade. The guards that she had ordered to attack him made no attempt to stop him, one of them even bowing his head low as the young boy hurried past. Hirata paid them no heed, however – his mind once more focused on the objective of their visit.

_Being separated from loved ones is painful. What Riku-obasama feels right now is something worse than any punishment the family could devise – even if Midori-sama is right, I can't order anyone to kill her. Eiraki-chan tried to kill me, after all, but in the end that wasn't her fault. Seimaru was the evil one. Seimaru was the rotten core of all of this. Riku-obasama never knew her son. She never knew that he was evil – so she can't understand why I killed him or what my feelings are. So if she hates me, its understandable. She can hate me, if it helps. Even if she remains here, at Hokujou – even if she's once more a prisoner of the Clan. Even if she causes trouble in the long run – I can't blame her. So we'll just have to deal with that if and when it happens – after all, all crimes have a retribution price, sooner or later. Even mine today._

"Hirata!"

As he pulled back the heavy door that led to the underground dungeons that still flanked Hokujou's cellars, he heard Kyouki's voice, and he raised his hand to acknowledge her even as he sensed her coming towards him. It was almost pitch black, yet he was able to discern her movements once more through the sharp draughts of air that seeped in through badly formed cell blocks and loose window latches, and it was no surprise when a pair of hands clamped themselves down on his shoulders, giving him a short, sharp shake.

"Kyouki-sama…"

"Midori found you then. What were you doing, you stupid boy, running off like that?" Kyouki demanded, and Hirata shrugged, offering her a faint, humourless smile.

"I found my Aunt." He replied evenly. "And now Midori-sama has her."

"I see." Kyouki paused, and Hirata could tell she was assessing his countenance. Then she sighed, nodding her head.

"Very well." Was all she said, however. "Follow me."

She grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him further down the long dank passageway until they reached a second large wooden door. This one had been blasted open at the lock with enough force to leave it half hanging off its hinges, and as Hirata ran his fingers over the splintering wood, Kyouki laughed ruefully.

"I didn't have a key." She said unrepentantly, flexing and un-flexing her fingers. "And it seems the long ride has helped my spirit power recover a little. It was almost cathartic, blowing a hole in ancient Endou wood."

"Kyouki-sama." Despite himself Hirata smiled, and Kyouki patted him firmly on the back.

"Come speak to the two idiots." She suggested. "I haven't blown a hole in their door too – but if necessary…"

"Mm." Hirata nodded, letting the head of the Shiba Clan guide him through the blackness to an end cell. With a screech and groan of scraping wood and metal, Kyouki pulled open the small slat in the chamber door. There was an exclamation from within, and as Hirata pulled himself up to peer in as best he could, he heard someone speak his name.

"Hirata-sama!"

"Raiden-dono." Hirata's heart surged with faint relief. "Why are you imprisoned here? Surely you came to find my Father?"

"Yes, sir, and we did." Raiden's fuzzy silhouette shifted slightly and Hirata realised the man had bowed to him, despite the cramped and uncomfortable provision of the little cell. "But we were ambushed by the Lady Riku and a group of traitorous soldiers acting in her name!"

"Are you hurt?"

"No, sir, and glad to see you likewise." That was Jinkei, though Hirata knew in the gloom they could see no more of him than just his eyes and nose.

"You said you found my Father?"

"Some men said he was in a cell beyond this one, but we do not have a key nor could find a way in. As we were attempting it…"

"They were ambushed." Kyouki snorted from her position behind Hirata. "Like the noble, alert Endou soldiers they are, no doubt."

"Kyouki-sama, is it possible to open this door using Kidou?" Hirata asked, and Kyouki sighed.

"Probably, if I can muster another blast like the last. I'm still running on a lowish power supply." She said evenly. "But the door to the other cell, that's a different matter. If you can call it a door – it seems to have been sealed on all sides. And more, it's crafted from _Sekkiseki._ I imagine the cell itself is the same inside – and that's why we haven't felt Misashi-dono's reiatsu."

"_Sekkiseki_." Hirata murmured, and Kyouki nodded.

"You know what that is?"

"Very vaguely." Hirata said bleakly. "I know that it's something used in prisons and dungeons so I'm not really interested in knowing more."

He dropped himself down onto the ground again, then,

"I'm sorry, Kyouki-sama, but I'd like to get them out. If I…"

"You could always try using a key, Kyouki-sama."

Midori's voice cut through the conversation, making Hirata jump, and the Shihouin princess laughed, holding up her hand to allow something to glitter in the dim light.

"One of the guards with Riku-hime had these." She said blithely. "I suggested it would be better if they gave them to me and they agreed."

"Did they survive the interrogation?" Kyouki asked, and Midori nodded.

"Like I said, they agreed." She responded lightly. "Riku-hime didn't want me to have them, but I overruled her and now she's sleeping in her room. She won't trouble us any longer – the key to that door is also on this ring."

She tossed them up in the air, catching them in her other hand.

"Well? Let's see which one fits the lock, shall we?"

"You didn't hurt my aunt?" Hirata asked anxiously, and Midori shook her head, coming to slide the keys one by one into the rusting hole in the door.

"Just a gentle anaesthetic." She responded evenly. "Shihouin always carry a variety of things with them, and this one will knock her out for a few hours. She was quite hysterical, anyhow – probably it will calm her down, at least until someone can talk to her properly about what's gone on here."

"And about Urahara Keitarou." Hirata murmured. "Since he was masquerading as her kinsman to gain Eiraki-chan's trust."

"This is a tangled web." Kyouki said grimly. "I think it might take some time to unravel all the strands."

"Well, for now we can only do what we can do." Midori turned the fourth key and it clicked, the door creaking open. "But that's one thing down at the very least. Raiden-dono, Jinkei-dono, you're free to go – a fact I'm sure you're glad of, given that this cell is barely big enough for one person and, if I may say so, it's a style of accommodation that doesn't suit either of you."

"Midori-sama." Jinkei edged his way out of the cell, bowing his head hurriedly before being followed by his companion. "We are Hirata-sama's allies – you aren't here to take us before the Council?"

"No. We're not here for that." Midori sounded faintly amused at the deference in his tones. "We came on the same errand you did. To find and set free Misashi-dono – and acknowledge him as the Head of the Endou Clan."

"May I see the keys, please, Midori-sama?" Hirata asked softly, and Midori turned in surprise, nodding her head as she held them out.

"Yes, but I imagine with your eyes you can't make out the difference between them." She responded. "One of them is undoubtedly the key to the sealed cell – but it's been sealed, and it's formed from _Sekkiseki. Sekkiseki _rejects spiritual magic and kidou would be useless against it. So would _zanpakutou_ be…getting in there isn't going to be so easy."

"We only found the door by accident." Raiden dusted his rumpled clothing down, casting Hirata a hesitant glance. "Yet we are sure that's what it is, Hirata-sama. Both Jinkei and I recall quite well that there was one further cell along this hall in times past – even though it was a time before Riku-sama's incarceration in this place. Back when it was still a functional centre of power – both Jinkei and I remember it, and so…"

"It's a logical deduction." Kyouki agreed. "That if there was one more cell down here, and the rest of the structure hasn't changed, there must still be that cell behind the sealed in door. But if it's a _Sekkiseki_ cell, I'm not sure how to break into it."

Hirata ran his fingers along the wall, feeling the unfamiliar, unfriendly prickle of the harsh stone as he did so.

"Father." He murmured, then, "They didn't intend him to get out, did they? Whether they fed him or not, gave him water or not…the idea was to leave him here and forget about him bit by bit in a place nobody could find. That's what Seimaru wanted for my Father. To kill him yet without me knowing that he was dead. With no body, nobody would ever be able to prove it – he was buying time by keeping Father a prisoner in this place."

"Probably that's so." Midori agreed, tapping her finger against the door's keyhole. "This is where the key goes, but…even if I turn it…"

"_Sekkiseki _creates a barrier around everything it shields." Kyouki said thoughtfully. "In this confined space, that barrier is restricted – in fact, I'm surprised that we can even stand here like this, given the effect that stone is known to have. The barrier should block us from walking down this hall – yet it doesn't."

"Meaning?" Midori looked startled.

"That the _Sekkiseki_ isn't evenly distributed enough to form a stable barrier." Kyouki's eyes narrowed. "And if that's not stable, then if you make it even more unstable…"

"Kyouki-sama! My father might be in there!" Hirata exclaimed, anxiety flaring in his heart, and Kyouki nodded.

"This is dangerous." She agreed cheerfully. "So I want you to take the boy, Midori, and these two gentleman and wait some way down the corridor. If the worst happens, you see, this whole area might be a sea of rubble – and I don't want to compromise the Endou-ke by killing their surviving heir to save one who may already be dead."

"But…Kyouki-sama…" Raiden faltered, and Kyouki grinned.

"The Shiba-ke are not just known for being great Shinigami." She said glibly, sliding her fingers beneath the fabric of her obi and producing a handful of small objects that Hirata could not make out in the poor light. "District Five's native industry – what we're really famous for – is fireworks. And like the Shihouin always bring the tools of the assassin when they travel, well, we always bring our own party tricks, just in case there's a need for them."

"You're really not kidding, are you? You're going to blow this corridor sky high?!" Midori's eyes almost fell out of her head, and Kyouki laughed.

"Something like it." She agreed casually. "This is underground, but it isn't underneath the main house itself. You can tell that we're too far across here - the castle itself only goes about as far as the main entrance, so if I bring the ceiling down, it will only be trees and earth that fall in on us, not the whole estate. The fireworks are not kidou, so they won't be rejected. And I've never done this before, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. So do as I said, Midori - and put a barrier up, if need be, to protect yourselves from the fallout. Don't worry about me - I won't take any harm from a few small explosives."

"She's quite mad after all." Hirata heard Midori mutter under her breath, but nevertheless the Shihouin princess took Hirata by the arm, indicating for Raiden and Jinkei to follow her to where the hallway widened and where four supporting pillars stood, holding up the floor above.

"Structurally this is probably more stable than down where Kyouki-sama is." She explained with a sigh, spreading her fingers as she did so to create a transparent barrier of spirit matter around them. "And fortunately I know the spell for Kyoumon quite well, so we should be fine here. Falling rock and stone shouldn't break through my kidou - unless the entire inside of the cell is also _Sekkiseki_, in which case, be prepared to duck."

"Here we goooo!"

Kyouki's shout prevented anyone from answering, and the next moment came a tremendous bang and flash of colour as a huge tremor rocketed through the hallway. It was as though an earthquake had ripped through one side of Hokujou to the other and instinctively Hirata screwed his eyes shut, fear flooding through him as he heard the rumbling of stone and debris around him. Despite Kyouki's casual description of what she was going to do, it felt as though the whole of the castle was about to tumble down around them, and it seemed forever before the noise and shaking quieted.

"Hirata, open your eyes." Midori's hand on his shoulder told him it was over, and he did so, blinking as he tried to work out what was what in the haze of dust and clutter that now surrounded them. At the far end of the hallway, where Kyouki had been, there was now a gaping hole in the ceiling, and dim light filtered through it, flakes of snow slipping through the cracks and crevasses to land for the first time on the dusty stone of the dungeon floor. Kyouki herself was nowhere to be seen, and for a moment Hirata thought that she had been caught up in her own explosion. Then he heard an exclamation, and saw Midori take a hurried step or two forward as something emerged from the cloud of debris, coughing and choking yet triumphant.

"Kyouki-sama!" Midori exclaimed, then, "_M...M...Misashi-sama?_"

_"Father?_" Hirata's heart skipped a beat and he stumbled forward, grasping at Midori's arm desperately. "Midori-sama, I can't see...I can't see them. Please...tell me. Is it really...Father?"

"He's in a poor shape. Out cold." It was Kyouki who answered him from somewhere in the foggy darkness, and the shape bent, lowering something else down gently onto the ground. "Probably being surrounded by _Sekkiseki _has drained his strength, and I doubt he's had a square meal for a while, either. But he hasn't been completely starved. There are scraps of food and animal bone inside the cell - so I guess Seimaru didn't want to kill him just yet. Either that or someone else was feeding him behind Seimaru's back."

"Father." Hirata took a hesitant few steps, sinking down on the ground beside the still, dusty form. Gently he touched the other's throat, feeling the gentle beat of his father's pulse, and tears began to roll silently down his own cheeks.

_Father is alive. I wasn't too late. We weren't too late. Father is alive. And...and now...maybe...things will start to be all right._

"Hey, buck up, kid." A dust-monster loomed from the shadow, but Hirata did not flinch away from it as he felt the warmth in Kyouki's voice. "He's alive. Weak, but he's not dead. He'll be fine as soon as we get him back to the main estate and get Retsu-sama to look him over. So don't start hysterics of your own, all right? You've been an adult up to now - don't ruin it by being a kid at the end."

"Kyouki-sama." Midori chided. "Hirata _is_ still a child. And for him...what he's been through today...it's probably better he can cry now than fret about it later."

She got to her feet.

"I'm going to collar a messenger and send him to the main estate." She added. "Maybe that District Eight guardsman, since he seems vaguely honest. So I suggest you find a way to get Misashi-sama upstairs so that he can rest more comfortably until appropriate transport can get here to ferry him home. He won't ride a horse in this condition."

"Next on my agenda." Kyouki agreed playfully. "Well, Hirata? Go grab Raiden and Jinkei, and we'll do as Midori suggests. Once he's cleaned up, I'm sure he'll look a lot more like your Father - and I'm sure he'll be more than glad to see you after so long apart!"

* * *

The sun was shining over the meadow that morning.

As Shunsui picked his way slowly through the gentle landscape, he drew a deep breath into his lungs, the faint scent of floral perfume gently enveloping his senses. There were no clouds in the sky overhead, and for a moment he stood there, gazing dreamily up at the peaceful, unmoving sky as he sought a moment of respite.

_**So once again this is your sanctuary, then.**_

The voice was soft, yet it pierced through Shunsui's wits and he started, swinging around in surprise as he tried to locate the source of the sound. There was a soft chuckle, then he felt a sudden whoosh of air, and something dropped a thin, claw-like hand down onto his shoulder, a second hand brushing against his hair as it carefully but purposefully drew the boy's head round to face the front.

"I told you the last time. I don't hide behind you."

Shunsui drew breath sharply, staring at the intruder as recognition flooded his dark brown eyes. Before him stood a demon – tall, spindly and with skin stretched so tightly over the bone he was barely more than a skeleton, robed all in batwing black with eyes that flickered and flared with an unusual reddish flame. Yet though the apparition before him was terrifying, Shunsui did not feel as afraid as he had done before. This time, after all, he knew what he was facing. This time he understood.

"Amaki." He whispered, and the demon smiled, a horrific grimace that seemed to stretch the skin even tighter across his bony face.

"You remember, then." He observed, loosing his grip on his companion and standing back to gaze at him as though passing some inner judgement. "Or you listen when Seibara chirps at you. One or the other – I'm glad you know my name."

"I'm not likely to forget, considering that the last time we spoke, you threatened me with several levels of torment." Shunsui reflected, and Amaki laughed, a strange, eerie sound that echoed surreally around them. Shunsui's gaze flitted briefly to the ground, yet this time the flowers had not begun to die, and he sighed, relief flickering in his heart.

_So it is me, after all. I destroy this place. I build it. Amaki really has no power over it…all of it is me after all._

"You sound as though you bear me a grudge for that." Amaki observed now, and Shunsui smiled ruefully, shaking his head.

"No." He said honestly. "I owe you a debt for it. I'm alive because of it. I didn't understand that then. I do now. Seibara's better at explaining things than you are – so you don't scare me any more. And I'm grateful."

"Well." Amaki's eyes narrowed, flickers of stray flame darting from his eye sockets as he considered his companion's words. "I can't say then I had any desire to save you. I despised you. You were weak and pathetic and falling to the same hell that your Father did. What he did to Tensonshin was unforgivable. I won't forgive it. But now you understand it – you must, else Seibara would never have spoken to you at all. So if you know that…you've accepted who and what we are. And you're not going to fall into those traps – are you, Shunsui?"

Shunsui gazed at him for a moment, then he sighed, sinking down onto the petal-covered grass.

"I hope not." He said soberly. "But I am my father's son, Amaki. I can't promise you'll not get mad with me again."

"I expect to get mad with you regularly." Amaki's eyes glittered ominously. "I've a lifetime's worth of pain and torment still to unleash on you if you look as though you're starting to fall behind – and I'm quite happy to do it, even if you are the one I'm supposed to call 'master'. Remember that, all right? You're not close to summoning your _zanpakutou_ yet. Just because Seibara let you wield her power once…you're a long way from being able to maintain both of us before you in one go."

"Seibara said it would be tough, bringing you together." Shunsui acknowledged. "And probably it will. I like the easy path, so I'm fairly sure that means I'll have to take the hard one."

He tilted his head on one side.

"This is a dream." He added. "I know it is, because I took injury and I'm not yet healed. Seibara said you could not fight with me because my arm was broken. Yet you're here now and not her. Why?"

"Your resolve melted into despair and regret, didn't it?" Amaki asked softly, and Shunsui bit his lip.

"I suppose." He admitted. "But it wasn't…easy. And…I don't suppose…anyone would have found that easy."

"Your friend died." Amaki nodded. "He died and you saw no way to reverse it. Nor did we, in truth. The young girl's powers were beyond either Seibara or my calculations. It was true, too, that you could not physically wield my sword in that fight. Your right arm is a mess of broken bone and you would not have been able to grasp a blade's hilt, let alone use it to battle. But there was another reason, too. You are ambidextrous. In theory, you can use either blade in either hand if you so wish. The truth is that I chose to wait, this time. Because I know you, Shunsui. And I knew that Seibara's demand for resolve would be followed by negativity and despair."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed.

"You were waiting, in case I decided to kill myself after killing Juu." He murmured. "That's what you thought…that's what you intended. To be here to frighten me back to life…if I showed signs of giving up."

"Yes." Amaki agreed. "I wasn't going to let it happen, Shunsui. You are not Matsuhara. You have still to learn that life isn't a game you can throw your hand in at will and walk away from. Seibara and I don't intend to support someone who's content with simply taking part, even if it means they lose. I will not tolerate that attitude, and I will not be treated like Tensonshin."

"I don't understand," Shunsui admitted, "what that has to do with Otousama, except that he didn't fight back when Uncle killed him. But I wasn't going to kill myself, Amaki. I don't know what I was thinking…I don't suppose I was thinking very much at all. I expected punishment. Perhaps the worst punishment – and I won't pretend I would've cared if it had come. But…I wasn't going to kill myself. Because…that would have meant me killing you and Seibara, too. And I don't like killing. Taking Juu's life would've been bad enough. I wasn't going to hurt you both too…you've been hurt by me enough."

Amaki's eyes widened, as if he had not expected this, then he smiled, and somehow this smile seemed softer and less terrifying than the one he had unleashed before.

"You _have_ learnt." He whispered. "Seibara was right. You _are_ stronger than Matsuhara was. And you understand…that we aren't just objects for you to discard and ignore. We are part of you…after so long being shut away, are you finally ready to listen to what we have to teach you?"

"I don't know." Shunsui admitted. "If you say I am, maybe I am. I guess we'll see."

He rubbed his temples, then,

"I can't hide from you when I'm uncertain or negative." He added. "You see it, don't you? Whether I speak it or not. Better than anyone around me, you've felt every one of my dark moments just as deeply as I have. Seibara said that's why you are the way you are – and I wanted to apologise, although that would add another level of regret and negativity to the whole thing and I figured you'd probably get mad at me. So I'm trying not to be negative. I'm trying to smile, and keep control, and…and not let the petals fade or die. But I can't hide it from you…even if I smile, can I?"

"No." Amaki said bluntly. "And there's no sense in you hiding it. It gets worse when you do. I know how often you've smiled without meaning it and left me wanting to rip shreds from you inside as I've watched the flowers wilt."

"Mm." Shunsui grimaced. "Then I won't try and hide it. Juu's alive thanks to Shikiki, but I'm not sure yet…how to face him when he wakes up. I'm still clinging on to the thought that he _must_ wake up – but I don't even know yet if he will. I don't know whether Shikiki returned just his heartbeat or his whole spirit – and if she really did manage…whether he knew. He mouthed my name as he fell – I'm sure he saw me in that moment the sword went in. That frightens me, Amaki. If he remembers…facing his questions and trying to find an answer. It makes me weak and cowardly, but even so…"

"It makes you _normal_." Amaki cut across him frankly. "And that's probably the first and last time I'll ever say that about you, so treasure the moment and hold it dear."

Shunsui smiled wryly.

"Thanks…?" He ventured, and Amaki snorted.

"I'm still undecided as to whether or not I like you." He warned. "Even if you've made steps, we'll see. But there's nothing abnormal about it. Ukitake Juushirou is your friend. If you were the kind to be happy or fine after a fight like that, Seibara would never have let you use her blade to do what you had to do. Resolve isn't about accepting everything. Resolve is about doing what needs to be done, and putting that before your likes and your dislikes. It's putting it before yourself, Shunsui. And accepting all and any consequences in the process. If you have resolve, you know there's no turning back. If you're resolved, you know you've done what's right. And if you've acted right, you have no reason to hide. No reason for shame."

He paused, then reached out to ruffle his fingers through Shunsui's messy hair again, and this time there was something faintly reassuring and almost paternal in the approval of his touch.

"You acted right, Shunsui." He whispered. "There was nothing else you could have done…you acted right."

He turned to leave, but paused at the last minute, shooting Shunsui another wicked, grotesque smile.

"_You're_ the one who preaches to others that things can only be accomplished before you die." He said flippantly. "You and your friend both still live. Maybe you should try starting from there."

The next minute he was gone, a faint, sulphurous breeze wafting through the meadowland and Shunsui sighed, flopping onto his back and staring up at the hazy blue sky as he carefully digested Amaki's words.

_So long as I don't give up, you're not as awful as I thought you were. Perhaps that's a nice, symbolic cliché itself, in the end. That if I face the bits of myself I don't like, they're no longer as frightening as they first seem. Which means…maybe the same is true outside of this place, too. Perhaps that's really what he came here to say. _

A faint smile touched his lips.

_I don't know yet what to say to Juu, or how to explain…or if I even can. I don't know what repercussions will come from that fight, but whatever they are, I'll try…to embrace them and keep going forward, even if it's unpleasant. Even if he hates me – at least he's alive to hate me. I…I can live with that, in the end. I…I think._

_Amaki's right. So long as there's life…I need to start listening to myself a bit more. Perhaps I'll find that I give good advice._

He closed his eyes.

_And if not, well, Amaki and Seibara are there to poke me and prod me and drag me back to where I should be. Juu said that with his sword spirits he felt he was never really alone. Now I know exactly what he means. They're going to ask a lot of me…but no matter who or what else does, they're not going to abandon me. Right now it hasn't fully sunk in – but when it does, perhaps it will be comforting to know it. That the world out there and the world in here are different – and whatever happens next, Seibara and Amaki will be with me._

A violent tremor in his surroundings caused his eyes to snap open, alarm in his gaze as the blue sky hazed and warped, starting to fragment into slithers of silvery light. For a moment he thought that his inner world had once more started to destabilise, but the next moment a shooting jolt of pain rocketed up his right arm and he let out an involuntary cry as suddenly he found himself in a small, cleanly furnished bedchamber, leagues away from the peaceful world of flowers in his head.

"Shunsui?"

That was Tokutarou's voice, and Shunsui hurriedly gathered his wits, blinking to bring his surroundings more clearly into focus. He had not been here before, he was quite sure of that - the colours and decor were foreign to his senses, yet the voices were familiar, and beneath the window glittered the black hilt of a sheathed sword.

Kai's wakizashi.

Memories flooded through him, and a second stab of pain ran through his broken arm as he took a deep, shuddery breath to quell the panic, realising that he had returned once more to the real world.

The dream was over, at least for now.

"I'm sorry, Kyouraku-kun, but I need you to remain still for the time being."

That was Unohana Retsu's voice, and Shunsui's eyes darted across to his right hand side, making out the Clan Leader as she bent over his injured arm. There was a glittering shield of light already extending around it, and Shunsui knew that the older woman's healing Kidou had probably been the thing to disrupt him from his dream.

"It hurts a good deal, I know." She met his gaze, offering him a sympathetic smile, and in that moment Shunsui felt that Retsu was talking about more pain than just the physical sensation rippling through his damaged limb. "But you must remain still – at least for a little while longer."

She turned towards the doorway.

"Tokutarou-sama, would you come sit at your brother's side and keep him distracted while I treat this arm?" She asked softly. "Until it is fully straightened, I cannot adequately dull the pain – but I am sure he would rather have your company to take his mind off what I am doing."

"Mm." Tokutarou came into Shunsui's line of sight, dropping down heavily at the boy's indicated side. His eyes were grave, Shunsui noticed, and his expression was troubled and preoccupied. Shunsui's heart lurched as he struggled to interpret this. Was Tokutarou simply worried about his injury? Was he cross because Shunsui had taken off without warning and had wound up hurt in the process? Or was it something else…was it…

"Nii-sama?" Somehow he managed to form a word, though his throat felt dry and his voice croaky. "Juu…"

Tokutarou was silent for a moment, and Shunsui's heart skipped a beat as he saw the darkening of the other man's gaze.

"He's asleep." At length – and it seemed like an eternity – Tokutarou spoke, then sighed. "I wish you'd worry about yourself half as much as you worry about him, Shunsui – Juushirou is sleeping, and you should be focusing your attention on letting Retsu-sama heal your arm."

Relief crashed over Shunsui like a tidal wave, then,

"But…Juu…was…my…" He stalled, not sure how to word it, but Tokutarou nodded.

"The child told us everything." He said frankly. "The one sitting guard over the both of you when Retsu-sama and I arrived to help. I know what happened, Shunsui. I…I don't really want to talk about that with you until you're feeling better. All I have to say to you right now is that you ought to keep it better in mind, sometimes, who and what you are. If your arm had been much worse damaged…"

"Now is not the time for such recriminations, Tokutarou-sama." Retsu chided lightly, pausing in her ministerings to shoot him a reproachful look. "Your brother's arm is badly broken and bruised, but I can heal it and it will be as good as new. It may take a little time, that is all. He has no other serious injuries – all in all, considering the event, he has come out of things surprisingly well."

Shunsui cast Retsu a hesitant glance, and she smiled.

"Your friend's spirit is disturbed and fragmented, but it is whole." She added softly. "Ukitake-kun is sleeping very deeply and as yet he has not awoken. But I have faith that he will, so do not fret. That young girl is something very special – and I have faith in what she can do."

"Shikiki?" Shunsui murmured, and Retsu nodded.

"I have heard of them, but never before seen one." She agreed lightly, running her index finger carefully along the line of Shunsui's arm and Shunsui winced, fighting the urge to pull his body away from her touch. "Yes, I realise this is hard for you – but I promise, it will be over soon."

"Then that chibi really did save Juushirou's life?" Tokutarou asked. Retsu nodded again.

"Without a doubt." She agreed calmly. "Her aura is unlike most other children – unlike even those gifted like your brother and his friends, if I am truthful. Very occasionally I have read of them in my family's annals - healers who are not actually healers but are something unique and significant. They are gifted with a particular talent – the talent to reject time and force it back to an earlier period. At one point in Seireitei history such people were prized and considered vital to the stability of Soul Society. However, as with so many with power, they made people afraid and so were condemned and hunted into near extinction. Genryuusai-sama has spoken to me of his attempts to protect them, but in a pre-Council world, often his efforts amounted to nothing. The child, Shikiki, has no surviving family – so it is impossible to know if her talents were hereditary or coincidental. Still the truth remains. She has the ability to create a shield and force back the flow of time within that shield so that everything within it returns to a previous state. She is young yet, so her powers have yet to fully mature. But when they do…she will be an exceptionally powerful young woman."

Which is doubtless why she was in the company of Urahara Keitarou." Tokutarou muttered. "Really, Shunsui, you shouldn't go off after people when you know nothing about them. You could've been killed. Juushirou might have been. It's only the fact that child was there that prevented this being an all round tragedy. I thought I could trust you to be sensible – perhaps my judgement was premature after all."

So that was it, after all. Shunsui sighed, then regretted the movement the next minute as fresh pain ripped through his broken limb.

"I wanted to help Juu, and help Hirata." He murmured, then, "Hirata! Nii-sama, where is…"

"Somewhere to the North, so I understand it." Tokutarou said briskly. "Heading towards a fortress known as Hokujou. Apparently there's a likelihood his father might be imprisoned there – so he's gone with Midori-sama and Kyouki-sama to see if it's true."

"Then he's alive, too." Shunsui whispered, and Tokutarou shrugged.

"I can't tell you much about that." He responded simply. "All I know is that a messenger came to tell us that Hirata, Midori-sama and Kyouki-sama were riding north to find and free Misashi-sama. It sounds like Kyouki-sama took down Seimaru – but in Hirata's case, I imagine that means he's unhurt. Guren-sama has pacified Seventh Squad and Genryuusai-sama has taken charge of the Endou council in the absence of a suitable Clansman. When Retsu-sama felt the changes in your reiatsu and your kidou flare, Genryuusai-sensei instructed us to come find you boys and bring you back to the main estate. That's where we are now – in a disused guest wing of the Endou manor. It's not ideal, but for the time being, it will do."

Shunsui closed his eyes, struggling to put all of this information together.

_Hirata is alive. Kyouki-sama and Midori-sama saved him, so that's all right. Seimaru is dead – which means that the Endou-ke can start to rebuild District Seven. If Misashi-sama is imprisoned and alive, then so much to the good. If not…  
_  
His thoughts faltered, then,

_I promised Hirata he wasn't on his own, so if the worst comes to the worst, I'll make sure to stick by him. And that means Nii-sama too – even if right now he's mad at me.  
_  
Out loud he said,

"I intend to support Hirata, Nii-sama."

"The Council came here to do that." Tokutarou said pointedly. "Through the _proper_ channels."

"Even if Misashi-sama is dead. I intend to support Hirata." Shunsui's gaze became more determined. "Even if he's too young, Nii-sama. I intend…"

"A minor will not be supported at the Council of Elders." Tokutarou cut across him, shaking his head decidedly. "And I won't let it happen any more than anyone else will."

"Then…"

"We pray that Misashi-sama lives." Tokutarou told him firmly. "Because otherwise, the Council will have to install a protectorate. If Sumire-sama could be accepted by the Endou council, so be it – otherwise…"

"Hirata wanted to protect and save his family." Shunsui protested. "The Endou-ke may have accepted Yayoi-sama, but I know they don't allow female leaders and even Yayoi-sama didn't ever directly rule the Clan. Sumire-sama would more likely be hurt…and then…"

"You shut up until you know what you're talking about." Tokutarou's words were frank and unyielding. "You don't understand, yet, the pressures of leading a Clan or what they would do to a young boy like your friend. You have no idea at all, Shunsui…so don't act as though you do. I left you to take care of District Eight – not to become a vigilante and act out on your own whims."

"Tokutarou-sama." Retsu said softly, but Tokutarou ignored her, shaking his head.

"Our father was fifteen when he inherited the Kyouraku Clan." He said quietly, meeting Shunsui's gaze with uncharacteristically steely brown ones of his own. "Fifteen, and without any prior preparation. Our Grandfather and our Great Uncle were both victims of _reidoku_ – and for that reason, Father was forced to inherit too young."

He pursed his lips.

"Genryuusai-sensei shielded him, and forced the Council to accept him rather than allow District Eight to fall into other hands." He continued softly. "But he was too young. He was always too young. He never learnt how to lead a Clan, and in the end, it took its toll. In the end..."

"Matsuhara-sama died of grief, Tokutarou-sama." Retsu stood back, eying the angry Clan leader thoughtfully. "Grief for many things, including the burden of his duty. Had he been ten or a hundred, that burden would have remained. Genryuusai-sama did what he could to lessen that burden, but it was an exceptional circumstance. Nothing else could have been done at the time – the Kyouraku-ke needed a leader and Matsuhara-sama was the first in line."

"But…" Tokutarou turned, and Retsu shook her head.

"Matsuhara-sama died of grief." She repeated. "He was slain by his brother in a battle of swords, but that battle was tantamount to suicide and we are both aware of that fact. Matsuhara-sama was not cut out to be a Clan leader, perhaps – but he was an intelligent, sensitive man who cared for his subjects and for his family. Those two burdens proved too great for him – and asked too much of him, in the long run."

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"I attended the scene, after his death." She added. "On Genryuusai-sama's request, I examined Matsuhara-sama's body. No interference with the Kyouraku-ke was permitted – but the death of a Gotei shinigami had to be objectively examined. It was clear from Tensonshin's maltreated blade that this had been Matsuhara-sama's choice. He had wanted a reason to die and his brother had provided it. But I have been a Clan leader for more than twenty years and I met Matsuhara-sama before his first wife died. I met him before he remarried, before Kyouraku-kun was born. I met him when he was still a Gotei Shinigami of high repute…and I personally heard his doubts and hesitations about the spiritual duties asked of him. I treated his first wife's sickness for some time before she died - and so occasionally he would take me into his trust. He was planning on giving up his sword to focus on administration in District Eight and on attending to his dying wife, and he asked my advice on how best to make her comfortable whilst ensuring everything was in place for his own son to inherit without contest. He was concerned about how the Kyouraku-ke - especially his brother - viewed the Shiba connection and he thought that if he made plans now, perhaps he could ensure that your inheritance would be smooth, Tokutarou-sama. I think, maybe even then, he was considering resigning his position in your favour, but it was made clear to him that you were only a child - and to do so would put the Clan in jeopardy."

"He spoke to me once, before Mother died, about plans that never came to fruition." Tokutarou acknowledged sadly. "But I was only young, and I didn't really absorb all the implications. I didn't understand what was really going through his head - why he was so worried."

"Yet even so, at that time, his mind was troubled but sound." Retsu said lightly. "He had many worries, but I do not believe his accession was among them. That man was not made weak because he came of age too soon. He was made weak by other factors. He carried heavy burdens, and those burdens forced him to act against his heart and his conscience. He disliked the suffering his sword brought, and he disliked that he had been pressed to take a second wife when he still had not resolved his emotion over the loss of the first. I am sure that as time went on he found it hard to even meet his own reflection - he believed he had betrayed far, far more than in reality he ever had."

She rested a hand on Tokutarou's shoulder.

"I also hope Misashi-sama lives." She said sincerely. "But should it be otherwise, Endou-kun will require support. If he cannot look to his friends for that…who can he look to? Kyouraku-kun is not a Council representative, therefore his decisions are not constrained the way that ours are. He is simply proving what all students at Genryuusai-sama's Academy must learn. That the bonds you form must be upheld and consolidated and that you fight for others, not just for yourself. You should be proud of your brother, Tokutarou-sama. He is showing resolution – and because of it, I believe, he will soon take the next steps to becoming a Shinigami."

"Turning my hair grey in the process." Tokutarou muttered, but resignation glittered in his dark eyes. "Perhaps I know those things, though. Perhaps I know best of anyone that it was grief at my mother's death which truly destroyed my father and his will to fight."

His gaze met his brother's, and Shunsui was startled by the depth of emotion he saw in the other's dark eyes.

"To tell the truth, I was frightened, Shunsui. Especially when the girl told me what had happened. I was worried what that may have done to you and what it might compel you to do afterwards. To have you wake up and babble about other people…after I worried so much, it was the last thing I…"

"I could've killed Juu." Shunsui agreed solemnly, as Retsu began to strengthen the kidou barrier around his broken arm and little by little the pain subsided. "I intended to kill him, because it was the only way to break the spell. And I would've hated that, Nii-sama. I would have struggled with it for the rest of my life. But it was still…the right thing to do. I know that. Shikiki…Shikiki was a blessing. But I…I had made up my mind. If the only way to help Juu was to kill him then…I wasn't going to let him suffer any more."

Tokutarou sighed, rubbing his temples.

"You are your Father's son." He whispered. "And that's why I was so worried – that you could act like that to save someone from suffering, and yet…the consequences…"

"I don't understand." Shunsui frowned, and Tokutarou nodded.

"Juushirou didn't tell you, then." He reflected. "Perhaps, like me, he didn't know how best to do it. Shunsui, as Retsu-sama has said, my mother was very ill before she died. Very, very ill. She suffered constantly and it broke my father's heart. She changed so much from the vibrant Shiba_ hime _he had defied his Clan's advice to marry into a frail shell of a creature, existing rather than living. I remember the change, too. It happened quite suddenly, in my recollections, though I imagine she was sick long before a child like I noticed. I just knew that rather than chasing me and shocking her maidservants by playing hide and seek with me around the manor grounds, she took more and more to her bed. And, as time went on, she became unable to leave it."

He sighed.

"She hated that. Anyone would." He murmured. "But especially my mother. She was Kyouki-sama's cousin, and her close childhood friend - you can imagine therefore what kind of a woman she was. To be inactive and useless pained her, and the disease ate away at her till she was suffering more than even the Unohana-ke could keep under control. One day it became too much, and she asked my father to put an end to it. Kyouki-sama and I both believe that he granted that wish. That the last time he released Tensonshin…was to take my mother's life and give her peace. To stop her suffering – regardless of how much he would add to his own. And though he did it...though he resolved himself to do it...he never forgave himself. He couldn't, in the end, live with the grief or the guilt, and he punished himself, dragging himself further and further into a vicious circle of despair as he tried to blot it all out. Yoshiko-dono knows it as well as I do, but his remarriage simply added to his torment. That he could continue, re-marry, birth another son...I'm sure he found those things unforgivable, when he had brought to death someone he had held so dearly. And...and, of course, robbed me of my mother. I had letters from him while I was with the Shiba. He often mentioned her...how she would be happy about this or that thing, and most of all, that he regretted my not being able to tell her and show her myself. He never told me directly what he'd done...but as I got older, Kyouki-sama spoke to me about it. I then understood...that that decision had given my mother peace but had created hell for my Father and, by proxy, for me, for his second wife and for you - the younger brother I'd never met. He'd neglected you shamefully, and it made me twice as determined that, when I took the Clan, I would make sure you weren't alienated from it. I was sure, in the end, that that would be Mother's wish as well as Father's. But for you to be so like Father...has often worried me. And continues to worry me. You have so much talent, just like he did. But...Shunsui...what that comes with..."

He faltered, and shock followed by comprehension flooded Shunsui's features.

"I see." He murmured. "So that…that's why. That's why you look so stressed and worried and why you're yelling at me like you are. You think…because I'm like Father…I'll do as he did. I'll act because I have to but…I…I won't be able to deal with it now I have. And that…in the end…it will break me, too."

"Juushirou is still alive, so I hoped it would be otherwise." Tokutarou admitted. "But I didn't want anything to happen to you…because, like Father, you care about things too much. And I've seen it before, Shunsui. What happens when you can't cope with something. I don't want to go back to that...not when you've moved so far ahead."

"I hate what I had to do. What I resolved to do. I hate it." Shunsui's voice shook slightly as he read the obvious concern in his brother's face. "But I…I already decided, Nii-sama. While I'm alive, that's when I can do things. If Juu had died then…then I'd have had twice as many reasons to live. I'd have had to have achieved things for him as well as for me. Worked twice as hard. Succeeded twice as well. Changed the world twice as many times. Otherwise Juu would have died for no reason…and if I had to…to do that then…I would have…I…"

He faltered, closing his eyes as tears glittered on his lashes.

"I'm not all right with it yet." He admitted slowly. "But Nii-sama, I would be. I will be. Juu dying would have made me twice as _determined_ to live. Even if I hated it, I would have done it regardless. Dying would have been an easy way of running away, after all. And I promised myself – I promised you, I promised Juu. I promised Tensonshin, too. I'm not going to run away. I'm going to wear Eighth District's _h…h…haori_ and help change this s…stupid world."

"Well spoken, Kyouraku-kun." Retsu reached across to gently wipe away his tears. "But for now you should sleep. Your arm is set in place and will begin to heal – it is best for you to rest and recover your spiritual power."

"Mm." Shunsui took a shaky breath into his lungs, feeling drowsy once more as Retsu's soothing kidou got to work over his body. "But before…Nii-sama…I don't want you to…worry. I will…be all right. So long as…I'm not alone."

"I don't think there's any risk of that happening any longer, is there, Kyouraku-kun?" Retsu's eyes were gentle, and Shunsui knew that she understood his meaning far better than his anxious brother. "I'm sure that Genryuusai-sama will be pleased, too – to hear you speaking that way."

"Retsu-sama?" Tokutarou cast her a questioning look, and Retsu nodded.

"Kyouraku-kun's aura is very vivid at present." She said quietly. "And healing him like this, I can feel it quite clearly. On Ukitake-kun's body, too, I felt the same sensation. During that fight, Tokutarou-sama, your brother was not fighting alone. Something came to his aid…something that you and all of District Eight have been waiting for."

"You mean…?" Tokutarou's eyes widened, and Retsu nodded.

"Kyouraku-kun's _zanpakutou _spirits." She agreed. "Isn't that right, Kyouraku-kun?"

Shunsui managed a faint, drowsy nod.

"I have two." He murmured. "Like Juu…Seibara and…Amaki. And…I know they're with me, now. I promise…Nii-sama…I'm going to…learn how to raise my sword. And then…maybe…I can be of use in…District Eight."

With that he closed his eyes, allowing his companions' voices to blur and become indistinct as he sank back into a sea of dreams. Amaki was long gone now, but he did not mind. At the back of his senses he was aware of them for the first time, watching and waiting for his body to heal.  
_  
So when it does, we'll talk again. You can beat sense in me and I'll try to listen. It's nicer, after all…even if I'm being nagged at, lectured and threatened with hellfire and eternal torment. I couldn't have fought that battle alone…but I didn't have to. And I guess I see now that if I carry on training, I never will have to. So long as I'm here, they're here. And I never realised it before…but…I like knowing that. Even if Juu doesn't forgive me, or even if I don't, in the long run. No matter what happens, they're on my side. And for now…for now, that's enough._

_

* * *

_

"You too should probably rest, Tokutarou-sama."

In the quiet chamber, it was Retsu's gentle voice that broke the silence. "He will sleep for some little time, and you should take the opportunity too. It has been a trying time for you - particularly since you are only recently married. With all of this...you must be under some strain yourself."

"Mm." Tokutarou reached across to touch Shunsui's good arm, then he sighed. "I've already proven a terrible husband, abandoning my bride so soon after our marriage. But Rae-hime understands, I think, what maybe Shunsui doesn't totally yet. And I think she'll forgive me...when I tell her what's happened."

Retsu's expression softened, and Tokutarou knew that she had read the unspoken message in his words.

"Your father may have neglected his duty towards his younger son." She said softly. "But you do not have to repay this debt on his behalf, Tokutarou-sama. Carrying extra burdens on your shoulders is unecessary. Your brother knows that you act in his interests and that is enough. You should not take so much upon yourself."

"I know." Tokutarou nodded. "But Shunsui is the only direct blood kin I have - someone who is connected through the same bloodline, even though we have different mothers. And it's not just about duty, either. I did promise myself that I would make Shunsui a proper part of the family when I came to take the leadership. And that I would try to be his brother where he had lacked a Father, but..."

He paused, tapping Shunsui's fingers gently as he did so.

"Probably, there is nobody in Seireitei I care more about." He admitted. "I'll form alliances, and bridge political gaps. I'll trust in and build bonds with my wife and I will hope to bring strong, healthy heirs into this world so as my line is secure and stable for generations to come. But those things are political. They are entirely wrapped up in the position Father left me too soon - the same position as he inherited too soon from his predecessor. I'm fine with that responsibility. I've learnt how to take it on because I knew from my childhood that it was my future path. But I grew up in District Five, and so outside of those duties, I have...very little in District Eight, really. Except a crazy, irresponsible little brother who drives me out of my mind with worry at the least thing."

Retsu chuckled softly.

"He is a very genuine young boy, in many ways." She said wisely. "And I understand, Tokutarou-sama. I trust, however, that that loneliness of command is something your brother will never have to face. You seek to teach him how to lead the Clan whilst doing all you can to ensure he doesn't have to - but from this point on, I think you can cease to concern yourself quite so much. This experience has hurt him, but he will grow from it."

She smiled.

"If you trusted in your sword more, you'd realise that a _zanpakutou_ spirit is often an ally in the bleakest of times." She added evenly. "Matsuhara-sama overlooked that fact, and so do you. You rely on your physical power alone, and he hid himself away from his. But it sounds like your brother has the balance right. It seems that he has begun to listen to his sword and will grow to learn from it, too. So long as that bond forms...Kyouraku-kun will move forwards. And I believe he will keep his word. One day, he will wear that _haori._ And, doubtless, one day he will help change this world. He and his young friend...whose future path is quite as dogged with decision and responsibility."

"Juushirou will live?" Tokutarou asked, and Retsu nodded.

"I have no doubts." She agreed. "Ukitake-kun's will to live outstrips anyone's on account of his battle against _haibyou_. And that child gave all her strength to bring him back. This is a turning point for the both of them - but I am sure they will both go forwards. And so you should not worry...but should take a moment to rest. District Seven is still in an unsteady state - and we will be much needed in the days and weeks to come. For the sake of all those refugees who will want to go home...you understand, don't you?"

"Yes." Tokutarou inclined his head. "All right. I'll do as you say. Thank you, Retsu-sama. You've put my heart somewhat at ease about my brother, in any case."

He grinned.

"I should have faith in him, as well as just worry about him." He added. "I'll try and remember what you said. That this really is a turning point - and from this point on, I won't have to worry about him quite so much any more."


	63. Shattered Bonds

**Chapter Sixty Two: Shattered Bonds**

So this had been Keitarou's home for the past several years.

Nagesu stood in the doorway of the underground workroom, a look of consternation in his pale eyes as he gazed around at the dark, cold environment his cousin had made his own. That he had been here was in no doubt - papers still lay on the desk, and despite his weariness Nagesu was aware of his cousin's aura still lingering faintly in the heavy musty air. Shikiki and Juushirou's were here too, a mingling of spirit power that suggested Keitarou had carried out some kind of experiment or training on the young ones, and he pursed his lips, adjusting his glasses on his nose as he glanced down at his young guide.

_She can't be more than eight or nine, yet she lived in this place at his behest. And what Genryuusai-sama said, about her talents - did she truly bring that boy back from the dead? Or was that just an illusion - was Ukitake never really dead after all?_

Out loud he said,

"So this was Keitarou's laboratory?"

"Mm. I suppose so." Shikiki rubbed one foot absently against the back of her other leg, shrugging her shoulders. She was not uneasy being down here, Nagesu realised, yet she was not comfortable either, and an unpleasant thought flickered through his mind.

"He never hurt you here, did he?"

"Hurt me?" Shikiki looked startled, shaking her head. "No. Kei-nii looked after me. He protected me. He didn't hurt me."

"I'm glad about that." Relief glittered in the clever pale eyes. "It doesn't seem like a very nice place to stay, so I wanted to be sure that nothing bad had happened to you here."

"It wasn't nice." Shikiki admitted. "But it was only dangerous if Seimaru-sama came. And then I'd have to hide, because he scared me. Kei-nii always made sure I didn't get hurt, though."

She bit her lip.

"But he's gone now, hasn't he?" She whispered, her fingers brushing absently against the leg of Keitarou's desk. "Just like the other people, Kei-nii's gone too."

"Yes." Nagesu sighed, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes tiredly. "He has, I'm afraid. I don't know any more than you do what he intends to do or whether he will come back."

He moved across the dark chamber, pausing to glance down at the scrawled sheets on Keitarou's desk. They were laid out as though someone had not had time to move them, but Nagesu's wits were sharp and as he skimmed over their contents, he realised that this was probably an illusion - that someone had placed them there to make it look as though this was the focus of Keitarou's current research.

"_Senkaimon_." He murmured, picking up one sheet and running his finger down the columns of spidery kanji. "Doubtless this explains how you were able to warp that Gate in District Eight, and how you managed to bring the Ukitake boy here - if that is indeed what you did. Your notes are interesting and probably highly accurate. But you told me yourself that you'd been working on something different...something far more interesting to you than this."

He set down the sheet of paper, turning his attention to the other documents piled up in makeshift boxes around the little work area. They were neatly labelled but in a shorthand code that Nagesu could not read, and as he flicked his way through the records, he realised that, like what was on the desk, these records all related to research topics of a minimal and uncontroversial nature.

_There's nothing here about the girl, or about Ukitake._

Nagesu sat back on his heels with a sigh.

_So you had enough time to get back here, then, after our battle? Enough time to fully suppress your reiatsu, return here and remove anything you thought was dangerous and that you would rather not have us know? There's nothing here about reidoku, either, and your vault is unlocked and empty, I can tell even from here. You came and you took what you thought we shouldn't have...and then you disappeared into nothing once more. Just as you and your mother did when we were children - once more, Kei-kun, you've evaded the head of the Urahara Clan._

_If I wasn't sure before, this would convince me for certain. You survived our battle. Your corpse does not lie buried beneath rock in that place. And perhaps, one day, we will meet again. Still, even if you have got the better of the Council a second time - you have left something and I will take that at the very least. These notes...I'll work through them and see whether anything here might give a clue as to what you might have started or where you might next go. The girl, too - she lived with you, and she doesn't seem a fool. She may yet be the one with the most insight - and if he wakes, the Ukitake boy, too. You haven't quite gone without a trace this time, my cousin - and although seeing you dead would not bring me joy, I have no other path to walk now than the one Father walked, too. At least, so long as you insist on twisting Keitsune-jisama's memory in this way._

He got to his feet.

"Shikiki, are there rooms beyond this one?" He asked, and Shikiki nodded.

"There's a long corridor." She agreed. "An' doors off it, like cells - cos this place used to be a prison, Kei-nii said. Only it isn't now. But it still looked like it. And then there's a big room...a big round room. An' sometimes I did training there an' lately, so did Juu-nii. And once a Hollow came and attacked us, but Juu-nii stopped it and that's when we made friends."

She eyed Nagesu curiously.

"You're a shinigami too, aren't you, Oniisan?" She asked quizzically, and Nagesu nodded, patting Sekizanha's hilt.

"This is my sword. Sekizanha." He agreed. "Why do you ask?"

"I always thought that shinigami were bad people." Shikiki admitted. "Cos they came an' they took folk away - like Dai-nii. But then I met Juu-nii and he said that some shinigami are good and some are bad and that everyone is different - you can't just tell by looking at their sword whether they want to help or hurt you."

She sighed heavily.

"Shun-nii is a shinigami too. He had a special sword too, cos I saw it." She continued. "An' he's a bit stupid but he's not a bad person either. An' the old man who was with Juu-nii - I could tell he was super worried about Juu-nii not waking up. He said all kinds of nice things to me about my power and that I was special an'...and I think he was a nice person. An' you're Kei-nii's cousin, an' you're a shinigami too. So I guess...maybe Juu-nii was right. Not all shinigami are bad people."

"No. Not all shinigami are." Nagesu knelt down at her level, resting his hands gently on her shoulders as he met her gaze solemnly with his own. "Everyone is born differently, and everyone has their own path to find and purpose to meet before they die. Some people stray from the right path, and become lost. That's all. Bad people aren't always bad all the way through, and good people make mistakes. But I like to think that we can learn from those - and try to be better as time goes on."

Shikiki eyed him for a moment, then,

"Oniisan, did you love Kei-nii?" She asked softly, and Nagesu sighed, nodding his head.

"Very much." He admitted. "When we were very small, we'd play together all the time. I taught him how to write his name - and he and his family would always be visiting ours. His father and mine were brothers, and very close. They used to work together on a lot of things, and so we'd be left to amuse ourselves."

"I see." Shikiki seemed to be thinking this over. "Kei-nii said his family all died. But you didn't die. You were still there."

"Mm." Nagesu hesitated, then made up his mind. "No, I think that to Keitarou, his family had all died. You see, Shikiki, when I was the same kind of age you are now, my Father and my Uncle stopped speaking to each other. My Uncle...Keitarou's father...he'd done something dangerous and people were angry with him. I think...I think maybe he just made a mistake, but it was a bad mistake and people died because of it. Quite a lot of people...in quite a lot of families. And because of that, my Uncle was arrested. He wanted Father to rescue him - but Father did not."

Shikiki's eyes became huge, and Nagesu nodded.

"I didn't understand then, really, what had gone on." He owned. "But even if I had, I doubt I could have changed it. My Father could not do anything, because if he had, more people would have been killed. Our whole Clan, in fact, might have fallen apart - and as head of that family, protecting it was his job. So he couldn't do anything else...but let my Uncle be taken away."

Shikiki's gaze clouded.

"Kei-nii's Otousan was killed, wasn't he?" She murmured, and Nagesu sighed.

"Yes." He said regretfully. "And when I knew, I cried. I cried a lot, Shikiki. I loved my Uncle - he was a truly kind man. And at the same time he died, Keitarou and his mother disappeared. That was a hundred years ago. I think...Keitarou has probably stayed angry for a long time. And I...when Father died, I inherited the Clan from him. So now I am the leader of the family Keitarou so hates - we will probably never be friends again."

"That's sad." Shikiki said pensively, and to Nagesu's surprise she reached out her thick, stubby fingers, grasping his hand loosely in hers. "But you still love Kei-nii. You said so. So even though all that happened, I don't think you want to hurt Kei-nii - do you?"

Nagesu's mind flitted back to the earlier battle, and he sighed again.

"I don't want to." He agreed. "But what I want and my duty are like they were to my Father. I have to protect my Clan, now. My family. My children. My wife. And all the people who live in District Three. So it's better that Kei-kun isn't here now. It's better all around if we don't meet each other, really. And I think...now you've spoken to me...it would probably be better if you didn't meet with him again, either."

"I don't think Kei-nii wants me to." Shikiki said sadly. "Else he wouldn't have gone away without me. Juu-nii and I left this place without permission - I s'pect he's angry with me too, now, so he won't want me to come back."

"I'm sorry." Nagesu said gently, and Shikiki shook her head.

"It happens a lot, to me." She said matter-of-factly, though Nagesu had raised enough daughters of his own not to be fooled, and he could see the glitter of tears in the young girl's eyes. "Besides, so long as Juu-nii gets better, that's what matters. Kei-nii did a bad thing to Juu-nii an' both Juu-nii and Shun-nii might have died. Shikiki too. So I...I think if Kei-nii had come back, he'd know I was angry at him too. Because I like Juu-nii a lot. And I don't like people getting hurt."

"No. It's not easy to stomach, is it? Seeing those you love in pain."

"Are_ you_ angry, then, with Kei-nii?" Shikiki asked anxiously. "For killing Shouichi-sama an' hiding all this time?"

"I don't suppose I'm as angry as I should be." Nagesu got carefully to his feet. "Because at the end of the day, he's still my family. And I still care about him, even though so many bad things have happened. Which is why I need to find out what he was working on and learn as much as I can from this place. Will you help me gather things together, Shikiki? Then this room can once more be sealed up and the people in District Seven can somehow start to move on."

* * *

Moonlight over District Seven.

Shunsui stood at the window of his small bedchamber, gazing pensively out at the slightly hazed silvery orb as it glinted down lazily over the frozen landscape below. Word had reached the estate a few hours earlier that Hirata and his companions had located Misashi, and that they would remain at Hokujou until the morrow on account of the Endou claimant's fragile physical state. That he and his father were both still alive relieved Shunsui's frazzled nerves, but secretly he had also been dismayed by the news. He had hoped at least that Hirata would be back at his family's main house before nightfall.

_Because Hirata might understand the things I'm thinking and feeling, since we came here together, and I wanted to talk things out with him. I guess you've got me into that habit, Juu - but now, when I want to talk to someone, I really can't. Nii-sama is already worried enough about me, and I won't burden him with any more. So long as he thinks I'm all right, that's what matters most. And I suppose, I want Hirata to forgive me, too. Juu's sleeping, and I should be too - but..._

"It's late, Kyouraku-kun."

A soft voice from the doorway made him turn, wincing and almost crying out in pain as he jolted his heavily strapped right arm. A gentle tut-tutting followed by the sound of footsteps broke the room's quiet, and then Retsu was beside him, eying him with thoughtful, sensitive eyes.

"You were supposed to be sleeping." She chided lightly. "I don't remember giving you permission to move around."

"I'm restless." Shunsui admitted, letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I did try to sleep but...there are some horrible pictures in my head at the moment and I hoped that maybe I could flush them out and replace them with something else. The night scenery is pretty from here, so I thought it might make me forget...but it just reminds me that we were out there, not so long ago."

He pursed his lips.

"Plus, it's hard to get comfortable with my arm tied up like this." He added. "I know it has to be, but I'm aware of even the slightest movement."

"Then I will find you something to dull the pain and ease your sleep." Retsu decided, making to leave, then stopping, turning back to look at him carefully.

"Endou-kun will be here tomorrow." She remarked. "I think you will benefit from speaking to him, won't you?"

"Maybe." Shunsui looked rueful. "You read my thoughts, Sensei."

"No..." Retsu was thoughtful. "But I _can_ read your aura, and I understand your distress. Endou Hirata is a close friend of both of you - and he will understand more keenly, I imagine, than anyone else what happened out there today. Besides, he will probably have his own demons to face, too."

"His own..." Shunsui faltered, and Retsu nodded.

"I may be wrong." She said with a sigh, "But when Seimaru-sama's reiatsu flared and flew out of control for the last time, Endou-kun's reiatsu also flared to mirror it. And...Seimaru was not killed by anything but his own power. I do not know how it came about - but it was not a foreign_ zanpakutou_ that killed him. It was something else."

"_Reidoku_." Shunsui whispered, his eyes widening. "Then..._Hirata_ killed...?"

He trailed off, and Retsu nodded.

"That is my belief." She said gravely. "But I have spoken of it so far only to Genryuusai-sama. Nobody else need know it until the boy himself returns and decides what he is to do. Since his father lives, he does not need to declare it to prove his claim - and nobody will make him, if he does not want to speak of it."

"But you told me because of how I'm feeling about fighting Juu." Shunsui understood, and he smiled. "Of course. I guess...I had forgotten that you're a healer, like Mitsuki-chan and that you...you'd be able to sense things like that too, much more than anyone else. Thank you for telling me, Sensei. In that case...probably we need to talk even more."

"For the time being, however, Ukitake-kun is stable and sleeping peacefully." Retsu told him. "Perhaps, better than my soporific medication, it would relieve your heart a little more to see that for yourself? I realised that you have not seen him since your fight ended - and maybe, if you were to see him now, it would put your mind at rest? His breathing has improved a good deal thanks to the kidou barrier and he has gained in strength - even though it's only by a little, every step is important."

Shunsui's heart leapt and he stared at his companion in surprise.

"That...would be all right?" He asked softly. "I don't know if I'm ready to face Juu awake yet, but if he's sleeping...just at least then I know he is and that nobody's been lying to me. Not that I think they have," he added hastily, as Retsu's eyebrow arched slightly, "But I haven't been able to clearly feel his reiatsu since we came here. Usually I can, but it vanished in the fight and it didn't come back, even when Shikiki was healing him. And..."

"He is very weak, and you are not entirely strong yourself." Retsu responded. "His reiatsu is currently at a very low level. The blade that controlled him left residual poison in his system and though there is no chance that that manipulative power can be reawakened, it must work itself out of his body on its own. The young girl's power was great, but limited. She saved his life - but she is only a child, and her power is not yet at a level where she is able to heal his whole body. Perhaps, with time and training - but for now, she did all she could and the rest remains with me and with Ukitake-kun himself."

She smiled.

"But more than anyone, I believe Ukitake-kun wants life." She added philosophically, running her index finger gently over Shunsui's bandaged arm. It glittered faintly as she did so, and Shunsui felt the pain beginning to fade. "More than anyone, I believe him to be one who will fight. I am not so worried about him as others are, to be truthful. I am more worried...about other things."

_About...other things? _

Shunsui blinked at her, then,

_About...Hirata and I?_

"Well?" Retsu offered him another smile, and the fleeting glimmer of an almost maternal concern in her soft eyes was gone. "Are we going to see Ukitake-kun now, or would you sooner try to sleep a little first?"

"I want to see Juu, please." Shunsui said firmly. "If it's really not causing any trouble - and if it won't hurt him."

"On the contrary, I believe it might be beneficial." Retsu responded. "Even when patients are deep in sleep, they can sometimes hear the voices of those they know and care about and right now, Ukitake-kun's family are far away. District Seven is too politically unstable to bring them to his side, and currently he is too weak to be moved. So the next best things are his close school friends - you and Endou-kun too, when he returns from Hokujou tomorrow."

"He might not see me as a friend any longer." Shunsui said darkly, though he obediently followed the older woman out of the small bedroom and down the hallway a short distance to another, identical door. "Not if he remembers what happened out there."

"I wonder if your friendship is so weak as that." Retsu reflected pensively, pausing before sliding the divide back. "After all, you acted in the snow out of friendship, did you not? It would be a sad thing indeed if that bond was so fragile it shattered so easily."

"Yes, but I..."

"Ukitake-kun's _zanpakutou_ possesses two blades." Retsu cut across him, her words quiet but nonetheless compelling Shunsui to listen. "Two spirits. Two voices. In and You. The balance of the Yin Yang and the ability to understand and deliver justice - these things are all the foundations of Ukitake-kun's sword."

She shrugged.

"You did not act unjustly, and for one whose existence is founded on such principles, I am sure he will understand that fact." She concluded. "Perhaps better than you do yourself."

"My sword also has two spirits." Shunsui murmured. "Such as it is right at the moment. I held it, though - in that battle, just as you said to Nii-sama. I can feel them now, more than ever before. But I still feel a little how I've always felt - that being a shinigami requires resolve to kill and I don't want to kill. Especially not friends. All I've learnt from this is that I'm capable of doing it if the need arises - not that I want to do it or that I'll ever be used to doing it."

"Nobody expects that." Retsu chuckled softly, and Shunsui stared at her in surprise, confused by her reaction. "Nobody should hope to kill or become inured to the art of killing. Even Genryuusai-sama, who has fought many battles, could not easily look at an ally and cast him down in cold blood. You should not weigh so many things so heavily on your heart, Kyouraku-kun. Share those burdens with these spirits that have now made themselves known to you. That is part of their purpose, after all - to share in what you do and enable you to do what needs to be done."

She touched him gently on the left shoulder, then,

"I will go and find something to help you to sleep." She murmured. "Spend a little time speaking to your friend, and I will return momentarily."

"Mm." Shunsui did not want her to leave, but she was gone before he could voice any protest, so instead he sighed, moving slowly and hesitantly across the room to where his friend lay sound asleep.

He looked peaceful, at the very least, and there was none of the pain or fear twisting his features like he had seen during their battle earlier that day. The boy was breathing more normally, just as Retsu had said, and as he put his left hand gingerly to Juushirou's left ribcage, he could feel the reassuring thump-thump of the other's stubborn heart.

His reiatsu was faint and even at this range Shunsui could only vaguely make it out. But it was there, and so was Juushirou, and despite himself relief flooded over him as he knelt carefully down at his classmate's side.

_Shikiki was right in the end. I was stupid. Even now there are a whole lot of things I don't know. Things about Father. Things about me. Things about other people, too. And things about living and dying and how easy it is to go from one to the other. Even if I thought I knew...till this I never really did._

He settled himself gingerly, resting the injured arm against his body as he moved his good hand to touch Juushirou's brow. It was hot and fevered, yet this too brought Shunsui some strange amount of relief.

"You were cold as ice before." He said soberly. "I'm used to your fevers, so this somehow...seems more natural."

He sighed.

"I don't know what to say, even though Unohana-sensei says I should talk to you." He added. "I don't know if you can hear me or if it's all my mumbling to myself anyhow. I'm not sure if you can remember or if you even know who I am. But that you're here and that you're alive...will do for now. Because Unohana-sensei was right. I hadn't seen you since we were out in the snow. And seeing you like this - being taken care of - makes me feel a little more at ease."

He moved to stand, but as the sleeve of his night robe brushed against the edge of the bed, something pulled it back and he started, almost losing his balance as he turned to stare at his friend in surprise. Thin pale fingers were looped clumsily yet determinedly around the folds of the expensive foreign fabric, and Shunsui's eyes widened, his gaze flitting to Juushirou's face.

Two smudge-like eyes gazed back at him in the half-lit chamber, confused and unfocused yet somehow unmistakeable. Juushirou had made no attempt to speak, yet his grasp did not loosen from Shunsui's sleeve and the older boy bit his lip.

"Juu?" He whispered, and the eyes flickered slightly, focusing a little more clearly on Shunsui's face as though Juushirou's battle-weary brain was trying to make sense of the sounds it was hearing. The fingers twitched slightly, and Shunsui pulled himself free of the other boy's hold, moving his good hand to touch the back of Juushirou's lightly, and pushing it gently back down onto the bedcovers.

"You weren't as asleep as all that after all, huh?" He murmured softly, tears glittering in his dark eyes as he stared down at his friend. "I'm sorry, Juu. I didn't mean to wake you - Unohana-sensei said I wouldn't disturb you, yet here we are."

Juushirou's hand shifted a little, then clumsily he raised it again, his arm shaking and unsteady as he brought his palm down against his chest. Pain flickered into the hazel eyes, and Shunsui swallowed hard, not needing words to understand what his friend was feeling.

"It hurts, huh?" He asked, his voice slightly uneven as he forced his tone to stay light and friendly. "Unohana-sensei said you still had some bad stuff inside of you, so I guess that's probably why. You should rest and let yourself heal - right now you don't have any need to be awake, so go to sleep, huh?"

Juushirou stared at him, and Shunsui sighed.

"It would be easier if you didn't look at me like that. Or at all, really, till I know what to think of things myself." He said heavily. "But I can't be cross with you. It isn't your fault, after all, if you don't know...if you can't understand what's going on around you yet."

He rested his good hand once more against Juushirou's ribcage, feeling again the beating rhythm of his friend's healing heart. A fleeting memory of the _wakizashi _piercing through Juushirou's chest assailed him and he tensed, pulling his fingers back sharply as though they had been burnt by a sudden flame. Juushirou flinched at the unexpected movement, alarm in his hazel eyes, then once more the pale fingers reached out, this time grabbing Shunsui loosely around the wrist. Shunsui tried to pull away, but Juushirou's hold was firmer this time, and as Shunsui met his friend's gaze, he saw a familiar sheen of obstinacy creep into the hazel eyes.

Despite himself, he smiled faintly.

"Somehow I believe you are Juushirou, still." He whispered. "And you have things you want to say to me, but your brain is too tired and confused and you can't work out how. So this is all you can do for now. I don't know what those things are - whether they're good or bad or if I want to hear them. But I...don't think either of us are ready for them yet. So please, Juu, let me go. You need to sleep and so do I. We're both wounded soldiers but we'll both make it through - and later on we can talk about everything."

_  
Later, when it's less vivid in my mind._

Juushirou's brow wrinkled, and Shunsui was almost sure he saw his friend scowl at him disapprovingly from beneath lowered lashes.

"I'm sorry, Juu." He said quietly, shaking his head as he gently worked his good arm free of the claw-like grasp. "Not tonight. Not from either of us."

He sighed.

"Perhaps when Hirata comes back tomorrow, he'll be a better visitor for you." He added frankly. "I suppose nobody's told you that - but Hirata is alive and safe and will be back here with us soon enough. He'll want to see you, no doubt about that. He'll talk to you, because he does. And I..."

_And I'm suddenly lost for words, even though more than anyone you're the person I confide in the most._

Shunsui frowned, digesting this.

_Has this, then, made us strangers? Will we have to begin all over again? Does Juushirou know me, or is he just anxious for company and confused about who and where he is? And if he knows me, does he know what happened out there in the snow? I don't know what to say to him until I know what he knows._

"Well, I see you had a better effect than anticipated on the patient."

Retsu returned at that moment, and Shunsui turned, meeting her smile with a troubled look of his own.

"I'd like to go back to my room." He said quietly. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to disturb him. I didn't realise I'd wake him, and I just..."

"But he was not being kept asleep by anything but his own shock and trauma from the fight." Retsu shook her head, moving to touch Juushirou's brow then taking the boy's pale hand, sliding it neatly but firmly beneath the blanket. "There, that will preserve some body warmth, Ukitake-kun. You have a fever, and it's cold here, so you should not be letting warmth escape so easily."

She smiled at Shunsui once more.

"I expected him to wake when you spoke to him." She added lightly. "Whether that be today or tomorrow or six weeks from now. I don't know if Ukitake-kun remembers anything or everything from what happened. But just as Urahara Keitarou's reiatsu remains lingering in his blood, so yours does too. The weapon was not a normal sword, it was a spirit blade - and such things leave a deeper mark."

Gently she brought her hand over Juushirou's brow, and Shunsui saw his friend's hazy eyes close fully as his body slipped back into sleep.

"He will rest more deeply now, till morning at least." She said, seemingly pleased. "But his aura seems a little less fragmented than it did. I think you have healing properties, Kyouraku-kun. I should take you to visit my patients more often, perhaps."

"My reiatsu is...still..." Shunsui faltered, and Retsu nodded.

"Your weapon broke down as soon as you realised what had happened. The young girl said it vanished straight away - you didn't withdraw it." She agreed. "It's not hurting him, but it is there, lingering around the place where he was wounded. When you came so close to him - did you touch him at all?"

"His brow - to check his temperature." Shunsui agreed, and Retsu pursed her lips.

"Then probably your doing so stirred him. As I had hoped it would do." She admitted. "I'm sorry that in some ways I rather tricked you. But also, I am not sorry. For now you know that Ukitake-kun is without doubt alive, do you not? And though you may still have to sort out in your own mind what words to best explain things to your friend - you no longer need to fear his loss completely. He is living, and while you are both living..."

"We can still act. I know. It's a philosophy I like throwing at other people." Shunsui acknowledged. "But I'm having it thrown back at me a few times of late. Perhaps the truth is that I'm just horribly hypocritical."

As they stepped into the hall, Retsu let out a soft chuckle.

"To see him has both shocked and helped you." She observed contentedly, leading him down the hall towards his own room. "You have killed nobody, and your friend's wounds will heal. There is damage, yes, but this damage was not caused by you. His body was already under some strain, I think, when you two met - the young girl mentioned that he had been coughing. The fight would have ripped more through him - yours was just the final, decisive blow. Now you see that that blow was what Shikiki's magic has reversed. The wounds Ukitake-kun now carries were not inflicted by you."

She shrugged.

"In fact, I would say that though the rest of his body is still in a poor state, his heart is more healthy now than it was before all of this." She reflected thoughtfully. "With all the surges in wild spirit power and all the fevers he's borne over the years, his physical health has never been good and such things run a strain on the heart after a while. Chronic illnesses do - often those who succumb to them succumb because their heart can no longer stand this damage. Ukitake-kun's heart was surviving, and I was monitoring it even before Genryuusai-sama asked me to - but even so I imagine it would have curtailed his life expectancy in the long run. Yet when I examined him after bringing him back here, I was surprised to find how strongly and resolutely it was beating. I can detect no damage to it whatsoever - none of the flaws or weak spots that I had already identified for potential treatment in the future. Shikiki's barriers healed Ukitake-kun's heart but she took it one step further without even realising it. It took so much of her power because she healed his heart entirely - not simply the damage done by your sword."

"But..." Shunsui stared at her, and Retsu nodded.

"So you see, I'm not worried about him." She said matter-of-factly. "With a heart and a pulse so strong as that, he will not die. It will take some time, but he will probably not bear any permanent physical harm from this. You, on the other hand, bear a mental scar that I do not want to hamper you. You can let it go now. The evidence of your act is erased by Shikiki's barrier - and you have no more reason to feel guilt for it."

"Mm...yes, I do." Shunsui shook his head, sinking down onto his own futon as he watched the healer measure out a dose of thick herbal medicine. "Because forgetting it would be running away from it. I'm good at escaping things, but I don't think my sword spirits are going to let me do that any more. I had a thought in there that...that maybe I didn't want to tell Juu what had happened. Since the wound was gone...I didn't have to tell him. But I...I think I do have to. And I want to be the one to, Sensei. If it's all right with you and with everyone else - I want to be the one to talk to Juu about...everything."

Retsu's smile widened and she held out the small ceramic cup of medicine.

"Genryuusai-sama would be very happy to hear you say that." She observed. "As am I. If you learn from this adventure, it wasn't in vain. Now take this, and lie back. It won't let you dream, so you should be able to sleep safely and discard your worries till the dawn. You need rest too - a broken arm doesn't heal without proper care and attention, and I won't let you put your body's needs second to those of someone else. I am the healer and I will do the healing. Your job is to be healed now - that and nothing more."

"Yes, Sensei." Shunsui nodded, taking the cup and downing the contents in one go. It was bitter and strong to the taste, yet he did not mind, setting the cup aside and laying down. As Retsu drew the blanket up to cover his arms, he closed his eyes, feeling Amaki and Seibara once more lurking at the edges of his wits.

_Tomorrow, maybe I'll speak to Juu and maybe I won't. It depends on how I feel - and on how he is, because I don't want to tell him unless I know he can take it in. But now I'm decided, that's what I'm going to do. So stick with me please, Seibara, Amaki. To take this, use it and move forward - and hope that Juushirou can do the same._

* * *

The sun had risen slowly and reluctantly over the northern peaks, and as Hirata prepared himself for the day's journey, he frowned, taking in the thin slithers of light that darted across the uneven lines and joins of the old chamber. He had never stayed at Hokujou before and he hoped he never would again, for the sound of the wind howling through the rafters had kept him awake much of the night and try as he might he could not shake the sensation of two piercing golden eyes watching him like a predator waiting to swoop down to grab its prey. Consequently he had found himself rising before dawn, and by the time the sun had fully decided to enter the morning sky, he was robed and ready for the day ahead.

The previous day was something of a blur still in his mind. Seimaru was dead. His aunt confined once more. His father living and doubtless soon to be accepted as the next Head of the Endou Clan. Everything was over, yet it had only just begun. Hirata was not so much of a child to think that the fight had been won just yet.

He touched his fingers to his face, regretting once again the loss of his glasses. It made the world blurry and indistinct, and he hoped that without the attentions of a manservant to guide him he had been able to put on the various complicated pieces of Clan clothing that he had found foisted on him by Kyouki the evening before. Where she had found them he did not know, though from their age and the faintly musty smell surrounding them he guessed that they had come from storage within the castle from the time when the family had used this as more than simply Riku's prison. This had sparked the realisation that that the Head of the Shiba Clan had probably spent a good part of her night snooping around the deserted halls and corridors. Aside from the men who guarded Riku's door once more, none of the retainers had been permitted entry to the castle itself that night – so there had been nobody to stop a curious Clan leader from investigating intriguing leads.

He moved to the door, reaching to open it and stepping out into the hall beyond. His father was sleeping three doors down, he knew, and although in the hazy morning light he could not make out clearly where the door handles were he found that by closing his eyes and focusing on his steps he was able to discern the current of the brisk northern wind through the narrow halls. Hokujou was really amazing, he reflected pensively, even as he made to open the door of Misashi's chamber. That the weather would be so brisk and breezy here had proven to be to his advantage in a way he had never thought of before.

"Hirata."

As he stepped into the chamber, a voice made him pause and he started, turning his blurry gaze towards the sound of the voice. His father had risen, he realised with a jolt, and was also similarly dressed, an extra brown robe wrapped firmly around his fragile body as he stood beside the window, gazing out across the landscape beyond. What Misashi was seeing, Hirata did not know – but somehow he suspected that even with his glasses, he would not be able to perceive the surroundings in the same light as his father.

"Otousama." A lump rose in his throat as he registered the fact this was their first spoken meeting since he had left for the Academy almost two years before. Tears pricked at his eyes, but he forced them back, knowing that now was not a time for him to cry. Misashi did not speak for a moment, then he let out a heavy sigh, and Hirata could hear the relief in his father's slow exhale of air.

"I hoped so much that we'd have a chance to speak again." Misashi's own voice was low and uneven as though he too was fighting back a wave of emotion. "But to see you stand before me now, a man and no longer a boy…it was more than even I hoped for, Hirata. That even now…even by this point…"

He faltered, his voice breaking, and Hirata made his way carefully across the room, reaching out to touch his father's arm.

"We have a lot to do." He said softly. "District Seven is in disarray and you…you're barely fit to be standing, let alone anything else. Yesterday you were quite unconscious – should you really be up and around?"

"As you said, we have much to do." Misashi said simply. "There is no time for anything else. We must ride from here today. We should have gone yesterday, but…"

He sighed, a faint shiver running through his body, and Hirata bit his lip.

"A message was sent to the main estate." He said quietly. "That you were alive and I also and that we would return today. A carriage is being sent for us – that is what I was told before I went to bed last night, anyhow. Till it arrives, we've nothing to do but wait. So sit down, Father. Rest a little more. You were kept a prisoner after all – you need to conserve your strength."

"To think that you of all people would be telling me such things." Misashi managed a rueful smile. "You truly are a man now, aren't you? No longer looking to me for support or guidance but instead trying to offer it – I don't think I have ever had more occasion to be proud of you than I am at the moment, Hirata-kun. This Clan needs you – very badly indeed."

"So, here you both are." Before Hirata could respond, the door slid back again, revealing Midori who bowed her head towards the two Endou with a smile on her face. "I'm glad to see you risen, since the carriage has been sighted cresting the hills into the estate grounds and we will leave as soon as we can. Raiden and Jinkei have already ridden from here with Kyouki-sama to make sure all is prepared back at the main house for your return – so all that remains is for you both to do the same."

She pursed her lips, eying Misashi carefully.

"Although are you quite sure, Misashi-sama, that you should be considering making the journey today? You don't look, if I may say so, in a fit state for such a trek."

"I appreciate your concern, Midori-sama." Misashi shook his head. "But as you rode to save your Clan, Hirata and I have a duty to ours now. I know yesterday's events – Raiden reported to me late last evening when I rose from my sleep. I ate a good meal then, all things considered, and I feel better for being away from the constant aura of the _Sekkiseki_. Endou-ke are not built to be easily toppled – I'm not in any danger of my life now."

"Well, as you wish it." Midori's smile widened, and she nodded her head. "I had a feeling you would say that, but my conscience dictated I should ask. I am your ally, after all – though this is perhaps the first time we have been able to speak quite openly and without any risk of being overheard. The Shihouin Clan will offer what assistance we can to the Endou Clan in rebuilding District Seven – I came here with that intention and I won't abandon my obligations so easily."

"I already owe you more of a debt than anyone can repay." Misashi brought his hand down on Hirata's shoulder. "I know that my son has been in your care and that you and your brother have done much to guide him in his time in exile. You've also been a source of contact for both of us, especially in keeping Seimaru's worst intentions at bay. I don't feel we can ask any more of you when we already have such high debts to pay."

"But without your help, I would never have been able to save the Shihouin-ke." Midori said simply. "We made a pact, Misashi-sama, some two years or so ago now. Do you not remember? To save both my Clan and yours, you helped me to escape. My Clan is saved but yours is only just starting to walk that path. Therefore I still have an obligation. And I choose to uphold it. There's no use arguing with me. Hirata will soon tell you that I don't easily change my mind about things."

A rueful smile twitched at Hirata's lips and he nodded.

"The same can be said of Otousama, however." He murmured softly. "Perhaps that is truly what has made your alliance survive even through such adversity."

"Perhaps so." Midori acknowledged, moving to the window as there was a commotion form outside. "Yes, and that's the arrival of the expected carriage. I know you'll want to walk down to it yourself, Misashi-sama – so I won't offer you my assistance. But please take it slowly. I intend to ride with you, so you shouldn't think you can easily escape my company by rushing."

"There is still much I need to be made aware of." Misashi said gravely as they slowly made their way down towards the waiting carriage. "Seimaru has died – this I know – and my sister in law has once more been confined in her quarters. The Council are here – but beyond that…such few random facts Raiden managed to give me before Kyouki-sama insisted on him leaving me to rest. Will you give me a greater picture of events, please? You too, Hirata. I want to know all I can – so I am prepared for what awaits us."

"You've covered the main points." Midori reflected. "What precisely happened here is still very unclear to me, too – since on arriving here we were all dispatched to different errands. Kyouki-sama and I had the job of taking on Seimaru – either into custody or to take his life so that he was no longer able to wreak havoc over the people here. We were then charged to locate the heirs to the Endou manor – which we have done – and everything else was out of our hands. Though an Urahara is strongly suspected in all of this – the pursuit of him was left to others, and not to us."

"Urahara Keitarou." Hirata whispered, and Misashi's eyes narrowed.

"_Aizen_ Keitarou." He said, shaking his head slightly. "That's the man you mean, isn't it? Father's scientist. Seimaru's scientist. The man who operated in shadows and who worked on illicit experimentation under the guise of who knows what."

"Yes." Midori agreed. "Whether he's been captured or killed I don't know – but he is definitely a person of interest for the Council in all of this. And for me…since I'm sure he had some involvement in Aitori's actions last year too. Father knew of him – this Urahara Keitarou person – and we're quite sure he and Seimaru were working together on whatever was going on here. Probably also in conspiring to kill your late Father in order for Seimaru to take power here – as well as kidnapping a certain promising District shinigami for whatever nefarious ends of his own. From what I understand that was Riku-hime's involvement – in forging a Clan link to this Urahara so that he could claim kinship to the Endou and move more easily in Seimaru's name."

"I see." Misashi sighed. "I thought over and over how Seimaru might have killed Father, but I could see no way in which he could have succeeded. Besides, the grief he showed when the body was found – the shock and dismay on his face were like I'd never seen before. For one to look and feel like that and yet be behind the murder – I did not believe my nephew to be such a good actor as that. Yet…"

"If Keitarou did the killing, perhaps it occurred at a time and place Seimaru wasn't expecting." Midori suggested. "Either way, I'm quite sure that's probably what happened."

"Shunsui-kun and I thought so too." Hirata said darkly. "This Urahara person has the power to control other people with his sword. Maybe he made Seimaru act like that to fool you and the rest of the Endou. He certainly used it to control Eiraki-chan and make her do things in District Eight that frightened her and put a good friend of mine in danger."

"Eiraki…?" Misashi was stricken, and Hirata nodded.

"Thanks to Ukitake-kun, she was all right when Shunsui-kun and I left District Eight." He said soberly. "But I don't know…what Ukitake-kun had to sacrifice to get that to happen. And I don't know…if maybe he was being controlled too. Because he…he didn't think that Keitarou was an enemy. And…and when we left the vicinity of the main house, I felt his spirit power disappearing. Something happened there…because of that man."

"I felt the same as you." Midori agreed. "And so did Kyouki-sama, because we discussed it late last night. But we'll know the facts of it soon enough, Hirata. For the time being, that you and Misashi-sama are alive is enough to be focusing on."

She ushered them out into the cold snow, and as they stepped outside, someone clambered down from the carriage, pausing to gaze at them in sombre, sober silence. Misashi stopped, and Hirata drew breath sharply as he interpreted the other's soft, faintly pulsing reiatsu.

"Genryuusai-sensei." He murmured, and the old man bowed his head slightly, moving across the snow towards them.

"Endou Hirata." He said quietly, and there was a moment of silence that seemed to last forever. Then the old man held out his hand, grasping Hirata's left wrist and pulling it up. Gently he dropped something into the boy's palm, and at the sudden coldness Hirata gasped, closing his fingers around it tightly in surprise.

"You are an Endou once more, therefore your crest should stay with you now." Genryuusai said gravely. "And also, on hearing Kyouki-dono's report, I brought these, too."

He held out something else, and as Hirata took it carefully, he realised it was a spare, unbroken pair of spectacles. With a rueful nod he unfolded them, slipping them onto his nose and blinking as the world suddenly came into focus.

"I seem to be good at breaking them." He murmured, as with trembling fingers he once more fastened the Endou-ke pendant around his neck. "Thank you, Sensei. For…this and for bringing me back my…"

He hesitated, curling his fingers briefly around the pendant a second time, then,

"I know that you told me if I ran off after my Clan you would no longer permit me back as your student." He whispered. "And I accept that…I accept that that will happen, now. But I…I'm glad, anyhow, that I was sent to study with you. I think…because of that…I've learnt a lot."

"Hrm." Genryuusai turned, gesturing to the carriage, but it was not until all four were safely inside and the vehicle had begun to move that he spoke again. Then his moustache twitched thoughtfully, and Hirata had the impression that the old man's gaze was boring into him, reading through to the core of his soul.

At length his lips parted once more.

"I believe I told you that if you broke the bounds of District One and left the school for your homeland, I would discard you as my student." He said softly, rubbing his beard absently as he spoke. "I do not recall, however, saying anything about your actions during a school recess."

"Sensei?" Hirata's eyes became huge, and Midori let out a soft chuckle at the younger boy's expression. Genryuusai spread his hands.

"Such discussions can wait, however." He continued, turning his gaze to Misashi. "Misashi-dono, this is the first time we have spoken face to face since you entrusted your son to me almost two years ago. He has worked exceptionally hard and I am glad to give you such a good report of his progress – but even more glad to see you yourself are alive to receive it."

"Thank you, sir." Misashi bowed his head low in acknowledgement of the old man's words. "For taking and training my son – I am grateful for everything you have done."

"Hirata himself has done most of it – he and the friends he has come to value almost as family." Genryuusai offered Hirata a smile, and the boy returned it faintly. "I remember very clearly what you wrote to me in that letter – that you wanted your son to achieve his potential and that you hoped by doing so one day he could come and fight on equal grounds among his kinsfolk. I understood your message then – that in Hirata you saw the future of your Clan and you would go to whatever lengths necessary to ensure his survival and training experience. You hoped one day you would see him fight and kill his cousin – that one day he would take the leadership of the Endou-ke and bring sanity and honour back to your family. Those were your ambitions – were they not?"

"They are cruel and callous ambitions for a father to harbour for his son, but yes." Misashi admitted slowly. "Those were my exact feelings, Genryuusai-sama. And…and I still feel that way, now. That to burden Hirata with so much is unfortunate, but…but with all that's gone before…I feel…"

"Hirata will not be accepted as Head of the Endou Clan." Genryuusai shook his head, and Misashi's expression became one of dismay.

"But…?"

"It is not possible." Genryuusai responded. "Even though I have heard from Kyouki-dono that the boy did as you hoped for him – that Hirata himself took down Seimaru and therefore in Endou eyes could be called the rightful claimant – he will not be acknowledged as such by the Council of Elders."

The old man spoke evenly and matter-of-factly, yet Hirata could feel the tension rippling through Misashi's body.

"But _why_?" He whispered, shaking his head as if unable to understand. "By Endou law…by Endou law, if he…with witnesses…if my son truly did…Hirata, you truly _did_ fight Seimaru? Kyouki-sama said to me also that it was so, but…you…did? Truly did…take his life?"

"Yes." Hirata said quietly. "I did."

_Though not by honourable means._

"Then _why _not, Genryuusai-sama?" Misashi was clearly quite upset by this point. "If not Hirata, then the Clan…what future for the Clan? Mother would never forgive me if I miscalculated…if I let the family be ripped apart because…"

"Shh. Calm yourself." Genryuusai shook his head, and Midori grinned.

"You've spent far too long pitching this onto Hirata's shoulders, Misashi-dono." She scolded lightly. "But Hirata's only seventeen and still in training. He's too young in every sense of the word – though one day he will probably make an exceptional leader. He's still a child now – and the Council can't ratify any child to take over a family, let alone one in as much disarray as this one. The subject has already been discussed in Inner Seireitei. We came to this District knowing that."

"I knew it too, Father." Hirata agreed. "That this wasn't my Clan – that wasn't what I was fighting for, exactly."

"Then…?" Misashi looked blank, and Genryuusai reached a wizened hand across to touch the other's shoulder.

"You seem to have forgotten your own position in all of this." He said softly. "And that you exist as more than a facilitator or your Lady Mother's tool from beyond the grave._ You_ are Shouichi-dono's only surviving son and the recorded heir apparent to the previous lord Seimaru. I have confirmed it this morning with Raiden-dono by reading the documents of your Clan and it is quite clearly written that the official succession passes from the childless Seimaru to your own branch of the family. I have also made sure that the Endou-ke will acknowledge a claimant by bloodline as well as by battle and in this case, the Clan would feel more steady under adult rule than taking a gamble on a boy who has been exiled from his land for nearly two years. _You_ are the first claimant to the leadership of the Clan, Misashi-dono. This is _your _Clan now. The Council came here to act in your name – and the Endou administration are ready and willing to accept you as the true heir to Seimaru and blood son of Shouichi-dono."

"_Me_?" Misashi looked genuinely stunned, and despite himself Hirata grinned.

"I'm your heir instead now, Father." He said frankly. "And that's fine with me. Even if I killed Seimaru – I'm not really proud of how I did it and I don't think I'm ready to lead a Clan yet. But you…you are. You could…you know that. Everything fell to pieces here when you were locked away – Raiden and Jinkei said so. The Clan need you more than they do me at the moment. I'm the future, perhaps. But right now…you're the head of the Endou Clan. Grandmother would have wanted it that way – and so do I."

"But I have no sword…I am no shinigami." Misashi whispered. "Such a thing…for a Clan like this…"

"Hirata is also not yet a shinigami, and to take him from his training now may mean he never becomes one." Genryuusai said frankly. "You must look to the future, not just to this moment, Misashi-dono. Your son is as you told me – very gifted and blessed with perception and spiritual skill. But he is physically weak and inexperienced and his sword skills are still very basic at best. Three, maybe four more years of good training would make a difference to that. He has after all shown a willingness to learn, but not all children have talent in all areas. This Hirata is still in transition. Whether he becomes the shinigami I know he could be depends on the decisions made now. He has reached a crossroads by taking so much into his own hands and facing so many adult questions while still so young. But he should still be protected for now. And if you took the Clan, that could happen. Until your son is of a level that none can oppose him – until the Endou-ke is firmly and strongly once more on its feet."

"The Endou-ke have been plunged into chaos by Seimaru, but also by Shouichi-sama." Midori said gravely. "They need security and level-headedness, not blood and warfare while everything settles back down. We can help, but this is a family who do not naturally trust outsiders. That's why we wanted to find you alive, too. You're as needed for this Clan's survival as your son is. And that's why the Council came here – to arrest Seimaru for misdeeds and take hold of District Seven in your name."

"Does that mean…you still intend to train me, Sensei?" Hope flickered in Hirata's pale eyes, and Genryuusai nodded.

"I sensed something in you last year when you defied Seimaru and chose to stay in District One." He said quietly. "That beneath your uncertainty and fear was a stubborn resolve that would see you through even the most adverse of circumstances. In that moment I felt that your father had been right. You were the only one in the Endou-ke who could take on Seimaru…and who could, somehow, defeat Seimaru. I didn't expect it like this – or that it would happen so quickly. But that it has has made me all the more certain of your abilities. If you will come back to the Academy…then I would be glad to continue to train you."

Hirata glanced at Misashi, who let out a heavy sigh.

"I have been short sighted." He admitted. "In not realising that because I didn't view myself as a claimant, others might feel otherwise. I even told Raiden and Jinkei that I would not take the Clan – but if I had, what would I have saved? If I had…could I have prevented the things that followed? If, without a _zanpakutou_, Hirata managed to defeat Seimaru – what could I have done to achieve the same end?"

"Without Midori-sama and Kyouki-sama I wouldn't have defeated him. Without the things he was involved in and the situation being as it was, I would've been killed." Hirata shook his head. "But Father, Sensei and Midori-sama are right. If you don't accept the Clan leadership, then the District will be forced into protectorship, won't it? At least till I come of age, but even so…even so…"

"You want to continue training in District One, and that may not fully finish till you are twenty one." Misashi frowned. "But what Genryuusai-sama says is also true. To waste your potential by hurrying your position – that was never my intention. I just worry…my Father was Gotei, and…"

"Seventh District's squad will be placed under interdict for various misdemeanours." Genryuusai said simply. "Guren-sama has sent a damning summary report already which details various abuses – including those ranked as shinigami who lack even basic sword skills, as well as shinigami being used to raze and terrorise citizens of the District rather than hunting and slaying Hollows. The men will be treated with mercy providing they cooperate with the Council – after all, they are sworn to obey orders given, and so far they seem keen to do as they're told. But there will be no Seventh Squad after the Council's next meeting – of that I am quite sure."

He smiled.

"Although not a regular member of the Council of Elders, my opinion does carry some weight there." He added lightly. "And for the time being, I am representing my Clan as regards this particular operation. Therefore I intend to suggest that Seventh Squad be placed on hiatus until the administration of District Seven can be seen to have stabilised and shinigami provision is once more viable. Currently District Eight is policed mostly by the Tenth and Eleventh squads. It would be my hope that the Ninth and Twelfth Squads would be deployed to act on the behalf of this region until such times as a formal squad of its own can be reformed. I will suggest a hiatus period of ten years. That should be more than enough for the Endou-ke to bring their domain under control."

"And for Hirata to complete his training and learn how to be a Clan leader, too." Misashi's eyes narrowed. "Very well. If those are the terms, I will accept your proposition, Genryuusai-sama. You speak mildly, but I am not ignorant to how much influence you have in all the big Clan decisions, and I know your words will carry weight with whoever should hear them. That being the case, I have no choice but to accept – but only on this one condition. That when my son is deemed trained and ready to be a Gotei Captain and a leader, the District passes to his control. I am an administrator, but I was never allowed to be a fighter. And in the long term, such a person will never maintain control over a family such as this – even if right now that is what is most needed."

"Father…" Hirata gazed at him in consternation, and Misashi grinned.

"When that time comes, I will step into the shadows but continue to assist you in any way I can." He promised. "Our family have proven themselves dysfunctional and broken over the past few generations – but not this time around."

"The Shihouin Clan would approve of such a suggestion." Midori nodded. "As the ally of the Endou, I'm sure my people would prefer not to be fighting bloody civil battles to try and gain control. This idea seems the best one – and when Hirata is ready, Kai and I will endorse his claim and help him to be accepted at the Council."

"Then it is decided." Genryuusai seemed relieved, and Hirata realised at that moment that gaining Misashi's agreement had never been seen as a sure thing. "The Endou council have been ordered to assemble, and when we arrive back there, you will both be called before them. Now you are settled with your futures, it will be easier to present to them and for them to accept."

Hirata chewed on his lip, then,

"Sensei…I wanted to ask you…I mean, I need to ask you…about…Shunsui-kun and about…about Ukitake-kun."

"Ah. Yes." Genryuusai's gaze once more became grave, and fear leapt into Hirata's pale eyes. "I was waiting for you to ask me – and I might have been tempted to shield you from the answer. But for one who will become the heir to a difficult Clan in a District full of troubles – I won't avoid your question. You have the right to know the end results of your decision to come to District Seven without guidance or support."

Hirata's heart clenched, and Genryuusai sighed.

"Both boys live." He said at length, yet the relief that Hirata felt should come did not as he interpreted the concern in the old man's gaze. "Yet both have suffered from this encounter. Perhaps irrevocably. I do not know. Thanks to the manipulations of Urahara Keitarou and his sword."

"What happened to Juushirou, Genryuusai-sama?" Midori asked quietly, and Genryuusai frowned.

"He is currently quite ill, though thanks to the intervention of a talented young healer, he lives." He said quietly. "He was taken over and controlled by the highest level of spiritual manipulation and it has done serious damage to his body and his soul. Retsu-sama has said that he will recover – but the process will be long and slow and it may yet prove to set him back in his quest to master his _zanpakutou_. Still…at the present time…the hold of that man's sword has been decisively broken and he will most probably survive."

"And Shunsui-kun?" Hirata whispered.

"For him, a broken arm is the only physical proof of conflict." Genryuusai said grimly. "But Urahara's sword caused Juushirou to act against him – to attack him – and to stop him Shunsui had to use his own skills to bring his friend down. The blow he struck should have been a fatal one – that it was not was fortune that could not be forseen. That he had the resolve to act so gives me pleasure but…"

"He's the kind of boy who might not forgive himself for causing harm to his friend." Midori said sadly. "That's what you mean, isn't it?"

"He is his father's son, and his father never tolerated such sins either." Genryuusai said cryptically. "Though both boys live and will heal in body…I have worries for them when it comes to the lasting impact on their minds and their consciences. I cannot hide it from you in particular, Hirata – that all that has happened has been a consequence of your family's dysfunction and greed."

Hirata lowered his head, digesting this for a moment. Then he nodded.

"I understand." He said, somehow managing to keep his words level. "And for that reason, I'll keep working hard. I won't let the Endou go like that again, no matter what. And I won't…I won't be angry with Shunsui-kun or with Ukitake-kun for the decisions they made or the things that happened. Because…because I've got blood on my hands too."

"Children made adults in a brief, fleeting moment of violence." Midori murmured. "For me it came when I took my blade into my hands and struck down the man who beat Kai to within an inch of his life. Then I learnt it…that I was powerful and that my decisions carried weight and could bring danger, too. Now its their turn, isn't it, Genryuusai-sama? Kai learnt it when he fought with Tomoyuki and almost got himself killed. And Hirata, Juushirou and Shunsui-dono…they're learning it now."

"To survive in this world, it's not a bad lesson to learn young." Misashi reflected. "Even if it seems harsh, it has to be learnt. If those boys will be shinigami, Genryuusai-sama – if they will be of use to Seireitei as you hope – they will have to face that lesson. That their decisions impact on others. That they are to blame for things and must take responsibility for things they have no direct control over."

"And that's why you'll be the next leader of District Seven." Midori cast him a smile. "Because you see things so clearly, just like that."

"Shunsui-kun and Ukitake-kun got involved in this to help me, because I'm their friend and because Eiraki was used as a decoy and a weapon by the enemy against us." Hirata murmured. "Sensei, when we get back to the main house, I want to speak to them. I want to…"

"After you speak to your Clan." Genryuusai shook his head. "Your friends can see you afterwards. Shunsui in particular, I think, will benefit from your company. Juushirou was still sleeping when I left and perhaps will continue to sleep for a while yet. But your Clan comes first now. If you're to be considered an adult in any sphere, Hirata, you must begin it here."

"All right." Hirata sighed, but nodded his head. "I understand. This has always been about my Clan, after all – the least I can do is try and help put it back together."

* * *

**Author's Note**

_It's come to my attention that some folk are having trouble catching up with the story posting and aren't having time to read one chapter before another is posted up. I'm also insanely busy at the moment, and I don't want to neglect my duty of replying to reviews and stuff any more than I already have done._

_There are only two or three chapters left of this story now, plus one overall epilogue chapter and they will be updated as people catch up with what's been written so far - hopefully once each week. :) _

_So just in case anyone is wondering why the slow-down, I thought I'd explain xD_

At the moment with everything going on in RL and stuff, I am fairly certain Meifu will end with this story, so if that's the case, I'd like to go out in style and with all readers caught up and not feeling hurried to do so!


	64. Twin Spirits, Twin Blades

**Chapter Sixty Three: Twin Spirits, Twin Blades**

Tomorrow was Shougatsu.

Shunsui pushed back the door of his chamber, pausing in the hallway beyond as a maidservant hurried by him, acknowledging him only with the slightest bow of her head as she hastened off to carry out her duties.

In the four days since Hirata had returned from Hokujou, the main house of the Endou-ke had become a hive of activity. Even though he had been relegated to the role of walking wounded and a foreigner at that, Shunsui had picked up on the change in atmosphere almost immediately. From being like a ship cast adrift in the sea mist, suddenly the normal cogs and wheels of Clan life had begun to creak back into life as though Seventh District were waking from a long, bad dream.

_Because Misashi-sama was still alive, and Hirata came back, slowly things are calming down. Even if it's a false calm...for now, everyone is so relieved to have someone to take charge that they've just stood back and let it happen._

Shunsui sighed, leaning up against the wall as he considered this.

_But in the end, that's the right choice. The Council are still here, and Nii-sama said yesterday that before they return home to their own respective lands they will formally ratify Misashi-sama's position as Head of the Endou Clan. It means that, so far as outside are concerned, the matter is resolved. Rebuilding everything is going to be the job of this District, not the Council - though I don't suppose Nii-sama will ignore them completely. I know he hopes for better relations with the Endou now, and I'm sure that the Shihouin will remain involved too. Those things will help...and little by little, things will settle down. _

He closed his eyes.

_Just a matter of a few days, and yet already the wounds are beginning to heal. Misashi-sama is that influential an administrator? Or is it simply that the Endou are tired of struggling for power amid bloodshed? The economy of Seventh has faltered in recent years. Misashi-sama has probably promised to help put that right - and that will have won him support from his kinsfolk right away. Clan doesn't work without money - and there's still the matter of luring back the thousands of stray refugees still inhabiting the borderlands of District Eight. There's a lot to fix, but there's no time limit by which they have to be fixed. So I guess...bit by bit...this District will start to heal. Maybe Eighth will help, in their own way.  
_  
_And I suppose I can leave that to Nii-sama to deal with._

_I suppose it isn't my duty, yet, to take those things on. Although right now I feel like I could do that more easily than...what else I must do_.

He opened his eyes, hardening his resolve as he made his way once more along the hallway to the little room that still acted as his friend's sickroom.

Despite his own conviction, he had not yet mustered the courage to go visit Juushirou a second time. Those blurry, smudgy eyes still bored into his conscience, yet he had delayed, telling himself that he would wait until his friend was of firmer mind and better able to absorb everything. The truth was, though, that he was scared. Deep down he was terrified...that the person he trusted most would truly have become a stranger and that, after everything, he had severed more than Keitarou's control when he had plunged Seibara's blade deep into Juushirou's heart.

But tomorrow was Shougatsu, a time for new beginnings and moving on. And so he would not let a new year begin with these same questions still hanging over him. Amaki had pushed him, Seibara too. It was time he faced up to what had to be done.

It was time to talk to Juushirou face to face.

Hirata had already been to visit the other boy a couple of times, and though Shunsui had also spoken to the young Endou about the fight, Hirata had not raised the subject with the District boy. He too had grown up even in the past few days, Shunsui reflected - from scared school student to the heir to the Endou Clan and though he was still young, Shunsui had begun to see his friend as a potential leader one day in the future too. Talking to Hirata had indeed helped put things into perspective - for as Retsu had remarked, the Endou boy had his own demons to deal with - yet even so Shunsui had put off the inevitable as long as he could. Hirata had gone. Members of the Council had, and Genryuusai too had spent time visiting the injured District boy. Even Shikiki had been often at Juushirou's side...but not Shunsui.

_No more being a coward, Amaki. Today I will go. I've decided, so I'm going to go. Resolve, Seibara. I'm grabbing hold of that now - and I'm going in._

With this thought in mind, Shunsui put his good hand to the door, gently pushing it back and stepping into the chamber.

Bright sunlight gleamed in through the window, a fair contrast from the murky, snowy weather that had covered the landscape for the past couple of days, and somehow the light reminded him of his inner world. This gave him extra courage, and he quietly shut the door behind him with his good arm, trying not to make a noise.

"You came, then."

The hoarse, yet unmistakeable sound of his friend's voice made him falter, turning to meet the quizzical hazel gaze of his classmate. Although he knew that Juushirou had spent longer periods awake since their last encounter, Shunsui had expected the boy to at least be lying down still as he recovered from his ordeal. Retsu had made it clear that the strain of his captivity and then the battle had triggered a serious _haibyou_ episode, and that his body still had a lot of mending to do. But even so, Juushirou was propped up in bed, surrounded by pillows of various sizes to support his delicate, fragile frame. His features were ash pale, his eyes still barely more than shadows in his face, yet there was a sinister flush at his cheeks which told Shunsui that he had not been deceived about the severity of Juushirou's condition after all. He was sitting up, but that did not make him recovered, and he sighed, coming over to kneel carefully at the bedside.

"I have." He said solemnly. "Though if you'd rather I left you alone, I'll go."

"Mm." Juushirou was silent for a time, then, "I wondered, you know. If you were going to...to come at all."

A faint catch in his voice told Shunsui his friend was fighting against _haibyou_ spasms in his lungs to convey his words.

"I didn't know if you wanted me to." He said honestly. "And I wasn't sure how well you were, anyhow. I know Shikiki has been with you a lot, and Hirata and Retsu-sama, too, once or twice. Nii-sama too, once, while you were sleeping. But...to be truthful, Juu, I wasn't sure you'd want me here at all. I did come...once before...and I think I disturbed you, then. So I didn't...I wanted to know you were recovering - but I thought my visiting you might throw that back."

A faint, humourless smile touched Juushirou's lips.

"And yet you can come now?" He asked softly. "Even though I'm like this? You know me too well not to see it - this is the w...worst my _haibyou_ has been since my F...Father died."

"I was worried about coming." Shunsui owned. "In the end, I suppose I was being selfish - but I wanted to see...that you were...that you were..."

"Still alive?" Juushirou whispered, and Shunsui bowed his head low before his friend.

"Yes." He agreed sadly. "I wanted to see...that."

"Shunsui..." Juushirou let out a heavy sigh, and then Shunsui felt the touch of a hand on his good arm, the pale, fragile fingers trembling as they brushed against the sleeve of his _hakamashita_.

"I'm sorry." Juushirou spoke quietly and contritely. "You must have...have been worried about me."

Shunsui's head shot up in dismay, a stricken look entering his dark eyes.

"Don't apologise to me." He said sharply, pulling back from the tentative touch. "Don't, Juu, else I won't hold it together. I promised enough people that I was going to deal with this and move on, but if you sit there and look at me like that, I won't manage it. You shouldn't apologise. You shouldn't look at me with those eyes...I won't have it. Do you even understand what you're saying, and who you're saying it to? Does that mean you really don't know...don't remember...what happened to leave you in this state?"

Juushirou's eyes widened slightly, his brow creasing in consternation.

"I know." He said gravely, and Shunsui's heart clenched.

"Unohana-sensei promised that she wouldn't..." He began, but Juushirou shook his head gingerly.

"Shikiki told me everything." He said quietly, and Shunsui knew the muted tones were to prevent the onset of a coughing fit. "She didn't mean to...but when she thought I was sleeping...she would talk a lot and...she told me things. Things like I shouldn't be mad at you, and that she had been scared and...little by little I...I worked out what she was trying to say."

"Oh." Shunsui bit his lip, then, "Everything?"

"What she knew, I suppose." Juushirou whispered. "Keitarou-san's sword, the fight, and how you stopped me. How Keitarou-san disappeared and how she was afraid that she would be alone...how she wanted to help me, but she couldn't help all of me. And how you had to stop me. Yes...that I know, too. And I'm sorry. You s...shouldn't h...have to...to have..."

The rest of his sentence dissolved into a fit of coughing, and Shunsui cursed, moving to slip his good arm around Juushirou's shoulders as the younger boy's body shook with the force of the spasm.

"You shouldn't be talking, let alone talking nonsense." He said matter-of-factly, holding his friend firmly as he had done so many times in the past during similar fits. This time, though, Juushirou felt even more fragile than before - as though he might easily break under the slightest pressure, and once more Shunsui was aware of how faint and feeble the other's reiatsu still was. "So don't try to. I don't want to make it worse."

"I didn't know if you'd come." Juushirou admitted, as the spasm abated and he sighed, leaning his weight against his friend as fatigue overwhelmed his body. "I thought I'd seen you...here...but you'd seemed...haunted and I thought...it was a fevered dream. Then...when I heard...I thought you wouldn't...ever face me again."

"Well, I came." Shunsui tried to keep his tone light, though guilt coursed through him at the awkward honesty of Juushirou's words. "But Juu...really. You shouldn't be the one apologising. You're not the one who...in the end, you weren't the one who..."

He stopped, unable to say the words, and a faint smile touched Juushirou's lips.

"I don't remember any of it." he said quietly. "Shikiki said you were worried that I did, because you thought I was in pain. I don't, though. I don't remember anything about the fight at all. Just waking up here. And I know it's thanks to her that I'm alive - but if I hadn't gone off on one of my own whims again, you wouldn't have been forced to stop me in the way you did. I'm not cross. I don't hate you. But I knew...you'd think I was and that I did. And...that you'd be cross with yourself, too. So I...I wanted to say I was sorry. For making you do that...and feel that."

Shunsui took a deep breath into his lungs.

"I didn't have to do it alone, in the end." He responded carefully. "Seibara...my _zanpakutou_...she guided me. I couldn't have found the resolve without her. It was a sucky thing to have to do, in truth. And if you'd died, I don't know...how I'd have managed to carry that. Somehow, I suppose...but it didn't come to it. I should just be grateful for that and not think too much on it - but I have been thinking on it and thanking my stars that Shikiki was with us at the time. Otherwise...well, I didn't really want you to die, Juu. I didn't come to District Seven to kill you. I came to find you and help you. Rescue you, if need be. So..."

"Shunsui." Juushirou cut across him, shaking his head slightly. "You don't have to tell me that. Do you think I'd really believe you capable of killing me? It wasn't me you were fighting. It was Keitarou-san's spell. That's what you broke and destroyed - it wasn't me. It would never have been me again. I would have hurt people and then died, slowly...it wasn't me any longer."

He sighed, closing his eyes briefly as he leant up against his friend once again, the effort of holding himself upright proving too much in his beleagured state.

"I think...it's only me now...because of Shikiki." He whispered. "Because she used her magic...and...somehow, she brought me back."

"Do you believe me, now, when I say that Urahara is trouble?" Shunsui asked, and Juushirou looked rueful.

"I never said otherwise." He pointed out. "I never said he was my ally, or on my side. I just...didn't think he was really Seimaru's. And...I still don't. But what he meant to do by controlling me.."

He rubbed his chest, grimacing with pain, then,

"There are still faint slithers of his reiatsu inside me. Unohana-sensei says they will break down and disappear but she can't remove them." He added. "Like traces of poison, I suppose, lingering in the body even after the antidote has been given. Maybe that's why I think this way, even now but...Shunsui, I don't think that he meant me harm. I don't think...that was his intention. He didn't intend to kill Eiraki-hime, and...he didn't intend to kill me. I wouldn't listen to him and he couldn't keep me hidden, so he used desperate measures to keep a hold of me. And that included fighting everyone and anyone...even you."

"Maybe." Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "But if you expect me to forgive it, you'll be waiting a long time. He manipulated you and made you suffer. Even if you can't remember it, Juu, at the time you were hurting and you were wanting to be helped. You were crying. Begging me, at one point, to make you stop. I had to try. That was what decided it, in the end. He did something awful to you. I won't ever forgive that. Or forget it. Not now and not ever."

"I've not heard you talk like that before." Juushirou sounded surprised, and Shunsui smiled, a rueful look entering his dark eyes.

"I've never really hated someone like this before." He confessed. "I hated Seimaru plenty - but that pales in comparison to this. What that man did...I don't care what you think his motives were. What the end result was...was unforgivable. You could have died. I could've died. Shikiki could've died. Everything could have fallen apart. No matter how you think of it - that's the truth. I'm not proud of what I did at all, and Juu, if you'd hated me for it, I'd have understood why you did. It wouldn't have been undeserved hate. And what Keitarou did...in my opinion, this time...that's also not undeserved hate. This whole thing just proves what I always have said - the moment you pick up a sword to fight, you're in the wrong. No matter how right your motives - in the end, it's the same thing. It just ends in breeding more hate."

"I told you already that I d...don't hate you." Juushirou reminded him, and Shunsui nodded.

"I know. But that's only because you understand people impossibly well." He said with a heavy sigh. "Still, I feel better for hearing you say it. I've never had a week like this one before. When I've had to face up to so many things. But at least I haven't been alone with it. Hirata and I have talked...but also, even when there's nobody else...Seibara and Amaki have been shadowing me, and even when they're nagging or poking at me, it's like I have allies now that I didn't have before. They were with me then and they're with me now. They're making me face up to things - and so far I guess they're being proven right."

"I'm glad." Juushirou murmured, but there was a wistfulness in his voice, and Shunsui cast him a quizzical glance.

"Juu? What is it?"

"I don't know where In'you are at the moment." Juushirou admitted mournfully. "Unohana-sensei says they're a part of me so they can't be so easily destroyed - my spirit power isn't damaged or cut off or anything like that. But I can't hear them. Feel them. Or reach my sword."

He gestured feebly to the unit beside the bed.

"Sougyo is with me, but it doesn't answer." He added. "When Keitarou-san first cast his spell on me, the sword responded to my commands but I couldn't hear their voices. And even now, I can't. It's like they're gone completely. I don't like it...it makes me feel very alone all of a sudden."

"And I've been hiding away like a coward and not coming to see you like a good friend should." Inwardly Shunsui berated himself. "Well, then we'll have to change that. I'm stuck here till Nii-sama goes home - and until that point, I'll make it my specific business to harass you as much as possible. If Unohana-sensei says they'll come back, I'm sure that it's true - so in the meantime, I'll annoy you so much you won't have a chance to fret."

"Shunsui." Despite himself, a faint smile touched Juushirou's lips. "Actually, I may be the one doing the annoying, in fact."

"Mm?" Shunsui eyed him curiously, and Juushirou swallowed hard, pausing for a moment to stifle a new spasm before speaking.

"Sensei was here this morning." He whispered. "Before you came. He and I had a long t...talk about things. Right now I'm sick - I know this better than anyone. This isn't just another _haibyou_ attack, but rooted right to the core of my being. It's not going to be shaken off in a few days, not even with specialist treatment. I'm going to take time to recover, this time. I accept that. It's what I deserve for throwing myself so recklessly into danger."

"You really shouldn't be doing quite so much talking, in that case." Shunsui pointed out, and Juushirou shrugged.

"I'm bored and fed up." He said obstinately. "Even if I cough, at least if I c...cough talking to p...people, I'm c...coughing for a good reason. I'll cough anyhow, so..."

"All right, no need to prove the point by starting a rant at me." Shunsui grinned, inwardly feeling relieved at the normality of Juushirou's reaction. "What did Yama-jii have to say about things?"

"I won't be coming back to school when you all do, after the Shougatsu celebrations."

"Not..." Shunsui was floored. "But...what...not at all?"

"Not till at least the start of Third Year." Juushirou shook his head. "I was cross too - actually, if you h...hadn't have come in, I might have cried, to be honest. Because I feel I've come so far...then gone so far back, all in one year."

"That's still only a term, though." Shunsui pointed out. "Then you'd be back, if you'd healed up okay. And he wouldn't drop you back...would he? Would he drop you back?"

"Mm..no." Juushirou shook his head. "If I'm fit enough to t...take the final theory exams when you do, I c...can stay with you all. He g...gave me that incentive. It just s...seems like a long time to be away from everyone."

"But won't you go home? Your family will be missing you."

"T...too dangerous." Juushirou shook his head again. "My reiatsu is low now, but it will grow, and I'm not strong enough to reel it in fully while I'm healing. So I would make things risky at home. I'm at a too high level of training to be s...safe while in this state."

"Then?"

"Tokutarou-sama has volunteered to take me back to Eight and house me there while I heal." Juushirou sighed. "It's further from my family, but I can't stay here. Politics are too unstable and the Clan as a whole aren't overly fond of District shinigami yet. And while I know Ryuu and Mitsuki would accept it, I've learnt a lot about the Kuchiki-ke f...from them. I know that it would not be possible for me to go there - and I d...don't really want to, either. Even if my mother was one - I'm not. And that's how it will always be. Tokutarou-sama is kind and I feel...in Eight...it would be okay. But I will be...on my own. Especially with In'you...like this."

"Mm." Shunsui frowned, helping his friend to lie back on his pillows and then settling himself more comfortably, flinching slightly as he jolted his broken arm. At his reaction, Juushirou bit his lip.

"I did that, didn't I." He whispered, and despite himself Shunsui grinned.

"Let's call it quits." he suggested lightly. "I skewered your heart, you smashed my arm. Let's leave it at that and call it a draw for Team Stupid this time out."

"But my heart is all right now. It's the only part of me that is."

"And my arm will be too, soon. So it's fine. Really. Just a little sore."

He sat back against the wall, looking thoughtful.

"I think Nii-sama's done the best thing, and I can't believe he didn't tell me that was what he had planned." He continued. "But I suppose he still wasn't sure what you and I would say to each other - whether it would be all right. Unohana-sensei thought it would be - but I admit I was scared that we wouldn't be the same after that fight. You...terrified me, to be honest. Coming at me like that, using your sword, wielding techniques I'd never seen you use before...I'm quite sure that Shikiki saved my life in the battle before she saved yours afterwards. That kid is pretty amazing - everyone should have one as a matter of course."

"Shikiki is very special." Juushirou nodded. "And I promised her she wouldn't be left alone any more. Sensei wants to t...train her, but she's only a child. So I m...made him agree that she wouldn't start that till she was s...sixteen at least. Because I owe her a debt and so do my family. So...so I'm going to part repay that debt. I might not be able to go home but...Shikiki will. Tokutarou-sama has promised to try and get at least my stepmother to District Eight to see me, and Shikiki...I intend Shikiki to be part of my family till...till she's old enough to train like us."

"That's a nice thought." Shunsui grinned. "She's a District kid who'd be overwhelmed by Clans and she still has a lot of shinigami phobia to get over. Growing up with your brood might not make her turn out all that normal, but at least she'd be happy and loved - and that's more important."

"My family aren't that strange." Juushirou objected, and Shunsui laughed.

"You have a biased opinion." He teased. "Others don't see it quite that simply."

"I didn't expect to hear laughter from here this morning."

Before Juushirou could respond, there was a voice from the doorway and Shunsui glanced up, a smile touching his lips as he registered Hirata watching them. Robed in fresh and official Clan clothing as befitted his new position, Shunsui could not help but think that he was barely recogniseable as the young fifteen year old who had been dumped into their midst at the start of the First Year, yet under the Kyouraku's scrutiny, Hirata flushed an awkward red, shaking his head impatiently.

"Please, don't. I feel strange enough without you staring at me too."

"Come in, Hirata." Juushirou suggested. "You're not interrupting anything...is he, Shunsui?"

"No. I think everything has been said that needs to be right now." Shunsui agreed. "And you can hide out with us for a bit if you need a break from the politics. You must've been up since quite early - you don't look like you had much sleep last night."

"My sleeping is uneven at the moment anyway." Hirata said with a sigh, coming to obediently kneel beside the bed. "There's too much going on in my mind."

"How are things with the Endou?" Shunsui asked softly. "We've been holed up here and we're not really involved, but...for you..."

"I don't know how I would have managed if Father hadn't been there." Hirata admitted. "I don't know much about running a Clan, and this one is in such a mess. There are so many missing common folk and the local economies are warped or completely collapsed in several areas. Since yesterday Clansmen from all over the District have come to petition Father and I for something to be done to improve the situation and a lot of talk about encouraging the refugees to return has also been under discussion. It's making my head spin, if I'm truthful. But Father...Father seems to have an answer for each of them. Already he's begun thinking of a strategy to rebuild our economy and to devise trade links with other Districts. Listening to him I realise how inadequate my knowledge and understanding is...of everything like that."

"But Misashi-sama is there, so you've him to learn from." Shunsui grinned. "I'll be honest, I don't know much about leading a Clan either. I leave it to Tokutarou-nii and I've no real desire to learn all the mechanics of it. It's a big job - and not all that interesting."

"I don't have the same choice you do." Hirata said gravely. "Tokutarou-sama is married and will likely produce children of his own. They will inherit and you won't have to worry. In my case...there is nobody else, now. All the other claimants to the position are dead."

"Hirata..." Juushirou hesitated, then, "I feel...I should be sorry to you, too. Because...I hurried this all on. Didn't I?"

"This is obviously your day for taking the blame for things." Shunsui cast him a sidelong glance. "I don't suppose that there's any real truth in that, though. After all, you were a pawn in this as much as anyone else. Lots of little things bunched together to wind up with things as they are."

"Besides, this is the best outcome." Hirata settled himself more comfortably. "I'm frightened and I feel trapped because I know I'll never escape my Clan now. But this was the only good way things could have finished. Seimaru had to be stopped. The flow of refugees had to be stopped. Everything had to change. And...and I was born as Father's son, so that means...I've got to be part of that change."

"Mm." Juushirou sighed heavily, rubbing his chest absently as he did so. "Not for the first time...I'm happy not to be Clan."

"Have they managed to find the Urahara?" Shunsui cast Hirata a quizzical look, and Hirata shook his head.

"The Council have been organising searches and Ninth and Eleventh Squads have also been called in to help, but there's been no trace of him." He said gravely. "Nagesu-sama fought with him at the old Urahara village - he told Sensei that much, and I heard Sensei talking to Father about it...since Sensei seems to think that shielding me from anything now will just hold me back from getting stronger. But they've searched there and found no body...and Nagesu-sama himself said he didn't think he'd killed Keitarou. They seized a bunch of records from his underground laboratory - but even though they've been picked over now, there's nothing in them apparently that relates to Shikiki or to you, Ukitake-kun. Nor anything about _reidoku_, either. Just harmless information about _Senkaimon_ and other experiments he'd perfected over the last hundred years."

"I'm pretty sure he did k...keep notes on me when I was there." Juushirou bit his lip, and Hirata nodded.

"The thought is that when he left the battlefield with Nagesu-sama, he concealed his reiatsu and returned to his lab to remove documents." He said helplessly. "But where he went from there or if that's even true...nobody knows. Just Nagesu-sama says that, from the detailed nature of the _Senkaimon_ notes they found...he thinks its possible that Keitarou isn't in Soul Society any more. Which means he could only have gone to one of two places - places where even shinigami can't easily go."

"Two places?" Juushirou frowned, and Shunsui's eyes became grave.

"The Real World, or the world of the Hollows." He murmured. "Though the latter is supposedly just a legend, and as for the other..."

"If he's gone there, they may never find him." Hirata agreed with a sigh. "Since it will take time for the Urahara to work to stabilise the _Senkaimon_ enough to send proper search parties, and by that time..."

"They won't find him." Juushirou bit his lip. "Keitarou-san is really g...good at hiding himself. They won't ever find him. If he's gone there, he's g...gone for g...good."

"Or until he comes back to put another plan into motion." Shunsui said darkly. "With someone like that, I wouldn't put it past him."

His eyes narrowed, then,

"Juu, I want you to promise me now that if you ever see, hear or even smell any trace of this guy ever again - if he comes near you ever again on any premise - you'll tell someone. Anyone. Even if it's just me or Mitsuki or Hirata or someone in our class. Better if it was someone like Sensei - but please, promise me you will. He's almost killed you once and if he took those notes with him...he may not completely have given up on using you in the future. If he knows you're still alive...Juu, if he did come back..."

Juushirou's eyes darkened.

"I won't go with him again." He said solemnly, his voice slightly hoarse as he met Shunsui's gaze. "You have my w...word that I won't ever be manipulated by his sword again. And he's an outlaw, so of course I w...would report it. The only reason I d...didn't this time was that he t...took me before I could."

He sighed heavily.

"But it will be a l...long time before people let their guard down and assume he isn't going to c...come back." He said softly. "Keitarou-san is patient - he can wait forever if need be, I'm sure of that. And he will...he will wait for people to be distracted and to f...forget that he ever existed. Who knows? By that time, all of us may have f...finished our training. It may be our job to face him - and if that's the case, we c...can't run away. I in particular won't run away."

"It would have been better if Nagesu-sama had killed him." Hirata said frankly, and Shunsui shot his friend a pensive look.

"I don't believe in killing." He mused. "But in this instance...maybe you're right. I guess we'll see - I just don't think we've heard the last of this man or his nefarious schemes."

"Me either." Hirata admitted. "Even now, he's left his mark. Father hasn't brought Eiraki and Mother back yet because he's not addressed Eiraki-chan's involvement with the Council and doesn't want her to be arraigned in whatever game Keitarou was playing. Tokutarou-sama has said that he won't hand over a young girl who's claiming sanctuary and so for the time being the Council haven't any jurisdiction. But till the Council accept Father formally, essentially this District is under the direct control of Inner Seireitei. And if Eiraki came back here, she could be arrested. Nobody wants that."

"Eiraki-hime was a victim in all of this." Shunsui shook his head. "If she was arrested, Juu and Shikiki would have to be, too - and that's not going to happen. Eiraki-hime didn't mean to attack you - even you know that. So..."

"Yes." Hirata looked troubled. "But even so, I'm worried about my sister. About the effect all of this has had on her. She's not...strong. Not in character nor in body, and a lot of things have happened. Whether she'll be all right...I don't know. I really don't."

"A year or two ago we could've said that about you." Shunsui pointed out. "Now look at you."

"Mm." Hirata glanced down, his cheeks blazing red. "I haven't really had a choice. But I've also been away from this place - and here is...it sucks the life from you. Or it did. We're going to change it, somehow. But while Grandmother, Grandfather, Mibune-jisama and Seimaru were here...living was hiding in shadows trying not to be noticed. Both Eiraki and I grew up that way. We had no choice in the matter. And it takes more than a few weeks to change that mindset. I think...perhaps it takes more than a couple of years, to be truthful."

"But you have changed." Juushirou reminded him. "Shunsui is right."

"Outwardly, perhaps." Hirata was rueful. "Inwardly, I'm still petrified. But I'm not alone...Father is here, and I have my Academy friends...and Sensei's promised to keep me as one of his students. It may be that I don't go back to school this next term - Father will probably want me here for a while. But I will...I know I will go back. So...hopefully, by the time I graduate, I'll be ready to do what the Endou-ke ask of me. I'm not, yet. But I have...changed. I suppose that's the truth and I can't hide from it. I changed before this fight...and I changed because of it. When Seimaru died...I felt...different. And I haven't stopped feeling it. I don't know if it's good or not - but I seem to be more aware of...so many things."

"You can talk to us about Seimaru, you know." Juushirou murmured. "If it upset you...you can..."

"I know, but it didn't." Hirata smiled sadly. "I'm an Endou, and this made me realise that deep down I really am just like all of them. Even if I'm not as outwardly aggressive - if it comes to it, I can be as ruthless as any of them. I made a decision and it was the right one. Seimaru died, and I feel no guilt for being responsible. I'm sorry, Ukitake-kun. I know you probably don't like me saying things like that. But...in the end...that's the truth."

"I think we've all discovered things about ourselves in this." Shunsui said matter-of-factly. "If that's how you feel about Seimaru's death, Hirata, then I don't think Juu or I can say anything about it. None of us are blameless in what's happened."

Juushirou lowered his gaze.

"This place has a s...strange effect anyway." He whispered. "Even before Keitarou-san used his sw...sword on me. I was only his captive for a few days, but it seemed like an endless eternity. No day. No night. Just t...time flowing on and on. He said so m...many things...and then there was the Hollow that attacked Shikiki, and I didn't know if that was r...really a Hollow or a person or how to tell whether what I'd done was r...right or not, even though Sougyo no Kotowari had exorcised the spirit without a problem. And I started...to think...about that more and more. And...Keitarou-san told me things about my sword. Things about its technique that m...meant I understood what it could do b...better than I had before. So I practiced. And...and my thoughts were...strange. I thought about killing Seimaru too, once or twice. Because...I'd already b...broken rules and laws and released my sword and t...taken down a Hollow without the right to do it. So...if I was already in that kind of trouble..."

"He really was good at manipulating, wasn't he?" Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "Put it out of your mind, Juu. If you fought a Hollow to protect Shikiki, then you did your duty as a shinigami. Whether it was Keitarou's scheme or not, that's how it is. And as for wanting to kill Seimaru - surrounded by so many confusing and conflicting things, you got a little crazy. Forget about it now. He didn't have you in his power long enough to make a lasting impact, surely - your body and your spirit will heal, and then...it will be behind us."

Juushirou did not answer for a moment, then at length he nodded.

"Yes." He agreed. "But I won't forget it. Just like I know n...neither one of you will. It's not something that can be forgotten - probably it shouldn't be. Somehow we should learn from it. If we can."

"Midori-sama said that it was a matter of children becoming adults." Hirata said thoughtfully. "Perhaps she's right. Perhaps that is what it is."

Juushirou offered a faint smile, reaching out his hands to touch both Hirata and Shunsui's arms.

"Thank you for c...coming to rescue me." He said sincerely, his voice somewhat wavery yet clearly audible. "Keitarou-san said n...nobody would come, but he was wrong. You came. And even th...though I didn't ask you to - and I didn't m...mean to cause so much trouble - I'm glad deep down. That he was wrong."

"Damn right he was wrong." Shunsui nodded. "And I'll tell you something else. Mitsuki and the others would've come too if they'd been able. Just the means of getting here was a bit picky in who it allowed - otherwise it would have been an Academy stampede. You're one of us - like hell was anyone going to let any jumped up Urahara and power mad Endou get away with abducting you so easily!"

"I wonder if they know...if everyone knows what happened, now." Juushirou frowned. "They'd be worried, surely...someone would tell them that we were alive?"

"I'm sure Nii-sama sent a report to Mother, and I imagine she'd have passed the information on." Shunsui agreed. "If you're thinking of Mitsuki-chan, Juu, I'm sure she's dying to skip borders and come heal you herself. But I doubt they'll keep the others in the dark. That would be cruel - and even Yama-jii wouldn't be that mean."

"I suppose not." Juushirou looked wistful. "I'm going to m...miss going back with all of you though. I really am."

"I will too." Hirata nodded. "But I will write to you, Ukitake-kun, and if you can write back, then please do. Because we'll both be somewhat on our own for a while...and it'll be easier that way, if we write."

"I might even manage to write a decent letter or two myself." Shunsui reflected.

"With your arm like that?" Hirata looked doubtful, and Shunsui nodded, flexing his left hand.

"It's not as neat, but I can write with this one if I have to." He agreed. "My Uncle used to discourage it - but because he did that, I used to use it all the more in lessons to vex him and my tutors. So I learnt to letter with both hands."

"That sounds like you." Juushirou offered a smile. "All right then. I suppose they won't s…stop me writing letters to people. So I'll do that. And maybe it will h…help pass the time c…convalescing."

Hirata hesitated for a moment, then,

"Ukitake-kun, would you mind if I…do you think it would be okay if I…"

He faltered, and Shunsui shot him a keen glance.

"Hirata wants to know if he can call you by your first name now." He said astutely, and Hirata flushed red, slowly nodding his head. "Since I bullied him into using mine, and I didn't see why he shouldn't use yours as well. We're friends, after all – though why he's getting all flustered about it is beyond me."

"Because Ukitake-kun is older than me." Hirata murmured. "And it's not the same as b…being the same age."

"But we're in the same class." Juushirou pointed out, a faint smile touching his lips. "I don't mind, Hirata. If you want to call me Juushirou…I don't mind."

"Then you can address your letters to Juushirou-kun now, can't you?" Shunsui laughed, reaching out his good hand to ruffle Hirata's hair playfully. "See? I said it would be all right. And you're not that much younger than we are – not in spirit, even if it's a couple of years in age. We've kind of all grown up together – just like Midori-sama said. So that's settled. No more formality. All right?"

"All right." Hirata was still red-faced, but there was a smile on his face too. "Thank you, Shunsui-kun. Thank you, J…Juushirou-kun. I'll remember."

"He's still cute, isn't he?" Shunsui reflected. "You know, sometimes I still want to call him Hirata-chan – although I think his Clan would be up in arms about it if I did."

"_Shunsui-kun_!" It was impossible now for Hirata to go redder, but Juushirou grinned, nodding his head.

"Things are starting…to f…feel more normal around here." He murmured. "I'm glad. It's l…like I'm coming out of a nightmare when I d…didn't know what was up and what was down. There are b…big holes in my memory, but now I feel like I d…don't want to have them filled. And…and I'm not going to f…fret about anything if I can h…help it. Sougyo and I w…will work together again, even if n…now we can't. It might take time…but I'm not about to give up."

"That applies to us too." Shunsui said gravely, meeting Hirata's gaze. "I'm going to talk to Yama-jii properly about my sword spirits when we go back to school – even if I can't physically train much until my arm heals. And Hirata…I suggest that you do the same."

"Hirata?" Juushirou stared at his friend, who sighed heavily.

"I haven't spoken to any sword spirit." He said with a shake of his head. "Gaining Clan status doesn't mean…"

"You said yourself that you felt different. And your aura does, too." Shunsui responded. "Juu might not pick it up yet, with his own so ragged and raw, but I do. You might not have spoken to it yet – but that doesn't mean it isn't there and that you won't. It might be premature for you, Hirata – but even so, that's how it seems. Maybe Seibara and Amaki have made me more aware of things as well – but that's what I think."

Hirata's expression became thoughtful, then he shrugged.

"Maybe you're right." He admitted. "I'll think about it…I'll think about it a lot. Perhaps I won't speak to Sensei yet – but if…when I come back to the Academy, maybe…by then I'll know if you're right or not. Either way, I'm not going to try and stop it happening. Like you, I don't think it's something that can be rushed or pushed aside. So I guess we'll see…a lot can happen in a few months."

"Hopefully I'll get m…my sword back, too, in that time." Juushirou said wistfully. "Then maybe w…we can all three train together."

"I'd like that especially." Shunsui owned. "Since we both have two spirits, and from the way Seibara spoke, I'm quite sure I have two blades, as well. We should train together. Twin spirits, twin blades – that kind of coincidence is hard to ignore."

"Maybe it isn't coincidence." Hirata suggested, and Juushirou and Shunsui exchanged looks.

"Up till now, all _zanpakutou_ have had one sword and one spirit." Juushirou murmured. "But then there's you and there's m…me. At the same time, almost, raising t…twin spirits and fighting with t…twin blades. Can that be a coincidence?"

Shunsui's eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he shook his head.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." He said at length. "Because although I manifested a sword briefly in our fight, I haven't seen what form my _zanpakutou_ takes yet. But maybe…maybe not. Maybe there's too much in it to be a coincidence. Maybe that's why we were meant to be thrown into the Academy at the same time – perhaps that's why we've clicked so well and why we understand each other like we do. We're the first to have swords like this – and maybe the fact we do means that our souls are somehow on the same wavelength."

He shrugged.

"We'll find out soon enough." He concluded, reaching out to grab Juushirou's pale fingers with his unbound hand. "But one thing is for sure. We'll fight together in the Gotei one day – whatever rank we achieve and whatever reason we fight. That's decided now. We shouldn't ever be fighting one another – battles like the one the other day are an aberration and against what we're put here to do. We're supposed to use those swords to fight together, not against each other – to change Soul Society and to make a difference."

"I've never heard you so determined." Juushirou reflected, and Shunsui grinned wryly.

"Circumstances dictate." He replied flippantly. "But in all seriousness, I mean it. Let's not fight each other again, okay?"

"Suits me." Juushirou grinned back. "Besides, I think it m…might be more fun if we were to f…fight together!"

* * *

"Nagesu-dono."

Kyouki paused in the doorway of the chamber, her gaze resting on the tall, slender figure slightly cast in shadow by the long rays of the setting sun. It was more than just the evening of one day, she knew...it was as though over the course of the past week the curtain had come down on an entire era. With each twenty four hours, more and more of the despotic Endou-ke regime was being eroded away, and little by little fresh shoots were beginning to push up from beneath the ashes of the old. Perhaps that spring would see flowers bloom in the burnt out field where Seimaru had made his last stand, too, she mused. When the frozen season passed, maybe the long economic winter in District Seven would also start to thaw.

It would take a long time for the region to truly recover from the after-effects of the devastation. Probably more than a few years - perhaps even a century before the scars were truly healed. But despite that fact, it was not that which occupied Kyouki's thoughts at that moment. Slowly and silently she slipped across the room, pausing not far from Nagesu's side. They had not had more than the briefest moments to exchange conversation since the Council had moved to act, and those moments had been in view of other witnesses. But now they were alone, and Kyouki was reminded of the sibling-like friendship they had had as youngsters, training together to raise their swords. She rarely saw Nagesu as a younger brother now, for he was a grown man in his own right, with dignity and respect from all around. Yet now she saw it again - the faint uncertainty and regret in his aura that typified his naturally retiring nature.

Most people did not realise how much Nagesu had hated learning to hold a sword, and how much he had resented knowing how to kill. But Kyouki had known it. And thanks to Kyouki, he had grown to be capable of both - whatever his private thoughts.

"All is drawing to a final conclusion now, it seems." She said softly now. "Misashi-dono will be accepted by the Council and there will be plans drawn up for the future to prevent this happening again. District Seven's immediate crisis is averted - and three foolish children have been successfully reunited with their relevant overseers."

The fair-haired man turned, offering her a faint smile as he shrugged his shoulders.

"There is no such thing as a final conclusion. Not where Clan is concerned." He said quietly, his usual measured tones more weary and heavy than usual. "But in some ways, I suppose that is true. For District Seven, in any case...one thing has been brought to a close."

"Seimaru was a dangerous man." Kyouki cast her gaze out across the landscape, thinning her lips as she remembered. "In the end, he was more dangerous to himself than anyone else. He was killed by his own ambition and greed - destroyed in the same way as those in our past were."

"It seems fitting to me." Nagesu admitted. "That it should be the taint of _reidoku_ that takes the life of a man who perpetuated its evil and the tragedies associated with it long after it should have been laid to rest."

"You've spent some time thinking on it, haven't you?"

"Yes, and I have already been through Keitarou's papers, but the final formula for the_ reidoku_ Seimaru-dono ingested is not among them." Nagesu responded quietly. "If as you and Midori-sama surmise, he did perfect it - he remains the only one who knows how. And I hope...he will keep the information to himself and not venture to use it again. My Uncle's research was never meant for this kind of project, after all. It was never meant...to end up like this."

Kyouki nodded slowly.

"It _was_ difficult, then, just as I supposed." She reflected absently, sending him sidelong glance. "To face a fragment of your past and be forced to confront it in quite this way."

"To face such tasks is the duty of a Clan leader." Nagesu said quietly. "If I was not equal to it, I should resign my office at once, and pass my position to my son. I am not given to unecessary remeniscence, Kyouki-dono. Not in circumstances of this nature. I know my duty."

Kyouki chuckled, slowly shaking her head.

"I don't believe that for a moment." She said lightly. "We've worked together for some time now, after all. You, Matsuhara and I were a generation in our own right, you realise. We often trained together as youngsters - and even though the shadow of _reidoku_ forced Matsuhara to inherit from his Uncle far too soon, you and I came into power over our Clans within a short few years of each other."

"You haven't spoken of Matsuhara in that way in a while." Nagesu observed. "He was always more your ally than mine, however. I suppose...his Clan were hurt far more by the actions of mine, and at that time...it was harder for him to forgive."

"Matsuhara was only fifteen when the Kyouraku Clan fell into his hands." Kyouki said seriously. "In that one fell swoop, he lost his Father, his Uncle...and spent the end of his childhood fighting to keep hold of his right to rule the Clan at all. Without the strong will of his mother to act as his protector and the determination of Genryuusai-sama to keep it in his hands, I doubt he would have survived those years between then and adulthood. The Kyouraku's decline began then - Matsuhara never quite managed to find the force or resolve to pull it back together the way his Uncle had held it in the time before. It's why, more than anything, I undertook Tokutarou as my responsibility when Matsuhara asked it of me. I suspected history may repeat itself and so did he."

She sighed heavily.

"The Kyouraku suffered greatly then, I don't deny it. But I don't suppose that was why Matsuhara preferred my company to yours. I never once heard him bear a grudge to the Urahara-ke for those he had lost...he wasn't that kind of man. It wasn't he who cast the Kyouraku vote in favour of executing Keitsune-sama, in the end - it was his widowed mother acting in his name. I think it was simply a matter of swords - that Gekkoushin understood Tensonshin's sensitive nature better than anyone else, and when they fought together, Gekkoushin often kept Tensonshin's highly strung self in hand. Matsuhara always found himself happier in the company of women, anyhow - with the exception of Genryuusai-sama, he lost all his male role models at far too young an age, and he never got along with his younger brother. Tensonshin was possessed of a female spirit, so it was she in the end who became his guide and guardian after his mother passed away. Matsuhara was a gentle man whose outlook was influenced more by that blade and its power than it should have been - and Sekizanha couldn't reach through as easily as my moon maiden did."

"I think that's simply your own strength." A faint smile touched Nagesu's lips. "But you're right. We were all young when we inherited, but Matsuhara probably paid the highest price for it. And I felt responsible, then, for that. Probably that too divided us - because I knew my family had changed the course of his family irreversibly - and not only his."

"There, you see?" Kyouki grinned. "You disprove yourself. You're even now thinking of what happened a century ago. I don't believe anyone holds the burden so heavily as you do for what happened then, Nagesu-kun - nor do I think there's anyone less to blame for any of it. You haven't changed, in the end. Though politics often separate us these days, I still remember the kind of person you were then. More than any other living soul in the Council, I'm well used to your ways and your rationality."

"But you should, then, know more than anyone that I always speak truth." Nagesu said simply. "And I would be grateful if you did not try and place unecessary meaning on necessary encounters."

"That won't do." Kyouki chided softly. "Because I also know something else, Nagesu-kun. I know that most of all, in that rational, moderate brain of yours, you value one thing above everything else. That thing is loyalty. Fidelity. Especially in relation to your Clan. And I also know...I know that you never forgave Rikaya-sama, did you? For making the decision he made all those years ago in forsaking your Uncle."

Nagesu let out a humourless laugh, spreading his hands.

"Father's judgement was just, correct and unavoidable. He did the only thing he could do." He responded. "There was no other option. Not in those circumstances."

"But even so, you didn't forgive him - did you?"

There was a long pause, then Nagesu sighed.

"No." He owned. "I suppose I did not."

"And Keitarou? Will you forgive _him_, then? The young boy who became the victim of that decision?"

Nagesu smiled faintly, turning to face his old friend, and Kyouki could see the faint glitter of tears behind the wire rimmed glasses.

"Today I did what I had to do as the head of the Urahara." He said quietly. "I raised my sword and I did my duty. But there is part of me that is...glad he still lives. That part of me is irrational, I suppose...but you are right. I have forgiven him. I will continue to forgive him. Even though I know he will never forgive me. And even though...there are things done that cannot be forgiven. I hope not to meet him again, because I know what my duty will be...if I do. And it is not a duty I relish. I am not sure...it's one I could fulfill."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I was not able to do anything a hundred years ago, after all." He concluded. "As a boy of eight, I had no way to act. And even if I had..."

"Even if you had, would you have acted?" Kyouki wondered.

"Who knows." Nagesu turned his gaze back to the landscape outside. "I loved my Uncle and I still grieve for him every time I hear someone speak ill of his name. I don't know why Keitarou gave Seimaru-dono the _reidoku_, or whether he was really just another test subject. But even though he spoke so dismissively of his test subjects as objects - I still didn't feel he had killed indiscriminately. That there had always been a reason...that he had always had a plan."

"What do you mean?" Kyouki stared, and Nagesu pursed his lips.

"Keitarou was always known to possess genius - far more than I." He said quietly. "Even as a four year old he had understanding and potential well beyond his years. That he would be able to do so much is unsurprising to me. And that he would have a logic and a plan behind it all - I would expect nothing less from my younger cousin. I know he took Shouichi-sama's life in revenge for the death of our cousin Daisuke, because he told me so himself. And he discarded Seimaru-dono's life too, quite coldly - saying that if Seimaru-dono didn't follow his guidance, he could be his own enemy and face the consequences. Yet he spared the District girl, who had no connection to any of this. He even raised her, orphaned and abandoned as she was. She told me himself that he had cared for her - and that she had come to love him. When I heard her speak about him...I think I understood most clearly of all that in his own way, Keitarou had his own ethics and reasons for what he did. And I...cannot do anything but oppose them. I don't believe in them. But I do understand them. Little by little... that was the boy my cousin was. In the end...that was Keitarou. I was bound by the rules of the family. And even then, Keitarou was not."

"He could have killed you too, couldn't he?" Kyouki realised. "Even with a weakened sword, he could have..."

"I imagine so." Nagesu agreed. "He didn't really fight me as hard as I expected."

"Perhaps he considers you his blood cousin too, then, even now."

"No...I don't think so." Nagesu traced his finger along the edge of the window. "Maybe he was killing time by stalling me, but I also got the impression that...he remembers still who it was who first taught him to write his name. He did say he didn't hate me - and though he wanted to, he'd not been able to."

"Nagesu-kun." Kyouki murmured, and Nagesu shrugged his shoulders.

"He tried very hard to sever himself from all bonds and work simply for his Father's revenge." He replied. "But I saw it...in his eyes. The way he felt...just for a moment, I knew. He didn't want to fight against me. The one he wanted was my Father. Not me. Even though he said things...I knew, deep down, he was confused. Probably, wherever he now is, he's still that way. And maybe it means that he won't come back - at least, not for some time. Not until people have forgotten and he can create a new life for himself where nobody is seeking him."

"You almost sound as though you want the Council to rule him as presumed dead." Kyouki realised. "Even though no body has been found and it's highly likely even from your own words that he's alive."

"Would you stand against me, if I did?" Nagesu looked apprehensive, and Kyouki laughed.

"You, break a rule? That's a first." She teased, and Nagesu nodded.

"First and last." He agreed. "But of all people, Kyouki-neesama, I think you understand why."

"I suppose so." Kyouki nodded her head. "You want to bury your Uncle's guilt and let him rest in peace for once - and so long as this goes on, well, that can't happen. I agree that it's time Keitsune-dono rested in peace. It's more than time for that, in fact, because there's a difference between a mistake and a malicious intent. But Nagesu-kun, listen to me. Keitsune-dono made an error. Keitarou's actions weren't in error. You said yourself he had a plan. Circumstances may have made him a monster, but even so...to close the book is dangerous. He is still there...he can come back. And it may happen."

"Yes, I know." Nagesu nodded. "But...it just worries me. It worries me that if it continues then...more Urahara may be tainted. More people...more lives. I don't know how many people escaped this, or are still living in hiding because they are kin to men who knew and worked with my Uncle. But in my eyes, that crime is over. It was punished. I don't want any more of a slur cast over innocent people. Even though Keitarou is guilty - and you're right, Keitarou shouldn't be written off completely from the Council records - I want it made clear that this isn't an Urahara action. That Keitsune-jisama is dead and should rest in peace. That past was no part our generation's work. We need to all move on."

"That at least I can endorse." Kyouki nodded. "And I will. You have my word."

"Thank you." Nagesu smiled faintly. "And also, there is one more thing."

He raised his right hand, uncupping it and Kyouki saw a flickering cluster of blue-black spirit energy take faint form in his palm, fluttering raggedy wings against his skin.

"What the..."

"He left this behind." Nagesu said, reaching across to stroke the insect's head absently. "Not literally, but in the records I found in his laboratory. There was nothing about _reidoku_ - but it's almost as though this was a message from him to me - or to the Council - that there was so much we didn't understand about what he could do and that we'd all been closed minded for a long, long time. I really think he did it on purpose. It's formed of spirit matter - he'd confined a large amount of it in a vessel in his laboratory with his notes, and I believe he harvested it from dead soldiers, though I can't be sure. I do remember, though, reading about similar experiments in my Uncle's work from long ago. I think it's...a Hell Butterfly. Without Uncle, it was something we couldn't perfect, but Keitarou obviously did. With his intelligence, I suppose it was child's play."

"And he left that data for you to find?"

"It would seem so." Nagesu nodded. "I don't know if it was by accident or on purpose...and this is only a broken, hazy specimen I formed from his notes. It's far from perfect. The young Endou boy did mention a similar creature being sent with the message about the Ukitake child, though, and its considerable significance as some kind of spirit guide. When I heard that, I began to see what he has done. This one couldn't guide anyone - it's not concise enough for that. But with work and practice - I'm sure I could now perfect it. And maybe do so for the Council's benefit. It's almost as though..I think he's left us something we can use. For Soul Society's future...something of Uncle's creation that won't cast shame on the Urahara-ke."

He smiled, a bittersweet expression on his face.

"We always knew Keitarou would one day do great things." He added. "This is a sign of that being true. He meant this information to stay behind - to stay with me here. So that I could understand. And more, use it."

"And perhaps, one day, set out and find him." Kyouki said acidly. "It seems to me like he left it as signpost pointing you towards where he might now be."

"Perhaps." Nagesu nodded. "But that day won't be today. For now, we've all fought enough. I've no intention of leaving this world to hunt him down. So long as he isn't in Soul Society, he's beyond our jurisdiction. And for now...that suits me fine."

"Well, take your pet and put it away somewhere safe." Kyouki ordered. "Because the Council will be meeting soon, and it won't do for either of us to be delayed. Even if it is an impromptu gathering - without it, Misashi-dono can't be accepted as Head of the Endou, and nothing can move on."

"Yes. I'm coming now." Nagesu closed his hand, and the butterfly fragmented and vanished. "I'm sorry, Kyouki-neesama. Enough of the past. Time to look forward."

The other members of the Clan Elite were already gathered in the Great Hall of the Endou estate when the two of them arrived, and Nagesu hurriedly bowed his head in apology towards where Guren was seated.

"I apologise for our lateness, Guren-sama. It was my fault - I was experimenting with scientific concepts and lost track of time." He said softly. Guren smiled, however, shaking his head as he indicated for them to sit down.

"This is an unusual setting for this kind of a meeting. An unusual beginning seems a natural consequence." He said quietly. "Have you, then, managed to glean something from your cousin's reports?"

"Yes and no." Nagesu agreed. "Nothing relating to my Uncle's _reidoku_ work, but much concerning other experiments of a less volatile nature. I believe that there is information we might make use of - and I will hope to begin working on those concepts in more detail when I return to District Three. You can expect me to present my findings before the Council as soon as I am able - until then, it would be better not to speculate on what Keitarou has left behind."

"Isn't Misashi-dono attending this meeting?" Kyouki looked startled, glancing around the room. "I don't see him here."

"He is waiting for our summons." Guren shook his head. "Before he entered, I wished to discuss the matter of this District without his being present."

"That seems a little covert, if I may say so, Guren-sama." Tokutarou frowned. "We are acknowledging him as the Leader of this District, are we not? In that case..."

"That is the intention of this meeting." Midori agreed. "Tokutarou-sama is right, Guren-sama. We shouldn't delay on the true purpose of us being here."

"No. On this matter, it would be as well to decide without him being here." Guren shook his head gravely. "On the conduct of his daughter - the Lady Eiraki - and her involvement in this matter. We must resolve it and right away."

"Eiraki-hime was a victim, not a perpetrator." Tokutarou shook his head. "She's a scared little girl, Guren-sama, who was frightened for her family and who acted in the only way she knew how."

"Ukitake Juushirou has also described to me how Urahara Keitarou was utilising her by means of his _zanpakutou_, Chudokuga." Genryuusai added soberly. "We know nothing of this sword except the witness statements of others - but it seems to possess a high level of manipulative ability. If, using it, he was able to successfully control my District student to attack his closest friend with real intent, a young girl like Eiraki-hime would have stood little chance. She is not in the same category as the child Shikiki - Eiraki-hime is not possessed of any real spiritual ability."

"It would have been very easy for her to be manipulated, too, with Seimaru putting him in a position whereby she saw him as an ally." Tokutarou nodded. "I don't think the Council should be pursuing charges against her in any of this. Her aim was always to help her Father and she and her mother came to me with the intention of rallying Hirata-dono to retake District Seven. That was her only true motive in this - and we can't judge her on that."

"I concur." Nagesu inclined his head. "Keitarou boasted to me himself about the manipulative power of his _zanpakutou_. Now that power has been broken over both Eiraki-hime and Ukitake Juushirou...for both of them it should be considered over."

"Then it is decided?" Guren asked, and there were a series of nods and murmurs of assent. "Then good. In which case, we should usher Misashi-dono before us."

He flicked his fingers towards where a retainer stood guarding the door and at his gesture the man bowed, hurriedly pulling the divide back to admit the surviving claimant to the Endou leadership. He was robed in full Endou finery, yet Nagesu could see that he had still not fully recovered from his experiences, and a pang of guilt stabbed through him.

_My family were at least in part responsible for this. The guilt spreads over many lands...to close the book as much as possible is the only way to prevent yet another generation being poisoned by its taint._

"Endou Misashi-dono, you are summoned before us today to claim your birthright as heir and Lord of the Clan of Seventh District." Guren said quietly. "The Council has consulted and has accepted your claim to the Endou-ke and to the people who live beneath your family's guidance."

Misashi dropped down onto the floor in the centre of the room, bowing his head low before the assembled members.

"Endou Misashi, do you undertake the leadership of this Clan in full understanding of the burdens and duties placed on you by the Council of Elders?" Guren's voice was firm and clear, and Nagesu found some scant comfort in the Kuchiki's cultured tones repeating such familiar words.

"I do." Misashi's head remained bowed, but his words too lacked any doubt or hesitation.

"And do you undertake to act in defence of and protection over the individuals who call District Seven their home?"

"I do."

"Do you undertake to represent your family among the Council of Elders and to act only within the laws of Inner Seireitei, acknowledging your position as part of the brotherhood that guides all of Soul Society?"

"I do."

"Then you are welcomed among us, Endou Misashi, and are recognised before the sight of all Clans as the true heir and leader of District Seven." Guren smiled, reaching out his hand to gesture to the crouched figure. "Stand and join our ranks. You are now an equal among us, and your word will be heard as clearly as any of ours."

Slowly and a little stiffly Misashi got to his feet, raising his gaze to meet Guren's grey eyes solemnly.

"Thank you." He said quietly. "I will do my best to improve on the reputation my predecessors have left behind."

"Your seat is here, Misashi-dono." Tokutarou gestured to the vacant seat at his side. "After all, we are neighbours. And we have much to discuss outside of this place as well as within. But to begin with at least...I will be making full arrangements for your wife and daughter to be returned here. Your manservant too, once he fully recovers from his wounds. I will send my own trusted aide with them, so their travel will be safe. The Council will not be indicting Eiraki-hime on any charge...and so I will agree to their crossing the border."

"Oh." Misashi's eyes widened slightly, then he smiled. "I am grateful. My Clan has treated you and your land very ill over past years, but I will endeavour especially to change that from now on. We are weak neighbours and we will need to improve our bonds with all the other Clans in order to be strong again. Your kindness to my kin won't be forgotten, Tokutarou-sama. Now or ever...I am in your debt."

"Debts don't always have to be repaid right away, however." Tokutarou returned the grin. "And I don't wage war on women or children."

"The next problem is how to deal with the administration of this District, however." Genryuusai said softly. "There are many common folk who are displaced still from their homes...and the economy of the Seventh District is gravely damaged by the recent events."

"I have thought of that." Misashi nodded. "In fact, by some coincidence, Seimaru confining me at Hokujou made me realise it all the more strongly. _Sekkiseki _was always the economy of Seventh District in the past, and there is no other land with as plentiful or pure a supply. A lot of our past wealth was built on mining, and I believe it could be so again, since the resources are still there. In the last couple of days I have consulted records and have had Hirata doing the same. We've spoken to some of the Clansfolk and learnt much about the potential for rebeginning such operations. To begin with it will be slow - and _Sekkiseki_ is potentially dangerous if mishandled. Yet even so...I believe there is a future in it. After all, there has always been a need for it."

"_Sekkiseki_ is vital for Soul Society's balance." Nagesu nodded his head. "Without it even in small levels, the flow of spiritual energy might mingle too much out of control. The grade of stone we've used in recent years has concerned me - particularly as regards the divide between Seireitei and Rukongai."

"What do you mean, Nagesu-dono?" Guren looked surprised, and Nagesu sighed.

"The souls in Rukongai are spirits from the Real World, and they are not like us." He said simply. "But there is a very grave risk that the raging spirit levels from Seireitei is polluting the land of Rukongai and putting its residents in serious danger. With so many Hollows posing a danger to people here as well as in the Real World, tainting the landscape with spirit power is like lacing a trap for those supposedly safe souls to fall into. If we were to reconstruct the divide with proper _Sekkiseki_, we might offer some minor protection for those people."

"Then there will be a demand, it seems, for _Sekkiseki_." Kyouki's eyes twinkled. "In which case, if District Seven can provide it, it seems a good way of going forward."

"There will be much to discuss and arrange, but I think so." Misashi agreed. "At least, its a place to start."

"It will take a long time to rebuild administration and military forces here, won't it?" Midori frowned. "Guren-sama, when the Council disperses, I'd like it recorded that as an ally of the Endou-ke and of Misashi-sama and Hirata-dono, I intend to remain here a while longer. I offered my support and I mean to give it - this land is very tentative and the more help the better."

"But what of District Two, in that case?" Retsu asked quietly. "Your kindness to your allies is understood, but what of your own people? Would a long absence not make them uneasy?"

"Maybe." Midori admitted. "But this is an alliance I can't forsake on any terms, Retsu-sama. I owe Misashi-dono my Clan's current recovery. He took a great risk to help me return to my people and fix the damage before it got too much out of hand. I promised to do my bit too - to help save his Clan. I've not done enough yet to equal that balance. And I'm a Shihouin. I won't break my word. Particularly since we've all agreed to suspend Seventh Squad and the Endou-ke's own retainer army for the time being."

"But your heir is your brother, Kai-dono." Nagesu frowned. "A minor, like Hirata-dono, and not of an age to take control."

"He could, if need be." Midori reflected. "Although I admit, him being young and with his training still in progress...it wouldn't be ideal."

"Hirata and Juushirou will not be returning to the Academy for the next term. This I know." Genryuusai reflected. "Are you suggesting that Kai should also be taken from school to guard his Clan?"

"There's no need for that." Guren held up his hand, shaking his head. "Because Midori-dono has another she can call on in circumstances such as this."

"Guren-sama?" Tokutarou stared, and Guren sighed.

"We have seen with our own eyes who the true guilty were in this chemical plot." He said heavily. "A year or more ago, we put to death a man who was a conspirator, but not the true mastermind. We executed a man who was desperate to save his Clan - and understood that his death was a part of doing that. Then, we promised him that, if we took his life, his family would not bear the weight of his crimes for the rest of time. So we promised him. So we all agreed."

"Guren-sama, what are you suggesting?" Kyouki asked sharply. "That we shouldn't have executed Kamuki-dono after all?"

"My Uncle was guilty by his own admission." Midori shook her head. "His death was a necessary price of what he did - he knew it and so do I."

"But we know, now, that the one who devised the modern_ reidoku_ was Aizen Keitarou, and that he did so on the orders of Endou Seimaru." Guren said grimly. "Perhaps also Endou Shouichi."

"I fear that is probably true." Misashi sighed. "I did not endorse it, nor did mother - but my father, my brother and my nephew...they all believed in this. Father stopped his support for the experiments because he promised my mother he would - but otherwise, his guilt in this is...probably the same. Perhaps mine too, for knowing that it was going on."

"We already know that you had no power in those decisions." Guren shook his head. "Besides, you are the only person on whom the Endou can currently depend, so such things are overlooked. And, in the same light...perhaps other things can be overlooked. Or...overturned. For the benefit of Soul Society's overall stability."

He pursed his lips, then,

"The true criminals in this were not the Shihouin, though the guilt of Shihouin Kamuki and Shihouin Chiaki was firmly established and their punishments were justly given." He said at length. "However, the case against and sentence over Shihouin Yanagi has never been as weighty or as firm. I suggest, therefore, that Shihouin Yanagi be released from his confinement forthwith in order that he be able to assist Midori-dono in the governance of her land."

"Oniisama?" Midori's eyes almost fell out of her head. "Guren-sama...you want to...pardon Oniisama? And..."

"On account of his Council convictions, his claim to the Shihouin-ke is forfeit, and as such, to rise against you would be a crime immediately demanding his death." Guren nodded. "But I do not believe, with the current evidence, that your brother bears heavy enough guilt in this matter to remain confined when his Clan may make use of him as a better form of penance. The Shihouin-ke and the Endou-ke must both rebuild. It is my opinion that Shihouin Yanagi be allowed to play his part in that fact."

"I concur." Nagesu raised his hand, nodding his head. "My Clan also carry guilt in this and probably will forever. I agree with Guren-sama's suggestion. Yanagi-dono showed no sign of malicious intent in his hearing before us, nor did he seem deceptive or misleading. He cooperated with us fully and I believe he would obey those terms. We should allow him to be released - so that the Shihouin-ke's stability is maintained whilst the Endou-ke is being rebuilt."

"Are there any who would object?" Guren glanced around the room, but there were no complaints, and he nodded.

"Then it is decided. Midori-dono, you are charged with seeing the Council's will be carried out as we have decided here."

"Yes, sir." Midori smiled, bowing her head. "I admit it's not something I expected from a Kuchiki, but I'm grateful nonetheless. Having Nii-sama will help a lot, and take some of the pressure off Kai while he's still in training."

"And your help here will be received with gratitude too." Misashi told her quietly. "The Endou are a Clan without friends, but from hereon in, I want to change that."

"Then this meeting is settled and adjourned." Guren decided. "We should return to our homelands and see to our own business...for now, this Clan and land is entrusted to new leadership and we hope and pray to see peace here in the not too distant future."


	65. Epilogue: Towards The Spring

**Epilogue: Towards The Spring**

_**(Two Months Later)**_

Spring really did come early in Eighth District.

Juushirou picked his way carefully through the newly budding plants and trees, pausing from time to time to examine a blossom he did not know or to make out the fluttering of a bird whose merry call echoed through the branches over his head. All around the bases of the trees were the tiny white heads of the snowdrop – the flower of hope that Shunsui had dubbed his what seemed like so many months before – although in fact it was less than ten weeks since the wedding and that day beneath the winter forests. The snowdrops were not alone, either – other flowers had begun to push through the thawing earth and though Juushirou did not know their names, he was sure that some of them were the same as the bulbs that greened and flowered in his homeland towards the beginning of summer.

He leant up against the trunk of one of the trees, closing his eyes as he allowed the gentle breeze to blow through the ragged ends of his lank white hair. At the edge of his awareness, although he knew he was miles from the coast, he could hear the faint swish-swish of waves and he smiled, a look of contentment crossing his features as he understood what the sounds meant.

Even though he had not heard In'you speak to him since that fateful day when he had almost lost his life, little by little over the course of the last week he had begun to be aware of them once more. At first the sensation had been faint and almost like a fleeting moment of imagination, but gradually they had been there more and more, and deep down he knew that at last his body was beginning to reach out to them once again. Before she had left his side to return to her other duties, Retsu had told him that his sword had sealed itself from him to allow his body to heal – now he was seeing the truth in that fact, for the seal was gradually melting away as with each passing day his health grew stronger and more stable.

He had not coughed blood in more than a fortnight, and he was no longer confined to the tedium of reading in his quarters, for fear of his delicate chest taking a chill. At the end of the week, he would be visited by Retsu again – and then, with her permission, he would be allowed to restart his studies in preparation for the theory exams that made up half of his final year grade. He would lose his second place ranking, and would probably finish bottom of the second year. But he was resigned to that, now – that he could continue his training and keep moving forward from this point was something that had come to matter to him more.

"Oniisama!"

A voice startled him from his reverie and he opened his eyes, standing more upright as he turned to look for the speaker. A flash of yellow fabric through the trees told him she was not far away, and as she reached him, he smiled, holding out his hands to catch her as she tripped on a stray tree root and almost fell headlong onto the damp grass.

"Careful, Chi-chan. You should watch where you're stepping – else I might be the one nursing you."

"Well, if you will run off without leaving a message, this is what happens." Chihiro righted herself, sending him an indignant look as she smoothed down her gown. "Just because you are allowed to go outside doesn't mean you should do so without telling anyone. I've been running all over the place looking for you!"

Juushirou grinned, sending his sister an affectionate, unrepentant look.

"You should just be glad I'm in a position to be chased after." He said sensibly. "Since it shows I'm getting better, and that's presumably what everyone wants."

"Silly, of course it is." Chihiro snorted, but there was a twinkle of amusement in her hazel eyes. "Why else would I have stayed here as long as this? Okaasama entrusted you to my watchful eye, as she put it – she'll be cross with me if I don't deliver on that fact."

Juushirou eyed her thoughtfully for a moment, digesting her words. His family had been waiting for him when he had first been well enough to travel over the border to the Kyouraku manor in District Eight, and despite his weariness from the trip, it had meant a lot to him to have them there. That Tokutarou had moved behind the scenes to send carriages to bring them to his side had not escaped his notice, and he remembered again how the Kyouraku Lord had called his people Juushirou's unofficial Clan family in times of need.

_Certainly that's how it seems. I'm not part of this world here, but I've not been treated badly by anyone since I've been staying here. My worries about being so far from home were offset immediately by the fact everyone was here – and then even when they had to return, Chi stayed so that I wouldn't be on my own. She's always been that way – always the one who looks after me and makes sure I'm all right. I guess it was too difficult for her to leave me in foreign hands when I was in such a state as I was – but even though it's selfish, I can't pretend I'm not glad to have her. And then, of course, it's been to her benefit, too._

Out loud he said,

"You mean that she might find out you've been shirking your nursing duties to run off to clandestine meetings with random men of the Kyouraku guard?"

At this, Chihiro's cheeks flushed a deep red, and Juushirou chuckled, reaching over to pat her on the head.

"I can't not tease you, but I really don't mind." He assured her. "That you've made some…er…friends of your own whilst you've been here…has been a good thing, in the end. It would have been very boring, otherwise."

"Mm." Chihiro's cheeks were still pink, but she smiled, nodding her head. "Nobody's treated me badly, even though I'm not Clan – but I find it easier to talk to people like Kyouko-chan and Takeshi-kun than I do to stand on ceremony with Rae-hime or Yoshiko-sama. They've been kind and I like them – but Kyouko-chan is more like someone I might have grown up with in Sixth, and well, Takeshi-kun is…"

"Quite a handsome young man, so I've heard." Juushirou said teasingly. "Though when I'm going to meet your soldier friend, I'm still waiting to find out. If he's serious enough about you that he's letting you call him by his first name – I probably should be chaperoning you, else Okaasama will be scandalised."

"No, she wouldn't." Chihiro shook her head decidedly. "And I don't know…yet…if either of us are serious. I'm only just coming up to seventeen, he's nineteen – and this is a long way from home. I know how it feels now, Juu-nii – to be parted from the family for a long time and to be thrust into a strange world. Even though I'm being looked after by Clansfolk, I prefer to spend time talking to you – to Kyouko-chan – to Takeshi-kun. I don't mind helping Kyouko-chan with her chores…In fact I enjoy it far more than I do spending time sitting and chatting to Clan people. I guess that what you're used to sometimes is the best thing – for me at least. I can't imagine sitting around and not doing those things – so to do them makes me feel a little less uprooted from home. Takeshi-kun's family are farming folk with a little land not far from here – and so he and I, we have things in common. And even though he's trained with a sword, it isn't like what you're doing in District One. I suppose I understand now that you are different from us – but even so, I'm glad you don't think that means you're separate from us."

"Mmm." Juushirou's gaze became serious. "I know what you mean. I'm not Clan either, and though my closest friends are, this world isn't my world either. But I'm learning about it – and how to negotiate it – and that deep down many of the people are the same. Little by little I think things will change…perhaps in the future we'll be a lot more the same than we are now. But it's small steps."

"Steps you're taking to lead the march." Chihiro slipped her arm into his. "But for now, you're coming with me. I didn't just come to talk about Clans and common folk, Nii-sama. I was instructed to find you and I said that I would – so now I have, I'm taking you back to the house."

"Back to the house?" Juushirou looked blank, and Chihiro nodded.

"You've visitors." She said lightly. "Though whether you can call them really visitors or not is…well…I'm not sure."

"What kind of visitors?" Juushirou was surprised. "Coming to see me, and not Tokutarou-sama?"

"Well, they're kind of…special visitors, I think." Chihiro agreed. "Which reminds me, as we walk, I have a question to ask you, too."

"Mm?" Juushirou glanced at her quizzically, and Chihiro dimpled.

"You tease me so much about Takeshi-kun, and before you would never have noticed something like that." She said airily, brushing her fingers against the branches of nearby shrubs as she did so. "You were very slow at noticing Hiro-kun's affection for Kira Hikari, even though Okaasama and I had been talking about it for a long time before he admitted that he was fond of her. Yet even though I've only talked about Takeshi-kun as a friend, you've seen past it to something else. I wonder why. There must be a reason."

"Maybe some of Shunsui's reiatsu is still infecting me after all." Juushirou said ruefully, touching his fingers absently to his chest as he considered her words. "You're right – I wouldn't have noticed, not before."

"Or maybe it's something else." Chihiro said teasingly. "Perhaps _Juu-nii_ has someone he's fond of too – and because he does, he can see how I feel about things, too."

Now it was Juushirou's turn to redden, and Chihiro laughed.

"Ah-hah!" She exclaimed triumphantly. "I knew it! Then all those long letters you've been writing when stuck in your chamber haven't just been to Shunsui-kun and your other male friends back at school, after all! I was sure I saw _one_ letter in your incoming mail written in an unfamiliar girl's hand – but I wasn't certain. Still, I'm right, aren't I? Juu-nii has someone special too – don't you?"

"Mm…" Juushirou sighed, shaking his head. "It's not like that. I mean…I have written letters. I've written a lot of letters, because I've had not much else to occupy my time since I became convalescent. To Okaa-sama, of course. To Shunsui and Ryuu-kun and the rest at the Academy – and to Hirata in District Seven, because he's as isolated as me at the moment, and under much more stress than I am too. And I have friends at school who are girls as well as just boys – so you shouldn't find it odd if I'm writing to them."

"But?" Chihiro pressed, and Juushirou sent her a wry smile.

"You are persistent." He scolded. "It's none of your business, seeing as you don't know any of my Academy friends except Shunsui."

"Well, that's where you're wrong." Chihiro said cryptically. "And…it's as much my business as Takeshi-kun is yours."

"Not really. I mean, I'm just acting as a concerned big brother."

"And I'm acting as your nursemaid and a concerned little sister." Chihiro retorted. "You might as well tell me. Otherwise I will ask Shunsui-kun – and I'm sure if you won't tell me, he will. He strikes me as the kind of person who'd know that kind of thing."

"Don't you dare!" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Chihiro chuckled.

"Then you tell me." She wheedled. "It's just such a novelty to think of, because you've always said how you never intended to marry or fall in love or any of those things. But I'm not wrong, am I? There is someone…isn't there?"

"There is." Juushirou admitted cautiously. "In as much as…there's someone I…I care about a lot. But she's Clan, Chi-chan. And I'm not. And that barrier isn't going to be easily broken down. She…she doesn't care about status and nor do I – I mean, it's not…an unreturned affection. But…she's a Kuchiki. And…our homeland is District Six. The fallout if we were to cross the line…could have a wider ranging impact than either of us want."

"I see." Chihiro's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, Nii-sama. I've been teasing you, but really it's painful for you to think of, isn't it?"

"Not painful." Juushirou smiled. "I mean, we're still friends – close friends – and if that's all we ever are, then it won't be a failure. Just it's what you said before. Some things are set deeper in stone than they might seem. Even if I become a shinigami – that isn't going to change."

Chihiro was silent for a moment, considering this.

"Will you tell me her name, at least?" She asked softly. "I promise not to tell Okaa-sama or anyone else – not even Hiro if you don't want me to. Not now I understand why you're so shy about it. But…I'd like to know. Since you know about Takeshi-kun – I'd like to know what the name is of your first…well…the first person you…"

She faltered, an embarrassed expression on her face, and Juushirou grinned.

"Mitsuki." He said evenly. "Her name is Mitsuki. So now you know. And now we can change the subject, since it's unlikely the two of you will ever meet."

"I don't know about that." As they rounded the corner towards the main estate, Chihiro shot him a guilty glance. "I…I actually think we already have."

"Already…?" Juushirou stared, and Chihiro nodded, letting out a sigh.

"You see, Nii-sama, when I said that you had guests…" She said slowly, "I suppose they're not really guests at all. I mean, some of them are, but…the person who sent me to find you was Shunsui-kun. And…and the people with him were…"

"_!_"

Before Chihiro could finish, there was a loud yell, followed by a whirlwind of aqua and green and Juushirou staggered back as someone flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly and casting him a warm grin. "You're in one piece, even though Shunsui did his best to kebab you!"

"He won't be if you do that to him, Sora-chan." That was Shunsui, and as Juushirou's reeling wits struggled to take in what was going on, his friend strode forward, grabbing Sora firmly by the shoulder of her _hakamashita_ and yanking her forcibly away from her victim with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Juu. This one's hyperactively excited about seeing you – if you hadn't have guessed – but perhaps I should have locked her in until I'd seen how steady you were on your feet."

"He does not seem any the worse for it, however." Ryuu's voice prevented Juushirou from making any response, and he turned, seeing the Kuchiki leaning very uncharacteristically against the beams of the house, his dark hair unusually loose and scattered over his shoulders as he inclined his head slowly in acknowledgement. He was not alone, however, for at his side stood another familiar figure, robed in the gentle green and cream of her Clan's colours and with her dark hair tied back from her face with a loose emerald ribbon.

Despite himself his heart caught in his throat, and he swallowed hard.

"Mitsuki?" He whispered. "Ryuu-kun. Shunsui…Sora…and Enishi too!" As he registered the tall gangly figure of his Yamamoto classmate lounging over the wooden rail that separated them from the rest of the inner estate. At the sound of his name, Enishi grinned, raising his pawlike hand in a wave of acknowledgement, and Juushirou was quick to return it with one of his own.

"There were a few people who wanted to see you." Shunsui explained, coming to rest his hands on Juushirou's shoulders as he eyed him carefully. "Me especially, but I offered an open invite to anyone else who wanted to come gawk. There were a lot of nosy gawkers, so everything's a little bit chaotic inside. Chihiro was taking her time – so we were about to begin a search party of our own to find the both of you."

"He didn't tell me where he was going, and he'd walked a fair way." Chihiro shot Juushirou a dark look, and Juushirou shrugged, shaking his head.

"I'm allowed to walk. It's good for me to get fresh air and natural light." He said slowly. "But…what are you all doing here? Just to see me? But…"

"This is midterm break." Sora explained cheerfully. "Since we've five days to ourselves, Shunsui suggested we all descended on District Eight to see how you were doing. Of course, Hirata's not with us – he's still locked away in Seven and we couldn't persuade anyone to let him out even for a few days. But everyone else from Class Three came. Even Naoko-chan."

"Shikibu-san, too?" Juushirou questioned, and Sora nodded.

"Which is why we oughtn't spend too long out here." She explained. "Naoko didn't want to come out into the cold and Shihouin was passing a message from his sister on to Tokutarou-nii but…it probably isn't a good idea if he comes back and they're left alone together. The whole estate might explode."

"No kidding." Shunsui looked rueful, and Juushirou grinned, nodding his head.

"I understand." He said softly. "Then we ought to go back inside. I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting – but if you wanted to surprise me, probably you should take waiting into account."

"How are you really, Juushirou?" Mitsuki's grey eyes were concerned as they began to walk towards the house, the young Kuchiki falling into step with him and his sister as they did so. "You seem…all right…but when Kyouraku-kun said…"

"It was a bit of a horror story, no matter how I explained it." Shunsui said regretfully. "But he is in one piece, Mitsuki-chan. You shouldn't look like that – even without healer senses I can tell that he's much more his usual self."

"He seems adequately mended, if he can fend off one of Sora's mad bear hugs and lose himself in the forests without anyone knowing where to look." Ryuu said dryly. "I would be reassured, Mitsuki. He will return to school with us come the start of next term – and everything will be as before."

"This is your sister, isn't it?" Sora asked, casting Chihiro a glance, and Chihiro nodded, her cheeks pinkening at the sudden attention.

"This is Chihiro." Juushirou agreed. "She's the next one down from me, though she and Hiroyuki are twins. She's well used to keeping unruly brothers in line – which is why she's been staying here to keep an eye on me and make sure nothing untoward happens."

"That sounds quite sensible in my opinion." Ryuu observed. He eyed Chihiro for a moment, then, "I do not see much likeness, I confess – except in the eyes, which are undoubtedly the same. She clearly has no Kuchiki blood about her, and you can see as much just from one look."

"Ryuu-kun! She'll get offended if you say it like that." Mitsuki scolded, grabbing her cousin by the arm. "Chihiro-san, you're very pretty – don't let what he said make you think that you're not!"

"Meaning that Juushirou, by default, is ugly as a pig." Shunsui chuckled. "Since Ryuu-kun is right – they're really nothing alike to look at."

"Shunsui…" Juushirou glowered at him, and Shunsui shrugged unrepentantly.

"I'm just stating logical conclusions." He said airily. "Besides, beauty is in the eye of the beholder – isn't it, Mitsuki-chan?"

"Shut up." Mitsuki's matter of fact response caused even Shunsui to start, staring at her in surprise. "Don't say such mean things, Kyouraku-kun – of course Juushirou isn't ugly, and don't be so stupid."

"That told you." Sora giggled, and Juushirou hid a smile at the look on Shunsui's face. "You should know better than to tease Mi-chan about Juushirou these days, Shunsui. She's got a lot tougher and she's resilient to you now – so you ought not to underestimate her."

"Guess not." Shunsui agreed good-naturedly. "My apologies, then, to all I may have offended."

"I too meant nothing offensive." Ryuu was discomfited, and despite herself Chihiro laughed.

"I took no offence." She assured him with a smile. "It's all right. And it's true. We don't look alike – people often comment on it. But Juu-nii looks like his mother – and I look like our father."

"Of course…Chihiro is your _half_-sister, isn't she?" Sora realised, as they stepped into the salon proper and Juushirou saw Naoko sitting primly as far from the cold air as she could, while Kai, who looked out-of-breath was leaning up against the lacquered wall panels, a faint look of irritation in his golden eyes. "Because your real Ma and Pa are both dead…that's right, isn't it?"

"You still haven't any tact, Sora." Kai interjected as he heard her words. "You're talking about Ukitake's blood kin, not some random people in the dim and distant past."

"It's all right." Juushirou assured him. "It's true, after all. They are both dead – and I never knew my real mother."

"But you are somehow connected to the Kuchiki-ke, right?" Enishi dropped his heavy bulk down in a corner with a thump, drawing a disapproving look from Naoko's direction as he scrabbled to get himself comfortable. "That's why you're able to blast holes in stuff so easily – because there's some Clan in you somewhere?"

"Something like that, probably." Juushirou looked thoughtful. "Although – I wonder if it is her power or if it is mine, in the end."

"Bit of both, probably." Shunsui reflected.

"But there is truth in what you say." Chihiro said evenly. "Because Juu-nii has always been a little different from the rest of us. We're none of us at all powerful – not like he is. And Father wasn't either, although he had a little spirit power and he tried to use it sometimes. I don't like thinking that Juu-nii isn't exactly the same as the rest of us – but more and more it's obvious that he isn't. Whatever kind of person his mother was – that's the thing that made him stand out."

"Ryuu and I have found out a little bit…about who she was." Mitsuki admitted, and Juushirou looked startled.

"About…my mother?"

"Mm. It's one reason why we so eagerly accepted the invitation to come back here so soon after your disappearance in the gardens over the winter." Ryuu recovered himself, nodding his head as he remembered. "Even though there are Kyouraku kinsfolk probably waiting to ambush me from the shadows – I thought that the risk was still a good enough one to take."

"Nami isn't here any more, but I'll be sure to tell her you came by." Shunsui had not been suppressed for long, and he sent Ryuu a mischievous grin. "She'll be most gratified to know that you're so fond of calling on District Eight."

Ryuu sent Shunsui a dark look, but did not deign to respond, instead slipping his hand into the folds of his cream _obi_ and pulling out a folded sheet of parchment.

"This is all." He said apologetically, directing his words towards Juushirou and ignoring his Kyouraku classmate very pointedly as he spoke. "I do not think…that I really have the right to convey this or any information at all as regards Raiko-dono. Guren-sama treats it as a subject not to be spoken of – though I learnt from Shirogane-senpai that Guren-sama himself had asked questions about you and that in your trial before the Council he had known the name of your father. So I assumed that meant you had some direct connection to the Clan in some way. Shirogane-senpai also was curious to know why you had so much power and Kuchiki interest – so he assisted me in accessing some of the records that a mere student like myself would not be able to. When we returned from the wedding melee to District Six, we were able to find one or two references to a child called Raiko, who was once a member of Guren-sama's household."

"A member of…Guren-sama's?" Juushirou took the paper carefully, his heart pounding in his chest as he unfolded it. Mitsuki nodded.

"We were surprised, too." She admitted. "But that's clearly what the documents said. Then she disappeared…and nothing else was said. A lot of the files from that time have been locked away or destroyed – it's only because Shirogane-senpai wanted to help us that we managed to look at them."

"Seems Nagoya was fond of you after all." Enishi observed. "Who'd have thought?"

"Shirogane-senpai doesn't like to tell people if he likes them or not." Mitsuki looked thoughtful. "He much prefers telling them if he doesn't like them. But…I think Houjou-kun is right. Whether he says it clearly or not, I think he believes Juushirou has a lot of shinigami potential. And he doesn't like to think that that comes from the Districts – so if there is a Clan link, he wanted to find it out."

Juushirou glanced down at the piece of paper, his eyes becoming thoughtful as he read the words written there in Ryuu's neat, precise columns of characters. There was his mother's name, alongside the dates of the records they had discovered, and then, at the bottom, an unfamiliar name.

"Kuchiki Kinnya." He murmured, frowning. "Who's that?"

"An Uncle of Guren-sama's. He's still alive, but lives in seclusion and is thought to have taken some kind of religious vow since nobody ever sees him at family events any more." Mitsuki said softly. "He never married, but it seems that Raiko-dono was…his daughter."

"She was illegitimate." Juushirou pursed his lips. "That's what you mean, isn't it? Mother was born Kuchiki, but she was born out of wedlock and so shamed the family. So they got rid of her…and she grew up far from the manor, where nobody need ever know. Then she met Father, and they were happy, so she probably didn't mind. But…that her roots were so high up – I wonder if even she knew."

"She would have known, but I expect she was told never to speak of it." Ryuu said astutely. "As a Kuchiki, such things would not be spoken of, but from the records we found, her mother – a serving maid - died when she was small and Kinnya-sama tried very hard to acknowledge her with the rest of the Clan. She was the only child he ever had, and I think he probably felt some affection for her – but although he tried, nobody else ever really accepted her. So she was sent away, most probably, to live with some paid off servant and that was that. It has happened in all Clans – but in particular the Kuchiki-ke who do not tolerate slurs on their honour. In truth...had Kinnya-sama not been interested in her welfare, it is possible that...worse may have befallen her than exile from the Clan."

"You mean they would have killed her?" Sora's eyes became big, and Ryuu nodded.

"The Kuchiki-ke are rather ruthless about such things." Now Naoko deigned to enter the conversation, uttering a heavy sigh. "You are probably better off not claiming a connection to them too strongly, Ukitake-kun."

"Damaging a perfect veneer is a bad thing in some circles." Kai said dryly. "The Kuchiki take that more seriously than most - though knowing Ryuu here should give you enough indication of that."

"Well, either way it doesn't matter." Juushirou spoke before Ryuu could react to the jibe, folding the sheet of paper and slipping it into the folds of his own robes. "I'm grateful to you both and to Nagoya-senpai for helping to find this out. She was – she is – a ghost in my memories, but now at least I know who she was a little more. It doesn't matter to me that she was born illegitimate or not. She was my mother…and now I know."

"If Guren-sama remembered your Father's name, even if your Father met Raiko-dono after she was thrown out of the main Clan, surely that means he tried to find her?" Shunsui suggested. "You don't know that information if you have no interest in it, surely? It suggests that Guren-sama wanted to know what happened to Raiko-dono…and went to pains to discover it."

"Guren-sama was only a child when all of this happened." Ryuu shrugged. "Read into it what you will. All I know is that he does not speak of it, and even Shirogane-senpai doesn't know what the truth of it is. That little information is all we managed to glean. The rest is our assumption – all I know for sure is that Kinnya-sama was her father, and that she was illegitimate. Nothing more."

"Then Nii-sama really is Kuchiki, albeit of broken blood." Chihiro frowned. "Somehow…I don't like thinking of it. I prefer to think that…that he's Ukitake-ke."

"That's how I see myself, don't worry." Juushirou grinned. "That's why my _zanpakutou_ sheath has our family name written on it. The Ukitake-ke is the only family I belong to – now or ever. It doesn't change anything. It just helps me to understand a bit more where I came from."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Unohana-sensei said once that probably the reason I'm the only one with _haibyou_ is that Hahaue and Father both carried it." He added. "But Okaa-sama probably doesn't, so none of my siblings have it. If Hahaue was Clan, I didn't know how that was possible – but if she was illegitimate, then she must have carried the gene through her mother. And that…explains something I didn't know before."

"_Haibyou_ is quite a high price to pay for discovering something like that." Shunsui said gravely, and Juushirou nodded.

"But it strikes me that if she died when my mother was young, perhaps there was a reason why. Perhaps that was the reason why." He said quietly. "And perhaps that's why mother was really thrown out of the Clan. Maybe that's why she wasn't accepted, even though Kinnya-sama wanted her to be. Because she had tainted blood - diseased blood - and they didn't want to risk their family being contaminated with a disease they'd already eradicated from the Clan. Mother wouldn't have known that - Father either - that it wasn't just him who brought the curse into the Ukitake line. He always felt it was his fault that I had it - but in the end, it wasn't just about him. And there's no way of changing it but...even if I can't prove for sure it's that way...it's nice for a few pieces to start to fit together. To make sense of all of it - my illness, my strength, the things that make me able to fight and the things that hold me back."

"It looks like Kuchiki and Edogawa did good, then." Enishi remarked. "Though it doesn't matter to us either, Ukitake. It didn't before and it doesn't now."

"School is odd without you or Hirata." Shunsui agreed pensively. "You'd think that Hirata's absence would be easier to overlook, but oddly, it isn't. It will be much better when we have a full class again. I guess he's written more to you than to any of us - do you know what he's planning to do?"

"Come back at the start of Third Year, like me, I think." Juushirou considered. "But we haven't really written about that. More about everything in District Seven and how I'm doing here in Six. He's been practicing with Kibana in swordsmanship and that stuff, but he said he missed training with you, Kai-kun, and he's looking forward to being able to do that again."

"I'm a hard taskmaster." Kai let out a low whistle. "But I guess that means this Kibana guy is worse."

"He's a mercenary and an elite of Kyouraku training, so probably." Shunsui nodded. "Whatever that means."

"Will Endou-kun really be all right?" Naoko looked doubtful. "After all...he's not...he's not exactly someone you'd expect to take the lead. And..."

"Hirata will be fine." Juushirou said frankly. "He's stronger than people realise. Maybe more than even we did, to be honest. A lot has happened...but even so, he's still looking forward."

"Probably Misashi-sama is right and he will be the one who really changes the Endou-ke." Shunsui reflected. "I'm quite sure that the last time I saw him, he was starting to show signs of manifesting a _zanpakutou_ spirit. And really, the only thing that has ever kept him back in terms of class rank has been his physical inability. If Kibana's training him, and if Kai-kun does, too - that will change. He's not lacking in the ruthlessness an Endou needs as a survival skill."

"But he's not going to be someone who kills for fun, because he doesn't like it." Juushirou agreed. "I think Shunsui's right. Hirata will be the one to fix things, though it will take a long time."

"Hirata's _zanpakutou_, huh?" Enishi looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

"Probably it's not at a point he can train it yet." Shunsui shrugged. "But yes. Something changed in his aura...and because I've been more aware of mine lately, I noticed it. I think the Third Year is going to be quite eventful, given the fact that Juu's aura feels more swordy too than it did before."

"Mine are coming back." Juushirou agreed. "And your arm is healed, so...I guess that means..."

"I have talked to Yama-jii." Shunsui looked sheepish. "It was quite a long talk, all in all, and bits of it made me do a lot of thinking. I'm going to officially begin training for my _zanpakutou_ come the start of the next term, since though my arm is all right, it's not up to full strength yet and I've been focusing on getting back the muscle and coordination that I lost while it was injured. I only started being abused roundly in Minabe's classes again these last couple of weeks...so you won't miss anything. You can help me train, in fact, when you come back."

"That's a senpai's job." Juushirou shook his head, and Shunsui grinned.

"It is, and it will be." He acknowledged. "Some poor soul who I'm already pitying will have to take me on. But I meant informally. In terms of _zanpakutou_, you're senpai to all of us - so you should help out."

"It would be something for the Academy if our Class were all racing ahead, wouldn't it?" Kai looked thoughtful. "I guess that means the rest of us need to pitch in and see what we can do, too. If even Hirata, who's the youngest, might be on the verge of calling his sword...Kuchiki, Houjou, we can't be left behind."

"What about us?" Sora objected. "Just because we're girls doesn't mean we should be ignored!"

"Then I guess it's decided." Shunsui's eyes twinkled. "Next year, our Class are going to take the Academy by storm. We're going to set the shinigami standard - and just see whether anyone can keep up with us!"

* * *

"This meeting is adjourned."

As the members of the Endou council filed out of the administrative chamber, Hirata let out a sigh of relief, adjusting his spectacles on his nose as he hurried to slip away with the masses. His father was busy this time with some of the other representatives, and he took his chance to escape before someone stopped him to ask his opinion, slipping through the long, narrow hallways to the little cluster of studies that belonged to the heads of the family's power. As he reached the door he paused for a moment, resting his hand against the wood as he took in the engraved family crest that decorated the lacquered surface.

This had been Seimaru's office, once. And before that, Mibune's. Now it was his - and though to him it was more of a classroom than a political place of negotiation, he still had not fully become used to the change in his status.  
_  
Heir to the Clan._

He sighed, pushing back the door and stepping inside, closing it with a soft click behind him as he made his way across to the desk. Sinking down behind it, he reached for the pile of dusty old textbooks, pulling the uppermost one towards him and opening the cover.

_Shackles I can't see, but shackles I can't escape. I never thought I could be so homesick for a place that wasn't home - but I miss the Academy. I miss being able to laugh and joke and be teased by everyone. Even though I can see the Clan improving, I still feel oppressed in this place. Eiraki and I...everything has changed between us since the night she tried to take my life, and even though I know it wasn't her fault, I don't think it's ever settled down. We've both changed and grown apart - will I ever get used to that, I wonder? That now the ones I trust the most are no longer my kinsfolk, but those I've come to live and study with over the last couple of years?_

He turned over the pages of the kidou theory book, glancing at the neatly printed columns of kanji without really taking them in.

_And if I don't keep up with the rest, I'll be kept down a year. Even though it's not my fault Father kept me back here...I still can't let up. I know now that I want to be back at the Academy, but I want to be back with Juushirou-kun and Shunsui-kun and Kai-kun. I don't want to be held behind them. This Clan has done enough damage to me and my family...I won't let it ruin the rest of my training._

His eyes narrowed and he sighed, pushing the book aside.

_It's so hard to focus on anything, but at least I know that...if I have a few years to continue training...I intend to enjoy them. If that's the only freedom I ever have, I'll take it with both hands and make the most of it. No matter what weight the future might bring for this Clan. Seimaru's actions have had far reaching consequences for everyone - but especially for Father, for me, for Eiraki, for Mother. I have to be ready and willing to take that on, even if I hate the idea of it now. _

His gaze flitted to the window, as for the briefest of moments he thought he saw the silhouette of a bird hovering in the pale dusky sky. It was nothing more than an illusion, he knew that, yet even so his heart skipped a beat, and he took a deep breath into his lungs as he felt the cool evening wind swirl through the chamber.

_When I get back to school, I'll be able to talk about that, as well. When I can stop thinking of the Endou and start thinking of other things. I can talk to Sensei. Talk to Juushirou-kun. And get their advice. Because Shunsui-kun was right. There is...something else inside of me. _

He put his hand to his chest, feeling the pulsing rhythm of his heart.

_Something unfamiliar - something that changed in me when Seimaru died. And I know there's no going back on that, either. So wherever it leads, I need to find out. _

"Hirata-sama."

A voice from the door made him glance up, and he sighed, taking in the familiar form of his Father's chief retainer.

"Kibana-dono." He murmured, and Kibana smiled.

"We have a little time, Hirata-sama." He said quietly. "If you wish to spend a while practicing with swords."

Hirata hesitated for a moment, noticing that the sensation of the wheeling bird's presence had gone on the soldier's arrival. Then he let out another sigh.

"I suppose so." He agreed reluctantly. "Please, give me just a few minutes...I'll join you on the training ground momentarily."

Kibana bowed his head, withdrawing from the study, and Hirata got to his feet.  
_  
At least if I learn to wield a sword right, maybe then I'll be worthy of knowing more about you, bird of prey. And whether or not you and I can work together to try and put all these messy things to rights in the way that Father hopes we will. I haven't even spoken to him of it yet - but even so, that's all I can hope for now. That you'll let me trust you, and that you'll consider me worthy to know your name._

There was no response, yet the breeze blew sharply around Hirata's body once more, teasing at his long dark hair, and the young Endou knew that somehow the ghostly bird had heard and understood.  
_  
To business then._

He managed a wry smile.

_To the training ground. To do my best to earn your respect and prove that even I can be an Endou the Clan can be proud of._

* * *

The night was heavy and dark, with a bitter winter wind that blew unrelentingly through the halls of the Endou manor even despite the thaw in the season. In the grounds beyond, the birds that had sung frantically all day long in the hope of securing a mate had quietened, and only the hunting night owl could occasionally be heard flitting across the darkened sky.

The household was quiet, guarded from the outside by silent, focused retainers whose fingers hovered over the hilts of their swords ready to launch an attack at the first sign of trouble. Within, the noble family were settling down for the night – safe in the knowledge that another day had passed in District Seven without violent incident.

In the shadows of the swaying willow trees, a hooded, caped figure gazed out across the dew-tipped grass thoughtfully. Though it was drawing close to midnight, he could see the light of kidou lamps in the annexe building and his gaze darted from one side of the surrounding landscape to the other, his quick brain picking up one by one where the military officials were stationed.

One. Two. Three. Four. No, five of them stood between him and his target destination, and his eyes narrowed as he calculated the possibility of slipping past all of them unseen. They were all just men, in the end – not gifted in any way with spiritual wits or prowess, and even though their fighting skill was undoubtedly of a high level, it was unlikely that they would detect the quick shifting form of an unknown shadow as he darted from crevasse to cranny and made his way towards the aging stone building.

"_Bakudou no Nijuu Roku. Kyakkou_." He murmured, his voice soft enough that even the sweep of the wind obscured the sound from those in the surrounding vicinity. As the kidou cloaked itself around him in a protective shield, he dropped his reiatsu to its lowest possible level, slipping into shunpo as he zig-zagged from tree to tree towards the balcony that led into the apartments beyond.

As he set down on the smooth polished wood of the veranda, he heard a movement from the rooms within and he smiled, feeling gratified that his judgement had indeed been correct. She was awake, then, despite the late hour. Yet somehow he had known that she would be – that deep down inside she was still his, and more, she would be waiting for him.

_Even if such a wait is hopeless, or lasts a lifetime – she'll wait._

Amusement glittered in the man's muddy pale eyes.

_Love is a greater snare than even Chudokuga's shikai, when it comes to the heart of a lost young girl. The tendrils of spirit power were easier to break than the threads of emotion binding her to me. And she is still useful to me. Therefore I haven't given up on her – or this – just yet._

He listened for a moment at the door of the chamber, making out the different sounds as he judged whether or not the young hime was alone. Finally he decided that she was, and carefully and soundlessly he slid back the dividing door, stepping into the chamber proper.

Eiraki was curled up in one corner, a book on the floor in front of her but it was clear from the faraway look in her azure eyes that she had not been paying much attention to the contents. At the unexpected movement of the door, however, she glanced up, and as her lips parted in an exclamation of surprise, the figure released his spiritual cloak, revealing himself to her for the first time. Eiraki was on her feet in an instant, as if ready to call for help but he darted forwards, grasping her fingers loosely with one hand and throwing back the hood of his cloak with the other.

At the sight of him, her eyes became huge.

"_K…Kei-sama_?"

"Shh." Keitarou put his finger to her lips, and Eiraki stared at him with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. Then she let out a stifled sob, throwing himself on the hooded visitor and burying her head in the folds of his heavy cloak as she clung to him.

"Kei-sama." She murmured, her voice shaking with emotion and relief as she raised those vivid azure eyes to meet his clouded pale ones. "You're alive! You're alive after all! When they said…the Council…but you're alive. You're here and…and I knew it. I knew you couldn't be dead."

"Eiraki-hime."

Gently Keitarou disentangled himself from her embrace, dropping down onto the ground before her and bowing his head low before her.

"I did not expect such warmth of greeting." He said soberly, keeping his head bowed as he spoke. "Considering the level of pain and betrayal I have put you through – surely I thought you would summon your guards at the very sight of me and have me taken in chains."

"Yet you still came here, even thinking that?" Eiraki whispered, and Keitarou raised his gaze, slowly nodding his head.

"I wanted to see you even so." He said soberly. "Because I wanted you of all people to understand…everything that happened."

He sighed, schooling his features into a look of guilt.

"I even hurt you and drew you into the deception." He added sadly. "Even though you trusted me…in the end even I betrayed that trust. But I didn't want to, Hime. I didn't…"

"Shh." This time it was Eiraki who reached out her hand, putting a thin, delicate finger against Keitarou's lips, and he gazed at her in surprise.

"Nii-sama believes you wanted to hurt him, and that you were working for Seimaru and all kinds of other things." She said quietly, her eyes unusually serious as she stared down at him. "The Council are looking for you, because they say you were working on something terrible and illegal and that it needed to be stopped. They say you put a spell on me – and one on Nii-sama's friend Ukitake-san, too. There's so many bad stories, Kei-sama, that I feel like they're surrounding me from every angle. And I didn't even know if you were still alive…or if people were saying all these things without you ever being able to give your story."

Keitarou eyed her for a moment, gauging the tension that rippled through the young girl's body and the anxiety in her blue eyes. She was waiting for his reasons, he realised…she was waiting for him to tell her why he had acted and what he had done – and a faint smile touched his lips, for he knew that despite his crimes, she still desperately wanted to believe in him.

He inclined his head.

"I will tell you the truth." He murmured. "You and you alone, since you're the only one who will give me a fair hearing. Since the Council came I have been hiding outside of Seireitei, and I mean to go back to that place once our conversation is ended – until such a time when the furore has died down and I can try to live my life more safely. As a wanted Urahara, the odds are already against me. There's no point me giving my testimony to the Council for that reason – I'd be convicted before I even spoke."

"Then tell me." Eiraki knelt down before him, her eyes softening. "Please. I want to understand. You were always helping me – never unkind to me. And I can't believe…that you would…"

"I was working for Seimaru-sama." Keitarou admitted slowly, and horror flashed into Eiraki's eyes. Keitarou nodded, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I had no choice." He murmured, his tones rich with regret and hesitation as he carefully absorbed each and every change in her expression. "He told me he would kill people if I did not. He discovered that I'd helped you to escape his clutches…but Hime, instead of punishing me, he said he would punish _you_. He told me that if…if I travelled to District Eight and I made you attack your brother, he would let you live. He would leave you and your mother alone, if I did that. I did not want to…I did not. But…I had no choice. He wanted to kill you – and I…I wanted to protect you just as I promised I would. Hirata-sama was a stranger to me – you on the other hand were not."

"I see." Eiraki's eyes narrowed and Keitarou saw the flicker of righteous, indignant anger flare in the vivid blue depths. In that moment, he could feel the Endou spirit radiating from her, and once more he was reminded of the warrior Yayoi and her ruthless, unforgiving nature. He lowered his head once more.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, adding just enough of a tremor to his voice to enhance the emotion of his words. "It's unforgivable even so. To make you hurt Hirata-sama…but I was frightened, Hime. He had so much power and I thought we would not ever meet again, and…"

"Kei-sama." Eiraki cut across him, reaching across to cup his chin in her hand and slowly she raised his head once more to meet her gaze. "My cousin was an evil, evil man. And he told me that he wanted me dead. For him to use you in that scheme too…I'm sorry. He hurt your family and then he hurt you by using the connection you had to me. Probably he intended that all the time – to make you his puppet and to make you and I allies so that if I was threatened…"

Keitarou closed his eyes, allowing tears to trickle down his cheeks.

"Even so." He repeated quietly. "What I did was unforgivable. So I will leave here. You won't hear from me again. I just wanted you to…"

"Take me with you."

Eiraki's words came out of the blue, and even Keitarou was startled by their firmness, staring at her in confusion.

"Hime?"

"Take me with you." Eiraki shook her head. "I don't have any reason to stay here…I don't have any purpose within the Clan and even my family don't understand why I feel the way I do. I'm trapped here as much as I was when Seimaru was lord – only now it's the brother I grew up with and the parents that I wanted to protect who feel so far away from me. Nobody quite trusts me any more – they say that the annexe is to be my home because of my status as the Clan leader's daughter, but I know it's because they want to keep Hirata-nii and I apart. They think deep down that I might try and hurt him – that somehow I'd do that, even though he's my brother."

"That is my fault, though." Keitarou pointed out, reaching up to wipe his tears away. "Because of what I did to you…"

"But you did it because Seimaru made you. Because you wanted to save me, not because you wanted to hurt Hirata." Eiraki said slowly. "Isn't that right? You've always told me truth, Kei-sama – about yourself, your real name…so now you'll tell me truth too, won't you? I'm right, aren't I? Those were your reasons?"

"Yes, Hime." Keitarou nodded his head. "They are as you say."

"And if it comes to it, I also betrayed you." Eiraki bit her lip, looking distressed. "Because they lied to me – they told me you wouldn't be hurt. But someone tried to kill you and now they want to hunt you down. Father has begun even in the last week or two fresh searches across the District, offering rewards for information about where you might be hidden. Worse, there have been Shihouin soldiers here too doing the same errand. They will find you if you remain here, but I…"

She swallowed hard.

"I don't want you to disappear from my view." She whispered, tears glittering on her own lashes now. "I'm quite alone, even now I've come home. There's nobody who believes in me or sees any worth for me. They're kind to me but it's no more than that – I feel on the outside. And the longer it goes on, the more likely Father will find me a political fiancé from that assassin Clan and force me into playing a part that I just can't bear. I don't want to marry anyone else...I don't want it at all."

"But Hime…"

"I am fifteen, now." Eiraki raised her head, determination in her bright eyes. "In one more year I will be of age to wed and then I will probably be sent away to marry so that I am not in a place where I could cause Hirata-nii harm. Even though I never would – there is that barrier between us now. I am sure it means I will be sent far from here – and if I am to do that, then…"

"But coming with me would put you against the Council and the law. It would put you in danger of your life and I may not be able to always protect you." Keitarou pointed out. Eiraki nodded.

"I know." She said simply. "But my mind is quite firm. I hoped you were alive, Kei-sama. I hoped and prayed and wished for it and wouldn't believe anyone who said you might be dead. I hoped you would come to me – and even despite the danger you did, so that you could tell me in your own words the truth of what happened. We both did bad things and we both were used by Seimaru. Therefore we're both tainted people. And because of it, I want to come with you. Even if it's dangerous…I no longer feel I belong here."

Keitarou was silent for a moment, then a slight smile touched his lips. He got to his feet, reaching out his hand to take her fingers in his.

"Your faith in me is more than anyone else has ever had." He said solemnly. "And I value it, Hime. I value it more than you know. My heart drew me here, and deep down I don't want to be parted from you, either. But right now things are dangerous. People are looking for me and if you vanished, they would look for you too. The place I will go is unknown to you – and there will be no richness or finesse – no servants to wait on you, fine clothes or fancy titles. Even given that, are you still sure? That you wish to be by my side, no matter what? Once the decision is made, there will be no going back."

Eiraki nodded.

"Hirata-nii's said since he came back here that there were things he had to fight for and had to do." She said quietly. "And that he'd made up his mind to do them because that was his destiny. He killed Seimaru. He rescued Father. He did all the things that he had to do to save this Clan. But he also showed me that this Clan really isn't worth saving. And that the crimes committed by it – against your family and against its people – are far greater than I ever knew before. I don't want to be an Endou any more, because of that. I don't want their blood on my hands. If I come with you, I can leave that behind."

Keitarou's smile widened, and he inclined his head in acknowledgement of her words.

"One day we will come back here." He said softly. "And we will make sure that all the wrongs are fully righted. But for now, Hime, we should not linger in this place. The guards may alert themselves to me at any moment, and if I am caught here now, my sentence is death. I can't fight the way that others can – if I'm captured, then…"

"I know." Eiraki reached to her throat, loosening the Clan pendant and setting it down on the table. She reached for the book she had been reading, flicking through the pages to find a blank sheet and tearing it forcibly from the volume in one clean rip.

"Hime?" Keitarou stared at her, and Eiraki offered him a faint smile.

"I will tell them that I have gone by my own will." She said simply, grasping the brush from the inkstone and sweeping the characters deftly and determinedly across the page. "That way they should not believe me abducted, not if the words are written freely in my own hand."

Keitarou moved to stand beside her, reading the columns of daintily written kanji as he did so.

" _The Endou-ke does not need a hime, and I do not need this Clan. I have opened the cage and I will fly free. Do not look for me, for I will not be there to be found. Eiraki."_

Softly he read the words out loud.

"The cage?"

"My Clan's warrior spirits are hunting birds, but girls are not encouraged or allowed to possess them." Eiraki set the brush down. "And so all Endou _hime_ are _caged_ birds instead, Kei-sama. But Grandmother – she flew free and did what she believed in. And I'll do the same thing, too. I'm fed up of being unable to do anything – and of being used and manipulated by political factions because of my bloodline. If I come with you, I'll abandon all of that. If I come with you, I can start again. We can start again. And one day…one day show my family and the Council that the Clans aren't always right."

"Even if that means facing your brother?"

Eiraki hesitated for a moment, then she nodded her head.

"Hirata-nii should have understood, but in the end, he didn't." She said with a sigh. "What happened to you and your people…in the end he didn't understand at all. He did as I asked him and took Seimaru's life – but nothing has really changed. Peace has come, but people are still as they were before. And I'm still as I was before…only now I don't want it and now I want to change."

_I see. So some of my rebel spirit still lingers inside of her. _

Keitarou's eyes narrowed slightly as he digested this.

_Is it the effect of my company, or the lingering result of having had Chudokuga within her heart for so long? The child has changed…grown older and yet more bitter with each passing day. All that has been inflicted upon her has begun to warp her character – and that dark, Endou spirit I felt from her before has started to awaken with force. Yayoi-sama was a woman who could forsake her blood if they disagreed with her will. Eiraki-hime has her Grandmother's eyes…perhaps she truly does also have the old woman's harsh will as well. I had thought it would be harder to convince her to come – more, that I might have to take her by force. But…as it stands…_

He smiled.

_The future Lord of the Endou will not want to raise his arms against those associated with his sister. He is not the ruthless soul she is – he probably has no idea that Eiraki-hime is more an Endou than he ever will be. Yet I can use that to my advantage. She may be spiritually weak – and as yet too young to be of real use to me. But she will do well, I think, as a soldier in my fight. It isn't over – it has only stalled. Yet with Eiraki, I can begin all over again – and more, birth a new generation in whom to instil the memory of the exiled Urahara. _

_It will take time, but I can spare time. Nagesu-nii, you were foolish not to kill me. Whether you were right or wrong in the end is unimportant. I've lived my whole life this way now – there is no other path for me to take. If they imagine that a few setbacks will slow me down…they are fools indeed. I may have lost Shikiki, and perhaps, for now, the Ukitake boy is also beyond my reach. But he is alive. Shikiki's talents have developed as I anticipated, and because of it, Ukitake Juushirou still lives. There are many, many options still for the future. I am far from being defeated – this is only the start._

He took his cloak from off his shoulders, wrapping it around Eiraki's as he took her by the hand.

"We should go, then, if that is your choice." He said softly. "So long as I live, Hime, I promise to protect you and keep you as safe as I am able. What the future holds yet is unknown, but even so, if we face it together, the possibilities are endless. Seimaru is gone so there is no longer anyone to control or manipulate us. What we do from now on is up to us – and together we'll make sure that things change. You'll never be useless to me, nor kept in a confined chamber away from what's important."

He bent to kiss her hand, then,

"Our engagement has never been broken, in my heart or in my mind." He added solemnly. "In a year, we can make it official – and then _nobody _will ever be able to tear it apart!"

**~Owari~**

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Yep, that's the end of the Third Chronicle._

_I want to thank everyone who's supported and kept faith with this tale, even despite how long it's been and how much twisting and turning I think I've done with people's emotions. If anyone is still speaking to me, then yay O.O._

_Right now I don't know what I'm writing next, or if I will write about Juu and Shun again. Surely people are sick of these two by now?_

_I have other ideas for things buzzing in my head, but at the moment I'm not sure what will follow this, if anything at all. We'll see. Obviously some of those ideas connect to that last scene...and also in some respects to the Mirror, Flower, Water, Moon prequel story I wrote about Aizen Sousuke.  
_

_I said before while writing this one that this story would be the last, and my real life has gotten kinda chaotic so even though those other ideas are buzzing, I'm not sure I will get to put them down into text before they fade and disappear. For that reason, I intend on posting the final epilogue oneshot that I wrote ages ago to chart the final fates of all of the OCs. Except Naoko. I don't know what happened to her. _

_The only other thing I will mention here - in case I don't get a chance to share it in any other way - is **Hirata's zanpakutou** that a few people have asked about._

_  
The sword's name is **Tsumi no Fuuhi **(Sparrowhawk's Wind of Sorrow) and it has a very specific meaning with relevance to this story, hence why I'm explaining._

_A 'tsumi' in Japanese can mean sparrowhawk, but with different kanji it can also mean "sin". Thus the first time Hirata's sword spirit awoke inside him was when he killed Seimaru - a "sin" which he can't erase from his conscience despite everything else. In fact, you might say that killing Seimaru was a necessary step in his reaching out to raise his zanpakutou. Unless he accepted his Clan duty and the fact his path was touched by the same ruthlessness as his fellow Clansfolk, Tsumi would remain unsummoned. Like Shunsui, it was a matter of forging resolve. Therefore it was the shadow of his bird of prey, not his father's that he saw in the snow - and it was also his hawk's spirit, not reidoku, that helped him follow the missing nobles to Hokujou. Some folk will probably have figured that much out - but there it is.  
_

_Tsumi also bears the power of 'wind' or air currents, which some people have probably guessed from Hirata's last few scenes. There is old mythology (albeit admittedly not Japanese) which associates the sparrowhawk with the element of wind. Therefore Hirata's spirit power is wind-based.  
__Oddly enough, despite the fact it has not appeared fully and has only been hinted at late on, Hirata's was the first bird of prey spirit I designated to the Endou-ke. All of the others simply followed, since Hirata was always going to be the 'hawk' of the Clan._

_The Endou-ke are entirely fictional, but they do have canon Bleach descendants, as I've said before. I'm not going to reveal who those are though...if people stop and think it through, they might be surprised to work it out._

_I'm sure people want to know about Ryuu and Kai etc's swords, but though I developed zanpakutou ideas and spirits for all of my OCs, Hirata's is the only one I'm going to detail here since it's been referenced in the story. For anything else about the OCs, see the forthcoming epilogue chapter, although admittedly zanpakutou will not be revealed there, either._

_I won't pretend everyone will like that oneshot, but I am satisfied with the paths of each of them and so that's that. _

_I also have one more thing to add here. I am very grateful - and actually, humbled - by the epicness of the fans who've read and reviewed Meifu since it first kicked off in December 2009. More than 500 reviews for just this fic alone is insane and I still don't quite believe it. I hope people will continue to enjoy the stories and that if I do write more Bleach fic, some of you guys will come and support me all over again. _

_Daisuki, minna xD Daisuki xD_


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